Shaun Murphy is into the World Snooker Championship final for a fifth time after beating John Higgins 17-15 in an epic at the Crucible.
The Magician has not won the world title since his only Crucible glory in 2005, but will have the chance to reclaim snooker’s greatest prize over the next two days.
He has earned his spot in the showpiece after beating Fan Zhengyi, Xiao Guodong and defending champion Zhao Xintong, before surviving a battle with Higgins.
There was never more than a two-frame gap between the players in a hard-fought scrap over three days in Sheffield, but Murphy’s break-building form shone through.
The 43-year-old made five centuries on his way to the huge victory, including three in the final session, which he started 11-13 behind.
The second semi-final will come to a finish on Saturday night, with Wu Yize and Mark Allen locked at 11-11 with one session to come.
Are you snooker loopy?
You’re in the right place. I’m Phil Haigh, and I cover the game we all love for Metro.
In my new newsletter, The Table, I analyse the biggest talking points, pull back the curtain on the sport and crown the biggest winners and losers every week.
The next edition will look back on what has been a great World Championship yet again, so there’s no better time to sign up.
The pair are a couple of frames behind schedule after their record-breaking 100-minute frame on Friday afternoon.
Murphy made a strong start to the game, knocking in breaks of 68, 69 and 100 to go in 3-1 up at the first interval, but things got a bit sticky from there.
Thursday’s opening session ended 4-4, with making a high break of 50 in the final frame, clinging on and winning some scrappy ones.
The quality improved in the second session on Friday morning, but neither could escape the other, with the game still level at 8-8.
It was the Magician’s turn to scrape by without scoring, as Higgins made four of the five half-centuries in the eight frames.
The pair resumed on Friday evening and the Scot finally had a small amount of daylight by the end of the session, leading 13-11.
Murphy made a 105 to even things up at 11-11, but the scoring power was improving for both as Higgins made 70 and 101 to end the day ahead.
The Magician came out swinging in the final session of the game, evening things up yet again as he knocked in breaks of 132 and 127 without Higgins scoring a point.
As he has done all tournament, though, the Wizard dug in and clung on, winning the next two, with an 88 in the 28th frame, leaving him two from victory at 15-13 in the mid-session interval on Saturday afternoon.
The 2005 world champion roared back after the interval, making 105 to go back within one frame. Higgins showed a sign of weakness in the next, playing a tepid safety shot to allow Murphy in – albeit with a tricky red to middle – but he sunk it, made 78 and it was 15-15.
Nerves started to play a part as both spurned chances in the 31st, but Murphy looked the stronger at this stage and after a couple of efforts, a 38 was enough to win the frame and go one from the final.
It looked set for a decider when Higgins was on 50, but missed a black to corner and allowed Murphy in to make 35 before missing the final red.
A misjudged safety shot from Higgins cost him, with Murphy getting back to the table and getting over the line.