Shaun Murphy oozed class in Newport tonight as he reached his first major final since capturing the world title 10 months ago.
Murphy finished off with two century breaks to complete a 6-1 victory over Barry Hawkins in the Welsh Open semi-finals.
It was a top-drawer performance reminiscent of Murphy's golden form which saw him land the Crucible title as a 150-1 outsider.
"That's the sort of snooker I've been producing in the practice room and I was very pleased to bring it out in the match," he said.
"My all-round game was very good. My potting, break-building and safety were all strong so I'm very pleased.
Hawkins, also a semi-finalist in Newport last year, won the opening frame and cleared up to force a re-spotted black in the second.
But the Kent professional bungled his first shot at the extra black and Murphy stroked it home to level at 1-1.
A run of 93 put Murphy 2-1 ahead and he produced a steely 42 clearance to clinch the fourth for a two-frame advantage.
The 23-year-old from Rotherham added the fifth before efforts of 134 and 102 carried him over the winning line and through to a best-of-17-frames clash with Stephen Lee.
"Stephen's a very good potter and he knows the game inside out so I imagine it'll be a close one, said Murphy, through to only the second ranking event final of his professional career.
"I seem to be hitting a good patch of form. I've gone into every tournament this season having worked really hard and ready to play but it's started to happen for me this week."
Murphy was beaten in the last 16 of the campaign's first three world ranking events and stuttered his way into the Newport quarter-finals with a 5-3 victory over Andy Hicks and 5-4 defeat of Jamie Cope.
However, a 5-2 quarter-final win over former world champion Mark Williams provided signs that his A-game had returned and his performance against Hawkins ensured he would start the final as favourite for the £35,000 top prize.
Lee had earlier staved off a spirited comeback from Anthony Hamilton to book his place in the final.
World number 10 Lee held his nerve in a tense finish to edge past Hamilton 6-5 after a four-and-a-half-hour battle, to reach the final of a world ranking tournament for the first time since he was crowned Scottish Open champion in 2002.
At 5-3 up, the 31-year-old from Trowbridge was in the driver's seat but, playing an exhibition power shot on the blue in the eighth frame, managed to dislodge his tip.
Play was suspended for 15 minutes as Lee dashed backstage to repair the tip - and when he returned momentum shifted.
Lee explained: "I started to do stupid things with the white and my tip flew off.
"That knocked me back a bit but luckily I managed to get across the line.
"Relieved - that's probably the best way to describe how I feel at the moment.
"Now I've got to decide whether to keep the same tip on for the final - I've played well with it on - or put on a new one."
Hamilton had runs of 55 and 68 in the ninth frame before forcing a decider with a 72 break after Lee, seemingly in to win, had jawed a straightforward red.
Suddenly Lee was under huge pressure but the former LG Cup and Grand Prix champion handled it coolly.
When Hamilton overcut a mid-range red early in the all-important 11th frame, Lee stepped in with a 55 break which set up victory.
