Ding Junhui beat Xu Si 9-6 to set up a final against Chris Wakelin at the International Championship in Nanjing.
Xu had knocked in breaks of 137 and 113 on the way to a 5-3 lead at the end of the first session in which Ding’s highest break was a 119.
The three-time UK Championship winner took the first three frames of the evening’s play against his Chinese compatriot to move 6-5 in front before Xu levelled at 6-6.
In the final stretch, amid growing tension, Ding took the next two frames, which included a battling 66 in the 14th frame.
The 37-year-old, who has not won a ranking title since his 2019 UK Championship triumph, then made a 58 to secure victory and a place in the final.
