Mark Allen will face Luca Brecel in the final of the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship on Friday night, with the winner to lift the trophy and bank £250,000.
Brecel scored a 4-2 victory over Mark Williams in the semi-finals and remains in the hunt for his first individual title since capturing the World Championship 19 months ago. Defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan had hoped to set up a repeat of last year's final against Brecel, but went down 4-2 against Allen.
O'Sullivan took the opening frame by clearing from the last red, and he led 53-1 in the next when he missed a mid-range red, which proved a turning point as Allen made an excellent 53 clearance. A run of 56 put Allen 2-1 ahead, and he came from 40-8 down in the next to snatch it with a run of 60. O'Sullivan pulled one back with a 75, but early in frame six Allen converted a clever double to a centre pocket, and went on to finish in style with a 134 total clearance.
The Northern Irishman is aiming for his first title since the Players Championship in March, and victory would match his biggest ever pay day, equalling the £250,000 he won at the 2022 UK Championship.
Brecel won the first frame of his semi-final, then Williams made breaks of 103 and 58 to lead 2-1. Brecel enjoyed a huge slice of luck in frame four as, escaping from a snooker, he fluked a red and finished with position on the black, setting him up for a run of 59 for 2-2. Williams led 41-16 in he fifth when he missed a tricky plant, handing his opponent the chance to clear with 38 to edge ahead.
Frame six lasted 46 minutes, the longest of the tournament so far, and came down to a safety battle on the brown. Williams had a chance for 3-3, but failed to pot the brown to a baulk corner, and Brecel took the chance to reach his first final since this event in March.
The final starts at 10.30pm local time.