China’s number one star Ding Junhui held off a determined display from in-form Luca Brecel to seal a place in Sunday’s World Open final.

Ding Junhui. Picture by Monique Limbos

The home favourite beat the Belgian 6-4 and will face Kyren Wilson in Sunday’s £150,000 final. The match will be Ding’s 18th ranking final of his career.

After the first two frames were shared, a sublime 121 break saw Ding move 2-1 ahead. He then extended his lead to 3-1 at the interval in dramatic fashion by clinching the black ball decider after Brecel – who won the China Championship last month – missed a pot to the top right corner.

When play resumed Brecel reduced his arrears with a break of 77 before he levelled things up at 3-3.

Ding responded strongly and consecutive runs of 91 and 80 saw him move to the verge of victory at 5-3.

Brecel kept his hopes alive winning frame nine to trail 5-4 but Ding emerged the 6-4 victor.

Earlier in the day Wilson beat Mark Allen in a final frame decider to reach his third major ranking final. The pair last faced each other in last season’s China Open quarter-final when Wilson won impressively 5-1.