Selby fightback in vain as Scot books Robertson date
Graeme Dott reached his third World Championship final with a 17-14 victory over Mark Selby in Sheffield.
The 2006 champion took a four-frame lead into the evening session but the Leicester ace pulled the first three back before Dott carved out a two-frame cushion before the mid-session interval.
Selby had come from behind to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan in the last eight but Dott ensured their would not be a repeat by picking up the two frames he needed to book a date with Neil Robertson in the final.
Two frames required re-racks as the tension rose after the break and Selby pulled one back again before a 45-minute frame was taken by the Scot with highest break of only 26.
That put him one frame from victory and he was immediately amongst the reds in the next, moving clear with a break of 47 before tying Selby up with a snooker that took three attempts to get out of.
However, the former finalist somehow carved himself an opening with a tremendous red that appeared to put him in control of the frame, only to miss a simple black off its spot to leave Dott with the simplest of tasks.
Victory for Dott marks a fine comeback after a bout of depression that followed the death of his father-in-law and his wife's cancer struggle, resulting in a slump in form that saw him slip to 48th in the rankings.
"I'm relieved more than anything, to be honest," he said. "I had doubts all day.
"He's very hard to play against and you don't get any rhythm. I felt I had no rhythm all day. Tonight was a major struggle all the way through."