Surety Continues Career-Best Run

World number 89 Zak Surety said he feels as if he's "playing PlayStation" as he continued his amazing run at the Weide Cup World Open by beating Tom Ford 5-3 to reach the semi-finals, where he will meet John Higgins.

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Essex cueman Surety first turned pro in 2014 and had never previously gone beyond the last 16 of a ranking event. But in this tournament the 33-year-old has knocked out Si Jiahui, Jordan Brown, Duane Jones, Liu Hongyu and Ford, setting up a clash with all-time great Higgins on Friday.

Surety, who has made six centuries and ten more breaks over 50 in this event, is already guranteed £33,000, by far his biggest career pay day and virtually doubling his season's earnings having previously banked £33,750.

He is certain to leap up the Johnstone's Paint World Rankings and could even earn a place in the Sportsbet.io Players Championship in Telford next month if he can go all the way to the £175,000 top prize in Yushan. 

Breaks of 133 and 103 put Surety 2-1 up today. World number 20 Ford levelled before Surety took the next two frames with runs of 88 and 73 for 4-2. Ford pulled one back but an excellent 70 clearance in frame eight secured the result for Surety.

"I am in unknown territory now," said Surety, who was relegated from the tour in 2022 but regained his place via Q School. "I am enjoying it, although I'm also waiting to go home. I want to have a cup of tea, go running in the woods, play with my dogs and see my mum. Maybe that's relaxing me. But when I'm in the arena, I'm desperate to win. I want to be a top snooker player and there are big ranking points on offer. So I'm fighting myself. 

"I was very nervous today, although I felt better after the interval and I can't work out why, because it's the biggest match I have ever played in. I have had a twitch-up a few times and lost my way. But when I'm in the balls, I feel good, as if I am playing PlayStation. I've got to enjoy it, let's see what happens tomorrow. I have played John before in China (losing 5-3 at the 2024 Wuhan Open) and it was a close game, though that was on an outside table. It will be different in a semi-final on the TV table. John is one of the best ever, I still pinch myself just being around him. But I need to believe in myself."

Higgins eased to a 5-0 win over Pang Junxu to reach the 86th ranking event semi-final of his stellar career. If he beats Surety, the 49-year-old will become the oldest ranking event finalist since 1986 when a 53-year-old Rex Williams lost to Jimmy White. The Scot is aiming for his 32nd ranking title and first since the 2021 Players Championship; tomorrow's match will be the four-year anniversary of that triumph.

The four-time World Champion fired breaks of 125, 87, 96 and 81 in a superb display against China's Pang. "I feel better today," said Higgins who was suffering from a stomach upset yesterday. "Pang had a bad fever, I could see in the practice room he wasn't feeling well. He missed a few today which he would usually never miss and I took advantage. I played better today than yesterday. 

"If you ever lose the hunger to win, you may as well not bother. For me that has never been in question, but sometimes it's the mental fragility or the pressure. I have been doing something different for the last couple of months, you try little things. 

"I played Zak in Wuhan and we had a good game. He's really improved this week. He's very relaxed and really enjoying it. He's had a great win against Tom today. He's such a dangerous player so I'll have to try to play my best."