Ali Carter is through to the 12th ranking final of his career, after scoring a straightforward 6-2 defeat of China’s Lyu Haotian in their last four clash this afternoon.
Carter is aiming for a third ranking title on Chinese soil, having previously won the 2010 Shanghai Masters and the 2016 World Open. The five-time ranking event winner ended a seven-year title drought back in February when he won the German Masters in Berlin, beating Tom Ford in the final.
The Captain now faces a final with either last week’s English Open champion Judd Trump or world number 49 Wu Yize. It will be contested over the best of 19 frames, with the winner pocketing £140,000.
Lyu will have to wait longer for his maiden ranking title and second appearance in a final. The 25-year-old has now suffered defeat in four of his five semi-final appearances.
Breaks of 64 and 81 gave Carter the opening frame this afternoon. Lyu levelled, before Carter took the third to regain the lead. A truncated 46-minute fourth went the way of Lyu and they headed in for the mid-session locked level at 2-2.
When play resumed, Carter stepped up a gear and ruthlessly charged for the line. Breaks of 96, 122, 91 and 70 saw him rack up four frames on the bounce to run out a 6-2 victor.
“I felt like I missed a bit of a trick in the first half. In the second half all I could do was take my chances. He gave me four chances and I made four frame winning breaks. I was particularly pleased to win the last frame in one hit. Anyone will tell you that it is never easy to get over the line and reach a big final. To clear up and make it a relatively easy day’s work was pleasing,” said 44-year-old Carter.
“It was a massive occasion for him. You could see that. The pressure he would have been under in a one-table setup and the semi-final of a big ranking event. After beating Ronnie yesterday all eyes would have been on him. He’ll come again and lives to fight another day.
“We all had preconceptions of what Wuhan was like, but we’ve all been pleasantly surprised. It is a massive city. I think the players that stayed at home and decided not to play have missed a trick. I think this is one of the best China events without a doubt.”
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