China’s Zhou Yuelong set up an English Open final against Mark Allen with a 6-3 win over two-time champion Mark Selby in Brentwood.
Zhou surged into a 3-0 lead and despite some signs of recovery from Selby, whose 71 clearance stole frame four, he kept the Englishman at bay to reach his fourth career ranking final.
It is a return to form for the 27-year-old, who had failed to reach a single ranking event quarter-final this year leading up to the tournament.
It is his first ranking event final since the 2022, where he lost to Allen in the final of the Northern Ireland Open.
“In this sport you need to be very strong mentally. When you are in the chair after missing a ball you need positive thoughts. This is a very big change for me this season,” said Zhou.
“If I win [the final] I will be very proud of myself. The first time, going from zero to one is tough. It isn’t easy, but I will give my best and hopefully I can do it.”
Northern Ireland’s Allen reached Sunday’s final after edging out Jak Jones in a final-frame decider in a high-scoring last-four tie.
Both men recorded a century break apiece within the first five frames, before Wales’ Jones, who recorded four more half-centuries, edged into a 5-3 lead.
Allen stormed back with scores of 79, 68 and 86, however, to seal a place in his first English Open final.
