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Ssb - the last four
So the totesport.com Welsh Open semi-finals will feature four of the world's top five ranked players - this for the supposed poor relation of the world ranking tournament circuit.
Ronnie O'Sullivan was sensational in putting away Mark Allen 5-2 yesterday. He must have been: even he was happy with how he played.
But John Higgins represents a different challenge altogether. I don't need to remind anyone of their finger-nail shredding UK Championship semi-final just last month.
If today's clash produces anything close to that sort of excitement it should be a great spectacle.
First up are defending champion Ali Carter and Stephen Maguire, who was very impressive last night in beating Mark Williams 5-1.
Maguire did a proper job on him. Conscious of how well Williams was playing, he was properly focused throughout, mixed attack and defence with deadly efficiency and outplayed the in form Welshman.
It was a reminder of how well the world no.2 can play when he's in the right frame of mind.
Carter hasn't had to play his very best stuff yet but he's still going. The Welsh Open trophy - a piece of slate - is aesthetically unpleasing but he obviously likes the way it looks on his mantelpiece.
Carter may need to up his game against Maguire but if the O'Sullivan v Higgins match proves to be another epic the winner of the first semi-final could benefit, just as Ding Junhui did in Telford.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan was sensational in putting away Mark Allen 5-2 yesterday. He must have been: even he was happy with how he played.
But John Higgins represents a different challenge altogether. I don't need to remind anyone of their finger-nail shredding UK Championship semi-final just last month.
If today's clash produces anything close to that sort of excitement it should be a great spectacle.
First up are defending champion Ali Carter and Stephen Maguire, who was very impressive last night in beating Mark Williams 5-1.
Maguire did a proper job on him. Conscious of how well Williams was playing, he was properly focused throughout, mixed attack and defence with deadly efficiency and outplayed the in form Welshman.
It was a reminder of how well the world no.2 can play when he's in the right frame of mind.
Carter hasn't had to play his very best stuff yet but he's still going. The Welsh Open trophy - a piece of slate - is aesthetically unpleasing but he obviously likes the way it looks on his mantelpiece.
Carter may need to up his game against Maguire but if the O'Sullivan v Higgins match proves to be another epic the winner of the first semi-final could benefit, just as Ding Junhui did in Telford.
More...