World Snooker Championship 2016: Saturday's Semi-Final Scores, Updated Schedule
Mark Selby secured his place in the 2016 Snooker World Championship final after an enthralling 17-15 victory over Marco Fu at the Crucible late on Saturday evening.
The high-quality clash swung back and forth throughout with several high breaks from either player before transitioning into a tactical battle in the final deciding frames.
The high-tempo clash developed into a tense affair toward the climax, with the battle of wits lasting over an hour in the final frame.
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Selby will now face Ding Junhui in Sunday's final after the Chinese sensation secured a superb 17-11 victory over Alan McManus.
The 29-year-old made seven century breaks on the way to his first final appearance in the competition, while the competition's oldest participant McManus bowed out of the tournament.
Ding needed just three frames to seal his place in the tournament showdown following a convincing overnight lead of 14-10, and he made his chances at the table pay in the fourth session of his semi-final.
Here is the schedule for the rest of the day's last-four action in Sheffield, England:
| Morning Session (10 a.m. BST) | Best of 33 frames | |
| Mark Selby | 12-12 | Marco Fu |
| Afternoon Session (2:30 p.m. BST) | ||
| Ding Junhui | 17-11 | Alan McManus |
| Evening Session (7 p.m. BST) | ||
| Mark Selby | 17-15 | Marco Fu |
Evening Recap
There was all to play for following the morning session's 12-all finish, with three sessions of action unable to separate either player.
It was the 2014 champion Selby who drew first blood in the evening session after taking the opening frame after play resumed.
Hong Kong potter Fu replied with a wonderful break of 98 to level up the last-four clash as the back-and-forth rhythm of the match continued.
Fu then failed to call foul on himself after playing away from the pack of reds but it didn't stop Selby from making a break of 63 to take a one frame advantage at 14-13.
His opponent replied admirably, however, with a century total of 100 exactly before Selby made a century of his own, scoring 101.
2008 UK Championship runner-up Fu produced breaks of 70 and 73 to claim the 30th frame of the match and leave the scores tied at 15 frames each heading into the interval.
World No.1 Selby returned from the break to take the next frame to move within one of a third World Championship showdown.
World Snooker provided the footage of the final frame decider:
The prolonged bout was eventually settled after Fu failed to secure position from a snooker behind the pink and he was made to pay as Selby overcame the marathon tactical duel to seal his place in Sunday's final.
Afternoon Recap
Ding's dominant display at the Crucible on Friday put him in control of the contest heading into his fourth session meeting with McManus, with three frames required to secure his first-ever World Championship final berth.
The Chinese cueist was not in the mood for wasting time as the action got underway, as he took the opening frame of the day to settle any nerves he may have been experiencing.
A horrible kick on a red for McManus opened the table up for his red-hot opponent, and Ding made no mistake to move to within two frames of victory.
The 45-year-old Scot refused to lie down, however, and battled back to take the next frame in a marathon contest. Nicknamed "Angles," McManus got the better of his opponent in a snooker duel with just the pink and black remaining on the table.
World Snooker provided footage of how he closed the gap to 15-11:
But Ding would not be denied and bounced back from that disappointment to score a break of 123 for his seventh century of the match—a Crucible record for a semi-final.
He then dominated the final frame to secure a 17-11 victory and become the first Asian player to make the final, 11 years after making his mark on the sport with a 2005 China Open title as a teenager.
Morning Recap
Selby did not look in a confident mood in the first frame of Saturday's action and missed frame-ball to give Fu an opportunity to steal.
However, the Jester from Leicester did eventually get over the line, but the frame went on much longer than it should have.
Selby had struggled all match to win frames at one visit, but he finally put on a show with a century contribution in the second of the morning to go 10-8 ahead.
His previous high break of the match was just 69, but he turned on the style with a 125 visit to put some daylight between him and Fu, per the Press Association's John Skilbeck:
However, the world No. 14 then got his first frame of the morning on the board, stealing the third late on with blue, pink and black.
Fu then tied the match up again at 10-10 going into the mid-session interval with an excellent visit of 108 after Selby had let him in to the balls with a poor safety shot.
An error-strewn 21st frame of the match was eventually won by Selby, but he did not look comfortable and was playing some way below his best.
Fu then kept his opponent in his seat during the next two frames, producing breaks of 71 and 77 to go ahead in the match for the first time on Saturday, per BBC Snooker:
A monster final frame of the session then ensued at 12-11—lasting over 75 minutes, the longest in Crucible history—including a re-rack and plenty of late safety play with the colours spread across the table.
Per BBC Snooker, Selby built a lead of 29 with the reds bunched in a very difficult area near a pocket, but he then attempted a reckless plant, allowing Fu in to square the points at 43-43:
However, Fu finally made a mistake, allowing Selby in to pot green, brown and blue and tie the match up again ahead of the final session on Saturday evening.
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