Mark Selby powered to a 6-3 victory over Shaun Murphy to book his place in the UK Championship final against Judd Trump on Sunday.
Defending champion Trump had earlier completed a 6-3 win against Australia’s Neil Robertson as he looks to maintain his proud record of winning at least one trophy every year since 2013.
And on the evidence of Saturday evening, it promises to be a mouth-watering occasion in York, with four-time world champion Selby at his clinical best to dispatch Murphy.
“I felt good from start to finish. At the interval I felt relaxed and felt like I was close to playing some decent stuff and I needed to because Shaun hits the ball as well as anyone I have ever played,” Selby said.
“If Judd plays like we know he can play, I will have to play somewhere near that to compete as well.
“It has been nine years since I got to the last UK final and even in the Masters I have not done great. It would be nice to try and tick it off and get to 10 [wins in Triple Crown events].”
In a high-quality start, Selby opened with a break of 73, Murphy replying with a sublime 131.
Selby, who last won this title in 2016, pinched the third frame, having played a sensational positional shot from the blue to the final red after Murphy had missed a red with the rest.
Another 73 extended Selby’s advantage and he picked up where he left off after the interval with a well-crafted break of 105 to lead 4-1.
Murphy briefly raised hopes of reproducing the sort of stirring fightback that carried him past John Higgins in the last 16 by collecting the next two frames.
However, when the 2008 winner failed to drop in a long red to the left corner pocket, he was ruthlessly punished ruthlessly as Selby made 72 and 55 to go 5-3 ahead.
In the ninth frame, 24-time ranking event winner Selby stylishly secured his place in the final of one of snooker’s prestigious Triple Crown events for the 15th time, with his second century of the match.
