Mark Selby sets up Ali Carter semi-final at WST Classic snooker as Gary Wilson moves within one win of Tour Championship

Mark Selby maintained his push for a first ranking title in his home city of Leicester with a 4-2 win over John Higgins in the WST Classic quarter-finals.

Selby raced 3-0 clear of his fellow four-time world champion with breaks of 99, 80 and 59 before Higgins responded with 136 and 81 to maintain his hopes with his opponent failing to register a point.

After a high-quality battle of scoring and tactical excellence, the sixth frame was a nervier affair, but it was Selby who put the match away by clearing the final few reds and colours to advance to the last four at the Morningside Arena.

He will meet fellow Englishman Ali Carter over the best-of-nine frames at 2:30pm UK time with a place in the final on Wednesday night and an £80,000 first prize on the table.

Carter completed a 4-2 win over Stuart Bingham in a repeat of the 2020 Masters final won 10-8 by Bingham at Alexandra Palace.

Bingham opened the match with a 99 knock before winning the second frame, but it was the two-time world finalist Carter who reeled off four straight frames boosted by 87, 72 and a closing 65.

Bingham had opportunities to force the deciding frame, but could not take out the final red and colours as Carter scrambled over the finishing line to prevent a final-frame decider.

English Open winner Selby and German Masters champion Carter are both through to the Tour Championship in Hull next week and are also chasing second ranking titles of the season in Leicester.

Elsewhere, Gary Wilson needs one more win to overtake Ding Junhui and book his spot in the elite eight-man Tour event after completing a 4-1 win against Lukas Kleckers, who was competing in a quarter-final for the first time.

The Scottish Open holder Wilson was in peak scoring form as he produced breaks of 70, 79, 99, 103 and 86 to progress.

Wilson will face Jimmy White’s conqueror Pang Junxu or Oliver Lines for a final place.

Latest Tour Championship qualifiers

(players in bold still competing at WST Classic)

• 1 Mark Allen £530,500
• 2 Shaun Murphy £240,000
• 3 Ali Carter £203,500
• 4 Kyren Wilson £179,000
• 5 Ryan Day £159,000
• 6 Robert Milkins £157,500
• 7 Mark Selby £146,500
• 8 Ding Junhui £140,500
• —————————————
• 9 Gary Wilson £140,500
• 10 Luca Brecel £131,000
• 11 Jack Lisowski £128,000
• 12 Judd Trump £120,000

Latest WST results

Semi-finals (2:30pm UK time, best of nine frames)

• Gary Wilson v Pang Junxu/Oliver Lines
• Ali Carter v Mark Selby

Quarter-finals (10am UK time, best of seven frames)

• Gary Wilson 4-1 Lukas Kleckers
• Pang Junxu 2-3 Oliver Lines
• Stuart Bingham 2-4 Ali Carter
• John Higgins 2-4 Mark Selby

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