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Welsh Open Snooker recap: Stephen Maguire beats Ali Carter to reach final against Mark Selby, who beat Luca Brecel
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Updated 16/02/2025 at 08:05 GMT
The 2025 Welsh Open has reached the semi-final stage in Llandudno with the final four all in action on Saturday. Stephen Maguire squares off against Ali Carter in the evening, after Mark Selby defeated Luca Brecel 6-3. Watch and stream the Welsh Open live and on demand on Eurosport and discovery+.
'Surely not?' - Maguire has Carter chuckling with 'unbelievable' long red
Video credit: TNT Sports
MAGUIRE KEEPS COOL TO REACH FINAL
Stephen Maguire kept his focus coming back from 3-2 down to defeat a volatile Ali Carter and set up a Welsh Open final against Mark Selby.
Maguire, who will be looking to win his first ranking title since the 2020 Tour Championship in Sunday's showpiece, gave an insight afterwards into the goings-on around the baize.
"The rests were getting thrown about, the extensions were flying under the table," Maguire said on Eurosport. "I felt like saying to the ref, 'Let him pick them up'.
"It made things a wee bit easier, I thought, 'Is that how you act?'"
The match began in sparkling fashion with Maguire making a very good 84 and then Carter an 118, but from this point onward, there was very little high scoring.
Maguire was fortunate to go into the break level after an error-strewn fourth frame and this play continued into the fifth, which Carter edged.
However, from that stage forwards, Maguire was by far the better player, making an 85 to win the sixth and a nerveless clearance of the colours to take the lead in the seventh.
Although he did not consistently make big breaks, the Scot produced a number of fantastic long pots in the closing frames and was the deserved winner.
MAGUIRE BEATS CARTER 6-4!
Maguire potted down to the brown and Carter conceded. He will now play Mark Selby in the final.
CARTER 4-5 MAGUIRE (35-58)
Carter was left in a snooker and though he hit the red it then cannoned against the green. Maguire pots that and looks set to take the frame and match.
CARTER 4-5 MAGUIRE (35-58)
Not a great positional shot off the penultimate red and he gets too close to the final one off the brown. The game is alive.
CARTER 4-5 MAGUIRE (35-39*)
The table looks very good for Maguire now. He keeps looking at two reds under the pink and opts to split them up. He does this well and you would favour him to win the frame now.
CARTER 4-5 MAGUIRE (35-14)
Carter misses a red down the cushion towards the yellow pocket. There was a little noise in the arena which wouldn't have helped. Maguire tries to play a double but misses, giving Carter another chance - which he also misses. Maguire with a real chance now. But he is struggling to get an extension he likes to use to pot the first red.
CARTER 4-5 MAGUIRE (24*-14)
We've mostly been admiring Maguire's pots, but here Carter pots a fantastic red into the left middle.
CARTER 4-5 MAGUIRE (23-14)
Maguire goes into the pack off the side cushion but he doesn't leave an easy shot and he misses a plant into the yellow pocket, though played it with safety in mind too.
CARTER 4-5 MAGUIRE (23-1*)
Carter thought he'd played a safety leaving the ball on the bottom cushion but Maguire rolled a red from close to the cue ball into the yellow pocket. Another phenomenal pot.
CARTER 4-5 MAGUIRE (16*-0)
Carter is a good break of the reds away from opening up a frame-winning opportunity.
CARTER 4-5 MAGUIRE (1*-0)
Carter picks out a plant from the pack of reds and is on the green.
CARTER 4-5 MAGUIRE
Carter now needs two more frames to reach the final.
CARTER 3-5 MAGUIRE (70*-11)
Carter over the line now. He must have thought he'd played his last shot of the tournament.
CARTER 3-5 MAGUIRE (56*-11)
Carter on the cusp of his first half-century since the fifth frame but after losing the cue ball a little he leaves the pink in the jaws. But then Maguire amazingly misses a straight pot into the bottom right pocket.
CARTER 3-5 MAGUIRE (10*-11)
Carter with a fantastic cross-double and he has a chance to build a break now.
CARTER 3-5 MAGUIRE (9-11)
Maguire misses first time around but then plays a good escape and Carter then goes in off himself. Maguire misses the pot from the D and is lucky not to leave anything on.
CARTER 3-5 MAGUIRE (5-7)
Carter flukes a red and though it doesn't leave him on a colour, he can play a snooker behind the green ball.
CARTER 3-5 MAGUIRE (0-7)
Maguire's confidence is sky-high now. He potted a long red and got a bit of luck to get through onto the blue, but he knew he was leaving a red on if he missed it. But he snookers himself off the second red from everything.
CARTER 3-5 MAGUIRE
A break of 57 puts Maguire a frame away from the Welsh Open final.
CARTER 3-4 MAGUIRE (0-43*)
A deep screw off the brown just allowed Maguire to open the reds enough to pot one into the bottom right pocket. The frame looks his now.
CARTER 3-4 MAGUIRE (0-17*)
Carter's miss gives Maguire an easy red and this time he has an opportunity to make it pay with points on the board.
CARTER 3-4 MAGUIRE (0-10)
Another great long pot from Maguire. Rattling it home but leaving the cue ball near the baulk cushion.
CARTER 3-4 MAGUIRE (0-9)
Carter's safety let Maguire get his hand on the table and he nails another fantastic long pot before nestling behind the brown.
CARTER 3-4 MAGUIRE (0-8)
You knew it couldn't last. Maguire with a few fantastic pots to start the frame but he ricochets into the black after cutting in a red and it is end of break.
CARTER 3-4 MAGUIRE (0-1*)
Maguire with a very good long pot into the yellow pocket with the cue ball under the bottom cushion.
CARTER 3-4 MAGUIRE
Alan McManus has talked up Maguire's bottle and he showed it with a clearance of the colours to go in front. His blue-to-pink position was particularly exquisite.
CARTER 3-3 MAGUIRE (41-21*)
Carter pots the remaining reds but then overcuts the black and Maguire duly pots the yellow.
CARTER 3-3 MAGUIRE (30*-19)
A poor safety from Maguire seemingly opened up the table for Carter to finish the frame in this visit. Nothing is for certain in this frame though and although he pots the red, he almost goes in-off and leaves himself without an easy colour to pot. He does pot the yellow, digging down on it and might be able to win the frame now.
CARTER 3-3 MAGUIRE (27-19)
Maguire pots a couple of reds and blacks but is disgusted with himself for not getting position on the next red - and then even more so as he fails to lay a snooker behind the black.
CARTER 3-3 MAGUIRE (27-4*)
Maguire misses a long pot but does not leave anything easy on and Carter then leaves an opportunity for Maguire to surely at least get level in the frame.
CARTER 3-3 MAGUIRE (27-3)
Both players look a bit embarrassed at the moment. Carter here fails to get position on the pink, snookering himself.
CARTER 3-3 MAGUIRE (24*-3)
Carter misses a long red into the bottom right corner but it goes up and down the table before nestling in the jaws of the bottom left pocket. However, Maguire is snookered behind the green. Maguire hits the cluster o reds, but Carter manages to fashion a three-ball plant and could now be away.
CARTER 3-3 MAGUIRE (23-3)
Maguire with a long pot but as has been customary, he fails to get position on a colour.
CARTER 3-3 MAGUIRE (23-2)
After a back and forth, Maguire pots a long red but then misses an easy blue off its spot. Strange, strange times. Carter pots a red but snookers himself from the pink he was aiming to get on. Could be a long game the way these are playing.
CARTER 3-3 MAGUIRE (22-1)
Not a good cannon into the pack from Carter, catching the pink half ball rather than full ball and it is end of break.
CARTER 3-3 MAGUIRE (8*-1)
Maguire is first a the table but misses a long yellow and now Carter has the chance to make him pay.
CARTER 3-3 MAGUIRE
He still has to wait for his first century of the week, but he is level at three-apiece with his highest break of the match, an 85.
CARTER 3-2 MAGUIRE (0-61*)
A fantastic break so far and he is only a couple of reds away from making the frame safe.
CARTER 3-2 MAGUIRE (0-33*)
It has been a challenging break with pink and black out of commission, but it has brought the best out of Maguire. His best break since his one in the opening frame.
CARTER 3-2 MAGUIRE (0-8*)
Maguire is first on the board with a cleanly-hit long red, that should give him some confidence.
CARTER 3-2 MAGUIRE
He adds 32 to his tally and that's enough to edge Carter in front.
CARTER 2-2 MAGUIRE (54*-20)
Carter should be able to get over the finishing line on third occasion.
CARTER 2-2 MAGUIRE (30-20)
It is a strange game, both players began the game so well but neither looks in any sort of touch at present. Carter just missed an easy pink, leaving Maguire back on the table, but he then misses a red into the middle.
CARTER 2-2 MAGUIRE (22*-13)
Carter pots a red and then lays a snooker which Maguire misses twice and then goes in off after hitting third time around. Carter now has a good chance to make him pay.
CARTER 2-2 MAGUIRE (12-13)
Maguire is helped by a fortunate kiss off the pink to get him started, but comes too far down the table off a brown and plays up to balk after just going in front.
CARTER 2-2 MAGUIRE (12-0)
An inconceivable miss from Carter. Just a straight red just above the pink spot into the bottom right corner, but he wasn't close.
CARTER 2-2 MAGUIRE (6*-0)
A very messy table now, Maguire misses a pot by a mile and the reds have all concertinered around the black spot. Carter pots a red into the bottom right, but it will take a bit of work to plot a big break.
CARTER 2-2 MAGUIRE (0-0)
Maguire gets us back underway. He will be the happier to come back to the table level.
CARTER 2-2 MAGUIRE
The frame ends in a fitting manner as Maguire flukes the blue to go into the interval all square
CARTER 2-1 MAGUIRE (42-61)
Carter misses the long blue and then goes in off. What a frame! Maguire plays a free ball off the black, from which he fails to get a snooker and almost sends into the middle pocket.
CARTER 2-1 MAGUIRE (35*-56)
Carter pots a long yellow and then gets a kiss on the green to make it pottable. This would be a big steal.
CARTER 2-1 MAGUIRE (33*-56)
What a fluke! Carter plays the cross-double but the red misses by a mile before going in the opposite middle pocket.
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'Wow' - Carter flukes astonishing cross-triple in Welsh Open semi
Video credit: TNT Sports
CARTER 2-1 MAGUIRE (30-56)
A loose safety lets Maguire in and he plays a fantastic shot off the blue to get on the last red, but then leaves it in the bottom right jaws. Carter is snookered but tries to pot it off the cushion, leaving Maguire snookered too. Maguire hits the red but does not pot it and leaves the red glued to the side cushion and impossible for Carter to pot.
CARTER 2-1 MAGUIRE (30-50)
Maguire pots the first red along the right-side cushion and then plays safe to baulk.
CARTER 2-1 MAGUIRE (30-37*)
Maguire has moved in front, but the last three reds look a challenge.
CARTER 2-1 MAGUIRE (30-16)
Maguire leaves himself a bit too close to the left cushion and the red wobbles in the bottom right pocket before bouncing out. Nothing easy on for Carter though, and even with a big pocket, he misses the red into the middle.
CARTER 2-1 MAGUIRE (30-0)
A rare mistake from Carter as he undercuts a pink into the left middle and hits the far jaw.
CARTER 2-1 MAGUIRE (23*-0)
Maguire gives Carter another chance and he has opened up the reds nicely.
CARTER 2-1 MAGUIRE (1-0)
Carter with a good long pot but he gets no luck with position and has to play a snooker.
CARTER 2-1 MAGUIRE
After looking imperious in the opener, Maguire is now under pressure to win the last before the interval.
CARTER 1-1 MAGUIRE (70*-1)
Maguire misses a long pot and Carter pots the red, then a colour and the frame is his now.
CARTER 1-1 MAGUIRE (67*-1)
Maguire tried to play up the table to safety but cannoned into the brown, leaving Carter a second chance at the same red he missed. Carter can't quite get over the finishing line though and the frame remains live.
CARTER 1-1 MAGUIRE (62-1)
Carter needs the long rest but misses a red into the bottom left pocket. He is lucky to have snookered Maguire from the red he missed.
CARTER 1-1 MAGUIRE (50*-1)
Carter powering ahead in the third frame. With three reds there for potting, there is no reason why he shouldn't go in front.
CARTER 1-1 MAGUIRE (9*-1)
Maguire twice misses the pack coming off two cushions and, though he connects the third time around, he leaves Carter on for an easy pot.
CARTER 1-1 MAGUIRE (0-1)
Carter comes off two cushions but only glances the pack and leaves a red on for Maguire into the middle. Maguire pots that but misses the black and fortunately for him also doesn't connect with the pack, leaving the table safe.
CARTER 1-1 MAGUIRE
Carter ends the frame with a break of 118.
CARTER 0-1 MAGUIRE (100*-18)
Carter's first 100 of the week. Quite a statement after Maguire's form in the opener.
CARTER 0-1 MAGUIRE (53*-18)
A very good long red and follow-up black has left the table relatively easy for Carter to get over the line in the frame now.
CARTER 0-1 MAGUIRE (30*-18)
Carter has opened the black up to both pockets now and looks ready to win the frame in this visit.
CARTER 0-1 MAGUIRE (7*-18)
A red almost went in-off when he crashed into the pack off the blue, but he has been left with a pretty good opening, though the black will only go into the right corner.
CARTER 0-1 MAGUIRE (1*-18)
That was unexpected, Maguire misses a regulation mid-range red and now Carter has a chance. If the reds open well for him he could make a big score.
CARTER 0-1 MAGUIRE (0-15*)
He left himself with a difficult red but Maguire is cueing so well at the moment he rolled it home and up to the balk colours to continue the break.
CARTER 0-1 MAGUIRE (0-1*)
A magnificent long pot, again leaving himself on the black, gives the Scot the opportunity to win put a dent in the second frame.
CARTER 0-1 MAGUIRE
Carter has a break of 49 to clear the table but it's Maguire with the lead.
CARTER 0-0 MAGUIRE (0-84)
Disappointingly, the break ends at 84. The frame is won but the Captain will get a bit of table time to get used to the new cloth.
CARTER 0-0 MAGUIRE (0-76*)
Neither player has made a century this week but Maguire looks set to do so now after clinching the frame. He has calmly gone about his work here - and looked imperious.
CARTER 0-0 MAGUIRE (0-39*)
Showing great cue ball control Maguire, not put a foot wrong yet and looks ready to win the frame at this visit.
CARTER 0-0 MAGUIRE (0-8*)
Carter misses a long pot and Maguire slots the follow-up shot stunning the straight red to hold for position on the black.
THE BOYS ARE ON THE BAIZE...
The match will get underway shortly.
MAGUIRE DOWNED LISOWSKI TO REACH LAST FOUR
The Scot won the last two frames to upset Lisowski 5-3, while Carter got past Joe O'Connor via the same scoreline.
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Maguire continues fine Welsh Open run to reach first ranking semi-final in four years
Video credit: TNT Sports
WHO WILL PLAY SELBY IN THE FINAL?
Stephen Maguire and Ali Carter will be on the table shortly.
THAT'S IT FOR NOW...
We will be back before the second semi-final gets underway at 7pm GMT.
SELBY FINDS GROOVE TO BEAT BRECEL
Mark Selby won the final four frames to beat Luca Brecel 6-3 and reach the final of the Welsh Open in a match which saw the Belgian leave the table early in the game due to a migraine.
Brecel took an awful opening break which Selby punished by hitting a total clearance of 131, but afterwards, the suffering Belgian left the table and took 15 minutes to recover.
"I felt I was in great nick and it's the last thing you want ... but I told him to take as long as you want," Selby said in the Eurosport studio after his win.
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'Can I have 15 minutes please?' - Selby delights crowd with headache gag
Video credit: TNT Sports
He returned to the table and won the next frame with a 68 and then added 79 and a scrappy 71 to win three of the next four frames.
The pivotal moment of the match came in the sixth frame, as Brecel played a three-ball plant when 43-0 up, but he missed, Selby cleared up with a 60 break and never looked back.
From this point onwards, the four-time world champion was in total control, winning the next three frames with a 67and a 74 to set up a match with the winner of Stephen Maguire and Ali Carter later tonight.
BRECEL FORCED TO TAKE BREAK AFTER OPENING FRAME
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'Very bizarre' - White and Foulds react to Brecel medical emergency
Video credit: TNT Sports
SELBY BEATS BRECEL 6-3!
A break of 74 is enough to put him in the Welsh Open final. That means the BetVictor ÂŁ150,000 bonus goes to Neil Robertson.
SELBY 5-3 BRECEL (74*-8)
Selby pots a difficult black from under the right cushion to put the frame beyond doubt.
SELBY 5-3 BRECEL (44*-8)
The black is now in play after he expertly moved between reds to get onto it. The frame and match are at his mercy now.
SELBY 5-3 BRECEL (22*-8)
It was not an obvious frame-winning chance but a fantastic shot off the blue opening up the reds has turned it into one.
SELBY 5-3 BRECEL (1*-8)
Brecel plays an awful safety and though Selby fails to pot the red afterwards, he is immediately presented with another opportunity which he slots.
SELBY 5-3 BRECEL (0-8*)
The chutzpah from Brecel! A sensational red from Brecel from near the green pocket and then follows it up by rocketing the black ball he was next to. But he just fails to connect with the reds after coming around the table.
SELBY 5-3 BRECEL
A very good break of 35 and Selby is just a frame away from the final now.
SELBY 4-3 BRECEL (47*-1)
Selby pots a very good red from a shot to nothing but though he is forces to roll behind the yellow, it forces a hit and hope from Brecel which leaves the Leicester man a good chance to put the frame to bed.
SELBY 4-3 BRECEL (42-1*)
Worried about position Selby misses a red into the bottom right pocket by a long way, but then Brecel, after potting a red, clips the black which stops him getting on the pink.
SELBY 4-3 BRECEL (42-0)
A poor safety from Brecel leaves a number of reds on. The only saving grace for him is the pink and black are tied up.
SELBY 4-3 BRECEL (42-0)
Selby gets no luck breaking up the reds and it is end of break.
SELBY 4-3 BRECEL (37*-0)
In the last frame Brecel tried a three-ball plant when out of position, this time Selby needs a two-ball one and he pots the second red.
SELBY 4-3 BRECEL (22*-0)
A foul from Brecel leaves Selby in position to get a break started. It looked like end of break when he ran too far down the table but he squeezed one into the middle pocket to keep it going. It remains a bit of a tricky table still with the black obscured.
SELBY 4-3 BRECEL (1-0)
Selby opens the scoring with a fine red into the left middle but with no position just rolls behind the yellow.
SELBY 4-3 BRECEL
That is why you can't take liberties with Selby, a break of 67 and he is in front again. Brecel will rue the three-ball plant.
SELBY 3-3 BRECEL (51*-45)
Selby pots the last red and just has to work out the green and brown, with the latter, obscuring the green pocket, to win the frame.
SELBY 3-3 BRECEL (44*-45)
A typically measured break has Selby almost level with Brecel. Just one fairly tricky red left on the right hand side of the table.
SELBY 3-3 BRECEL (1*-45)
As attacking a player as he is, trying a three-ball plant after falling out of position seemed a big ask, and he has now given Selby a chance to steal.
SELBY 3-3 BRECEL (0-30*)
Brecel broke the reds up perfectly while potting the lone one below the pack and now he looks on his way.
SELBY 3-3 BRECEL (0-15*)
A Selby miss gives Brecel the first chance to make a dent in the frame and if he can break up the reds favourably, it could quickly turn into a frame-winning chance.
SELBY 3-3 BRECEL
A break of 60 brings the match level again. You get the feeling it might stay this tight until the match's conclusion.
SELBY 2-3 BRECEL (60*-23)
Selby gets behind the last red near the left cushion and rolls it into the opposite middle pocket to seal the frame.
SELBY 2-3 BRECEL (34*-23)
A very good pot from just under the right cushion gets Selby the right side of the blue to get back to the other reds and he is just one tricky-ish red from winning the frame.
SELBY 2-3 BRECEL (3*-23)
It feels like Brecel is getting Selby to play his game. Selby misses a very difficult shot from baulk, but the type Brecel has been knocking in. But Brecel then misses himself, with the rest, giving Selby a red he puts away - and this time he has a chance to add to it.
SELBY 2-3 BRECEL (2-23)
Yet another incredible long red from Brecel but he doesn't get the angle he wanted on the green so lays another snooker.
SELBY 2-3 BRECEL (2-22)
Another Selby pot with no reward as he lands in the middle of a bunch of reds. He then misses the green he tried to hit off a cushion.
SELBY 2-3 BRECEL (1-18)
Selby fouls leaving Brecel a red on but after losing position he takes on a very tough red into the right middle and is fortunate to see it bounce to safety.
SELBY 2-3 BRECEL (1-1)
Brecel with another incredible pot from under the baulk cushion, but the 'to-nothing' element was too good and he is forced to lay a snooker.
SELBY 2-3 BRECEL (1-0)
A period of safety is ended by a fantastic long pot from Selby but, screwing back to baulk, he ends up touching against the yellow ball.
SELBY 2-3 BRECEL
Brecel misses a pink, but needing three snookers on this occasion Selby opts to concede.
SELBY 2-2 BRECEL (15-38*)
A long red from Brecel into the yellow pocket just stays out. Selby has a chance with the extended rest but hitting it hard, the effort is not particularly close. Brecel has an inviting table now and should go 3-2 up.
SELBY 2-2 BRECEL (15-30*)
From right under the baulk cushion, Brecel rolls a red into the bottom left corner. He is right back in that 2023 Crucible potting form.
SELBY 2-2 BRECEL (15-29)
Selby looks to roll in a red the longest route on the table into the yellow pocket, but it stays out. Nothing left on though.
SELBY 2-2 BRECEL (1*-29)
A hell of a miscue from Brecel. The cue ball jumps over the black and Selby gets a reprieve, seven points and a chance to make a break himself.
SELBY 2-2 BRECEL (0-15*)
There is wiping its feet and there is wiping its feet. That black did not look like dropping at all...but it did and the break goes on.
SELBY 2-2 BRECEL (0-6*)
Selby is left a fairly tricky pot into the green pocket but misses and now Brecel has a chance to put the first marker on the board in this session.
THE PLAYERS ARE COMING BACK OUT
This absorbing match set to continue.
SELBY 2-2 BRECEL
He leaves a blue in the left middle jaws which stopped him getting to a deserved century, but Brecel, most importantly, gets himself level going into the interval.
SELBY 2-1 BRECEL (9-50*)
A fantastic half-century from Brecel and with the reds spread and pottable he should add the next few required to seal the frame.
SELBY 2-1 BRECEL (9-9*)
No one is more shocked than Selby when he leaves the second black in the jaws. Now Brecel has a chance to put a dent in the frame after belying awkward bridging to fire a red into the right middle.
SELBY 2-1 BRECEL (8*-0)
Brecel tries a long red which wobbles and looked like it would drop, but it didn't. Selby then rolls a long red back into the green pocket and follows with the black.
SELBY 2-1 BRECEL
Selby rolls home the pink to finally end the frame.
SELBY 1-1 BRECEL (65-48)
And Brecel pots the blue. That's the last one he can. No club rules playing on with just the black like the low-grade players do at your local club.
SELBY 1-1 BRECEL (65-43)
Brecel pots down to the blue. Now one foul from Selby would leave the Belgian able to win the frame.
SELBY 1-1 BRECEL (65-34)
Brecel draws one foul from a snooker and then lays another which Selby flicks and then puts his opponent in a snooker.
SELBY 1-1 BRECEL (65-30)
Brecel laid two snookers but Selby got out of them both. With the last red over the pocket, Brecel pots it and a black, but he still needs two snookers to draw level.
SELBY 1-1 BRECEL (65-22)
Brecel is left a difficult shot with the rest and misses it and with red, brown and red from Selby, the Belgian is left needing snookers.
SELBY 1-1 BRECEL (59-22)
Brecel plays another poor shot at the end of break, failing to put the red behind the blue and leaving an easy snooker for Brecel. This time he gets out of it and with a double kiss, pushes it to safety.
SELBY 1-1 BRECEL (59-17*)
After a period of stalemate, Brecel is left a pot into the right middle and then landing behind the green has to roll all the way diagonally into the bottom left pocket to continue the break, which he does.
SELBY 1-1 BRECEL (59-13)
Selby opens the reds but leaves the cue ball up the table. He just misses a shot-to-nothing, then Brecel takes on a very difficult pot and is fortunate to leave nothing easy on.
SELBY 1-1 BRECEL (51-13*)
A bit of luck but an incredible pot from Brecel firing in a red the cue ball was right next to and cutting it with the velocity to get around the table and back down foe the black. He then misses the black though, once again leaving a ball in the bottom-left jaw.
SELBY 1-1 BRECEL (51-1*)
Selby has quite a lead but a poor safety now has let Brecel in with a chance to make a break. With the amount of fouls, this will be a high-scoring frame.
SELBY 1-1 BRECEL (36*-0)
Yet another foul from Brecel, that's 20 of Selby's points so far. This one from an in-off. Selby then plays with audacious screw back up the table after potting the red by the bottom right pocket.
SELBY 1-1 BRECEL (31-0)
Selby lost position a little but played a good red up to the baulk end and then lays a snooker behind the green. Similarly positioned to the one Brecel missed last one. He takes four shots to hit a red this time. He kisses the blue back which allows Selby to pot a long red but he cannot get position on the black.
SELBY 1-1 BRECEL (5*-0)
An awful shot from Brecel, coming off a cushion he was snookered and tried to play safe off the pack but missed it and left a red on into the middle pocket.
SELBY 1-1 BRECEL
Selby looks to lay another snooker but leaves the red over the pocket so concedes the frame.
SELBY 1-0 BRECEL (28-68)
Selby plays a snooker which Brecel misses so Selby just 40 behind with 35 left on the table now.
SELBY 1-0 BRECEL (1*-68)
Brecel leaves the black in the bottom left jaws and Selby will play on needing three four-point snookers.
SELBY 1-0 BRECEL (0-67*)
Brecel is over the line in the frame now. It has been a fantastic break. The pick of his shots a left-handed mid-range red, screwing off the cushion and down to the black.
SELBY 1-0 BRECEL (0-26*)
A very smart shot potting a red and ricocheting into another to open up the black ball into both pockets. Now Brecel has a good chance to win the frame at this visit.
SELBY 1-0 BRECEL (0-6*)
Second time around Selby misses a difficult red into the bottom left pocket, but this time Brecel can cut a red into the middle and is now on his way.
SELBY 1-0 BRECEL (0-0)
Selby plays an awful break leaving the cue ball in the pack and immediately holds his head pretending to blame it on a migraine himself. Hilarity all round. Brecel would have liked to have been left something on though.
WE ARE READY TO RESUME...
Hopefully all is well with Brecel.
BRECEL ALLOWED 15 MINUTES TO RECOVER...
He has a migraine which has impaired his vision.
BRECEL LEAVING THE ARENA
He spoke to Selby before going. We think it is something to do with his eyes. Hopefully Luca is fine and the match can be resumed shortly.
SELBY 1-0 BRECEL
That feels an ominous start as Selby secures the 131-break. Brecel will want to hit back quickly with Selby in this form.
SELBY 0-0 BRECEL (104*-0)
An opening frame century and the colours to follow - so a total clearance of 131 on the cards.
SELBY 0-0 BRECEL (73*-0)
A couple of shots with awkward bridging, but nothing to put Selby off his stride and he is over the line in the frame now.
SELBY 0-0 BRECEL (51*-0)
Selby over the half-century mark now and you'd fancy him getting to three figures now.
SELBY 0-0 BRECEL (8*-0)
An awful break from Brecel, nearly going in off and gifting Selby an easy pot to get himself going. The black wobbled in the pocket from Selby, but it dropped, and now he looks well capable of building a score.
THE BOYS ARE ON THE BAIZE...
The action is about to begin.
SELBY MADE TO FIGHT TO REACH LAST FOUR
He came back from 3-2 down to beat John Higgins in decider in a typically grueling clash between these two warriors. Brecel had things a little easier beating Jackson Page 5-2.
SELBY ODDS-ON FAVOURITE TO WIN WELSH OPEN
Selby is 10/11, while his opponent Brecel and Ali Carter are 7/2. Stephen Maguire is an outsider at 5/1, but with his revitalised form this week he shouldn't be ruled out.
WE ARE LIVE...
Coverage is underway on Eurosport 1 and discovery+.
HELLO AND WELCOME...
Thanks for joining our coverage of the last four of the Welsh Open. We start off with the cracker between former world champions Luca Brecel and Mark Selby.
Today's schedule
Semi-finals
13:00
- Luca Brecel v Mark Selby
19:00
- Stephen Maguire v Ali Carter
Watch and stream top snooker action, including the Welsh Open, live and on demand on Eurosport and discovery+
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