European Masters snooker 2023 recap – Mark Selby defeats Lyu Haotian after John Higgins sets up Judd Trump semi-final

Former world champions John Higgins and Judd Trump will face each other in the first semi-final from 1pm before Mark Selby and Barry Hawkins meet on Saturday evening at 7pm. Should be a riveting day ahead at the European Masters. Join us tomorrow for more live updates.

• Lyu Haotian 5-1 David Gilbert
• Ashley Hugill 2-5 Mark Selby
• Noppon Saengkham 5-4 Jimmy Robertson
• Barry Hawkins 5-4 Luca Brecel

• Kyren Wilson 3-5 John Higgins
• Judd Trump 5-1 Ashley Carty

• Lyu Haotian 2-5 Mark Selby
• Noppon Saengkham 2-5 Barry Hawkins

Lyu gets one snooker, but gives it straight back after failing to hit the final red. And the handshake comes. Selby will face Barry Hawkins on Saturday evening at the European Masters.

That will be that. A break of 74 from Selby, who misses the red to right centre chasing a century, but this match is surely a done deal. Lyu 50 behind with 35 on table.

A super screw shot on black to open up the remaining reds and that looks like good night for his opponent.

Would need to be a real blunder now to deprive Selby of taking this match out, here and now. Over the 50-point mark, but he is somehow out of position on a red. Recovers well to chip in a red to left middle. That is a brilliant shot to stay at the table.

Lyu will be fearing the worst here as Selby goes to work. Just needs to be mindful as he clips a longish red into yellow pocket to keep the break going.

Delightful cut on a red to right middle presents Selby with chance to kill off this match at first time of asking. Tends not to pass up these chances when winning line comes into view.

And the frame is won by Selby! His second black-ball steal of the night. That is a majestic pot from distance to the green pocket and he does move 4-2 ahead. Forced to do it the hard way. Lyu will be kicking himself. Should have levelled at 3-3. Long way back from this predicament.

Forced to leave a tough cut on the black after failing to land ideal on pink and Selby rattles the jaws. So close to 4-2. More safety on the black ball to settle the frame.

What a steal this could be. Magnificent pot on mid-range final red from Selby using extension. Could be a frame-winner. Just needs pink and black.

Looks like this match is heading 3-3. Quite a turnaround after the mid-session break with Lyu really clicking into gear at the exactly the right time, but red to middle doesn’t drop. Bad miss really. Is there another twist in this frame? Just needed that red.

Lyu sensing the moment to get on the move again in this sixth frame after Selby can’t clip a tricky red into a middle bag. Fine red finds the pocket and this is a golden chance to put some points on the board.

A third straight frame for Barry Hawkins as he reaches the semi-finals for a second straight year. The 2013 world finalist awaits the winner of this match in the last four tomorrow night.

A fine break of 64 from Lyu was expertly pieced together, his highest of the night so far, and he is back to within a frame of Selby, who probably can’t believe the safety blunder that handed his opponent such an easy opener.

Well, would you believe it? Selby butchers a safety shot and has left Lyu plum among the balls. Won’t get a better chance to get the job done than this. Everything in the open that he needs.

A brilliant long blue by Lyu finds the target, but again not really applying major pressure to the Selby cue action by failing to score. A safety duel with Selby is not where he wants to be in this match.

Lyu screws the white into the reds after slotting pink to left centre, but can’t progress the break much further. Out of position rather quickly. Has been story of his night so far with his scoring work being done in bits and pieces.

Boys back on the baize as they play this match to a finish. Probably imperative that Lyu wins this frame for the sake of his future health in the tournament.

Last year’s finalist Barry Hawkins has moved one frame from a place in this year’s semis. Two breaks of 70 since the mid-session earns him a 4-2 advantage.

Lyu tries to nudge pink in from distance, but pink falls over a top pocket and fails to drop. So near. Selby does not waste time in slotting pink before dropping black in right middle. It is 3-1. Could have gone either way, but the four-time world champion in command after dropping the first frame.

But chance not taken as Selby runs out of position on the final pink. In goes blue, but gets the angles all wrong in and out of baulk with pink on black spot and black on pink spot. All coming down to the final two balls to settle this frame.

Well, almost over the line in this fourth frame, but Lyu misses a tricky red down a side cushion using the rest. So close to claiming the frame, but suddenly Selby presented with opportunity to complete a massive steal. This would hurt Lyu. No question.

A rare tactical error by Selby trying to play the white back to baulk. Ends up leaving an easy red after getting the escape all wrong and the door has opened for Lyu to run in a few points. Not been handed too many easy openers this evening, but this is an obvious chance for Lyu to establish a soild lead.

Lyu picks out a tough plant on reds from distance. No colour to follow, but at least he can play a decent safety. Chances never come thick and fast when you are facing Selby in an uncompromising mood.

Selby with his eye on the prize from distance tonight as he drills another longish red expertly into a pocket. Caught that one so sweet.

Noppon is right back in the ball game with breaks of 60 and 136 seeing him level at 2-2 from 2-0 behind.

Lyu decides to refuse a green to right middle when chance was there to clear and the snooker doesn’t bring another chance. Selby drills home a long red and that is going to be the pivotal pot in the frame. The finishing touches are applied as Selby erects a 2-1 lead. One more frame before the mid-session interval.

Lyu can’t slot a mid-range red and is duly punished by a fine effort from Selby to regain access to the table. In control of his own destiny in this frame as lead moves to 40. But no more than that as he runs out of position and opts to knock a red safe. All a bit of a slog this frame.

So many misses in this frame as Selby can’t land a red using the spider this time. Lyu out of position immediately and then decides to roll up to the yellow. Golden chance gone.

Early joust for supremacy. Lyu clips in a fine cut on a red to the yellow pocket after Selby refused it. Lyu then cracks open the pack of reds via a red, but commits the sin of failing to pot the initial red. All opens up for another Selby attack, but he then misses another easy red. All happening.

Off we go then for the third frame of a possible nine. Warming up nicely. Selby tries to pick out another audacious long red, but this time just misses the mark.

Battle joined. Selby with a commanding century break of 106. A supreme clearance and this quarter-final is level at 1-1.

Vintage Selby here in this second frame. Pounced on the long red and hasn’t looked back. Can he give the fans in Nuremberg a century in this second frame?

Cometh the hour, cometh the Mark. A quite blistering long red from Selby is right on cue and he is bang among the balls after that cracking pot. Fine chance to restore parity in this match at 1-1.

Another early chance for Lyu after dribbling in a long red to the green pocket. Sizing up the brown, but misses to left centre as Selby returns to the table. Will be keen to forget the memory of losing the first frame. But just 22 before running for baulk.

Breaks of 89 and 52 from the Hawk, who claims the first two frames of his quarter-final.

A fine break of 49 from Lyu as the pink disappears. A 1-0 lead for the underdog. Wasn’t involved in the first half of the frame, but came good when it mattered. Selby given an early warning.

Chance of a counter punch to take out this first frame as Lyu rolls in penultimate red before bringing other red into a pottable position. Glorious opportunity on the colours.

Both of these players aren’t afraid to mix it on the matchplay side of matters. Five reds left up, but both men careful not to throw in any unforced errors. Lyu then picks out a cracking little red to right middle. What a pot that is. Classy.

Selby appearing in a 91st ranking event quarter-final. Making 37, but a red fails to drop attempting to keep the break going and sticks in the jaws. Reprieve for Lyu.

Selbz off and running then in this opening frame. Nice little shot to tuck home red and hold for the pink amid a congested area around the black. Controlling tactical matters well so far, but now is the time to score.

All very tight in the opening exchanges. Selby made breaks of 69, 84, 60, 103 and 68 in the last 16 this morning against Hugill, who opened with a 106 of his own. Would dearly love to replicate that level of form tonight.

Big crowd inside the KIA Metropol Arena for this match. Lyu is the world No. 46 and starts this contest as a fair outsider, you would have to say. Selby with first chance of the evening as he carts home a mid-range red with the rest.

Welcome back. We are with the ‘Jester from Leicester’ on this Friday night of snooker magic in Nuremberg. Former European Masters champion Mark Selby is set to continue his quest against Lyu Haotian in the last eight.

The four-time world champion enjoyed a 5-2 win against Ashley Hugill this morning in the last 16 with Lyu revelling in a 5-1 victory over David Gilbert. Selby is 5-1 clear on their career head-to-heads. Noppon Saengkham meets Barry Hawkins in the final quarter-final on the other main table.

We will be back for the final two quarter-final matches. Mark Selby against Lyu Haotian is the featured match tonight from 7pm (BST) with Noppon Saengkham facing Barry Hawkins. See you then.

• Lyu Haotian 5-1 David Gilbert
• Ashley Hugill 2-5 Mark Selby
• Noppon Saengkham 5-4 Jimmy Robertson
• Barry Hawkins 5-4 Luca Brecel

• Kyren Wilson 3-5 John Higgins
• Judd Trump 5-1 Ashley Carty

• Lyu Haotian v Mark Selby
• Noppon Saengkham v Barry Hawkins

And he’s going to finish with a second century of the match for good measure. 118 break from Higgins to finish. He is through to the semi-finals. Higgins with breaks of 105, 74, 52, 60 and 118 today. Very impressive scoring.

He has been right at it today, and Higgins will progress to face Judd Trump in the semi-finals on Saturday. That should be quite a match.

Break moves to 46 in no time at all. In goes black before he uses side to spin open a few more reds. Looking excellent here.

“He’s done this a million times, but this time, its terribly important,” as Ted Lowe once said during a Terry Griffiths match at the World Championship.

Not a bad return for John as he holes the black Kyren left. And gets a decent nudge on a red to hold for another red. In goes the pink with rest. “Chance to put a big dent in the frame,” says Alan McManus, the 1994 Masters winner.

Another safety error by Higgins after he was left tight on a baulk cush from the break-off. Clips red thick and white is left in middle of table. First chance of frame falls to Kyren, who appears to have some bounce in his step. But he misses black off the spot when it seemed he was set fair. What a chance for John then. That he didn’t expect.

In goes frame-ball black and on goes this contest. Higgins going to lead by one with a possible two to play. Heading down to the wire for a place in the semi-finals on Saturday.

Wilson gets fortunate playing safe off a red near middle. Higgins faced with a tough response, but can’t get white safe and this looks it might be heading back to 4-3.

But quickly out of position as he rues a poor shot. Just takes his medicine by pushing the green safe as an insurance policy.

Higgins misses trying to roll up behind a red off two cushions before leaving Kyren a tricky red to right middle on the other side of the table. He slots that with some ease and is out for the pink. Chance then to keep this match alive here and now.

Kyren left with a tricky plant on reds and can’t find the angle to clip that down the pocket. Doesn’t leave Higgins an easy opener. Which is the consolation prize.

Brilliant opening red from Kyren from distance. Black is easy pickings over a top bag. Opportunity to score a few here. Which is just what the doctor ordered for the 2020 world finalist.

John’s long game has been solid this afternoon in helping to dominate the table. Can’t clip home the black, but no real damage done.

73 goes with the earlier 60 for good measure and Higgins on the cusp of the last four. And a semi-final match with Judd Trump, who has just completed a 5-1 win over Ashley Carty.

No dramatic escape for Wilson this time as Higgins nails a fabulous long red. That is the frame-winner. He leads 4-2 to steady the ship.

A fairly rapid knock of 60 from Higgins before he runs out of position needing one more colour.

Wilson goes for a long red. Doesn’t drop and he has left John an easy opener. Vital that he gets the show back on the road here after the previous frame. Test of character you’d probably call it.

Higgins needs two frames, Kyren three in the race to five and a quarter-final spot. Judd Trump 4-1 ahead of Ashley Carty on the other table in the main arena. The winner of these quarter-finals collide tomorrow.

Higgins heavily punished for the missed red. Wilson needing two snookers. Gets them before producing a superb clearance to trail by the odd frame in five. Is that a turning point in this match? Looked like Higgins had that frame under lock and key, but one miss on a red so damaging.

Would you believe this? Higgins misses the yellow coming off a side cushion and the white disappears down the right centre pocket. Wilson can win this frame by a point with the clearance.

Wilson hanging in there as he traps Higgins in a snooker that earns him four points back with his opponent clipping the green instead of red. 30 the difference wth 27 left up. Green almost welded to a side cushion. Which doesn’t help Kyren’s conundrum.

Higgins on the cusp of another frame. Misses a red on 64-0, but Wilson needs two snookers otherwise it is a fourth straight frame in the Higgo frames for column.

Confidence is high for Higgins right now as he cracks home a stunning red followed by thrilling green to right centre. All going his way here. And he is back at the business end of the table. Chance to move three ahead with only a possible four frames to play.

A measure of how well Higgins is hitting the ball is his work with the rest. Pulled that cue ball back with interest there to land right side of blue. But can’t get ideal angle on the black seconds later and adds the seven points to conclude break on 40. Handy lead.

Back out for the conclusion of this match with Higgins looking determined to get the job done as quickly as possible. Safety blunder by Kyren sticks up a red over the hole at the top of the table and he has to sit down and wonder how much his opponent will roll in at this visit.

This is classic Higgins at the moment. Really in the groove. A 52 clearance from the Scotsman and a 3-1 lead mid-session lead. Fully deserved it must be said.

A brilliant final black is holed by Carty to claim his first frame of the day. The outsider joins the party.

Higgins picking out another brilliant long red, but no position after nudging yellow on way back down table. More tactical exchanges to settle the direction of travel in this fourth frame. And he boosts his chances by leaving Kyren in a tough snooker on pink. Escapes from the snooker, but leaves an easy starter for John. Is this the road to a 3-1 lead?

No frame-winning hit this time as a tricky red down table to yellow pocket stays on deck. Frame well in the balance with seven reds left up.

Higgins sees a long red rattle in the top jaws, but Kyren can’t cash in as a tricky red from the side cush fails to drop after easing to 32. One loose positional shot is so damaging. Higgins given scope to score again in the fourth frame.

Can’t dislodge the final red near pink to keep hopes alive of another century, but 74 does the job every day of the week. Higgins moves 2-1 clear. One more frame before the mid-session.

Higgins is looking very, very good here. Just enjoying his table time and scoring heavily when his opponent misses. Has got the white ball on a piece of string at the moment. In goes the blue he needs to leave Wilson needing snookers. Going to be a 2-1 lead for the Wishaw man.

Wilson trying to force a red into a top bag with a bit of side. Red stays up. Enjoying a massive fluke earlier in the frame on the blue, but not making the most of his good fortune as Higgins returns to the table.

Another frame for Trump in the race to five as he moves two clear of Ashley Carty.

A lovely clearance of 105 from Higgins delights the crowd as Wilson is forced to ponder missing red with rest earlier in the frame. A costly error. This quarter-final is all level at 1-1.

Looking like we are heading 1-1 in this match. Higgins finding the level of certainty that saw him overcome Shaun Murphy 5-2 last night. Stroking that white ball with real authority.

Neither man truly settled yet as Wilson can’t slot a fairly routine red using the rest after Higgins misses black off the spot. A rapid reprieve for the Scotsman.

Couple of misses early on in this second frame before Higgins rams a red down a red centre bag. Decent pot that. Chance to get moving for the four-time world champion. His 135th ranking event quarter-final today.

Wilson cleans up the table with Higgins knowing they could have been his for the taking. All done now. A 1-0 lead for a man dubbed ‘The Warrior’.

Glorious chance of the steal, but Higgins misses a tricky red along the top cushion, the penultimate red of the frame. Was obvious chance for a huge steal, but not taken and Wilson will lead 1-0 from a taut opening frame.

Wilson set to seal the deal in this first frame after Higgins misses an easy pot on red to right middle. Caught the object ball too thick, but Wilson then misses a very routine red seconds later. 55 the difference, 59 left up. Frame not yet done.

The 2019 world champion takes the first frame of his quarter-final. Judd Trump chasing a treble of European Masters title victories this week.

Wilson slots yellow to come back down the table for reds, but is not on an easy red to keep the break going. Just a safety shot coming up, so no one-visit hit from Wilson in the opening frame. Wilson with a dart at a long red seconds later, but not near the potting angle.

Has been a very smart start from Kyren as he plunges the white into the reds off the blue, and enjoys a nice run of the balls to remain on the next red. Motoring along very nicely so far in this break.

Boys are on the baize. Large crowd in Nuremberg with the roomy venue down to a two-table set-up for the quarter-finals. Early safety error by Higgins gives Wilson the chance to put his foot down early on.

Kyren Wilson is defending the European Masters title he won with a 9-3 final victory over Barry Hawkins last year, but John Higgins looks in peak form following his 5-2 victory over Shaun Murphy on Thursday evening that saw him hit two centuries.

He should also be buoyed by the memory of his 13-2 win over Wilson in the World Championship last 16 in April.

Despite not making the trip to Germany, Ronnie O’Sullivan will stay at the top of the rankings after Barry Hawkins completed a 5-4 win over world champion Luca Brecel earlier on Friday that saw him compile 133 in the penultimate frame.

Brecel needed to reach the last four to topple O’Sullivan, but the 2013 Crucible finalist Hawkins won the final two frames to advance to a meeting with Noppon Saengkham in the quarter-finals on Friday night. Noppon edged Jimmy Robertson by the same scoreline.

Elsewhere, Mark Selby set up a clash with Lyu Haotian courtesy of a 5-2 win over Ashley Hugill in the last 16 as Lyu eased pased David Gilbert 5-1.

• Lyu Haotian 5-1 David Gilbert
• Ashley Hugill 2-5 Mark Selby
• Noppon Saengkham 5-4 Jimmy Robertson
• Barry Hawkins 5-4 Luca Brecel

• Kyren Wilson v John Higgins
• Judd Trump v Ashley Carty

• Lyu Haotian v Mark Selby
• Noppon Saengkham v Barry Hawkins

Day three of the European Masters saw the conclusion of the last-32 stage, as well as matches in the round of 16. Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, John Higgins and Ashley Carty were the four players who booked their spots in the quarter-finals in Nuremberg.

Higgins – looking to win his first ranking event since 2021 – faced Shaun Murphy in the last 16. A superb 55-2 winning performance saw Higgins progress to the next round, setting up a tie against Wilson.

Wilson himself had to dispatch Wales’ Duane Jones before the quarters. He did so with a more than comfortable 5-0 whitewashing.

Trump matched Wilson’s 5-0 victory, brushing aside Ben Woollaston. The Bristolian faces Carty in their quarter-final.

In a shock result, Carty came out as a 5-3 victor against Ricky Walden in the biggest surprise of the round of 16.