Ali Carter is through to his second MrQ Masters final after an enthralling 6-3 semi-final defeat of Mark Allen at Alexandra Palace.
The Captain now faces a mouth-watering clash with old adversary and record breaking seven-time Masters champion Ronnie O’Sullivan in the final.
The head-to-head standings stack up heavily in world number one O’Sullivan’s favour, who leads by a 17-1 margin. Carter’s solitary victory against the Rocket came in a fiery World Championship encounter back in 2018.
Carter is hunting what would be a dream maiden Triple Crown title, having already appeared in three finals. Two of those were against tomorrow’s opponent O’Sullivan. He succumbed to an 18-8 defeat in the 2008 world final, as well as an 18-11 loss at the Crucible in 2012. Carter was runner-up to Stuart Bingham here at Alexandra Palace in 2020, after losing a pulsating final 10-8.
Allen falls short of appearing in his second Masters final. The Pistol fired to victory here in 2018, after beating Kyren Wilson 10-7 in the title match. However, he will have to settle for the last four this year. He has the consolation of heading to the Crucible knowing he is a maximum break away from scooping a massive £147,000 payout. Allen fired in the perfect break in yesterday’s semi-final with Mark Selby.
It was Allen who took a tight first frame this evening, before Carter produced a spellbinding burst to take charge. A break of 71 restored parity and he then fired in three consecutive century runs of 100, 101 and 105 to move 4-1 ahead.
Northern Irishman Allen continued the scintillating standard in the sixth frame, producing the match’s fourth consecutive century with a break of 101 to stay in contention at 4-2. A dramatic seventh swung one way then the other.
Carter looked set to move one from the win when an unexpected miss with the rest ended his break on 55. Allen stepped up to make a superb clearance of 39 to steal on the black and make it 4-3.
Essex’s Carter then moved one from the win at 5-3, but faced a gruelling 45-minute ninth frame. It came right down to the final blue, which Carter eventually cut into the top left ahead of depositing the pink for a famous victory.
“I got it going in the middle of the match. I played some really good stuff there. Mark made it tough and showed what a great competitor he is. I’m delighted to get through to another Triple Crown final.”
Ali Carter
German Masters Champion
“I have every confidence. I’ve just got to worry about my game and I’m relishing the challenge. What better than to play the greatest player of all time on the biggest stage? It doesn’t get any better," said world number ten Carter.
“To not be in awe is the main thing for me to concentrate on tomorrow and to enjoy it. I need to enjoy the occasion. I probably didn’t enjoy the two world finals as much as I should have done looking back now I’d love to rewind the clock and just enjoy it. That is what I’m going to do tomorrow.”
Allen said: “Ali played very well tonight. That is the difference. Mark Selby and John Higgins had their chances and didn’t take them, Ali did. I played the way I have all week to be honest, I was really struggling for form. I gave it everything and I got myself back in the game at 4-3. It just wasn’t meant to be.”