Higgins Fights Back To Beat Selby And Reach Semi-finals

John Higgins produced a superb show arsenic he fought backmost from 8-5 down to hit Mark Selby 10-8 to move into nan semi-finals of nan Tour Championship successful Manchester.

In an almost identical brushwood to past year's final, besides won by nan Scot, Higgins took nan opening convention but was past forced to watch arsenic chap four-time world champion Selby compiled breaks of 127 and 131 connected his measurement to reeling disconnected 5 consecutive frames.

However, from there, Higgins, 50, showcased his fighting qualities and singular expertise to find his champion shape nether pressure.

While Selby was unfortunate pinch nan tally of balls astatine times, Higgins ruthlessly knocked successful breaks of 56, 92, 74, 78 and 72 to repetition his occurrence of 12 months agone and group up a semi-final gathering pinch world champion Zhao Xintong connected Saturday (13:00 BST).

"I thought he was opening to deed nan shot superbly truthful you are reasoning possibly it could beryllium nan aforesaid arsenic past year," Higgins told 5Action.

"That is each I was hoping. It came existent again. He went into nan balls and didn't onshore connected 1 and you are reasoning possibly it is my turn. I was delighted nan measurement I dug in."

Earlier connected Thursday evening, Zhao, who turns 29 connected Friday, swept to an awesome 10-4 triumph complete Chris Wakelin.

The Chinese prima made breaks of 103, 93 and 120 to lead 5-3 aft nan opening convention and continued successful nan aforesaid vein erstwhile play resumed.

A tally of 70 put him 6-3 up and while nan Englishman replied pinch a 71 of his own, Zhao took nan adjacent 4 frames pinch breaks of 134, 108, 50 and 101 to seal his win.

Australia's Neil Robertson besides booked his spot successful nan past 4 pinch a 10-8 occurrence complete Barry Hawkins.

Robertson, who won nan tourney successful 2021 and 2022, will now play world number 1 Judd Trump successful a lucifer that will statesman astatine 13:00 BST connected Friday.

In a hard-fought encounter, Robertson trailed 7-5 but took 5 of nan past six frames against Hawkins to beforehand to his 4th ranking semi-final of nan campaign.

"Things weren't going well. At 7-5 I had to regroup, I tried to bent successful there," said Robertson.

"If I americium going to person immoderate chance of doing good successful nan World Championship wherever not each convention goes your way, you request to find a measurement to get done it.

"It's a awesome triumph because alongside John Higgins and Mark Selby, Barry is 1 of nan hardest players to beat."