Swail wins to set up Carter final

Venue: The Newport Centre Date 16-22 February
Coverage: Live on BBC Red Button and BBC website; reports on BBC website

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Swail has reached the final of a world-ranking event for the first time

Joe Swail held off a spirited comeback from Neil Robertson to reach the final of the Welsh Open in Newport.

Breaks of 55 and 98 helped give Swail a 4-0 lead and although Robertson pulled a frame back, a run of 59 put Swail on the brink of victory.

Robertson battled back with runs of 94 and 93 but Swail sealed the 6-4 win after edging a scrappy 10th frame.

The Northern Irishman will meet Ali Carter in Sunday's final after his 6-5 comeback win over Anthony Hamilton.

The world number seven went 3-0 down after Hamilton made a fine start with breaks of 77 and 80.

But Carter, who has been knocked out in each of his three semi-final appearances this season, then rattled off the next five frames, thanks to breaks of 51, 141 and 77, to move within one frame of a comprehensive victory.

Hamilton then forced a decider with runs of 116 and 64 only for Carter to seal the win after a 58 break.

People have been going on about how many semi-finals I've lost in for 15 years which has been annoying. I'm just so delighted Joe Swail

"The match had everything, I was down and out at 3-0 but I dug deep and found a bit of form," Carter told www.worldsnooker.com.

"He had a great chance for a maximum, then at 5-4 he cleared up from nowhere and it's 5-5.

"I would have been gutted to go home having lost. You want to be a winner. I'll just keep punching and it will come."

Swail, 39, was delighted after reaching the first ranking final of his 18-year professional career.

The world number 20 from Belfast said: "You have no idea what this means to me.

"I've been through a lot this year but I've kept working hard on my game. I've got a monkey off my back now, people have been going on about how many semi-finals I've lost in for 15 years which has been annoying. I'm just so delighted."