Mark Selby won a fourth consecutive match in the deciding frame to beat David Gilbert 5-4 at the Unibet British Open, remaining on course for a first ranking title in 18 months.
Selby, renowned for his toughness under pressure, beat Pang Junxu, Yuan Sijun and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh by a 4-3 scoreline to reach the quarter-finals, and once again proved stronger at the business end against Gilbert to earn a place in the last four in Cheltenham. It's his first ranking semi-final since the Players Championship in February, and the Leicester cueman is chasing a first ranking title since the 2023 WST Classic.
John Higgins is also into the last four, thrashing Elliot Slessor 5-1. The random draw for the semi-finals will be made live on ITV around 6.45pm.
Four-time World Champion Selby built a 4-1 lead today with top breaks of 101 and 66. Gilbert stormed back to 4-4 with 93, 66 and 59, and he had a chance early in the decider but made just 8 before his attempted pot on the black to a top corner jumped off the table. Selby converted a tricky red to a baulk corner to set up a match-winning run of 50.
"I don't make it easy for myself," joked Selby. "It's just about getting the win, whether it's 5-0 or 5-4. I got a bit nervy towards the end, although Dave played very well from 4-1 to 4-4. I thought I wasn't going to get a chance, but he was unlucky in the last frame. We practised together before the English Open, we had four best of sevens, each for £5, and I won all of them so he owed me £20. At the end of the match today he shook my hand and said he hopes I win the title, but he wants me to let him off the £20!
"My game is close, I just need to be more clinical and close out matches earlier when I get chances."
Paying tribute to Clive Everton, the great journalist and commentator who passed away today, Selby added: "When I first started as a pro he was the main commentator, and I would also buy his magazine Snooker Scene. It's a very sad day for snooker, he had such an iconic voice."
Higgins, a four-time British Open champion who has won more matches in this event than any other player, reached his 85th ranking event semi-final and he's just two wins away from a first ranking title since the 2021 Players Championship.
The 49-year-old Scot compiled breaks of 132 and 102 in an impressive win over Slessor. "I'm pleased with the way I played, I won two frames from Elliot's break-off, which is something the top boys do consistently and it has been missing from my game," said Higgins. "I'm feeling good about my game and my new cue."