German Masters 2023 snooker final LIVE – Ali Carter beats Tom Ford 10-3 in Berlin

Thanks for your company this week, congratulations once more to Ali Carter once more and commiserations to Tom Ford. It's been a cracking week in Berlin, and we'll be back with more snooker action for you soon enough.

Take care out there, night night.

Tom gets a good reception as he takes the runners-up prize, before Ali gets to lift the glorious glass bowl that is the Brandon Parker Trophy. He's the German Masters champion again, and has a big, beaming grin on his kipper.

He notes that it was a big deal for both of them today, and that he managed to put Tom under pressure today. Understandably, Ali is chuffed to bits. 'It's so pleasing to play some of your best stuff when you're right under the cosh,' says Ali of his six-frame run in the afternoon that broke the back of this final. 'I'm really pleased with myself.' As well he should be.

For the second time in his career, Ali Carter wins the German Masters, his first ranking event title since 2016. What a moment for him; the title, 80 grand, entry to the Champion of Champions and back in the top 16. A good day's work, And the crowd in Berlin show their appreciation. In his post-match interview Tom says Ali can play better than that, and that he's sorry he couldn't take it further tonight. A tough day for him, at the end of a good week.

It's a 63 in total for Ali, and he's done it!

Frame ball black goes down, and he nudges his way onto a red to boot. That wriggles in, and we've got us a champion!

Ali almost loses position with an inadvertent kiss on a red, but recovers with a good red to bottom right and he looks in total control here. Three reds are tied up on cushions but if he takes the reds in the open, that'll be enough to leave Tom needing a snooker.

Can Tom take us beyond the interval? He leaves a red in the jaws of the bottom right at the start of frame 13, which Ali plants another red, potting two in one shot, onto but can't land on the black. Tom booms in a long red a few shots later, but can't land on a colour either. It's a cagey frame that opens up steadily, before Ali booms in a plant and flukes another red in the same shot for a two-in-one for the second time in the frame! This is one way to get it done quickly I guess. It's a chance for frame, match and title, and he gets the reds open quickly to get things moving early in his break.

Ali pots the pink thin to the left of the pocket, and overruns the black as a result. He's left it as a thin cut to left middle...but he drains it calmly, and he's one away from the title!

A poor safety from Tom leaves Ali a clean path to a red over the green pocket. Two reds and blues follow for Ali, who now needs to dish the colours for the frame. He's awkward on both yellow and then green but pulls out two magnificent pressure pots, and he's now perfect on the brown to mop this up...

The Tempodrom crowd are loving this, as Tom locates one recovery pot after another. It's 33 in total before he misses a red down the rail to the bottom left, but there's no starter for Ali. We've got four reds left out there, and it's anyone's from here. Is it Tom's? He's just boomed a long red into the bottom left, but off the pink to follow he loses position slightly and misses a red to bottom left. A red-blue follows for Ali, before he misses a tough red to bottom left. There are two reds left, and this is the first crucial juncture of the night.

Well then! Ali misses a pink to right middle, and he's left Tom a chance to fight back. It's not happening for Tom though, as he sinks a red but loses position on the black. It's been a tough day, and the crowd start cheering, trying to gee him up. And look what he then does - he takes the black on long and deadweight to the green pocket, and he's made it! What a shot in the circumstances. It's an edgy break thus far, but he's soon back in front.

Is this the break that Tom needs? In a safety exchange he catches one thick but lands on outrageous fluke, and he's on the blue! There's a chance here, but it evaporates quickly; on his next red he undercuts to bottom left and he's left it in the jaws. At the moment Tom looks gone, and he's left a fair few on here. Ali is quickly into the lead, his break on 20 and counting.

It's four to Tom at the start of frame 12 as Ali misses a thin contact safety. A few shots later Ali has to swerve to escape a snooker, which he achieves but leaves a red on to the bottom right. Tom drains it, followed by the yellow, but badly misses his next red and is lucky not to leave anything easy. Ali just decides to turn the heat up and play a good safety back to baulk.

Tom misses a long red, after which Ali deposits a quick 41 to put this frame to bed. He's very close now.

Frame ball red is a trickier-than-it-looks cut to right middle, but Ali rolls it in to land nicely on the black. He splits the reds off that but he's on nothing, so sends the white back to baulk. Tom returns, but he needs two snookers.

He's got a big lead in the match, and he's settled first tonight. With those factors in his favour, Ali really relaxes into this break and he's completed his seventh half-ton of the match in no time here. There are three more open reds to play for, so Ali could be over the line without having to crack open the remaining pack here.

Frame 11 begins with Ali's break, from which Tom has a full-blooded boom at a long red to bottom right. He really through his arm through that - it looked a little rushed - and it spits out of the pocket, flies around the table and lands as a tap-in over the left middle. Ali is in, and it's a big chance. The black is clear to both corners, and points are accumulating quickly here.

Ali duly mops up the necessary. The final red is frame ball, put away with ease, followed by the insurance black. He clears up to the brown, and he's now three frames away from the title.

The safety from Ali leaves a red long to the bottom right. Tom drives that down, followed by the blue, but then fails to double a red into the right middle. It's a bit of an edgy start for both players. Tom then locates a superb shot to nothing, before tucking Ali tight in behind the brown. Ali escapes, but leaves a red on to the bottom right from mid-to-long range. That's dispatched by Tom, but he leaves only a tough cut on the black to bottom left. He gambles everything on it, and he's missed; the frame might just have fallen into Ali's lap now, because he's just plugged a mid-range starter and no reds are safe.

That miss isn't too costly, as a poor shot on the blue by Ali leaves a tough red to bottom right with the rest, and he misses it by a huge margin. It's not left anything easy; Tom takes on a red to bottom right across the table, but misses it and leaves it. Ali drains it in reply, and nudges the black into play thereafter. It's a thin cut he's left with though and although he clips it in, he can't locate position on his next red and plays safe.

It's an early chance for Tom, as a careless containing safety from Ali leaves a red on over the left middle. In it goes, and Tom's away with a series of reds and blues. He then moves down around the black spot, but what looks a decent chance goes begging as he misses the black off its spot to gift a chance to Ali. Tom needed a strong start, and this could be costly.

There's a rocking atmosphere tonight in this packed out arena. Tom gets cheered in first, followed by Ali. First to ten for the trophy it is, let's get about it.

Ali played superbly this afternoon to rattle off six frames on the spin and register a telling advantage early in this final. He’s got four ranking event titles on his CV, inclusive of a previous German Masters, but the last of those was in 2016. In the last few years he’s slipped out of the top 16 but his run here in Berlin will put him right back in there. Can he kick on tonight and win the whole thing?

Today is a big deal for Tom. To date he has only a couple of minor ranking events to his name, but has been a serial semi-finalist at ranking events in recent years as well as a finalist at the Paul Hunter Classic in 2016. He had a rough afternoon, but the evening is a whole new session. If he can win the mini-session here before the interval, we could have us some finish.

Good evening, and welcome to live coverage of the final session of the 2023 German Masters. It’s Ali Carter against Tom Ford for the title, with the former holding a 6-3 advantage over the latter. The boys will be baize adjacent in the Tempodrom shortly to sort things out.

Thanks for joining us this afternoon. Carter finding peak form with breaks of 60, 69, 62, 57, 67, 73 and 120 to win six straight frames from 2-0 behind. Ford staying in the hunt with 121, 53 and 50. He'll need to make a fast start this evening, but 6-3 sounds a lot better than 7-2. We'll be back just before 7pm (GMT) with more live updates from the teeming Tempodrom in the German capital. A possible 10 more frames to be played.

Ali continuing to battle hard for the one snooker he needs on the final two colours. Almost impossible as he knocks the black into a safe position. Finally Tom nudges pink over the green pocket and there is no way back for Carter in this frame. Smiles between the two men as they shake hands. A 6-3 lead for Ali before tonight's concluding session. First man to 10 frames will claim the trophy and £80,000 first prize.

On we go to the colours with Ford clinging to a lead of 28 points with 27 left up. Carter takes out yellow. Only needing one snooker with five balls left up. Nervy moments for Ford.

Carter not giving up the ghost here as he slots red and black before leaving Ford tight behind the pink. Ford misses red off two cushions as lead is reduced to 36 points with a possible 35 on the table. Are we set for another twist in the tale?

A stunning fluke for Ford as attempt at a long red doesn't drop, but red then races down the right centre pocket. In goes pink and red as Ford scrambles 48 clear with a possible 43 remaining. Barring snookers, he will have ended the drought to close to 6-3 behind. Not pretty, but pretty effective for Ford.

Ali with a cracking long red. Brilliant shot, but he misses a tricky cut on a blue to right middle. Tom then slots red, but can't tuck away the yellow off the spot. That is another morale-sapping blow, but at least he hasn't left a red for Carter.

Being willed on by this packed Tempodrom with every pot. Runs in 50 before he breaks down. Frustration for Ford. Another decent little knock, but again no frame-winning contribution.

Fordy with a fine opening red. First to punch in a frame he really needs to win. Trying to steel himself for a rearguard action in this final frame of the afternoon. Vital that he forgets about recent history at this visit to trail 6-3 at the mid-match interval.

A quite majestic break of 120 from Ali and that will be a sixth straight frame for the Captain, who is only four frames short of the title. Huge final frame of the afternoon coming up for Fordy, who has scored only 54 points in the past four frames. Can he muster a response?

Carter with 96 percent pot success rate. His seventh break over 50 in this final. He is playing immaculate snooker. Only thing missing so far is the century.

Lovely shot by Ali on pink with rest. Just teases that into the pocket before opening up a few more reds. Looks for all the world like 6-2 coming up for the Essex man. Fordy is having the sort of afternoon every sportsman dreads after winning the first two frames. Seems like a long time ago now.

Tom has gone into meltdown in this final. Carter can't clip home blue to the yellow pocket. Wasn't easy, but Ford immediately misses a straight red. That is a shocker and Carter returns to the baize attempting to put clear blue water between himself and his opponent.

No century, but a composed and clinical run of 73 is enough to get the job done for a 5-2 Carter lead. Ali guaranteed then to be ahead before this evening's final session, but how big is that lead going to be? Two more frames remaining. Vital that Tom Ford wins at least one of them for his future health in this final one would suggest.

Carter growing in confidence as break reaches 54. A few more pots and it will be a fifth straight frame for Ali, who is producing the pristine form that saw him reach two world finals in 2008 and 2012.

Worrying times for Tom Ford as he slots a lovely long red, but ends up overcutting the black off spot. He is struggling badly out there at the moment with Carter really starting to find his groove. Smashes open the pack of reds at first opportunity and suddenly chance is there for a sizeable break.

In goes the mid-range pink to conclude a 43 break. As soon as that red hit the rigging, it looked ominous for Ford and so it proved. A 53 break not enough to see out the frame for Tom. Carter moves 4-2 clear.

Brilliant pot on a red to left middle by Carter. Breaks the impasse and perhaps that is the key ball in this frame. Could be another counter punch for Carter and a 4-2 lead coming up.

Carter with 31 to reduce the lead to 22 points. Still four reds left on table so all sorts of possibilities in the rest of this sixth frame. Three reds left near right hand side cushion.

But no frame-winning break from the Leicester man. Tough cueing bridging over another red and the red stays out. 53 is a good lead, but not decisive.

The big crowd trying to encourage Ford at this visit. Can sense how important this contribution is in the context of the final. Vital that he stems the bleeding after shipping previous three frames. These balls all there for the taking.

A blunder by Carter after telling safety shot from Ford. "This is a chance Tom can get on board with," comments Alan McManus, the 1994 Masters champion. Vital that he makes some points here and he comes up with a solid recovery pot on red to right middle. On he goes then.

A closing break of 67 from Carter to go with the earlier 57. Classy stuff from the Captain, who leads this final for the first time today.

Ford misses an attempted long red by a week and this is surely heading 3-2 to Carter. Fordy has gone off the boil at precisely the wrong time in Berlin. Seven centuries so far from Carter in reaching this final and is set to finalise the fifth frame for a 3-2 advantage in the race to 10.

A handy lead for Ali. Knocks in 57 before running out of position. Just safety to follow. Classic Steve Davis tactics from the 1980s. Take what is there and run safe.

Lead can either be 7-2, 6-3 or 5-4 for either man before the evening session, but first things first. Ali prowling the table with some intent here on the resumption of play. Completely dialled in as break reaches 29.

Five more frames then of this afternoon session. A bit like the Crucible first-round matches over the best of 19 frames. Carter first to the punch in this fifth frame of final.

Carter takes the opportunity to snooker Ford after he misses the yellow attempting a think snick. Clobbers blue off one cushion and the concession quickly follows. Carter with breaks of 69 and 62 has levelled matters at 2-2. Warming up nicely in the packed Tempodrom.

A delightful contribution of 62 from Ali. Onto the colours with Tom chasing a snooker. Not quite over the line with colours handily placed to play for gas cookers.

The Captain deciding to dispense with the trickiest of the remaining reds along top cush and this is a golden chance to restore parity at 2-2. A counter punch is always a great way to win a frame. Ford looked good for 3-1, but that missed black is set to haunt him.

Ford takes over 90 seconds to decide on next shot before clipping red into right centre. No position on pink and safety is his only remedy. This final going for around an hour. Neither of these men are sluggish when they get going. Ford regains access to table with long, piercing red, but then misses black off the spot. Groans from the large crowd.

Sweet piece of cueing from Ford to drill home a brown after slotting mid-range red. Carter with a powerful pot on a long red at start of frame, but nothing else to follow at the moment. Chance for Ford to build a decent lead in this frame.

Final frame before the mid-session interval coming up. Ford breaks off for the fourth frame.

Ali misses a blue, but the damage is done for this frame. A fine break of 69. Tom has a quick check on scoreboard and decides enough is enough. This final well and truly alive at 2-1 to Ford.

Brilliant shot by Ali to power through the reds via pink. Springs a few more reds and this is a glorious opportunity to wrap up his first frame of final. An exquisite touch when in the mood and is rampaging through these balls.

Another early chance for Ford to stamp his authority on third frame, but he misses black off spot after Carter couldn't drop in a long red. A reprieve for Ali and chance to atone for the errors of the second frame.

Ford can't secure prime position on green from potting yellow with the rest. Just the safety. Carter tries to double green down the table, doesn't drop and Ford has chance to complete a monumental steal. Fine cut on brown and blue follows long brown. In goes pink and the black drops as Ford nicks the frame by two points. Early doors in final, but that will annoy the Captain. Fordy with a 2-0 lead.

Carter needing red, colour and red to secure the second frame, but just fails to squeeze red into the pocket after studying the potting angles. And he has opened up the reds for his opponent. Is this going to be the mother of all steals from Ford? Anguish etched all over Ali's face.

Ford goes for a long red. Rattles the jaws and is unfortunate to see object ball stick over a top pocket. Well then. This is a chance for Carter to show off his cue skills after sitting in his chair for most of the opening frame.

Supreme piece of cueing by Ali on a red to green pocket. First pot of the final. That should settle him down. Clearly in excellent form this week. Can't land on a red off the yellow, but takes his medicine before playing a solid safety shot.

A 121 break from Ford. In goes brown and huge applause from the big crowd. Ali tried to find a safe path to baulk, but left red over a middle bag. Tom drops in red and proceeds to clear the table. That'll do nicely thank you very much for the Leicester man. Second century of the week does the job every time.

This has been an immaculate start to day by Fordy. Stroking that white ball like an expert golfer with putter in hand. Real air of authority to his cue ball control. Is this a century straight off the bat? Every opportunity.

Another chance for Tom to get moving here. The cloth on table will suit Ford, according to 1994 Masters champion Alan McManus. Looks in nice touch here as break quickly reaches 39.

Safety error by Ali trying to nudge white back to baulk and first chance of day falls to Ford. In goes mid-range red and he is on black. But he misses using the rest and that chance is passed up. Some nerves early on.

Carter breaks off the final. A fine break as he welds the white to the baulk cushion.

Carter is 3-0 clear on the career head-to-heads as he chases a second German Masters title. Players emerging to a packed Tempodrom. 2,000 fans inside the teeming arena.

Some superb break-building from Carter in reaching this final. Enjoy his wonderful 133 from yesterday's 6-5 semi-final win against Robert Milkins.

This could be an absolute cracker in Berlin as Tom Ford and fellow Englishman Ali Carter bid for title glory and an £80,000 first prize at the Tempodrom. First man to 10 frames will take the Brandon Parker trophy. Carter is appearing in his third German Masters final. The two-time world finalist claimed the title in 2013 with a 9-6 win against Marco Fu, but lost 9-6 to Anthony Hamilton in 2017. Tom Ford is chasing a first ranking event prize and knows victory at the 13th German Masters would take him inside the world's top 16 for the first time. Almost time to get the boys on baize. Nine frames to be played this afternoon with possible 10 this evening.

Tom Ford defeated Jack Lisowski 6-5 in a hard-fought German Masters semi-final to set up a showdown with Ali Carter on Sunday.

The 39-year-old took a huge step in his quest for a first career ranking title by taking down fellow Englishman Lisowski in a high-quality last-four clash.

In a match where both players produced centuries, Ford never fell behind, despite facing repeated fight-backs from his resilient rival.

The victory continued an impressive record for the world No.24, who has now won 12 of his 13 meetings with Lisowski.

In the other thrilling semi-final, Ali Carter progressed to his third German Masters final with a 6-5 win over Robert Milkins.

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 be hoping to go one step further and claim the title again this time.

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