Ronnie O'Sullivan destroyed seven-time title-holder Stephen Hendry today to reach his second Embassy World Championship final at The Crucible Theatre.
O'Sullivan produced an awesome display to dish out the kind of hammering Hendry has been used to inflicting on opponents for the past decade and a half.
The Rocket's 17-4 victory hoisted him back to the top of the world rankings for the 2004-2005 campaign, in place of Mark Williams.
It was also his first win over Hendry at Sheffield in four attempts, the Scot suffering his heaviest defeat in the tournament. A 13-5 setback by Matthew Stevens in the 2001 quarter-finals was his previous worst performance.
Hendry also had to endure the embarrassment for the first time in his career of losing a match with a session to spare.
O'Sullivan overcame Hendry in the second session 7-1 to effectively ensure his place in the final, but there was no let-up in his performance when play resumed this morning.
The first frame was over in eight minutes, O'Sullivan potting a long red into a black pocket and then putting together a run of 71.
He looked assured of his 13th century of this season's championships until a kick led to him missing a straightforward black off its spot.
Hendry conceded and he was quickly back in his chair in the next frame as O'Sullivan clipped a red into the middle bag from an acute angle.
It came as a major surprise when the 28-year-old broke down on 48 when cutting a red back into a black pocket.
Hendry made the most of his unexpected reprieve with a faultless 75 clearance - only his third half-century of the match.
The Scot also had a chance to make further inroads into O'Sullivan's massive lead in the next, after he had faltered on 39 when 58-4 ahead.
But he failed to pot the penultimate red down the side cushion to give O'Sullivan the opportunity to clear sufficient points to move 15-4 in front.
O'Sullivan was making Hendry pay for any error, and when he failed to convert a cut red into the middle pocket he weighed in with a 93 to the blue.
The contest was quickly brought to a conclusion when the players returned to the arena, O'Sullivan's 79 break settling the issue.
PA