Williams sets up Saudi Masters final with Trump
Mark Williams will face Judd Trump in the final of the Saudi Arabia Masters
- Published
Mark Williams will face world number one Judd Trump in Saturday's final of the inaugural Saudi Arabia Masters.
Welshman Williams overcame China's Si Jiahui 6-3 in their semi-final after England's Trump edged his compatriot Shaun Murphy 6-5.
Jiahui, who knocked out Ronnie O'Sullivan in the quarter-final, took an early lead after an impressive break of 116 before Williams took control by winning the next four frames.
Jiahui pulled one back but Williams, 49, moved to within one frame of the final after taking the seventh.
His 22-year-old opponent battled on and fired an excellent break of 136 to reduce the deficit to 5-3 but it proved to be in vain as Williams closed out the match in the following frame.
Earlier on Friday, Trump survived a nervy final-frame decider to reach the first ever final of a ranking event in Saudi Arabia.
Trump, 35, made breaks of 67 and 72 to open up a 3-0 lead but Murphy pulled one back before the interval.
The pair exchanged the next four frames as Trump took a 5-3 lead, but Murphy then made breaks of 78 and 60 in consecutive frames to draw level and set up a decider.
The tense finale came down to the green, which Trump despatched, followed by the brown to leave Murphy needing two snookers.
The 42-year-old successfully snookered Trump once, but ultimately fell short as the latter reached his 46th ranking event final.
"It is a sickener," said Murphy.
"Once you get to this stage of an event, with such prize money and prestige, you think about winning. Lady luck wasn't on my side for the majority, but Judd's ability to keep potting balls is incredible. I think he is the best out-and-out potter we have ever seen."
Trump added: "I got over the line in the end with a bit of drama. That was a very tough semi-final, but hopefully it wont impact me in the final."
With a £500,000 prize for the winner, Saturday's final is the most lucrative match in snooker outside of the World Championship.