Ronnie O'Sullivan reached his 13th Masters final with a 6-3 victory over Ding Junhui at Alexandra Palace as his opponent came so close to a 147 break.
The Rocket is chasing a record-extending eighth Masters title, 24 years after his first back in 1995.
O'Sullivan surged into a 4-0 lead at the mid-session interval before the Chinese star responded by winning the next three frames.
Ding scored two successive centuries including a near-miss on a 147 when he cleared reds and blacks but missed a difficult green.
But O'Sullivan replied with the two frames required to win 6-3 and move closer to becoming the first player to win any one of the 'triple crown' events eight times.
O'Sullivan told BBC Sport: "I don't buy into numbers or achievements, I just enjoy what I have and am grateful for what I have.
"I understand that the western philosophy is about getting more and more is never enough, but I don't adopt that."
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Judd Trump holds of Neil Robertson to book final place
O'Sullivan will face Judd Trump for the title after the 29-year-old booked his place in his first Masters final with a 6-4 win over Neil Robertson.
Trump won the first two frames to take the advantage but the Australian pulled back with a clearance of 127 levelling before the mid-session interval.
Trump re-established his two-frame lead at both 4-2 and 5-3 in an increasingly error-strewn affair before Robertson pulled out his second 127 break to reduce the deficit.
But Trump seized control in the 10th frame, with breaks of 48 and 49 ultimately doing enough to confirm his place in the final.
Semi-final results & schedule
Saturday January 19
Afternoon Session (1300 - BBC/Eurosport)
- Ding Junhui 3-6 Ronnie O'Sullivan
Saturday January 19
Evening Session (1900 - BBC/Eurosport)
- Judd Trump 6-4 Neil Robertson
Final
Sunday January 20
Afternoon Session (1300 - BBC/Eurosport)
Evening Session (1900 - BBC/Eurosport)
- Ronnie O'Sullivan v Judd Trump
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