European Masters snooker 2023 as it happened - Barry Hawkins downs Mark Selby after Judd Trump beats John Higgins

Thanks for your company today, joining us again tomorrow from 12.45pm BST for what should be a belting final.

Take care out there, night night.

What a day it's been in Nuremberg, with our second semi-final equally as enthralling as the first. Mark Selby set the tone tonight with a superb 134 total clearance, only for Barry Hawkins to respond with a century of his own. The two couldn't be separated as they traded frames and half-centuries to reach 4-4, before Barry landed a crucial steal with a stunning 66 to nick the ninth frame from under Mark's nose by a solitary point. He then found a superb 73, another superb visit under pressure, to win an absorbing match and reach the final against Judd Trump. Hats off to both players, that was riveting.

Mark lands a couple of snookers - of course he does - but Barry escapes both. In trying to lay a snooker of his own, Barry flukes a doubled yellow into the bottom left and Mark needs three snookers now. We keep going as the balls are well set, and Mark is as good at laying snookers as anyone. It ends abruptly though when Mark goes in-off; it's over now, and Barry is through to the final!

Barry takes the pink, and then frame ball red to the right middle. Frame ball black is dropped in, a nice little cut back to bottom right, and Mark needs two snookers. The final red down the rail with the rest will absolutely end it; the pot goes so close, but rattles in the jaws. Mark will play on, but he's got so much to do here. If anyone can, though, it's him.

Barry reaches a half-ton with the black, before dropping on a tricky red near the bottom rail. He rolls it in calmly to stay on the black; and from there drops on the final open red. Barry pots that, brings a red off the cushion and lands on the pink; this is on!

A chance for Barry? After an exchange of safety shots, he gets a hand on table chance at a red to bottom right from the D, and he plugs it. A few shots later he's into the bunch off the black, but the split is a stinker and leaves only a tough, long-ish red across the table to the yellow pocket. Not only does he take it on, he absolutely middles it into the pocket. What a shot! There are three reds safe here so it's all order to do it at this visit, but Mark's lead is toast and more points are coming.

That one will smart a bit, as Mark was only two pots from being 5-4 up himself. In the tenth frame Barry has a look at a mid-range red to the yellow pocket, and throws everything at it; the pot is a way off though, and he's handed Mark an easy starter. If MArk was put out by the events of the last frame he's not showing it, as he quickly plugs four reds and blacks, going into the pack off the fourth of the latter. It's a poor contact though, and he's on nothing.

What a show of moxie from Barry! The guts to play the first red and then the one along the rail, and then the resting heart rate to then dish the lot and pinch the frame, my stars! He made the colours look routine, but there was so much pressure on that break given the match situation. He's one away from the final, can Mark respond again?

That's how you start a comeback. Barry deadweights a superb red long into the yellow pocket, and he's on the blue. From there he opens the pack, and then glides a red right along the rail into the bottom left. That's a run of stunning shots, and with nothing safe this is on for Barry to dish and make a sensational steal. All reds quickly go with colours, and it's the set of colours Barry now needs to win the frame by a point. Only the pink is off its spot...

Well! After a red and green, Mark lands between awkward reds and opts to take one to the green pocket from mid-range. It's close, but it rattles out of the jaws; he's not left anything, but with 75 still out there Barry is still in this one.

He's digging out a few here, Mark, as he has to stab right down into a tough red across the table to hold for the baulk colours to keep going. He makes the pot though, before playing a classy cannon on the pack a few shots later to land on the black. Yet another half ton is on the board, and Mark doesn't look like slipping up here. This has been a superb standard, not just tonight but right through the day.

It's a safety battle to start the ninth frame, with Barry catching the pink from a one-cushion resting escape to give away six. He's in more both now as he misses a long red to the bottom right, and Mark has a cut on a red to the bottom left. It drops, and Mark goes up for the green; Mark booms that in as well, and he's soon around the black spot and picking off reds.

Bah, on 94 the blue kicks out of the left middle to nix the hope of a century. In more important news, it's all square again.

There goes frame ball pink, and we're heading to a best of three. With the position of the reds here we've got a great chance of seeing the third ton in eight frames.

Mark goes into the pack off the blue, catching the pink half-ball, and he'll be thrilled with the result; not only is he on a red, he's released enough reds to sort the frame at this visit. He soon finishes on the wrong side of the blue but a good pot, sending the white in and out of baulk off three cushions, gets things back on track quickly. This looks for all the world like going level again, neither player has been able to pull away here due to the standard being imposed by the other.

Barry goes all out at a red to bottom right after Mark's break, deadweight to hold for the black. The pot doesn't go, and spits out over the right middle to leave Mark an easy starter. The fledgling break reaches 28 in no time, but with only two loose reds still available Mark will need to go into the pack shortly.

It's another heavy visit from Barry, who's playing and scoring well enough to win not just the match but the whole tournament. Can he stay in this groove? A 70 in total puts him two frames away from the final.

Mark will be annoyed that he didn't punish Barry there. A relieved Barry has piled on 30 more so far, with the reds potted unlocking paths for others above the black. Frame ball black goes, and with enough to put it beyond Mark's interest in continuing still out there, Barry should go on to take the lead for the first time in the match.

Barry loses the white again, failing to cannon the pack to stay on his next red, and that forces him into a long-ish red to the green pocket. He misses it, and he's furious with himself. It might not be pivotal though, as Mark drains a red but then misses a blue to the bottom right, and Barry's back in.

It's a lot of up table safety to start frame seven, which is making this table very dangerous with so many open reds. Barry almost flukes one into the green pocket, but it stays out and Mark has a chance at one to the right middle. He's got to commit to it and it could win or lose the frame; Mark will fear he's lost it now as the red hooks out off the lip and leaves Barry in. It's an edgy start from Barry though, as he pots a red and lands so low on the black that he has to guide a tricky cut back on it to the bottom right. It's a superb pot, followed by a tough red with the rest and extensions, and then a good blue thereafter finally gets the white and therefore the break under control.

Barry sails past the winning line, and makes sure it disappears behind him so Mark doesn't come back to the table. A total of 92 levels the match up.

A lovely nudge on the pack after a deadweight black brings reds into play and leaves Barry on one to the left middle. That goes, and he sends the white in and out of baulk off the blue to land on his next red. It's another half-century for him, and this has been an assured break.

At the start of frame six Barry goes full gun at a long red, missing it so badly that he leaves it on as a short range tap-in up in baulk. It's a decent chance for Mark, who spurs it by going in-off after potting the brown. A few safety shots later Barry buries a mid-ranger to the bottom right, and it's a decent chance for him. He develops it calmly, quickly getting the black free of neighbouring reds, and takes his break up to 30 and counting.

Well, it's over unless Barry accidentally pots the red and lands nowhere near a potting angle on high value colour. Yet he does exactly that, and folds it.

Barry pots three reds and blacks, before going for the snookers he needs off the final red. There'll be some legs in this one yet as the balls are well placed for snookers.

The break goes to 53 with a blue into the left middle, and Mark is on a red at the bottom of the bunch. He stuns through it, freeing the others, but he's not on the black and has to take a pink to left middle and leave a long cut on a red as frame ball. Someone's phone goes off just as Mark is about to play it - well done, you out there unaware of airplane mode - but he resettles and clips it in. the brown doesn't follow, and Barry returns to the table needing two snookers.

We're back, and there's some larks between these two mates as Barry flukes a snooker and Mark gives him a playful shove, much to the amusement of all. Seriousness resumes as Barry misses a long red to the bottom left, and Mark picks it off with a narrow pot to go back up to baulk. The brown goes but Mark then fails again to guide a red through a tight gap and into the bottom right, serving up a chance to Barry instead. He can't convert a red either though, and this time Mark is in and making it count.

It's been over 20 minutes since Barry missed the red that would have made it all academic. We're done now though - Mark's gone in off after potting the yellow, and with the likelihood of Barry clearing with ball in hand, concedes the frame.

Fascinating stuff so far, and we return in 15 minutes for a best of seven.

Barry gives Mark a taste of his own medicine, trapping him in a snooker that he can't escape. Mark's requirement is now two snookers, but these colours are well placed to get them. As if to prove the point, Mark traps Barry behind the blue, and Barry can't get out of it; it's back to one snooker, and these are nervous times for Barry.

Mark takes two of the remaining four reds with blacks, and then lays a snooker behind the green, which Barry escapes. Mark then takes another red-black combo, before going for snookers on the final red. He's going to make Barry earn this. And hello - with white on the top rail and the red on the bottom, Barry tries a thin contact safety and catches the pink first. Well, well! A poor safety from Barry then allows Mark to pot the final red with the black, and he only now needs one snooker to get this frame live again.

It's another half-century with a black to bottom left, and Barry screw in behind frame ball red. That goes as well, and he's on the black again; Barry makes certain of it but then misses a red to right middle. Mark needs three snookers, and the balls are well-placed so he'll fancy it.

Mark goes for a thin cut from distance to the bottom left. It's close, so close that it rattles heartily in the jaws, but it doesn't drop. Barry picks it off instead, and starts mopping up what's in the open. He goes through the pack with delayed screw off the black, which forces four into the open, and he's on one that just about wriggles into the right middle. A nervy one, but he's got a real look at a frame-winning clearance now.

Barry fires back again, glancing in a long red after a poor break-off from Mark, but he slides just pass the baulk colours and can only lay a snooker from there. Mark needs two efforts to make his two-cushion glancing escape, and when he does connect he catches it too thick and leaves a red on to right middle. Barry pots it, but a red nearby slides across the path of the pink to bottom right and it's end of break immediately. A long safety exchange follows, and Barry falters first when he leaves a path to the red over the bottom right. Mark drains it, but can't get on the black. For the first time tonight, we're bogged down.

It's a quick half-century for Mark as he empties the table for a 52 to lead again. He's looking as sharp as shark teeth out there.

No luck around for Barry here, as he overcooks a routine safety and dumps the white in the green pocket. Mark picks off another long red from the D, and he's on the green. It's looking ominous for Barry in this frame and proves to be, as Mark sinks frame ball black and then the penultimate red.

Barry's missed black was the first mistake of the match, and Mark is applying maximum punishment here. He's added 38 already, and with only five reds left and four of them in the open, the frame looks certain to go to Mark. He's cueing quite beautifully here tonight, but on 44 suddenly comes a mistake, as he drifts too close to a red and ends up trapped tight next to it. Given how this match has been going, that's a real touch for Barry.

At the start of frame two Barry tries a thin contact safety, misses the red and goes straight into the bottom left. With ball in hand from the D, Mark then slides a red into the bottom right and he just about pulls up on the yellow. That's dispatched after bridging high over the brown, but Mark can't then guide a red through a tight gap to the bottom left and he's served up a chance for Barry. It needs a bit of forcing to get into position, but the run of the balls is kind and Barry is off again. He soon needs to convert a tough black to bottom right, at pace and with the white near the left rail, but can't make it; his break judders to a halt on 21. Mark is right in the balls here, and there's a load on.

A thunderous round of applause greets the 429th century of Barry's career. The break ends on 106 when he can't clip the final red in down the rail with the rest, but it's 1-1 in a superb match here in Nuremberg.

If this standard continues we'll all be able to brew up and sit down for the start of Casualty.

There goes frame ball red, followed by a black that puts it beyond any doubt. The only thing that might nix another total clearance here is a red near to the left rail, but the ton should arrive well before that. Astonishing stuff, top quality.

Another trip into the pack by Barry opens up more reds, and he's up to a half-century in no time. The frame looks a cert from here, and you'd fancy another century as well.

Crikey, what a shot here from Barry. Mark's break-off leaves him close to the top cushion, from where he deadweights in a long red to land perfectly on the black. This frame is rattling along as well, as Barry opens his break with four reds and four blacks. Off the last black he opens the pack, and that's a very tidy split indeed. No hope of a maxi as he goes up for the blue off his next red, but this is some start to the match.

He does indeed make the ton, the 777th of his magnificent career and now level in the all-time ton list with a certain Stephen Hendry. Mark ain't done either; he's got the cue-ball on a string here and he empties the lot for a magnificent total clearance of 134.

That was outstanding. What a start!

Mark goes 68 ahead with a black, with only 67 left out there. A red along the rail and into the bottom right then ends the argument for real, and now it's a case of whether he can make the three figures. He's just split the last four reds open perfectly, so it's on. This is a mightily impressive start.

A nice cannon on a red when potting the blue sets up said red to the bottom right. That disappears, allowing Mark to pot the black and get it back on its spot. It's a half-century already and Mark only needs a few short stun and screw shots around the black spot to bank the first frame here.

Mark gets away first, fluking a plant on a red to bottom left which lands him on the yellow. That's dispatched with the rest, and he's soon at the business end of the table racking up points. The black is out of commission but pink and blue are available, and the spread is there to settle into this with a sizeable visit.

The players are out, and we're underway. It's best of 11 tonight, with a break after four.

Barry was in the final here last year, losing to Kyren Wilson. His last ranking event title was the 2017 World Grand Prix, one of three in his career, and he’ll be itching for another crack at silverware tomorrow.

Mark is a former winner of this tournament, picking up the title after edging a decider with Martin Gould back in September 2020 in the empty Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, while the game and the world was dealing with the pandemic. He’s also coming off a narrow defeat to Luca Brecel in the final at the Crucible in May, where he made a historic 147.

So, we’ve got one finalist in the bank, time to sort out the other. Mark Selby and Barry Hawkins will be at the baize shortly, for the right to face Judd Trump in tomorrow’s final. We had a belter this afternoon, going all the way to decider; can these two serve up something equally dramatic?

Join us again from around 6.45pm BST for our second semi-final.

Both players deserve that applause. Early on it looked as if John might blow Judd out this afternoon, but he missed a simple red when 3-0 in front and it changed the entire momentum of the match. Judd was behind for most of the match, hanging in there with breaks of 111, 93, and 56 to get it to 4-4 and then 5-5, before a courageous 73 got him over the line in the decider. He'll now go on to face the winner of Mark Selby and Barry Hawkins in tomorrow's final.

It's a rousing 73 from Judd to finish, and both players get a standing ovation at the end. Judd Trump has won an absolute belter here in Nuremberg.

There are three reds and the black all in the left corner, close together but far enough apart to work around. Judd gets the black on its spot, and tidies up the reds on his way to a half-ton, the final red of the combination putting him over the winning line in the frame. What an excellent visit from Judd at such a crucial moment; he backed his own ability, and was right to do so.

Judd slashes in a long back cut on a red to bottom left, and he's on the yellow in baulk. It's not the greatest table, but it's a chance, and a 40-50 here could be pivotal. A good plant to bottom right, made after hitting the left side of it, goes in and frees the pink to boot; all of a sudden it's a very decent chance indeed.

There are smiles and handshakes from both players before Judd breaks in the decider. Judd gets the first look at a pot, red to bottom right, and he launches it in. The blue follows, plus another red, but Judd is then forced into a tough yellow to its own pocket and he's missed it. That's put John right in at the business end of the table, and he's into the pack off his opening red. The black follows, but he can't then convert a tough red along the rail and it's end of break. John's very lucky not to leave anything there, as then tension ratchets up another notch.

A further 33 from Judd, and we're off to Shredsville folks.

Judd survived a decider against Chris Wakelin earlier in the tournament, but he won't want to be reminded of his record in one frame shootouts versus John; there have been eight, and John has won seven of them.

The reds open up a bit after a few aggressive safety shots from John, and he forces an error from Judd who misses a long red and leaves a cut on a red to bottom left. John could get right back into this if he drains it; the cut is painfully thin but John somehow overcuts it and leaves it there, and that's surely the frame. Judd's added 13 so far to put the frame safe and will keep going.

What a brave shot here from Judd, who bridges high to drain the yellow to its own pocket after losing position, and committing to bringing the white back down the table. The break soon reaches 47 as he nudges apart pink and black, before playing safe to baulk rather than go for a risky blue. Given the state of the table, that's a telling visit from Judd.

What a Saturday afternoon treat this has been. John can smell the final now, can Judd take us all the way to a decider though? It's another tense safety battle at the start of frame ten, with one quality shot after another, until the deadlock is broken when Judd flukes a red after wildly missing a plant. Another red has gone over the bottom right to boot, putting pressure on this brown to middle. Judd makes it though, and there's a load on for him now. It was a huge stroke of luck, now he needs to cash it in. There's a good smattering of reds but with pink and black tied up the cue ball will need to cover a fair bit of road in this visit.

John lets his arm go and clears up for a 60 to take the frame.

Judd can't convert a long-ish red, leaving John a look at a double to left middle. John's good at these, and proves it by thundering the red home. Blue-red-blue follow, and he can relax now because this one's in the bank.

John knows the importance of this visit and he's not rushing it. With the pink currently housed on the black spot he plays off it to build his break, eventually going into the pack off it; they split well enough, and he's on a red to right middle. After a few more pots he banks another half-century with a superb blue, taking the white in and out of baulk off two cushions to land on his next red. It's been hard graft, but he's inching towards the winning line in this frame...until he undercuts a red to bottom left and it's end of break! My oh my. There's 67 left on, with two reds safe; John is still favourite, but what a reprieve for Judd.

If you had to back any player from here, it would probably be Judd who's won four of the last five frames. More than that, he's edged John in the safety exchanges today and frame nine opens with a very long one indeed. John sends a red over the bottom right, but it's covered by the adjacent yellow and brown in baulk; it's a nightmare for Judd to get this safe so he doesn't bother trying, and cuts in a sensational red to the bottom left instead! What a pot. It goes wrong immediately though, as he misses an awkward green to its own pocket thereafter, and John is right on the red to bottom right. That goes, and he's soon stitching a break together; there are points on here, if he can settle into his rhythm.

Judd emptied the table for 56 and the frame. It's all square, and a best of three to reach tomorrow's final.

Judd glides in one of the six remaining reds from distance, but can't land on the black. A tense safety exchange on the final five follows, and John catches the jaws of the bottom left from one of them to leave Judd a short cut on a red to bottom left. Judd snicks it in to land on the yellow in baulk, and that should do it. A swift 22 follows to put him over the line, before a sensational cut on a red to bottom left ends the argument in this one for sure.

This is superb from Judd. He goes into the pack early, leaving only a tough red to right middle to keep going. The white is near the bottom cushion but he makes it, followed by a brown to the same pocket to come back down the table. Not long after he has to force the white off two cushion after potting the black to tickle the cluster, and this time he can't convert a red to right middle to keep going. It's gone safe though, and there's a crucial little stanza in this match coming up.

John's break again leaves a red on, this time to the bottom right, and Judd absolutely crunches it in and pulls up on the yellow. How about this mind? After potting said yellow it's Judd's turn to cue across a pot, overcutting his next red by a huge margin to leave John a mid-ranger to the bottom right. This is a test, as Graham Taylor (and then Phil Neal) once said. John drains it, clean as a whistle, and he's on the pink. A quick whack of the bunch soon after frees a couple, and leaves a tricky red to bottom right where he needs to cannon the black into position to boot. It's a smelly one, and John misses the pot and leaves the red on for Judd. He sinks his head, but it's still a tough table that needs a lot of developing.

Now we're done, as Judd tidies up the last red and then clears up to the pink. It's a cracker this, and there's one frame in it.

A swift 18 break from Judd follows before he plays safe off the final safe red. John returns, and he needs three snookers.

After a couple of up-table safety shots, Judd gambles on a red long to the yellow pocket. It's so close, but it hangs in the jaws; John can get right back into this here. A good recovery shot on the pink after losing position slightly frees a red next to the blue, but he cues across it again from mid-range and misses the pot wildly. He looks like he's got away with this, but amazingly there is a slither of a gap between pink and blue to the potting angle of a red to bottom right. It's so tight, and Judd sizes it up for an age before taking it on. He's nailed it, and that might be the frame.

Judd can't find the angle initially, but picks out an excellent plant to bottom left to keep the break ticking. From there he goes into the pack off the blue, and ends up marooned on the lower right rail. He recovers, plugging a red deadweight to the bottom left, but doesn't land on anything easy to follow. He plays it safe and drops the white onto the bottom cushion off the black; his lead is big, but it's a dangerous table.

Right then, huge frame here. It starts with a stunner from Judd, as John leaves him a look at a red long to the yellow pocket and Judd drills it in to hold for the black. Within a few shots he's in prime position around the black, which is on to both corners. Although he's behind, Judd has scored heavily when he's got proper; there could be another biggie on the way if he finds the angle to split the reds here.

John empties the table for a 114. That's a superb break, as he was under real pressure at the start of the frame.

It's a sterling show of moxie from John, who's grafted an excellent break here to keep Judd at arms length. Frame ball black goes; come on Wizard, give us a century.

John loses position slightly early in the break, but a nice red-blue-red combo, each one a pressure shot, gets him back on track. The pack are going to need a compliant whack if he's to sort this out in one hit, and that'll be coming shortly. It's a key shot, not just of the frame but potentially the match. John does go into the pack off the black, and they've split wonderfully. The next red visits all the lip before dropping in to the right middle, but it looks a tap in from here.

What a shot from Judd to start frame six! John's break leaves a red on to the bottom right and Judd, confident as you like, deadweights it in to land low on the black. It's only for a break of nine though as a cannon on the black doesn't work out, and right now that feels like a let-off for John. Not for long, though; in the safety exchange that follows John cracks first, leaving a red over the bottom left and the white on the baulk line. Judd drains it, followed by a tough green with the rest, and leaves himself a tough long red to the bottom left to keep going. It rattles out, leaving John a tight cut on a red into the bottom right behind the black. If he can make it he's in, and he does.

Judd gets away with one, screwing into the cluster off one cushion but not really getting into the white; it nudges one red out just about, and it's on to the right middle. It's the final scare though as the frame is soon put to bed a few shots later. Is he done? Is he heck. Judd lets his arm go to register 93 before failing to roll the yellow in to its own pocket along the rail. No ton for Judd, but he's got a whole load o' momentum right now.

A few clever shots from Judd clear the reds from around the black spot, and it's now comfortably on to both corners. There's enough in the open to sort the frame at this visit, and he's shifting around the table very smoothly here. John might be worried he's awakened something here, and he's right to; it's a half-century in a heartbeat and Judd is really going through the gears now.

We're back, and John gets a slice as he misses a long red to bottom left buy a huge margin and is lucky not to leave it on in baulk. Judd then launches one from distance, trying to hold for the blue, but he misses by a long way too and isn't as fortunate as John, leaving the red on to the yellow pocket. John looks to be in, before he plays two shockers in a row; he overshoots position for his next red off the green so badly that he can only play safe to baulk, and in doing so rushes it and goes in-off in the right middle. At his next visit, he misses a long red by a mile and leaves it on; Judd needs to take advantage here, because John is struggling a touch. He quickly goes into the pack off the blue, and they've split pretty well.

Oh it's a ton alright. Judd empties up to the pink for a 111 that applies maximum punishment to John's missed red. Instead of a four frame deficit at the break, it'll be just two.

We'll be back in 15 minutes to see how this plays out.

That'll do; the break goes to 73, after almost breaking down when Judd had to thin cut a red and go in and out of baulk. It's been a fine effort, can he register the first ton of the day now?

Here he comes? Judd takes his break to 52 with another black and with the reds that are left in the open, the frame looks nailed on here. John will be cursing that missed red earlier in the frame, which was a shocker; these points should have been his and he knows it, and instead of a hefty break and 4-0 we're going to have a live one after the interval it seems.

There's a wobble early in the piece as Judd needs all of the help of the jaws of the bottom right to take the pink in. He soon settles into the break though, which is up to 30 already, although it's awkward with the black respotting right next to the pink.

It's not going well at all for Judd. At the start of frame four he goes in-off from a safety, leaving John ball in hand and a red over the bottom left. John's in again when he booms it in to land on the blue, and there's a load on here. Is he going to clean Judd out in this first mini-session? Just as I'm thinking that, John cues across a routine mid-range red to bottom right and misses it horribly. Judd is in, and could use a substantial visit here.

John clips frame ball blue into the left middle, and a red to bottom right should be enough. The break ends on 70 when John misses the black, but Judd stays rooted and the gap extends to three frames.

We're told that John's break is now on 42 and counting, while highlights off the first few frames play on screen. I'd prefer that old BBC test card if I'm honest, just for a bit of nostalgia, but I don't make the rules.

BREAKING: technical problems solved, we rejoin it with John on 57 and counting. Hurrah!

More bother here for Judd in the third, as his break-off shot sees a red shoot up the table and it's on to the right middle. John plugs it, and then opens the pack off the black; he's on a red to left middle, and he bridges over the cluster to pick it off. It's a good chance now, with the black on to both corners, and John is up to 23 in this visit within seconds. Just as I type that, the live feed has gone down; Dave Hendon and Fouldsy in co-comms are now doing live radio for us and apparently John's break is keeping on.

The man can dish, that much we've always known. Calm as you like, John completes a round half-century with the black to take a two-nil lead!

Well now! After a safety stalemate, Judd booms a red into the right middle. The black is the only colour he can pot, but he has to play cushion first off the bottom rail to clip it in. Judd takes it on, but he's missed it! All five reds and the colours are in the open and John is on an easy starter, so this is a big chance to steal. All the reds are soon gone, and John now needs to mop up the colours to nick it...

John gives up four in his attempt to escape, before Judd hoses down a long red but no more. Some up table safety follows, before Higgins pulls off a sensational plant on two reds to the yellow pocket. Can he convert a black along the rail now to make this a frame-winning chance? No dice. It rattles in the jaws of the bottom right and out, and Judd is back in. It's a chance that only yields seven points, and with six reds left out there this is still anyone's frame.

This is an attacking shot from John in frame two. From the bottom cushion, he rolls a red deadweight to the yellow pocket, gambling everything. It doesn't go close, and he's handed a chance to Judd here. Gift horses, and all that; Judd starts filling his boots, and goes into the pack early. They barely shift as the white clatters off the side of the pink, but he lands on one to the bottom left to keep going. Another fortuitous positional shot sees Judd raise his hand to John, before a beautifully judged cannon on two reds near the black after potting the blue gets things back on track - or so he thinks. Judd snookers himself on the angle to the black to end his break on 26, and he tucks the white up behind the green in baulk.

It's 59 in total for John as he puts the first frame up.

A nice red to bottom right from John nudges the pink towards the right middle and frees up another red; the half-century arrives shortly after as does the winning line in the frame. This is a confident start.

Fine larks here, as John pots a long red over the bottom left, fails to hit a red to stay south of the table and lands stuck to the top rail. From there he tries to stay in baulk off the yellow, and flukes it to give himself another problem. John smiles ruefully, but his next safety that follows is a better shot. A poor one from Judd follows, leaving the white in the middle of the table, and John's back in with a red into the bottom left. It takes a few shots to lasso control of the white, but he's got it now and is on a break of 26 and counting. This is a good chance.

It's am immediate mistake from John as his first shot, a safety, leaves a red right over the bottom right. Judd's in, and it's a good chance to score heavy; he breaks down on six though, missing a cut back on a black to the bottom left. John can't capitalise either though, managing only eight before a trip into the pack leaves him welded to it.

The players stride out, John first and then Judd soon after. It's best of 11 for a place in the final tomorrow, and Judd will break.

We're in the twilight of John’s career, but he’s still defying time’s winged chariot. Currently he’s ranked number ten in the world, which at 48 tells you pretty much all you need to know about how good this guy was, is and will remain until he puts the cue down for the last time. Ultimately though, John is a winner; losing his last four ranking finals on the spin will gnaw, so he’ll be well up for a shy at putting that right tomorrow.

So, what to expect from Judd this season? He had a decent 2022-23, winning the Champion of Champions and the Masters, but didn't land a ranking event title for the first time since 2014/15. His last was the Turkish Masters in March 2022, and he'll be looking to return to the form that saw him gobble up ranking events like Pac-Man a few years ago.

These two have met on 29 previous occasions inclusive of six tournament finals, two of which were the final showdown at the Crucible. Judd has the slight edge overall, with 15 wins to 14, and between the two of them they’ve registered a whopping 1,618 centuries in their careers. It’s difficult to imagine that this match will be anything less that absorbing.

Welcome to semi-final Saturday of the European Masters. We’ve got a belter of a day lined up, with four top class players in action. Tonight sees Mark Selby take on Barry Hawkins, but what a matinee in store this afternoon – it’s only Judd Trump versus John Higgins!

We're down to the final four of the European Masters with two blockbuster clashes to light up the KIA Metropol Arena in Nuremberg, Germany on Saturday.

First up, two-time winner Judd Trump faces John Higgins. Trump booked his place in the final four with a comprehensive 5-1 win over Ashley Carty while Higgins beat defending champions Kyren Wilson 5-3.

Later on, Barry Hawkins and Mark Selby for a place in Sunday's final.

Both players completed 5-2 victories over Noppon Saengkham and Lyu Haotian respectively.

Hawkins survived a fightback from 2-0 up against Saengkham to eventually race to victory with Selby recovered from a frame down to reach the final of the competition he won back in 2020.

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