O'Sullivan into snooker Masters final after beating Bingham
Ronnie O'Sullivan is one match away from a record-equalling sixth Masters title after beating world champion Stuart Bingham 6-3 in the semi-finals at London's Alexandra Palace on Saturday. O'Sullivan will now face Barry Hawkins in Sunday's best-of-19 frame final in a match where a win over his fellow Englishman would see him tie fellow snooker great Stephen Hendry's record of six Masters titles. Playing his first major event for nine months, O'Sullivan raced into a 5-1 lead over Bingham with breaks of 121 and 81. Bingham, however, then punished a couple of O'Sullivan errors before the five-times world champion sealed victory in the ninth frame after sinking a superb long pot that preceded his clear-up of the colours. O'Sullivan, however, was unhappy with his form, saying a back problem may have prevented him being at his best. "I'm not sure if it's because my back is out of place so it's messing around with my posture and technique," he told the BBC. - 'Embarrassed' - "I was over-hitting balls by two or three feet, I could not hit certain shots because I could not get the cue through -- it was awful out there." The 40-year-old added: "I'm not in pain but my alignment is so out that I have no touch or feel. It feels like my body and cue are so disconnected, I'm having to will the ball in. I am having to grind it out, but it's not easy. "I'm just sorry I have not been able to perform. I feel very flat in myself. It's been difficult to get that zip and bounce in my step. I felt really embarrassed, I felt like I was short-changing them." O'Sullivan will be appearing in his 11th Masters final whereas Hawkins, beaten by the 'Rocket' in the 2013 World Championship final, had not won a match at the tournament prior to this year's edition. But Hawkins upset the form-book with a 6-4 win over the in-form Judd Trump in the first semi-final. Trump had been the favourite to win this all-English contest after his dramatic quarter-final victory over Australia's Neil Robertson, a former Masters and world champion, which he clinched with a century break in a final-frame decider. But Hawkins was far from overawed, compiling breaks of 130 and 128 to win the first two frames on Saturday. Having levelled at 2-2 and then 3-3, Trump won the seventh frame to edge in front at 4-3 only for Hawkins, runner-up to O'Sullivan in the 2013 World Championship final, to then win three straight frames to book his place in the final. "He (Trump) was obviously favourite to beat me with the way he played (on Friday), but I always know if you can take your practice game out there you have a chance, and I managed to do that," Hawkins said. "I can't believe I am in the final now. I have a chance of winning it, and I am over the moon."
