Carter books a place in final of Welsh Open

Ali Carter won a deciding frame against Anthony Hamilton to book his place in tomorrow’s final of the Welsh Open in Newport.

The world number seven quickly found himself 3-0 down before a run of five frames in a row took him to the brink of victory.

Nottingham’s Hamilton showed impressive steel to level but Carter was not to be denied and a break of 58 sent him through to a meeting with either Neil Robertson or Joe Swail, who meet this evening.

Hamilton, who beat defending champion Mark Selby in the quarter-finals yesterday, got off to a storming start.

He took the first frame with a break of 77 and a run of 80 gave him the second with Carter yet to pot a ball.

Last year’s World Championship finalist at least rectified that in a scrappy third frame but he still found himself further behind as Hamilton moved 3-0 ahead.

Carter’s comeback began in the fourth frame, a break of 51 enough to get on the board, and he followed that with a superb clearance of 141 to close to only one behind.

He then completed his revival by levelling at 3-3 after another lengthy frame.

Hamilton was left wondering where his advantage had gone and it got worse in the seventh frame as a 77 break from Carter gave him the lead for the first time.

The Essex potter was on a roll now and he moved to within one frame of victory in a scrappy eighth.

To his credit, Hamilton did not give up and an impressive century break of 116 in the next frame kept his hopes alive.

Carter looked certain to seal victory when he moved 60-1 in front in the 10th but Hamilton took his chance when it came, amassing a break of 64 to force a decider.

It was not to be for Hamilton, however, as Carter rattled off an 86-11 victory in the 11th frame.