Paul Hunter gained revenge for last season's world championship semi final defeat to Ken Doherty to reach the Daily Record Players Championship final in Glasgow tonight. Pin-up star Hunter denied the Irishman his first final of the season thanks to a 6-2 victory at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre.
The Leeds professional now meets Jimmy White, who won the last three frames to edge out Peter Ebdon 6-5 in the first semi-final.
Hunter, who will be chasing two trophies and a total of £132,500 in prize money tomorrow, said: "I said it was a dream to play Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final of the Masters at Wembley. But it really will be a dream to play Jimmy in a ranking event final. I always wanted him to win when I was growing up and he is still my hero."
Victory avenged his Crucible semi-final disappointment when he lost 17-16 after leading 15-9.
Hunter pinched a good frame to lead 3-1 at the interval, lost the fifth on the pink but clinched a pivotal sixth frame to go 4-2 up. This time there was no comeback from Doherty, also beaten in the penultimate round of last month's Irish Masters.
Earlier in the day, Jimmy White advanced to the the Players Champinship final after defetaing Peter Ebdon 6-5 in Glasgow tonight. The win was only achieved after a four-hour struggle when Ebdon was poised to reach his second successive final.
But after taking a 5-3 lead and not allowing White to pot a ball for two frames, he could not put the finishing touches to his performance. White knocked in breaks of 60 and 40 to force a decider and eventually doubled the final green and cleared to pink for a dramatic victory in the opening semi-final.
The 41-year-old Londoner now plays Paul Hunter or Ken Doherty for a place in tomorrow's best-of-17-frame final. It will be White's second final of the campaign as he tries to clinch his first ranking title since the 1992 UK Championship.
"This match would have taken a lot out of me had I lost," said White, whose odds on becoming world champion for the first time are shortening with every victory. "But I'm buzzing. My top 16 ranking was my priority when I cam here. The way things are going I'll probably be number one if I win the world championship."
"I haven't got many doubles this week so I just thought I would go for it," added White, describing his make-or-break shot. "As soon as I hit it the crowd started screaming so I knew it was in. Peter must be gutted."
"But he won the last tournament so hopefully it's my turn now," added White, beaten by Glaswegian youngster Stephen Maguire in last month's European Open final in Malta.
Filed by Johnny Proby
