Ronnie O'Sullivan will face Judd Trump in the final of the Champion of Champions after a one-sided 6-2 victory over Fan Zhengyi on Saturday night.
Breaks of 89, 117, 86, 55, 62, 53 and 75 saw O'Sullivan reach the final of the event for the sixth time in just nine appearances, and with the exception of frames three and seven his young opponent offered little resistance.
That's not to say Fan was without chances, but they needed taking. He did so only twice, including with a century of his own to extend the match longer than had appeared likely, but in cutting a 5-1 deficit by a frame was never likely to be doing anything but massaging the scoreline.
So it proved as O'Sullivan dominated the following frame, winning it in two visits to gain a measure of revenge for Fan's 10-9 stunner in the final of the European Masters, and he'll now head into a showstopper with Trump seeking his second title of the campaign following victory in Hong Kong.
Who do you think will win Sunday's Champion of Champions final? #snooker
— Nick Metcalfe (@Nick_Metcalfe) November 5, 2022
"I don't know if I was good, or he was not very good," said O'Sullivan. "He had loads of chances, an unbelievable amount of chances, but that's the way it goes sometimes.
"I'm just out there doing a job, trying my best, that's all you can do really.
Asked about reaching his sixth final in nine tries, O'Sullivan said: "It's a normal return. I've won pretty much every tournament quite a few times, made finals... 13 Masters finals I think. I'm just here to do a job. I'm looking forward to getting home and seeing the dogs to be honest."
And of Sunday's final against the defending champion?
"It's great for everyone who loves their snooker," confessed a surly O'Sullivan. "I just hope I can play a little better than I have done. I'll have to to give Judd a game. He looks like he's playing the best snooker this week."
O’Sullivan was quick out of the traps in front of a raucous crowd in the northwest, making 89 in the first and firing in 117 in the second to take a 2-0.
Fan took the third, but a break of 89 from O’Sullivan made it 3-1 and The Rocket’s momentum showed no sign of slowing down in the fifth, with a break of 55 helping him to take a 4-1 lead and putting him two away from the final.
O’Sullivan then moved 5-1 ahead but Fan regrouped with a wonderful clearance of 123 to cut the deficit to 5-2 with the highest contribution of the match.
The tide was only stemmed briefly though, O’Sullivan made 53 and 75 in the final frame to deliver an emphatic win that sees him face Trump in tomorrow’s final. The first time they will have met since the World Championship final in May.
Champion of Champions schedule & results
MONDAY OCTOBER 31
Afternoon session (1300 GMT)
Group 4 semi-finals - best of 7
- Mark Selby 4-0 Lee Walker
- John Higgins 4-2 Hossein Vafaei
Evening session (1900 GMT)
Group 4 final - best of 11
- Mark Selby 6-4 John Higgins
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 1
Afternoon session (1300 GMT)
Group 3 semi-finals - best of 7
- Neil Robertson 3-4 Fan Zhengyi
- Kyren Wilson 3-4 Ryan Day
Evening session (1900 GMT)
Group 3 final - best of 11
- Fan Zhengyi 6-5 Ryan Day
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 2
Afternoon session (1300 GMT)
Group 1 semi-finals - best of 7
- Judd Trump 4-2 Luca Brecel
- Mark Allen 4-2 Joe Perry
Evening session (1900 GMT)
Group 1 final - best of 11
- Judd Trump 6-1 Mark Allen
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 3
Afternoon session (1300 GMT)
Group 2 semi-finals - best of 7
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 4-2 Robert Milkins
- Zhao Xintong 4-2 Mink Nutcharut
Evening session (1900 GMT)
Group 2 final - best of 11
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-1 Zhao Xintong
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 4
Evening session (1900 GMT)
Semi-final - best of 11
- Judd Trump 6-3 Mark Selby
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 5
Evening session (1900 GMT)
Semi-final - best of 11
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-2 Fan Zhengyi
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 6
Afternoon session (1300 GMT)
Final - best of 19
- Judd Trump v Ronnie O'Sullivan
Evening session (1900 GMT)
Final - best of 19
- Judd Trump v Ronnie O'Sullivan
