Mark Selby is vying for a coveted spot in his 38th ranking final.
Mark Selby demonstrated exceptional skill, culminating in a remarkable 131 break in the decisive frame, securing a 5-4 victory over Jackson Page and propelling him into the English Open semi-finals.
The four-time world champion faced adversity, trailing 2-1 and later 3-2 against his Welsh opponent, Page, before leveling the score with an impressive run of 111.
Selby, with his sights set on claiming his 25th ranking title, clinched the seventh frame, only to be met by a resilient Page, who delivered his fourth half-century break of the match, forcing a final-frame showdown where the Englishman ultimately prevailed.
Awaiting Selby in the semi-finals is China’s Zhou Yuelong, who orchestrated a comeback from a 4-2 deficit to defeat the 2023 world champion, Luca Brecel, with a final score of 5-4.
Breaks of 94 and 113 were instrumental in Zhou’s resurgence, bringing the score to 4-4 before he narrowly won a tense, 52-minute ninth frame after Brecel’s miscue left him with a straightforward black ball opportunity.
In other matches, former Crucible finalist Jak Jones secured a decisive 5-2 victory over Aaron Hill, while Elliot Slessor surged to an early 4-0 lead against Mark Allen, before the Northern Irishman mounted a comeback.
England’s Slessor appeared poised to complete a 5-0 shutout but faltered on a challenging black ball attempt, allowing Allen to claim a frame with a break of 55.
Another missed black ball to the same corner pocket proved costly for Slessor in the sixth frame, in a match that extended late into Friday evening.