Mark Selby came from 3-2 down to beat Luca Brecel 6-3 and reach the final of the BetVictor Welsh Open, remaining on track for a 24th ranking title.
Results / Tickets / How To Watch
Brecel looked the stronger player when he led 3-2, but crucially missed chances in the sixth and seventh frames. That allowed Selby to gain control of the contest, and the four-time World Champion reeled off the last four frames to set up a final against Ali Carter or Stephen Maguire in Llandudno on Sunday.
The 41-year-old from Leicester will be playing in his 36th ranking final, having won 23 of his previous 35. Back in 2008 he beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 9-8 in the Welsh Open final, and has not won the event since. If Selby can lift the Ray Reardon Trophy tomorrow it will be his third piece of silverware this season having won the Unibet British Open in September and the BetVictor Championship League last week. He is sure to climb one place to third in the Johnstone's Paint World Rankings, and the £100,000 top prize would boost him to fourth on the one-year list.
Defeat is a double blow for Brecel as victory today would have guaranteed him a place in next month's World Grand Prix, instead he misses out on that event in Hong Kong. His hopes of winning the £150,000 BetVictor Bonus are also over as he needed to win the tournament to top the BetVictor Series rankings, so that windfall goes to Neil Robertson.
In a repeat of the 2023 Crucible final, Selby made a superb start with a 131 total clearance in the opening frame. Brecel was suffering from a headache and took a short break, and when he came back to the table he got his cue arm going with a run of 68 for 1-1. A scrappy 45-minute third frame went Selby's way, before Brecel made 79 in the fourth then dominated the fifth for 3-2.
Belgium's Brecel had chances to extend his lead in frame six, but missed a red with the rest when he led 23-2, and Selby punished him with a run of 60. World number seven Brecel had another opportunity in the seventh, but on 45 went for a risky three-ball plant which missed its target, and Selby cleared with 67 for 4-3. The Englishman went on to take the eighth with runs of 33 and 35 before sealing victory in the ninth with a 74.
"I got stronger as it went on, from 3-2 down that was the most composed I have felt all week," said Selby. "I lost my way a bit after the interval. The match turned on the plant Luca went for at 3-3, it was probably a one in ten shot and perhaps he shouldn't have gone for it. For me, you have to weigh up the options and percentages, if it's not in your favour it's not the right shot. But that's how Luca plays and he has won tournaments so he'll feel he doesn't need to change.
"The difference for me in the last few weeks has been that I have been winning scrappy frames, which I had struggled with previously for a few months. Winning the Championship League gave me confidence. I have lacked consistency at times this season so it has been great this week to put a run together. I'll enjoy the final tomorrow but I will be trying my hardest and determined to win."
Brecel, who was playing in his first ranking semi-final of the season, said: "I didn't play well enough, I missed too many chances. I felt I was playing well enough to win the tournament, but Mark was a very tough opponent today."