Shaun Murphy powered to a 17-15 victory over John Higgins to reach his fifth World Championship final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
The Englishman will face either Wu Yize or Mark Allen in his bid to collect a second title, 21 years on from his first – having finished as the runner-up on his three previous appearances in the showpiece match.
The first of those was in 2009 at the hands of the four-time champion, Higgins, who ran out a comfortable 18-9 winner.
There was considerably more tension this time around and, more importantly for Murphy, no repeat of the outcome as he roared back from a 13-11 overnight deficit.
He opened with sensational breaks of 132 and 127 and looked to be in his element as he stomped around the auditorium.
But his fast start was initially made to count for nothing as Higgins, who was barely afforded any table time in those frames, exhibited the resolve and superb fighting qualities that have underscored his glittering career.
Higgins, who turns 51 later this month and was hoping to become the oldest ever finalist, took a scrappy 27th frame and then crafted an 88 break.
While those contributions lacked the sparkle of Murphy’s earlier efforts they briefly restored his two-frame advantage.
Murphy’s third century break of the session reduced his arrears and, when the Scot missed a black to the right corner and also played a loose safety shot in the next frame, he was clinically punished as his opponent compiled a 78.
Higgins failed to cut a red into the left corner pocket and Murphy missed a blue into the top-right corner in the 31st frame that eventually went the way of the 2005 winner.
In nerve-shredding 32nd frame, Higgins broke down on 50 and Murphy missed a red with the rest before he secured his place in snooker’s most prestigious match.
