The field has been whittled down to the final four with the semi-finals next on the agenda at the 2025 Tour Championship in Manchester.
There have been several unexpected results this week, including a couple of highly unusual thrashings of high-profile players.
While there were some fears that the Tour Championship could completely mimic the recent Players Championship in terms of how the draw would pan out, it hasn’t transpired in that way.
Indeed, only one of the four remaining contenders for the £150,000 top prize also made it this far in Telford a couple of weeks ago.
Let’s take a look at both semi-finals in the 2025 Tour Championship draw with each player bidding to etch his name onto the trophy for the first time.
Barry Hawkins vs John Higgins
John Higgins was one of four seeds in the competition who had byes through to the quarter-finals, but he’s the only one left standing.
The Scot hammered Xiao Guodong 10-3 in the last eight to set up a tie with Barry Hawkins, who upset world number one Judd Trump courtesy of a 10-5 scoreline.
Hawkins has arguably been the player of the event so far, backing up his 10-1 destruction of Shaun Murphy in which he compiled five century breaks with another fine display against Trump.
The 46 year-old has come close to securing silverware on several occasions this term – notably at the UK Championship and again at the German Masters where he was narrowly pipped in close finals.
Against Higgins, the Hawk comes up against a rejuvenated force who has been a constant threat in events since landing the World Open crown just over a month ago.
The Scot contributed four tons in a routine outing against Xiao, and his general pedigree at this stage will make him the favourite to go on and reach the final.
However, Hawkins has won their last two fixtures this season, albeit over the much shorter best-of-seven frame guise.
Their overall head-to-head record is locked at 11 wins apiece from prior matches in all competitions.
Higgins, though, has won on all three occasions that they have crossed paths in the semi-finals or later of an event.
When is it? Friday, April 4th at 1pm and 7pm UTC
Mark Selby vs Ding Junhui
The second semi-final at the 2025 Tour Championship will take place on Saturday between two former world number ones, Mark Selby and Ding Junhui.
It was bizarre enough to see one 10-1 scoreline in this prestigious event when Hawkins beat Murphy by such a wide margin.
But it was even stranger that it happened again on Thursday, with Selby powering his way to victory in the same manner against Neil Robertson.
The Englishman, chasing a fourth title of a strong 2024/25 campaign, looked sharp as he rattled off a hat-trick of century breaks and made several other frame-winning contributions.
Ding also impressed as he dismantled the challenge of Kyren Wilson, with most of the work in his 10-5 win coming in a one-sided first session where he won seven out of the eight frames played.
Wilson, a constant presence at the business end of events this season, looked to be feeling the effects of a long year as world champion and even suffered from a nosebleed that temporarily suspended play.
That isn’t to take anything away from Ding, though, who looks to be rediscovering his top form at a nice moment of the campaign.
Amazingly, Ding and Selby haven’t battled each other since 2020, with the head-to-head just about favouring the latter.
When is it? Saturday, April 5th at 1pm and 7pm UTC
2025 Tour Championship Draw
Times in UTC+1
Round of 12 (bo19)
Shaun Murphy 1-10 Barry Hawkins
Xiao Guodong 10-8 Wu Yize
Mark Selby 10-6 Si Jiahui
Mark Williams 3-10 Ding Junhui
Quarter-Finals (bo19)
Judd Trump 5-10 Barry Hawkins
John Higgins 10-3 Xiao Guodong
Neil Robertson 1-10 Mark Selby
Kyren Wilson 5-10 Ding Junhui
Semi-Finals (bo19)
Barry Hawkins vs John Higgins
(Friday at 1pm and 7pm)
Mark Selby vs Ding Junhui
(Saturday at 1pm and 7pm)
Final (bo19)
Hawkins/Higgins vs Selby/Ding
(Sunday at 1pm and 7pm)
Click here for updated scores and results
(snooker.org)
Featured photo credit: WST
