The Fort Worth Press - Stunning run takes Brecel into world snooker final against late-finishing Selby

The Belgian's remarkable recovery was almost matched in the second semi-final.

Four-time world champion Mark Selby was on the cusp of victory at 16-10 before Northern Ireland's Mark Allen reeled off five frames in a row in a match that went into Sunday -- the day of the final itself at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre.

Selby, however, held his nerve to win 17-15 as the Englishman reached his sixth world final.

Brecel, who won seven frames in a row after coming from behind to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan in the quarter-finals, looked all but beaten at 14-5 against the 20-year-old Si.

But he won the final five frames of Friday's evening session and carried on where he left off Saturday to end Si's bid to become the youngest Crucible finalist and the first debutant world champion since Wales' Terry Griffiths in 1979.

Brecel was the first player in Crucible history to overturn a nine-frame deficit and this win saw him into his first world final, the 28-year-old having never previously got past the first round.

- 'Shaking' -

"To win is absolutely unbelievable, it is the biggest game of my life. I was in disbelief, I was shaking," said Brecel.

"The whole game I was expecting to lose, even with a session to spare, so to even have a chance to win was the craziest feeling ever in my body and I can't believe I did it."

Si, bidding to become the second Chinese world finalist after Ding Junhui, beaten by Selby in the 2016 showpiece, showed admirable composure to end Brecel's run of 11 frames with a break of 91.

The qualifier had chances to send the match into a final-frame decider before a red along the cushion allowed Brecel to close out a stunning success.

"I was feeling kind of disappointed, but not very, he played nearly perfect snooker in the final two sessions and my safety let me down," said Si.

"I have realised there are flaws in my game, there are so many things I can still improve, so in the coming season I will be confident I can beat anyone."

In the other semi-final, a largely grinding encounter left Selby with a slender 11-10 lead heading into Saturday's final session.

But the Englishman then reeled off five frames in a row to go 16-10 ahead only for Allen, bidding to reach his first world final, to then win the next five.

Selby missed several chances to seal victory in an increasingly tense clash before a break of 64 in the 32nd frame left him on the brink of triumph once again.

He lost position before Allen missed a mid-range red, paving the way for Selby to sink the red and colour he needed to get over the line in a match that ended at 12:47 am local time (2347 GMT).

C.M.Harper--TFWP