Judd Trump will meet Kyren Wilson in the Northern Ireland Open final after easing to a 6-0 semi-final win over Elliot Slessor in Belfast.
The holder and world number one hit breaks of 78, 61 and 90 at the Waterfront Hall in Saturday night’s victory.
Slessor could only manage 62 points in the match against Trump, who is aiming to win the tournament for the fifth time in eight years.
Standing in his way is fellow English player Wilson, the world number two, a 6-4 winner against Pang Junxu earlier on Saturday.
Wilson compiled a break of 110 in the first frame but his Chinese opponent replied with a run of 83 to draw level.
The reigning world champion took frames three and four, the former with the help of a 77 break, then Pang responded to reduce his deficit to 3-2.
Wilson restored his two-frame lead and continued his impressive scoring with a 72 to move to within one of victory.
Pang won the next two, but Kettering’s Wilson ultimately prevailed thanks to an 83 in the 10th frame.
Pang, world-ranked 27th, was unable to claim the scalp of a third world champion, having accounted for former Crucible winners Luca Brecel and Neil Robertson earlier in the tournament.
Wilson is aiming to clinch his second ranking title of the season, having won the inaugural Xi’an Grand Prix in China in August, when he defeated Trump 10-8 in the final.
Trump, 35, has already tasted success in the Shanghai Masters and the first staging of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters this term.
