TNT Sports
German Masters 2023: Ali Carter beats Robert Milkins in deciding frame to edge thrilling semi-final
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Published 04/02/2023 at 18:39 GMT
Ali Carter reached the German Masters final with a 6-5 win over Robert Milkins in Berlin. Carter has the chance to win his second Berlin title 10 years on from his first, but he was made to work hard for victory in a thrilling semi-final clash that went all the way to a decider. Carter will face Jack Lisowski or Tom Ford in Sunday's final at the Tempodrom.
Watch Ali Carter's fantastic 133 break against Robert Milkins in German Masters semi
Video credit: TNT Sports
Ali Carter progressed to his third German Masters final with a 6-5 win over Robert Milkins in a thrilling semi-final in Berlin.
The 2013 champion trailed 3-1 to the in-form Milkins at the mid-session interval, but produced a series of high breaks, including a 133, to wrestle back the initiative and go one frame from victory.
However, Milkins produced a fight-back of his own to take the match to a decider, which Carter edged to settle an entertaining encounter.
Carter, who won in Berlin 10 years ago and was a runner-up in 2017, will face Jack Lisowski or Tom Ford in Sunday’s final.
Milkins came into the semi-final full of confidence after his magnificent 147 break a day earlier, and started with a superb pot into the bottom left corner on his way to taking the opening frame in style.
But Carter responded well, producing a break of 53 to level things up.
Milkins looked set to take frame three after racing into a 74-32 lead, but an excellent snooker from Carter opened it back up as the Englishman launched a comeback, only to eventually crack on a long yellow as Milkins took a mammoth frame.
Milkins continued his impressive form as a series of three snookers in a row helped him stretch his lead to 3-1 at the mid-session interval.
But Carter came out firing after the break, rattling through the reds to produce a match-best break of 72 and reduce the gap.
It only got better for the 43-year-old after that, as he drew level with a break of 67 before producing the first century of the game - his seventh of the week in Berlin - a 133 that swung the momentum back in his favour.
The Milkman couldn't wrestle back the initiative, despite starting frame eight strongly. Carter got back in it with a superb long red that helped him steal the frame in sensational style with an immaculate 83 clearance.
With Carter one frame from victory after winning four in a row, it looked like there was little Milkins could do. But he found his form again, making a lovely century with 109 to reduce the deficit to 5-4 in a nerve-jangling last-four clash.
He then ensured the match got the climax it deserved by sending the semi-final to a decider, knocking in the green while escaping from a snooker in an incredible conclusion.
The crowd roared the players to the table for the final frame, and they were treated to a suitably tense ending.
There was little to separate the pair as they battled it out, but Carter made the breakthrough with a snooker that helped him get on a red, and he showed the requisite composure to knock in reds and colours and eventually seal an epic match.
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Stream the 2023 German Masters and more top snooker action live and on-demand on discovery+ and eurosport.co.uk.
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