Judd Trump swept to a commanding 10-4 victory over Neil Robertson but expressed concern about his cue tip as he reached the final of the Tour Championship in Manchester.
World number one Trump laid the platform for his success in Friday’s afternoon session which he dominated to establish a 7-1 lead, before finishing the job in the evening.
Trump, who will be making a first appearance in the final of the event, set the tone with breaks of 87, 94 and 113 as he registered 294 unanswered points in the opening three frames.
He will face either world champion Zhao Xintong or Scotland’s John Higgins in Sunday’s final which begins at 13:00 BST.
“I started off well in the first three frames and after that it went a bit downhill so I am pleased to get over the line,” Trump said on 5Action.
“I have been struggling with my tip for the whole tournament. Somehow I have had a good run and Neil struggled a bit and that was the difference.”
Armed with his hefty lead, Trump made sure he carried focus into the evening session.
The Tour Championship launched in 2019 and this is the eighth edition, with Robertson a two-time former winner, so Trump knew he was not to be underestimated.
“In my eyes Neil loves to win 10-0 so I wanted to beat him 10-1 or give myself something to focus on so he didn’t get back in it,” said the 36-year-old Englishman.
“At this point you want to beat everyone with the World Championship just around the corner. Whoever I play in the final it will be an amazing game.”
After Trump built on his brisk start to develop a 6-0 lead, Australia’s Robertson celebrated with the crowd when he won frame seven.
While Robertson reduced his arrears to 7-3 by winning the first two frames when play resumed in the evening, Trump closed the door on any prospect of a full-scale fightback with runs of 87 and 75 to move 9-3 ahead.
He then traded frames with his opponent to set up a mouth-watering finale to the tournament against Zhao or reigning champion Higgins, who begin their semi-final at 13:00 BST on Saturday.
This is the final event for snooker’s elite players before the World Championship begins in Sheffield on 18 April.