A broken cue tip and the form player of the tournament couldn’t stop Ronnie O’Sullivan achieving what he described as his best-ever win with a 6-4 semi-final success over Marco Fu at the Dafabet Masters.

The mid-session interval was brought forward for O’Sullivan to replace his broken tip and with a replacement attached he hit 95 and 122 at London’s Alexandra Palace.

Fu responded with the highest break of the tournament, 141, and an 83 clearance but from 4-3 down the Rocket hit breaks 63, 82 and 69 to secure his 12th Masters final.

O’Sullivan has already won this tournament six times and the 41-year-old admitted he had no choice but to change the tip at the end of the third frame.

“I knew in my head I had nothing to lose, I knew I couldn’t win with the tip, it was totally gone," he said.

“It was kind of splitting, it was unplayable really I had to take it off so it wasn’t a gamble.

"Given the stature of the tournament, the atmosphere, the crowd, there’s a lot of pressure out there with an event like this.

“To be able to hold myself together and play so well and win, it’s one of the best wins of my life."

Fu took the opening frame with a break of 89 before O’Sullivan levelled, but the Scottish Open champion restored his lead with his fifth tournament century.

The Rocket’s tip change paid immediate dividends with a 95 break before Fu hit 141 to edge ahead at 3-2.

O’Sullivan replied with his own century and stormed into the final with three consecutive frames where he'll play Barry Hawkins or Joe Perry.

And the reigning Masters champion said he is fully confident in his ability to handle another huge final regardless of who he faces.

“I’ve always had massive faith in my ability. I always worry about who I play in my next match but I find when I get into the match I fancy my chances,” he added.

“It’s a lot about stamping your authority on the game and letting your opponent know that he’s going to have to play really well to beat you and I think I do that really well.

“We all feel pressure. Whatever I’m going through they’re going to be going through there’s no hiding place out there I’ll just try and be the stronger guy out there.”

Watch the London Masters LIVE on Eurosport 2, featuring daily studio analysis from Ronnie O’Sullivan, Jimmy White and Neal Foulds