Hawkins holds off Wu to reach Welsh Open final

Barry Hawkins resisted a fightback as he clinched a 6-4 victory over Wu Yize to reach the Welsh Open final for the second time in his career.

‘The Hawk’ started the last-four encounter in Llandudno strongly, winning four of the first five frames – with 72 and 66 breaks among the Englishman’s highlights.

But China’s Wu, 22, responded in stunning fashion to level the match at 4-4 by reeling off three consecutive frames thanks to a pair of half-centuries and a 122 break in the eighth frame.

Despite an impressive 59 break from Wu, Hawkins edged a thrilling ninth frame to regain the lead.

“I’m over the moon, I’m pleased with that. He threw everything at me at the end there,” Hawkins told BBC Sport.

“4-1 up, I miscued a red with the rest and then I didn’t see a ball. He just went into one.

“He missed a black off the spot at 4-4. I should have cleared up there. I let the white run away and thought ‘that’s my chance gone’.”

Barry Hawkins 6-4 Wu Yize