Snooker results: Ronnie O'Sullivan into European Masters final to face Fan Zhengyi

After losing a tight opening frame, O'Sullivan got to work with a trio of half-century breaks to ensure he carried a 3-1 lead into the interval, before returning with breaks of 127 and 109 to take full control.

Liang earned a stay of execution when a rare O'Sullivan blip among the balls allowed the Chinese to pinch the next frame and it appeared he might reduce his arrears in a similar fashion in the next.

However, after O'Sullivan played a delicate safety shot to take control of their exchange, he went on to close out a convincing victory and secure what will be his 60th ranking final appearance, against a player who will be making his first.

"I would have been really happy to see Liang win because I know how much he puts into the game," said O’Sullivan, who will go £33,500 clear at the top of the BetVictor Series rankings if he wins the final. "I know how much he loves the game. I am very close to him and I want to see him do well and have the best life he can possibly have.

"If winning tournaments makes him happy then that makes me happy. He makes me laugh, he’s a great character for the game. He’s got a clean heart and a beautiful soul. But you have to do a job, a packed crowd had come to see the match and I had to do my best.

"I am under no illusions, I am not as dominant as I used to be. I can still score a few when I am on my game, I am a handful, I just don’t do it often enough or consistently enough. I miss balls here and there. I am not the player I was and I never will be.

"But I enjoy playing, I enjoy the lifestyle. If I can get another three World Championships out of my career then great. After that I’ll look to play at a lower level, do some exhibitions, have some academies in China and just have involvement in the game that way."

Dott comes up short

Earlier, Graeme Dott was unable to deliver for Sporting Life followers as 21-year-old Fan Zhengyi reached his maiden ranking final with a 6-4 win at the European Masters.

Dott was selected by our snooker expert Richard Mann at 80/1 prior to the tournament and, having been odds-on prior to the first semi-final, turned in a disappointing display.

But there can be no denying Fan was excellent at times and superior throughout this match, scoring heavier than his vastly more experienced opponent and value for more than the eventual winning margin.

He scored the three highest breaks of the game, including a brilliant 131 in frame two, and from 4-1 in front would have been most unfortunate to lose.

That never really appeared on the cards although having clawed his way to within one at 5-4 down, Dott was among the balls in frame 10, only to again make a careless error when among the balls, one of several throughout the course of a disgruntled display.

Fan swept in with an impressive 84 break and, only recently turned 21, now has the opportunity to secure his first piece of WST silverware. He'll face either O'Sullivan or Liang Wenbo on Sunday.

"It’s hard to believe I am in the final, it has been an amazing week," said Fan. "I played well today. I felt pressure when Graeme came back from 4-1 to 4-3. I thought it was going to be 5-5 but I got a chance and made a very good break. I tried to keep calm and not think about what it would mean to reach the final.

"Every round this week I have beaten good players and got more confidence. To play Ronnie in a big final would be a dream come true... I will have to try not to think about the big occasion and just play my game.

"This is the best week of my career for sure. Playing every day with Zhao Xintong and Yan Bingtao has helped me to get better. I hope there is still a lot of improvement to come."