Mark Selby produced another devastating display to defeat Ding Junhui 10-2 and set up a meeting with John Higgins in the final of the Tour Championship.
In a week of one-sided wins, Selby has produced two of them now – 10-1 over Neil Robertson in the quarter-finals and then, on Saturday night, 10-2 over Ding.
Selby won three of the first four frames, three of the next four, then all of the following four to storm into the final with the minimum of fuss.
His victory was sealed with a classic Selby counter-attack, a fifth half-century to go with breaks of 103 and 104 earlier in the match.
Selby now advances to face Higgins, the pair having met in the final of the British Open earlier in the season when Selby ran out a convincing winner.
On this form a repeat is plainly possible, though Higgins has rediscovered the winning habit since then and got better as the game went on when he beat Barry Hawkins 10-7 on Friday.
Planting his way to victory! 🪴
— WST (@WeAreWST) April 5, 2025
Mark Selby with a perfectly precise plant. 👏#TourChampionship | @Sportsbetio pic.twitter.com/m9c4gvME2h
Victory for Selby would be his 25th ranking title, enough to move joint-seventh in the all-time list where Higgins currently sits third, just four behind Stephen Hendry.
"I felt in control of myself all the way through the match," Selby told ITV. "The last frame of the first session I think was key, because if Ding gets out 5-3, he'd have been over the moon with that. To win that (and lead) 6-2 was a big frame."
Asked by Hendry how close he felt to his imperious best, Selby added: "Cueing-wise I think I'm there, I've just been doubting myself for a little while.
"But performing like that this week... I think I said to you guys, I'm trying to up the tempo, just see the shots a lot quicker and play the first shot I think of, rather than second-guessing yourself. It seems to be working so far.
"I told myself at 6-2, just stay positive; don't try and fall over the line, play to win rather than playing not to lose. I felt like I stayed on the attack, which is rare for me!"
On meeting Higgins, Selby said: "Looking forward to it, you know, I've got so much respect for John as a player. I watched a bit of that game yesterday, I thought he played phenomenal. Since he's won that tournament in China, he seems to have got that confidence back in himself again, and it's showed this week."
