Judd Trump will play John Higgins in the World Open semi-finals on Saturday in a repeat of the 2019 World Championship final.
It marks the first time since their May clash at the Crucible that the pair has crossed paths with one another.
In Sheffield six months ago, Trump produced an incredible performance to inflict a third straight defeat in succession in a world final for Higgins.
Since then, the former has gone from strength to strength, winning the International Championship in the summer en route to reclaiming top spot in the world rankings.
Higgins hasn’t triumphed in a ranking event for almost two years – not since the Welsh Open in early 2018.
The Scot defied a brace of century breaks from Stuart Bingham in the last eight to overcome his fellow former world champion 5-2.
Trump, meanwhile, wasn’t at his free-scoring best but still had more than enough in reserve to dispatch of Michael Holt.
As a side note, Holt’s exit meant that Jimmy White has gained the last available ticket into the Champion of Champions next week, given that the last four competitors in the World Open semi-finals have already guaranteed their invite to Coventry.
Overall, Trump and Higgins have conjured up a lasting rivalry that dates back a decade and to their original World Championship final showdown from 2011.
The Scot enjoys the superior head-to-head record and beat Trump four times in a row prior to their last meeting.
“I’m up to number eight in the world and I’ve not got the best cue ball”
There’s one area of @KyrenWilson‘s game he wants to improve.
Imagine what the Warrior will be like when he gets it right! #WorldOpen pic.twitter.com/NIBnBjfPVa
— World Snooker (@WorldSnooker) November 1, 2019
On the other side of the draw there’s Kyren Wilson and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, who are both bidding to claim a second ranking crown this calendar year.
Wilson, who ended home interest by ousting Zhou Yuelong, has quietly gone about his business this week somewhat under the radar and, as the seeded player, will certainly fancy his chances of reaching the title decider on Sunday.
However, the enigmatic Un-Nooh is a man in form after the talented Thai bagged glory in the invitational Haining Open last week in China.
Confidence will be soaring even more after coming from 4-2 behind to deny last year’s runner-up David Gilbert in a quarter-final decider.
Un-Nooh has encountered Wilson twice in ranking events before, falling short on both occasions to the Kettering cueist.
The World Open semi-finals sees the format increase to the best of 11 frames, with the two winners set to compete for the £150,000 champion’s cheque tomorrow.
