• Champion of Champions

O'Sullivan and Trump set for final battle

Ronnie O'Sullivan has the chance to defend the title he won last year © Getty Images

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Ronnie O'Sullivan sealed his place in the Champion of Champions final with a 6-4 victory over Ding Junhui.

O'Sullivan, the five-time world champion, claimed the 10th frame with a 125 break and will have the chance to defend the title he won last year.

"For me it was a good win, I had to battle which I quite enjoyed today," O'Sullivan said. "Ding had a fantastic season last year and he is a top player. He has had a good few years and continues to play really well.

"You expect top players like Ding can get on a run of winning two or three frames and that is what he did from 3-1 down. I just had to tell myself I hadn't done a lot wrong, maybe the odd mistake, but you can't play perfect snooker all the time. You have to keep competing and make him work until the end.

Despite dragging himself from 3-1 down to level it at 4-4, Ding was disappointed with his performance as O'Sullivan sealed the final two frames to claim victory.

"I didn't play well in the first part of the session, I had chances but I lost a bit of concentration," he said. "I would sit down for a couple of minutes but when I got a chance I wasn't taking it. He played very well in the last few frames."

O'Sullivan will face Judd Trump in Sunday's final at the Ricoh Arena after the Bristolian held off Neil Robertson.

The Australian came from 4-2 down to 5-4 and nearly levelled matters in a scrappy 10th frame where both players needed the black to win, Trump eventually held his nerve to pot in the top left corner to triumph 71-62.

"There were a lot of times in that game where my head could have dropped," Trump said. "Maybe a few years ago I would have continued taking the shots and missing and handing it to him."

The winner of the final, played over 19 frames, will pocket the £100,000 first prize.

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