John Higgins, seeking his first ranking title in three years, scored one of his best wins of the season as he beat Mark Allen 5-2 to reach the semi-finals of the BetVictor Welsh Open.
Elliot Slessor, looking to continue the recent sequence of surprise winners of this title by following Jordan Brown, Joe Perry and Robert Milkins, scored a 5-3 win over Dominic Dale to reach his third ranking semi-final.
World number 12 Higgins outplayed an opponent ranked nine places higher as he continued his quest for a sixth Welsh Open title, and first ranking silverware since the 2021 Players Championship. The legendary Scot, age 48, has tried to add new impetus to his game this season, working with a sports psychologist for the first time and changing his cue. And his confidence seems high as he looks ahead to a meeting with Gary Wilson or close friend Anthony McGill in Llandudno on Saturday evening.
Did You Know?
Higgins' Welsh Open Records
John Higgins has won more Welsh Open titles than any other player. He lifted the trophy in 2000, 2010, 2011, 2015 and 2018, putting him one ahead of Ronnie O'Sullivan who has four crowns. Higgins has also now won a record 92 matches in this event, surpassing O'Sullivan's 91.
Allen trailed 63-23 in the opening frame when he missed the brown to a centre pocket, trying to gain position on the penultimate red, and Higgins punished him to take the lead, before making a superb 131 for 2-0. Allen battled back to 2-2, but Higgins dominated after the interval, compiling runs of 76 and 85 for 4-2. The Scot built a 60-0 lead in the fifth, and Allen's chance to counter ended when he missed a risky red.
Higgins is into his 84th career ranking event semi-final and fourth of the season. He said: "Mark is one of the elite players, you have to play well to beat him, it's a brilliant win for me. I have changed my cue, I went back to the size I used about 25 years ago. That seems to be working right now. Hopefully things can come together because I have been knocking on the door for a while and it hasn't opened yet.
"I would love to play Anthony in the semi-finals because it would be a special occasion to play him, he's a friend and a top young boy. It's great to see him back enjoying the game. He has been a bit down over the last year or two so I'm happy to see him get some big wins this week and get his confidence back. But he's got a tough game with Gary. The crowds here have been packed all week and I'm sure it will be sold out at the weekend with a great atmosphere."
Slessor's previous semi-final appearances came at the 2017 Northern Ireland Open and 2021 British Open, and the 29-year-old from Gateshead will have the chance to reach his first final when he faces Luca Brecel or Martin O'Donnell on Saturday afternoon. Welshman Dale had hoped to become the first home winner of this title since Mark Williams in 1999, but the 52-year-old veteran made too many errors as his run came to an end.
Dale took the opening frame and had a clear chance for 2-0 but missed a routine black on 41. World number 50 Slessor punished him with a 54 clearance, before making a 128 to go ahead. In the fourth, Dale trailed 53-28 when he missed a red to top corner, and again that proved costly as he fell 3-1 behind.
The next two were shared, then a fluked red in frame seven helped Dale close to 4-3. Two-time ranking event Dale had a chance to force a decider, but could only make 29, and Slessor replied with runs of 43 and 24 which proved enough.
Slessor said: "There were some tight frames, it was a battle. I'm delighted to win. I have been working with (coach) Chris Henry this season and my game has turned a corner. My daughter had her fourth birthday today so it's mixed emotions for me because I am not at home for that. I watched her open her presents this morning on Facetime. But she knows I am away for the right reasons. It would mean everything for me to get to the final and have my family there."
