Ronnie O'Sullivan eased past an out of sorts Stuart Bingham to reach the final of the World Grand Prix, where he'll face Neil Robertson.
O'Sullivan won 6-2 thanks to a string of meaningful contributions rather than the fireworks those in attendance would've hoped to see, but Bingham's persistent mistakes meant that was all The Rocket required.
Bingham's woes were underlined in what proved to be the final frame when, seemingly set to reduce what had been a 5-1 deficit to 5-3, he missed a regulation black and handed the match to his opponent.
Earlier in the frame, O'Sullivan had declined the opportunity to exercise the miss rule when doing so might've ended the match. Instead, he took on a long brown, missed, and would've paid the price but for Bingham's carelessness with one ball remaining.
It summed up something of an anti-climax and Bingham was clearly frustrated that he hadn't asked more significant questions on a night where O'Sullivan, who enjoyed some fortune, might've been vulnerable.
"Disappointed with the way I performed tonight," said the former world and Masters champion. "Gutted, really. He had a bit of luck here and there, but I had my opportunities and just couldn't take them."
Whether O'Sullivan's performance levels are enough to beat Robertson remains to be seen, as he seeks to end a run of five ranking final defeats he's been on since capturing a sixth world title in the summer of 2020.
Ranking title number 38 has been next on the agenda ever since, but defeats in the semi-finals of the Scottish and English Opens are the closest he has come so far this season.
O'Sullivan holds a 19-10 head-to-head advantage over Robertson, but the Australian has won their last two meetings including in the final of the Tour Championship when last they met in March.
Ronnie: Club-standard semi-final
O’Sullivan said afterwards on ITV4: "We both stunk it out. We were both really, really poor, we looked like a couple of old club players, that’s what it felt like. Really embarrassing but there you go, sorry about that.
"I felt for Stuart, you could see he was struggling and honestly we looked like a couple of butchers out there, just butchering everything all over the gaff."
O’Sullivan, a winner of the event three years ago, knows he must improve ahead of his best-of-19 showdown against Robertson on Sunday.
He added: "If I don’t get my finger out or find something, I’ll probably get blasted away. I’d be happy to get a couple of frames playing like that.
"You never know, I could stink the gaff out, drag him down to my level and he could go. I doubt it, he’s a bit too good for that, he’s in his prime. He’s cuing really well, best cueist I’ve ever seen."
