LONDON, Feb 10: Holder Paul Hunter enhanced his reputation as a gritty match-player with a 6-5 win over Alan McManus in their Masters semifinal Saturday.

World No 9 Hunter, who beat Fergal O’Brien 10-9 in last year’s final, will face Mark Williams in final with a chance to become the third player- after Stephen Hendry and Cliff Thorburn to retain the title.

Williams ended Jimmy White’s bid to win the title and won 6-5.

World No 12 McManus, who had lost both previous meetings, broke down on 30 in the first frame and his opponent capitalised by taking it with a 51.

The Scot levelled with a 62, started by a fluked red. Hunter regained the lead with a 57 and looked set to go 3-1 ahead before over-cutting a tricky pink, allowing McManus to tie the contest at the interval with a 41 clearance.

The Glasgow man took control of the match after the break, knocking in 56 and 98 as Hunter scored just two points in two frames. But the defending champion refused to buckle and halved his deficit with 38 and 57.

McManus had a frame-winning chance in the eighth but missed a long green to a top corner on 40 and Hunter cleared the table to pinch it 58-48.

Frame nine was another tight one and came down to the final red. McManus battled back to parity in a scrappy tenth with a 43 to set up the decider. The Scot missed a simple pink to a centre pocket and his opponent took control with a 36.

After a safety exchange, Hunter knocked in a long red and made a decisive break of 17.

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