Welsh Open Snooker 2025 | Day Four Preview and Order of Play

Jonathan Davies in Welsh Open 13 February 2025

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Mark Selby v Luca Brecel live stream | Welsh Open 2025 Semi-Final preview

Higgins is bidding to reach the Welsh Open quarter-finals for a 16th time (Every Second Media/Alamy Live News)

John Higgins is looking to reach his 16th Welsh Open quarter-final when he plays Yuan Sijun in a tricky fourth round clash on Thursday.

Just 16 players remain at Venue Cymru in Llandudno, where five-time champion Higgins is among four former winners still standing.

The Scotsman – who has triumphed in 2000, 2010, 2011, 2015 and 2018 – is yet to drop a frame this week in his victories over Graeme Dott and Robert Milkins, and now bids to reach his 145th ranking quarter-final.

Although, it will not be easy against German Masters semi-finalist Yuan, who has prevailed in three of the four previous meetings between the players.

Elsewhere, 2008 champion Mark Selby is eyeing a 10th Welsh Open quarter-final appearance.

The world number four – and highest-ranked player still in the draw – goes up against home favourite Jamie Jones, who is enjoying his best performances both of this season and at this event.

Jones is one of the four remaining Welsh players. Another of them is Matthew Stevens, who is bidding to reach his first Welsh Open quarter-final since 2011.

Exactly a quarter of a century since he won the Masters at Wembley Conference Centre, the 47-year-old goes up against Joe O’Connor, who beat reigning World champion Kyren Wilson in round two.

Ryan Day is another player flying the Welsh flag. The four-time ranking event winner, who is in his first last 16 of this season, takes on 2009 champion Ali Carter, with the Captain eyeing his sixth quarter-final appearance at this tournament.

The pair also met at this stage of the Welsh Open 20 years ago with Day prevailing 5-2, though Carter won by the same scoreline in the last eight in 2010.

Jackson Page is the other local favourite still in with a chance of becoming only Wales’ second winner of this event. Enjoying his best run at the Welsh Open, he locks horns with Shoot Out champion Tom Ford, who fought off illness to edge out Neil Robertson on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, 2013 champion Stephen Maguire looks to build on his victory over Mark Williams and reach a ninth Welsh Open quarter-final. Standing in his way is Sanderson Lam, who has beaten Barry Hawkins and Wu Yize to reach this stage of the event for the first time.

Luca Brecel aims to continue his recent resurgence by progressing to only his second ranking quarter-final of the season. However, the Bullet will be wary of last-16 opponent Pang Junxu, who has won all three meetings between the players this term.

Having never previously reached this stage at the Welsh Open, Matthew Selt is now appearing in the last 16 for the second year running. The former Indian Open champion goes up against Jack Lisowski, who was a semi-finalist at this event three years ago.

Play gets under way at 1pm GMT on Thursday with all matches contested over the best of seven frames at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.

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