Rocket’s on the launch pad

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN ended the brilliant run of Tom Ford to reach the UK Championship final.

This has been the best tournament of Ford’s career but he proved no match for O’sullivan (above), who wrapped up a 6-1 win and will bid for a seventh title at the York Barbican today.

Ford, 35, won the opening frame 68-32 but O’sullivan responded with a break of 122 in frame two and won the next five frames, punishing Ford for his misses and completing two more half-centuries.

Aside from a 6-5 win over Ken Doherty in the second round, O’sullivan has dropped no more than a single frame in any match.

He will face either Stuart Bingham or Mark Allen in the final.