Scottish Open 2020 snooker LIVE - Ronnie O'Sullivan wins through after Judd Trump suffers defeat

Updated 12/12/2020 at 09:56 GMT

Scottish Open 2020 LIVE - It's quarter-final day at the third Home Nations event of the season and that means a massive day of snooker. We kick off with Mark Selby facing Ricky Walden before man of the moment Judd Trump. The evening session sees a blockbuster clash as Ding Junhui faces world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Ronnie O'Sullivan in action in the UK Championship

Image credit: Eurosport

Join us again tomorrow

After a dramatic day of quarter-final action, our line-up for tomorrow's semi-finals of the Scottish Open is confirmed as follows:

Ronnie O'Sullivan vs. Li Hang (1pm)

Scottish Open

'I'm too old for his antics' – How Selby and O'Sullivan became best of enemies

14/12/2020 at 23:30

Mark Selby vs. Jamie Jones (7pm)

We'll be back at 12.45pm tomorrow to bring it all to you. Thanks for your company, night night.

Ronnie O'Sullivan is through to the semi-finals

What a struggle that match was, with both players battling themselves as well as each other. O'Sullivan nicked it, just. 'I'm so glad that's over,' he says in his post-match interview. At the end of the decider, he bit the tip of his cue straight off and will be playing in a new one for his semi-final against Li Hang tomorrow afternoon. Ding Junhui might be stewing on that one for a while, as he had more than enough chances to put O'Sullivan away tonight but couldn't manage it. He'll have to wait until they next meet to try and put that right; for now, O'Sullivan goes on to the last four.

O'Sullivan 5-4 Ding

He needs two attempts, but O'Sullivan eventually strokes in a long red that leaves Ding needing a snooker. Ronnie then tucks him in a snooker that Ding can't escape from to hit one of the three remaining reds, and that's it. Ding concedes, and O'Sullivan has won it!

O'Sullivan 4-4 Ding (57-5)

A reprieve for Ding! O'Sullivan misses a just off-straight red to the bottom left, and Ding has a chance. He drops a lovely red into the green pocket, but then misses a black off its spot! My word, that was a chance, and he's left Ronnie in again. Only six points are added though as O'Sullivan can't develop the cluster of three reds, and Ding is just about still in this.

O'Sullivan 4-4 Ding (31-4)

O'Sullivan's developed the pack, and with it a great chance to win the match. He's up to 30 already, with four stray reds and a small cluster of three below the pink that look ripe to be developed. O'Sullivan looks fully-focused all of a sudden, he knows he can sort this here and now.

O'Sullivan 4-4 Ding (12-4)

Ding breaks, and Ronnie clubs a long red into the bottom right but can't land on a baulk colour. He plays safe, and at his next visit he accidentally pots the brown. His third visit? Ronnie slashes in a wafer thin cut to the bottom left, deflects off the pack and lands on the yellow. None of this feels under control, but he's in and has the first chance of this decider.

O'Sullivan 4-4 Ding

The green off the final red brings up the century, this has been a ruthless punishment of a very sloppy break-off from O'Sullivan. He clears up to the blue for a 114; eyes down for our third final frame decider of these quarter-finals!

O'Sullivan 4-3 Ding (0-76)

The tenth red goes down, and that's frame ball; the black makes sure. Can he ring in a ton here?

O'Sullivan 4-3 Ding (0-51)

It's a half-century for Ding, who's really flowing in this frame. If this goes to a decider, he'll have all the momentum with him.

O'Sullivan 4-3 Ding (0-20)

Bad to worse for O'Sullivan at the start of the eighth, as his break-off shot clatters into the blue. Ding has an easy, mid-range cut to start his break, and he's off. A black takes him to 20 and he opens the pack of reds on the same shot. That's beautifully judged, and there are many points on for Ding now.

O'Sullivan 4-3 Ding

This should be it, as O'Sullivan misjudges a safety and leaves Ding an easy cut on the final red to the green pocket. That goes, as does the black, and then all the colours. Ding's now just one behind, and well in this.

O'Sullivan 4-2 Ding (34-56)

Ding misses a plant to the bottom left and that's end of break on 44. There are still five reds on the table, and Ronnie dispatches one as he starts his comeback in this frame. He gets to 24 and traps Ding in a snooker on the final red, tight in behind the blue. Ding misses it, and then Ronnie traps him in one of the most difficult snookers I've ever seen, tight in behind the blue and almost tight to the cushion. That is downright evil, and Ding gives up four more in trying to escape. He soon flukes a snooker back though, causing Ronnie to miss and go in-off in the yellow pocket off the lower knuckle of the right middle. This frame is wild.

O'Sullivan 4-2 Ding (2-44)

This could be costly for Ding, as his safety goes awry and he leaves O'Sullivan a chance. A thin red with the rest goes, but a long yahoo at a blue to the yellow pocket misses by a huge margin and he's left Ding in. As Neal Foulds notes in commentary, Ronnie's game is all over the place here. If Ding gives him enough chances he can fall over the line, but it's not looking likely in this frame as Ding adds 36 and counting.

O'Sullivan 4-2 Ding (1-8)

It's a brilliant pot from O'Sullivan to get going in the seventh, a gun-barrel straight red to the bottom right that leaves him a difficult black. It rattles and doesn't go, but Ding can only make eight in reply before losing position again and playing safe.

O'Sullivan 4-2 Ding

A 69 up to the pink secures the frame for O'Sullivan. For all his tip troubles, he's now on the brink of victory.

O'Sullivan 3-2 Ding (72-20)

It's only 20 in response by Ding before he runs out of position. This is a curious contest; Ronnie's annoyed and Ding's playing what seems a bit too rushed, and it seems that whoever deals with their own issue more successfully will win this. Ronnie should be in a better mood now though, as he strokes in a superb red across the table and into the bottom left to drop on the black. He's soon up to 32 with a red that leaves Ding needing a snooker.

O'Sullivan 3-2 Ding (40-0)

Ding misses a long red and he's left Ronnie in at the start of the sixth. This is the kind of chance O'Sullivan thrives on, though in potting a red to advance to nine he plays a slight nudge on the black, and referee Brendan Moore calls a foul on O'Sullivan! that didn't look like one, and Brendan checks the video and changes his mind. A victory for VAR! O'Sullivan doesn't see a funny side to that interruption though, and it's not going to improve the mood he's in tonight. He makes it to 40 - it's actually a chance at a 147, albeit early in the piece - before missing a red and leaving it hanging in the jaws of the bottom right. This is a big chance for Ding.

Wilson is out

In the second big upset of the day, Jamie Jones has beaten Kyren Wilson 5-1 to reach the semi-finals. What a result for him, he now goes on to face Mark Selby at 7pm tomorrow night.

O'Sullivan 3-2 Ding

Ding drops a blue deadweight into the yellow pocket, and he's pinched a crucial frame here.

O'Sullivan 3-1 Ding (30-55)

O'Sullivan's been good from distance, and launches a long red into the bottom left. He's in good position to dish up here, especially when he clips a thin red into the bottom left, but he then misses a black into the same pocket and bangs his cue on the floor in frustration. Ding clears up to the brown, and O'Sullivan needs two snookers.

O'Sullivan 3-1 Ding (25-42)

Ronnie drops in a red to the bottom right, but can't land on blue or black beneath the pack. He then plays what he thinks is a containing safety, only for Ding to bust out of it by rolling a red into the right middle from off the bottom cushion. Ding's in, and forges ahead in the frame until a horrendous kick when potting a red dumps the white in no man's land between pink and black. He plays safe, as misfortune scuppers a decent chance.

O'Sullivan 3-1 Ding (24-1)

We're back, and after a nice opening red Ding misses a mid-range blue on the stretch to the bottom left. That's put O'Sullivan right in, and this could be a pivotal visit straight after the interval. His early split on the pack doesn't work out though, and his break winds up on 24 as he plays back to baulk.

Elsewhere...

There's another potential upset on the cards on our other table - Jamie Jones currently leads Kyren Wilson 4-1.

O'Sullivan 3-1 Ding

O'Sullivan clears the table, and he extends his lead to two frames. What an intriguing first mini-session; he hasn't played well, yet Ding hasn't punished him when the chances to were offered. Join us again in fifteen minutes to see how it all pans out.

O'Sullivan 2-1 Ding (38-44)

After one attempt to get a break going yields just a solitary point, Ding gets in again but this time can only add eight before drifting out of position. At the third attempt, via a nice long red into the bottom left, he's earned another go. This visit looks more promising, as he adds 20 to draw level in the frame. Off the black he then brings one of the two remaining reds off the side cushion, before stroking it nicely into the green pocket. He still needs the final red though, and has to roll it along the bottom cushion to the left corner; he misses it, and it's sat there for Ronnie to step in and take the frame.

O'Sullivan 2-1 Ding (38-0)

Ronnie's off again in the fourth, rolling in a long red to the bottom right. Ding's playing quickly, and so in turn is O'Sullivan; he's up to 31 already which included a brilliant black that sent the white off two cushions to come up over a red to the left of the pack. That was a great shot but he's lost position on the black and it's end of break on 38. In annoyance, O'Sullivan pretends to bite off the tip of his cue. He had it re-tipped last night apparently, and it's obviously not played in yet.

O'Sullivan 2-1 Ding

Ding has a couple of good efforts at getting the snooker, but eventually leaves O'Sullivan the red on to the bottom right and that will be that. Ronnie clears up to the pink and he's back in front.

O'Sullivan 1-1 Ding (67-28)

O'Sullivan takes his break to 60 in no time, before missing a double on the final red. Ding needs one four point snooker to tie.

O'Sullivan 1-1 Ding (31-28)

Ding undercuts a red to the bottom left, and leaves it in the jaws for Ronnie. That could be costly, for these look set to go. O'Sullivan hits the front in the frame, and plugs a red into the right middle that opens a path for three others.

O'Sullivan 1-1 Ding (7-21)

O'Sullivan stuns a long red in to get the third frame going, which rattles like a pinball before dropping and he lands perfectly on the blue. He can only make six though before missing his next red, after which Ding misses a red with the rest and then Ronnie cuts one in but missed the pink that follows. Errors upon errors, but Ding's in now and ticking along nicely on 21.

O'Sullivan 1-1 Ding

And we're level! A magnificent century break from Ding. A total clearance of 135 and after a tetchy opening frame, he's in the groove and we're all square after two frames.

O'Sullivan 1-0 Ding (0-67)

Ding gets himself into a bad position, with the cue ball right next to the pink. He needs an extraordinary shot to cut a red fine into the corner pocket and he manages it! He's racing towards a century now.

O'Sullivan 1-0 Ding (0-25)

It's hard to see anyone other than Ding winning the second frame. A loose shot from O'Sullivan give him a chance on a red, which he takes. He's on the black...

O'Sullivan 1-0 Ding

Ronnie edges the frame! A fine pink into a corner pocket and gets just enough on the cue ball to get it onto the black. He makes no mistake and a lengthy, cagey frame has come to an end.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Ding (50-56)

O'Sullivan gets out of a snooker but pots the white. There's a lengthy battle for the blue and it's Ronnie who blinks first. Ding pots the blue but the pink is on the cushion.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Ding (50-46)

There's just one red left and O'Sullivan leaves Ding with an opportunity as he gets out of a snooker. Ding clears to the blue, which cannons off the inside of the pocket and back out again. This could be a lengthy one - the blue is in an awkward position and the pink is on the cushion.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Ding (46-25)

There's an opportunity here for Ding after O'Sullivan unluckily canons a red off the black, which goes into the corner pocket. The reds are lined up nicely for Ding, but he misses and O'Sullivan pots a red before playing a safety with not much on. The pink is on the brown spot now.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Ding (40-0)

It's early days, but O'Sullivan looks to be in the mood already as he makes the early running through the reds.

Li Hang knocks Judd Trump out of the Scottish Open

What an epic! What an afternoon! Li Hang took it to the world number one today, holding his nerve throughout the afternoon and through several long frames to win the match in that dramatic final frame. That's a stunning victory for him, surely the finest of his career, and he is through to the semi-finals tomorrow to face the winner of Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ding Junhui. What a moment for him; Li looked utterly spent at the end, with his towel over his face after Trump conceded. Speaking of being drained, spare a thought for Trump; his week started with losing the UK Championship in a decider in the early hours of Monday morning, now he's been knocked out of the Scottish Open in a decider late on Friday evening. This is how tough this game can be, even for a relentless winner like Trump. Thanks for your company this afternoon, we'll be back shortly with coverage of the quarter-final between O'Sullivan and Ding.

Trump 4-5 Li

Wow, Li has won! Trump pots a brilliant long red to the bottom left, but he's stuck on the bottom cushion and needs a colour or he'll need a snooker. He goes for a thin cut on the black; not only does it miss, but the white flies straight into the right middle! Trump immediately concedes, and it's over. Li Hang has beaten Trump in a decider and is through to the last four!

Trump 4-4 Li (16-61)

Dear me. Trump misses a long red to the bottom left, and leaves Li a jab at a red along the rail and into the bottom right. It's frame ball again, and he misses it again, but this time he's left it in the jaws for Trump! Where next in this match? Trump swerves around the black to clip the red in, followed by the blue, but he can't get on anther red and has to play safe again. He's right on the brink here, and fighting with everything he's got. Li just needs one of these final three reds to leave Trump needing a snooker. What a contest!

Trump 4-4 Li (10-61)

Wow this is tense. The red goes, followed by the green, another red and the black into the left middle. That's left Li a frame ball red into the bottom left with the rest, and it rattles in the jaws and spits back out! What a reprieve for Trump. There's 59 left on, can he fashion a sensational clearance to win it?

Trump 4-4 Li (10-49)

Trump forces a mistake from Li. The balls have been encroaching around the bottom left for a while, and Li accidentally knocks a red into the blue and sends the latter straight into the pocket. That clears a road for a long red to the bottom left for Trump...but he's rattled it in the jaws of the bottom left and it's still hanging there! Not only that, he's left Li a clear look at it! This could be huge; in a few shots time, Li could be in the semi-finals!

Trump 4-4 Li (5-49)

Li misjudges a safety, and he's left Trump a red to the left middle. That goes down, followed by a thin green, though Trump can't get on his next red and has to play safe. The table has now gone awkward, with all six remaining reds on the left side of the bottom half of the table, and blue and black mixed in there too.

Trump 4-4 Li (1-49)

Li's lost the white on 49, clipping a red on the bottom cushion to run out of position on his next one. There's a red along the rail that he could go for, but it's a tough one in normal circumstances never mind these. Li wisely turns it down and plays safe back to baulk.

Trump 4-4 Li (1-41)

It's edgy, this; Li needs two superb recovery pots - one around the angles off the blue and then a red to bottom left with the white on the side rail - to keep going here. He's putting the points together though, one tense pot after another, and is up to 41.

Trump 4-4 Li (1-19)

What a pot from Li, tagging a red near the pink spot into the bottom left and landing on brown to left middle. That goes in too, he's plum on his next red and this now the biggest visit of his career. He's quickly up to 19 and he's got the black back on its spot, available into both corners.

Trump 4-4 Li (1-0)

Trump breaks in the decider, and Li then goes full-blooded at a red to the bottom right and it rattles in and out of the pocket. Speaking of full-blooded, Trump then wallops a the thin red Li has left him into the bottom left and sends the pack of reds everywhere. Oh me oh my, that's an attacking shot! Unfortunately for Trump he had no real control of the cue ball, trusting to chance for position, and he's on nothing. He plays back to baulk; whoever gets in next will be a heavy favourite to win the frame.

Trump 4-4 Li

Plot twist? Li finds the snooker he needs off the yellow, and Trump fails to connect off two cushions. Li can now win, but makes a mess of his next safety shot and leaves Trump a look at the yellow from mid-range. That goes, and Trump then mops up green and brown at his next visit. We're level, and it's our second decider of the day!

Trump 3-4 Li (69-40)

Trump thrashes in a red over the bottom right that Li had left hanging there, followed by a long blue, and Li now needs a snooker. He comes back to the table, and takes four reds and blacks, before laying Trump in a snooker with the white tight behind the pink and the red up near baulk. It's not a bad effort but it's not good enough, and Trump gets out of it. He sticks it up over the yellow pocket for Li though, who takes it out followed by another black and will now look for the snooker he needs on the yellow.

Trump 3-4 Li (63-0)

It's another rapid half-century for the world number one. He needs to split the remaining pack of six reds though and while he does that off the black, Trump doesn't land on one of them and has to play safe. He's 63 in front with 75 left on.

Trump 3-4 Li (27-0)

Trump's hoses in a long red to the bottom right at the start of the eighth, and he's straight into his rhythm here. There's 27 up already and he's buzzing around the table; he's such a ferocious competitor now that he will throw everything at the chance to get a third Four Nations title out of three this season.

Trump 3-4 Li

It's a 67 for Li, and he's one up with two to play.

Trump 3-3 Li (6-53)

Li's taken these really nicely, and moves his break on to 48 with a black. He's got an enormous opportunity here, but he's not looking fazed at all. A superb red with the rest keeps his break going after running out of position, and the green brings up a half-century. This is a great effort, because he's had to fight hard for position.

Trump 3-3 Li (6-22)

Trump plants a red into the bottom right to start the seventh, right out of the pack. Did he mean that? He's not held a hand up so I assume so, but he's not on anything and draws four from a snooker behind the green instead. Trump then cops a genuinely outrageous fluke into the green pocket, but then misses a pink to the left middle. He's left Li in, who is up to 22 already and there's a load more points on.

Trump 3-3 Li

A black off the final red takes Trump to 104, and his break ends there. He's level.

Trump 2-3 Li (65-0)

Boom, boom, what a difference with the last frame. A lightening 65 from Trump already leaves Li needing a snooker, and he could kick on and make a century here.

Trump 2-3 Li (24-0)

Who wants more? Off we go in the sixth, and Li leaves Trump an easy red to left middle straight from the break. He's straight into his break here, with some sense of release, and up to 24 and counting already.

Trump 2-3 Li

Trump pots the brown, swerving around the blue to clip it in after Li had left it over the yellow pocket, but he doesn't land on the blue. After more safety Li gets back in, and snicks in a thin blue to the green pocket. He's now on pink to middle for the frame...and it's in! The fifth frame is a done deal - finally! - and Li hits the front!

Trump 2-2 Li (49-53)

A spectacular cut on the yellow by Li leaves him another one on the green...and he's rattled it and left it hanging in the bottom right! What a touch for Trump, who smashes the green in but then strangely turns down a brown to the green pocket in favour of playing safe. He really is not very confident today, and this frame is threatening to go on longer than ITV's Telethon in 1988 (ask your folks).

Trump 2-2 Li (46-46)

This frame has gone to pieces. Neither player can dispatch the one red in open play, and when Li eventually does the cue ball clips the blue and goes in-off. That then forces Li to move the two reds near the bottom cushion into play when Trump puts him back in. It's Li that gets in next, tagging a red into the bottom right, and he's now got a gilt-edged chance to go in front if he can clear these up.

Trump 2-2 Li (42-39)

Trump needs to deep screw the green into its own pocket to come back down for the final three reds. He gets the action on the cue ball, but dumps it straight into the left middle. He really is out of sorts this afternoon.

Trump 2-2 Li (41-35)

After a Homeric exchange of safety shots, Trump finally gets a look at a red to the bottom left and plugs it to land on the blue. It's going to be a battle to win the frame at this visit, given where the reds, but Trump sets about it.

Trump 2-2 Li (6-34)

Li gets back in, but it breaks down on 12 when he tries to go into the cluster off the blue, and he's on nothing. If he's going to win this - and he's got a great chance - he'll have to make more of these opportunities.

Trump 2-2 Li (6-22)

We're back, and Trump immediately picks up six points after Li clips the pink when trying to rest on the side of the pack after Trump's break. There's a bout of safety - and there's a real tension to this, now it's best of five - before Li deadweights a long red into the green pocket off the bottom cushion. That's a superb shot, and he's on the blue. They're set nice, but Li loses the white when forced to try and go in and out of baulk off the black and he's not on a red.

Trump 2-2 Li

It's a round ton for Li, the first century of the match, and we go into the interval all square. See you in 15 minutes.

Trump 2-1 Li (13-65)

Li picks up a half-century, and the third from last red vaults him past the winning post. We're going into the interval level, and Trump has got a real game on here when we return as Li has been ruthless at punishing his mistakes so far.

Trump 2-1 Li (13-34)

Trump forces an error from Li after a length safety exchange, and is left an easy one to the bottom right to get going. Yet just when it looks like Trump will nonchalantly make a break that gives him a two frame lead at the interval, he overcuts a pink to the bottom right and he's left the frame wide open for Li. That's another one to induce a double take, not that Li's hanging about with this bountiful amount of points on offer.

Trump 2-1 Li (0-12)

Li gets in first in the fourth frame, with a sweet red to the left middle from off the bottom cushion. Again though his positional play lets him down, and he soon leaves himself a difficult red to the right middle that he can't drop in.

Trump 2-1 Li

Trump adds 14, and takes the lead in the match.

Trump 1-1 Li (63-35)

Trump flukes a snooker, red in behind the yellow, and Li hits yellow first when trying to escape.That's left Trump a chance at the red to the yellow pocket, but surprisingly he turns it down and has the balls reset for Li. Curious. After a lengthy delay while the table is reset as was, Li then escapes. After more safety, Li then goes in-off in the left middle when playing safe, leaving Trump a simple red from the D to put this one away.

Trump 1-1 Li (55-35)

Li adds 28, but poor shot selection in his break means the final, difficult red hasn't moved after he turned down opportunities to try and move it. He has no other shot but to play a snooker, and Trump comes back to the table.

Trump 1-1 Li (55-6)

This is impressive, mind; a pink takes Trump to half century, and he soon develops the black to open up the opportunity to sort the frame. Amazingly though, he misses a pink off the black spot and he's left Li right in the balls. That's a scarcely believable miss, can Li mop these up and go ahead in the match? He's got one problem red only near the right rail.

Trump 1-1 Li (20-6)

Trump gets the first red of the frame down after a long safety exchange, which has left the table in a mess. Consequently, he can't land on a colour and has to play safe. At his next visit, he cannons a red onto the pink and sends the latter into the bottom right, giving away six. Trump's back in now though, and he's got the cue ball under control. There are reds everywhere in the bottom third of the table, and although the black is tied up the pink and blue are available. There's some kind of racket coming from behind the curtain, where the now out of commission tables are being dismantled, which has caused Judd to stand up from his shot a few times. He's not impressed, it's fair to say.

Trump 1-1 Li

An 81 from Li brings the match level.

Trump 1-0 Li (14-72)

A black takes Li to 72, and with only three reds remaining Trump now needs a snooker. This has been an excellent response.

Trump 1-0 Li (14-35)

Li develops the reds, and pots an excellent one to left middle despite severely hampered cueing. That leaves him a difficult blue to the green pocket, but he absolutely middles it to return the white into decent position. It's a handy break, this, and he could now turn it into a frame-winning one.

Trump 1-0 Li (14-9)

Li tries a containing safety at the start of the second, but it's badly judged as he's left Trump a red along the rail and into the bottom right. You can't do that, a point Judd reinforces as he drops the red in to land on the black. Just as it looks as if Trump might start racking up a hefty score though, he rattles a mid-range red into the jaws of the bottom right and it stays there. What a touch for Li; he drops in the easy starter and he's got a chance to fire back here.

Trump 1-0 Li

Trump's into it now alright. He shifts the out of commission red over the left middle to pot it, before dropping in perfectly behind the final red to roll it into the right middle. That was a delicate shot, and wonderfully executed. Trump draws level in the frame, and then clears up to the pink for a 67 to nick the opener from Li.

Trump 0-0 Li (19-49)

The world number one isn't quite into this yet. Trump overcuts a red to the left middle, and leaves the frame at Li's mercy. Li can't take the chance though, playing an awful positional shot when potting his first red that leaves him snookered on all colours bar a tricky brown the green pocket. He can't convert it, and Trump can get right back into this here. There's one red nailed to the left rail below the middle pocket that will need shifting, but everything else is on.

Trump 0-0 Li (0-48)

Li's pulled one out here, making a plant to the bottom left to land on pink to left middle. That wasn't easy, as the two reds had a bit of distance between them and weren't in line. His break curtails on 48 though as he misses a difficult cut on a red to left middle, though he's not left Trump a red to go at.

Trump 0-0 Li (0-28)

It's the first chance to Li, as Trump misses a long red and leaves him plum on an easy starter. Li's right into it, 28 and counting so far, and utilising the pink from its current home on the black spot.

Boys baized

Trump and Li are out into the arena, here we go with the second quarter-final.

Next up

Stick with us, for we'll be back shortly with Judd Trump, the world number one, versus Li Hang, who eliminated Stuart Bingham in a decider last night.

Mark Selby is through to the semi-finals

That was a valiant effort from Ricky Walden, who took Selby to the brink after trailing 4-2, but the world number four pulled away in the final frame. He'll now play the winner of Kyren Wilson and Jamie Jones in the semi-finals tomorrow.

Selby 5-4 Walden

Selby adds 29, and he takes the decider to advance to the last four.

Selby 4-4 Walden (59-0)

This is still a going concern, because Mark has missed a long red to the green pocket that nixes his break on 58! He's left Walden a red to the left middle too, but Ricky hits the bottom knuckle and it stays out. It's near enough to the pocket that Selby, a former world pool champion, can locate his inner Paul Newman and clang in another red off it to land on the black. Selby lines it up...and it's there! He's on the black and this one is surely over now.

Selby 4-4 Walden (50-0)

A green to its own pocket brings up another half-century for Selby, and he's nicely on a red to left middle. There are seven reds left out there, so he's about three of them and two high scoring colours away from leaving Walden needing a snooker here.

Selby 4-4 Walden (27-0)

Who's your cash on? Selby gets the first chance of the decider straight from Walden's break-off shot, raking another long red into the bottom left and pulling the white up short of the baulk colours. The yellow takes him back down to the business end, and he's got early control of the table here. Selby booms the black in and drives the white into the pack, affecting a lovely split and offering up a great chance to put this away in one hit.

Selby 4-4 Walden

What a response from Ricky from 4-2 behind. A 74 sorts this one, and we've got a one frame shootout for a place in the semi-finals!

Selby 4-3 Walden (1-70)

He's inching closer. Walden makes another half ton, and he's four pots away from putting this one to bed. They're routine enough, and Walden puts them away; two reds and two blacks go, and we're going all the way in this one.

Selby 4-3 Walden (1-17)

Walden pots the first red of the eighth, but can't get good position and tucks Selby in behind blue. After much safety Selby catches one too thick, and he's left Walden a shy at a long red to the yellow pocket. This has to go in as he's probably leaving Selby the match if it misses...and it doesn't go! That's left Selby an easy starter to the bottom right, but so easy that he carelessly loses position on what should be a simple black and he can't cut it in. That was a really poor shot, and a few later he leaves Walden a straight red to the bottom right that goes in and leaves natural position on the black. This is a big chance to force a decider.

Selby 4-3 Walden

Walden cruises past the winning line in this frame, and responds to Selby's century with a 117 to take the seventh. Can he force a decider?

Selby 4-2 Walden (11-54)

Walden rattles a red into the bottom left to take his break to 40. He's using all of the pocket on some of these shots, but composes himself enough to pick up a half-century. Nearly there...

Selby 4-2 Walden (11-8)

Someone likes the bottom left corner! Selby clubs yet another long red into that pocket, and he's off to the races again in the seventh. Just as it looks as if the end might be in the post for Walden though, he comes back to the table when Selby leaves a red hanging in the jaws of his fave pocket. Now then Ricky, can you prolong the argument?

Selby 4-2 Walden

He can! A double on the last red to the right middle sets up a superb total clearance of 135.

Selby 3-2 Walden (70-0)

That's the winning post sailed past, Selby is one away from the semi-finals. Can he rattle in a century here?

Selby 3-2 Walden (54-0)

Selby gets the split he needs when potting the black and lands on a red to the right middle. He's soon secured another half-century and his now bang in position to win the frame.

Selby 3-2 Walden (34-0)

Walden looks to have been lucky with a loose attempt at a long red, leaving the white in the jaws of the bottom left, until Selby picks out a red to right middle to land on the green. That's a superb shot, and he's soon into his stride in the sixth. The pack will need a wallop at some point, but he'll have a healthy lead before that.

Selby 3-2 Walden

Well, well! Walden gets to 69 but misses a simple red, and with 67 left on Selby only needs one snooker and will play on. He plugs eight, but then misses a red to the bottom left which Walden then cuts in to take the frame.

Selby 3-1 Walden (0-55)

A pink takes Walden to his first half-century of the day. He's picked these off nicely, and with multiple reds in the open and pink and black available he should see it out from here.

Selby 3-1 Walden (0-17)

We're back, and it's Walden that gets the first chance after the interval when Selby sticks one up over the green pocket for him. A black takes him to 17 but a springy bounce off the side cushion makes his next red difficult; no matter, because Walden finds the angle with a hefty helping of left hand side to land perfectly on the black.

Selby 3-1 Walden

This one's gonna bruise; Selby dishes a 35 to pinch the frame on the black, inclusive of a wafer thin cut on the yellow to stay on the green after losing position. That's a 3-1 lead at the interval, we'll be back with you in 15 minutes.

Selby 2-1 Walden (32-62)

Oh my! Selby's missed a virtually straight red just as he was about to pull level in the frame. Crikey what a miss, and he's left Walden right in. We've got five reds left, one of which is close to the right rail, so there's tricky work to do to mop this up in one visit. Walden takes the four open reds with colours, and then drops in behind the final red. This is frame ball, and it's not easy as Walden's not directly behind the red and needs to use the rest. He goes for it, and he's missed! Not only that, he's left the red in the jaws of the bottom right and the frame at the mercy of Selby.

Selby 2-1 Walden (16-33)

It's only four for Walden, as an attempt to split the reds of the green works in terms of the spread, but not his position on the next one. He plays up to baulk instead, from where Selby pulls out the shot of the match so far and drains a long red across the table and into the bottom left. That's a beauty, and he's got a real chance here.

Selby 2-1 Walden (0-29)

Walden gets the first red down in the fourth, then draws six points from Selby who careers into the pink off one cushion after Walden tucked him in behind the brown. That's left Walden in, but he can only make 22 before missing a red to the green pocket after running out of position. Selby can't convert a mid-range red to the bottom left though, and now Walden has a great chance to kick on and pull level in the match.

Selby 2-1 Walden

It's a 68 for Selby and with 59 remaining, Walden concedes. Boom, boom! That's two frames taken out with two quick visits by the world number four.

Selby 1-1 Walden (54-0)

An excellent recovery pot on green to left middle after running into baulk as given Selby the chance to turn this into a frame-winning visit. A blue takes him to another half-century and he's only a few pots away from two quick frames on the spin.

Selby 1-1 Walden (18-0)

Selby's in again in the third, another red stroked effortlessly into the bottom left. In getting to 18 he splits the pack off the blue, and comes within millimetres of dropping a red into the bottom right and giving four away. Phew! As it is, that's a useful spread and he could make hay here.

Selby 1-1 Walden

No century for Selby as he misses a black off its spot, but the 81 secures the second frame for him.

Selby 0-1 Walden (72-0)

A straight blue to the left middle is frame ball for Selby, and in it goes. Can he turn this into a ton?

Selby 0-1 Walden (53-0)

No maxi attempt for the Jester, who needs to play for a pink after a plant to the bottom left. He's on a good break here though, reaching his half-century off the pink and then picking out another plant which then develops other reds into play.

Selby 0-1 Walden (32-0)

Selby's away first in the frame two, stunning in a long red to the bottom left to come off the bottom cushion and land on the black. If you like getting excited early in a break, it's four reds and four blacks so far.

Selby 0-1 Walden

Selby is forced to pot the yellow, and has landed Walden in a couple of snookers only to watch his man escape. Walden then settles the argument in the first with a brilliant long green into the yellow pocket, before clearing up to the pink.

Selby 0-0 Walden (30-59)

Walden eventually converts the stubborn red, followed by the blue, before missing the final red along the bottom rail to the right corner. After more safety, Walden then snicks in the red to the yellow pocket followed by the black. Selby now needs a snooker.

Selby 0-0 Walden (30-45)

There are two reds close to the bottom cushion that do Walden a favour here. Selby puts 26 away and then tries to shift them, but can't connect off the side rail and is forced to play safe. Walden soon give him another go though as he sends the white in off from his safety. That leaves Selby a thin red to right middle from the D...which hooks around the lip of the pocket and stays out. It looks a certainty now, but somehow Walden fails to cut it in! How did he miss that?

Selby 0-0 Walden (0-45)

We've had a prolonged safety battle here, and Walden wins it when Selby catches a red on his way back to baulk and leaves Walden in the middle of the table, with reds on. He's quickly added 21 here and there's more than enough in the wide open to secure the frame, but he misses a simple blue to the left middle and it's all on now for Selby.

Selby 0-0 Walden (0-24)

Walden's in first, dropping a red into the bottom left and landing nicely on a mid-range blue. He's got a good chance here, and a lovely shot off the yellow to come off three cushions and land on a red above the black spot has put him right in position. It's soon lost though as when potting a black with the rest, Walden's come up short on position for his next red. In potting it he careers into the pack, but not out of it to land on a colour and that's end of break.

Here we go

Our MC Phil Seymour has baized both boys, and we're off.

First up

The last time Mark Selby met Ricky Walden was over a best of nine, in the last 32 of the German Masters in 2019. Selby was a 5-1 winner that day, and holds an 8-5 advantage in the head-to-head. In the Milton Keynes bubble Selby has had a decent time of it; he won the European Masters in September, and reached the semi-finals of the English Open and the Champion of Champions. He's also the defending Scottish Open champion.

Ricky Walden is now at number 39 in the world, but was in the world top ten for four consecutive seasons not so long ago and has three ranking event titles to his name. As Ken Doherty and Andy Goldstein note, he's had back problems in recent years that have affected his game, but he's still a dangerous player. Just ask Mark Allen, who was eliminated in a final frame decider by Walden last night.

Good morning!

Welcome to live coverage of the quarter-finals of the Scottish Open. Things have changed – there’s less tables, and we’ll have more frames today. It’s best of nine for a place in the semi-finals tomorrow.

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Trump on improvements to his safety game

"I could feel that out there. Every time he came to the table he was in trouble.

"Mark's a really quick player and even he was thinking quite a lot. That was one of the best safety performances I've played.

"I just wanted to win more. Seeing Mark Selby dominating for so long. Ding [Junhui] won five titles, Ronnie [O'Sullivan] won five titles.

"I was thinking I want to be in that place and went away, and worked hard on my safety. Now I think in every aspect of my game I can compete with anyone."

SCOTTISH OPEN QUARTER-FINAL SCHEDULE

Afternoon (12pm)

Mark Selby v Ricky Walden

Afternoon (2pm)

Judd Trump v Li Hang

Evening (7pm)

Ding Junhui v Ronnie O'Sullivan
Kyren Wilson v Jamie Jones

What is the format?

All matches are the best of seven frames until the quarter final, when they become best of nine. The semi-finals are best of 11 and the final is best of 17.