World champion Zhao Xintong produced another dazzling display to thrash John Higgins 10-1 and reach the final of the Tour Championship.
The Chinese superstar has been in excellent form all season but reached a new high when winning the first eight frames against Higgins, himself having been one of the standout players on the circuit.
Higgins avoided the ignominy of a whitewash defeat when taking frame 10 but by now the result was beyond doubt, Zhao soon wrapping up victory with his ninth break of 50-plus.
It's the first time in a career spanning four decades that Higgins has lost a best-of-19 match by a margin this wide, and leaves Zhao on course for a clean sweep of Players Series titles having won the World Grand Prix and Players Championship already.
Whatever happens in Sunday's final against Judd Trump, a mouthwatering contest in its own right, Zhao will head to Sheffield with many expecting him to break the 'Crucible Curse' and put up a stout defence of his title.
