UK Championship as it happened - Luca Brecel and John Higgins crash out, Ronnie O'Sullivan through

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Zhang Anda is one of the best players in the world! He meets Hossein Vafaei next, and not many in the world are hitting his levels at the moment! Him, Mark Selby, Mark Williams, Zhou Yuelong, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark Allen, Judd Trump - we've a lot of great players in form, and I've not a clue who'll be smiling come Sunday night.

NO WAY! Zhang is feeling himself! He creams a long red to left corner, Luca needs a snooker ... and he comes to shake hands!

Zhang forges in front and he's shown no nerves in this match. There's a ball on the cushion that he'll need, but no reason to think he won't find a way of getting to it, because he's been in prime position for almost every shot, the white doing exactly what he's telling it to do. But then, of course, he loses it, straight on a black ... and he finds a delectable shot, easing back for the penultimate red. He's nearly there; can he get the last one off the side form the black? Yes! No! It's going well, then a double-kiss immediately stymies him, so Luca returns to the table still in the match but needing all the balls.

But he then leaves himself a longer, harder red than he ought and misses the pot ... but leaves nothing easy. Ahahaha! Zhang doesn't care! He monsters a cut to left corner, adds the green, and can he craft a significant contribution out of this table? It won't be easy because most reds are under the pink, blocking each other off, but he sends one into the knuckle of right corner and it somehow slips down. He's working this out nicely.

Off Zhang's break, Luca whizzes a thin cut to left-middle and he won't be nervous here. I guess that's part of not practising much - if you don't put everything in, you don't fear losing as much. And, as I type, he opens the balls with a glorious shot and he's settling into this run.

A total clearance of 124, and Zhang is on the brink!

He needs the spider to get over the blue and at the green, but when it drops, he has his first century of the competition. He's shaken off losing the last two frames, and is absolutely flying!

A red rolled dead weight to left corner leaves Luca needing snookers, and Zhang is so well-organised and relaxed. He knows his game, he doesn't often deviate from it, and he's in total equilibrium with it.

Zhang picks off loose reds while building a healthy lead, but at some point he'll rustle the six under the pink ... he does, and that's a lovely shot! The balls he needs are now in the open.

Luca takes on a brture, misses, and Angles thinks that was a little reckless - it looks so when two excellent reds set Zhang away - he breaks the pack and he's on one, but the black is tied up.

Hossein Vafaei 6-1 Matt Selt

We've had so many good matches already and we're not even at the quarter-finals.

This chance came about by way of fluke, but Luca's taken it well, and from 4-2 down he's levelled the match.

Luca keeps the break going with a red sent long to the yellow bag, and though there are two reds near the side, he'll have a handy lead by the time he gets to them.

At the end of a long safety battle, Luca tries to force it, going at one to left corner and missing by miles ... only for it to cannon a couple of others and knock one in the green bag. So it's in behind the yellow, a shot that wins him a pretty simple starter, and after quite some time of no balls potted, it looks the frame will shortly be over and the match all-square.

I'm afraid I couldn't even get telly coverage so I've not a clue how we got to here, but we've just been told Luca looks on the verge of playing very well but he's not quite there yet.

But we're back now.

Hossein Vafaei 3-0 Matt Selt

It's not quite sparking yet, but it's still very good, and Zhang sends us into the mid-sesh with a run of 51.

Zhang continues potting balls and this is classic flair v solidity kind of encounter. I've not a clue which will triumph.

And it looks a lot less now he's missed a ball to left corner because there's a plant on ... and Luca goes with power, of course, sinking one ball into right corner and one into right-middle. But he can't drain a long blue and in comms, Angles notes that if you've been practising, and Luca always says he hasn't - though this time, he's been a bit ill - your long game is the thing that goes. Another chance for Zhang to level us up at the interval...

Zhang has a go at the pack off the green and it yields him nowt, so it's a safety with a handy but middling lead.

Luca attacks one to right corner that jumps out of the bag and Zhang, left a chance, could do with making something significant here - he can't have a player as streakily brilliant as his opponent get on a roll.

Hossein Vafaei 3-0 Matt Selt

Luca's found a bit of momentum.

Have a look! Snookered by a green blocking off a red he wants, Luca swerves around it ... and sends it down. He can't parlay it into anything serious, but he's soon back at the table securing the frame - and, as I type, he crams a red long to the yellow. If he's on a roll here, Zhang is in trouble.

If Luca continues playing like this, Zhang has a problem, because he's just not as good at potting balls. But on 50, he runs out of position, leaving the white on the lip of the green bag - inadvertently, but to his advantage.

Zhang misses to right corner, then to left - and that second one's a baddun. But the table isn't easy and we're soon back playing safety, then Luca dangles one out and tempts Zhang, who takes on a diagonal mid-distancer to left corner, missing by a bit, and Luca will punish that oversight.

Hossein Vafaei 1-0 Matt Selt

Apparently Luca said if he wins here, he'll consider it a slightly bigger achievement than when he won the worlds - I'm not sure why - but he levels the match.

Luca is such an interesting player, because you'd expect someone who doesn't practise loads but razzes in wild pots to have perfect technique. Luca, though, doesn't - it's the cue-power, audacity and eye. He does, though go in-off, so Zhang returns to the table 77 behind with 67 on the table.

Screwing hard into the pack again, Luca spreads more balls, trusting that he'll be the one to pot them. I still can't quite believe he's world champ - I hoped he might get there one day, it never rto me that day would be in 2023. Seven red-blacks, but then he comes up for the blue; wimp.

I meant to say earlier, Zhou Yuelong, the player of the first round in beating Neil Robertson, finished off John Higgins 6-3; he's a threat. Anyway, Luca gets his evening under way with a classically classy pot to right corner, he opens the bunch, and is into the match. He now has four red-blacks...

Hossein Vafaei 0-0 Matt Selt

Great stuff from Zhang! Luca is in a match, as if he didn't know it.

It's funny when a penny drops with players and suddenly they go from being just another player to one of the best around; it sort of happened with Luca, though he was known as a stellar talent - he just didn't get hold of himself till last season - and it's happening with Zhang.

Zhang, who is in form - he recently lost the final of the English Open and won his first ranking tournament the International Championship - flukes a plant and gets to work. I always thought he was better than he was doing, but I'm surprised by how well he's gone, and he's playing with such confidence now.

And away we go.

Be focusing on the world champ. Luca Brecel takes on Zhang Anda, the man in form, so this should be a very fun match. And we'll be updating you on Hossein Vafaei v Matt Selt.

More snooker, you say? It's not a bad old life.

Thanks for your company, and do join us again at 6.30pm GMT for:

Hossein Vafaei v Matt Selt

Zhang Anda v Luca Brecel

John Higgins 3-5 Zhou Yuelong

What a lot of fun that was. Working-day sport, bless you. Rob's never played better against Ronnie, but you always felt like the man had enough and he did; he meets Zhou Yuelong of John Higgins next!

"One chance, you just want one chance" is snooker's foremost final-frame cliche, but Rob's had three and he's almost beaten. He returns to the table needing a snooker and stuck behind the black, he hits and Ronnie taps the table. I hate to say it, but it'll take him a while to get over this one; the situation got big on him and he knows it; what he doesn't know is when, if ever, he'll get another chance to beat the best of all time, never mind in a triple-crown event.

There's a red protecting the black, but Ronnie keeps nice and high on the pink, forging in front and looking like the greatest anything ever. But then he gets a quick bounce! He bangs cue on baize, chunters, then plays a decent safety, taking on a pot with the rest and missing by a little, while pulling white behind brown. But it's Ronnie who makes the next error, leaving one to the green bag, a third chance for Rob to bring home one of the wins of his life. And before he can even get going, he overcuts the first ball! This game! There is nowhere to hide, and I fear that's exactly what Rob will want to do right now. Here comes the Rocket!

No sooner typed than missed! Rob directs a red hard towards right-middle and splatters the far knuckle. So Ronnie cleans up and, as he comes up the table off the green, we see the Milkman just in shot, slumped, head bent right back over the edge of the seat. He's had two chances before Ronnie's had one, and a third doesn't seem all that likely.

It's Rob making the running here, and left a mid-distancer to right corner, he strokes it home and this really is a chance.

NOW THEN! Rob rousts a starter to left corner then, coming up the table, apologises to Ronnie when he lands on a red miles from the one intended. "As far as chances go, this is a good one," says Dom, who in between frames noted that if you keep facing your fears and problems, eventually you resolve them. A poet. Anyroad ... Rob misses a simple pink! He again apologises, having left nowt, and spends the next little bit chastising his carelessness.

John Higgins 3-4 Zhou Yuelong

We get our decider! This is a chance for Rob to do something he's never done before! Can he beat TMNTPETPUAC?

Immediately, Ronnie takes control of the safety, forcing an opportunity; he sinks a decent starter to the green bag ... then misses a simple pink to left-middle! What on earth?! The frame, though, remains in the balance because Rob now needs the last and safe red. And he's going to get it because a hit-and-hope from Ronnie, when snookered by the yellow, leaves it unmissable into right corner! Another jazzer of a match, and we're not done yet!

Rob gesticulates at the cushion - he thinks it's given him a sharp bounce - and either way he's on nowt, playing safe with three reds left - one of them on the side, behind the yellow.

This as good a chance as Rob could've hoped for. He's got reds to break up but only three of them, and though the yellow is on the side, he won't need it.

Vex for Ronnie as a kiss on the black leaves him without a colour; he grimaces and, perhaps, growls. Then, when left a long starterm he misses by a way and now it's Rob in the balls!

If, in your life, you've come across anything better than working-day, elite-level sport, do please let on what it is; what a treat this tournament is. Rob gets away with a nice starter, but a cannon on the brown means he's on nowt, and when Ronnie plays another master's safety, the response allows him a red. Given the state of the match, he'll want to finish this here, because though he might not've expected Rob to beat him, he'll know that from 5-4, it's not impossible.

John Higgins 2-4 Zhou Yuelong

Not quite. A 120 is plenty, though, and Rob fancies this.

For the first time today, it feels like Rob winning is a possibility, and he'll want to pot all the balls here, I'm sure of it. There's a 135 out there...

And look at that! He strokes a tight pink to left-middle and he's potting balls at quite some pace. The speed of frame here has been unbelievable, and by the looks of things, we're going to get at least one more because everything is there for the Milkman.

From tight on the baulk rail, Rob caresses a starter into right-middle - nicely done, Sir. He quickly sets about the balls, and I think he might now be enjoying the contest.

John Higgins 1-4 Zhou Yuelong

A run of 89 and Ronnie goes one away.

Ronnie is fairly racing around the table now. He is totally devoid of ruth.

And as soon as it gets interesting, Ronnie ups it, stroking down a lovely starter. He then comes up the table off the yellow, he's right where he needs to be, and it's hard to see him missing before the frame is secure.

Excellent from Rob, keeping Ronnie on the hook by playing an excellent break; the only response is a roll-up, which of course is measured to perfection. But a few shots later, a fantastic safety from the Rocket, opening reds, hiding reds and leaving the white on the baulk cushion, forces him to take on a difficult pot; he's not too far away, but it stays out and Ronnie gets in. He can't, though, work his way into a decent position, so plays safe and this is getting very interesting.

John Higgins 1-3 Zhou Yuelong

Rob clouts down a blue and brings the final red off the rail, but it rolls safe - onto the aformentioned blue.He won't mind though, he badly needed that frame and he made it his in some style. In nine meetings, this is the first time he's taken three frames off Ronnie.

This is really good from Rob, who'll have been feeling very poorly having first ceded an early lead, then had the last frame pilfered from his pocket.

Here we go. Rob runs out of pottable balls, but is looking at a plant; Dom doesn't like it because balls will go everywhere, but he's more conservative than the Milkman, who rams it home and keeps his run going. This is a great chance for 4-3.

Aaaargggghhhh! My computer crashes, returning to show me Rob at the table and in the balls. I hate to say it, but the way things go for him against Ronnie, I'd not be surprised to see a 40 and another steal - but let's hope he can hold it down because he can't win if he goes 5-2 behind.

John Higgins 1-3 Zhou Yuelong

Ronnie clears to the pink, cementing the steal, then leaves the arena so Rob can marinate in his disappointment.

Ronnie quickly closes the gap and leans over the table to pop in the penultimate red left-handed. But off the brown, he doesn't get the cannon he wants, right up behind the next ball, so he plays off it to leave the pink between it and the white, now favourite for the frame. Rob, though, is not out of it at all - though you feel he can't afford to lose this one - and as I type that, he escapes the snooker but leaves the pot. Ronnie drains it, and the colours on or near their spots remain.

Oh, Robbie. I'm afraid he's facepalming after poking into the knuckle of right-middle and well he might. The frame was almost his, and now that is far from certain. The remaining reds aren't easy, scattered about the table, but none are inaccessible.

The form Zhou's in, he'd be a bazzer of a next opponent for Ronnie, should both progress. But in the meantime, a red Rob directs into the green knuckle somehow struggles down and he looks as comfy at the table now as he has all day.

John Higgins 1-3 Zhou Yuelong

A total clearance of 142, and that's three in a row for the Don.

There's a 144 out there for Ronnie, and he looks much better now. He can't keep starting like this - if he wins here, it's Higgins or Yuelong next, and both of those will believe they can beat him - but I'm sure he's going to find a way through this one, and there's a ton in the offing.

Since winning the second frame with a 60, Rob hasn't made a 30, and he's not far off falling behind.

Ronnie plays a fine snooker that yields a foul then, when left a starter to left corner, he clacks it down, and Robert will be starting to wonder. He had a two-frame lead, did nothing with it, and this looks ominous.

John Higgins 1-1 Zhou Yuelong

Neither player is playing well, but it's hard not to suspect that Rob has missed his chance.

Nope. He's never taken three frames off Ronnie ... and he's not going to here, at least yet. Having accidentally left a tight cut to the middle, he misses, Ronnie absolutely creams home, and this is going to be 2-2 at the interval.

Ronnie drifts a red towards left corner but it stays out and Rob sends it down. The table is a little easier now, just one red close to the side cushion, and this is a proper chance to steal...

Or not! Out of naewhere, Ronnie drills a black into the knuckle and Rob gets away to left-middle easily. There are, though, no easy loose reds - four are under the pink and two near the side rail - and he misses the cluster leaving a pot ... which Ronnie can't despatch! So Rob goes again, digs into the bunch off blue and side ... but it yields nowt.

Left one to right corner, Ronnie gets away again, and Robert will be fearing the worst.

John Higgins 1-1 Zhou Yuelong

Time's up? Er, quite possibly. Ronnie is in to the match now, and I'd not be totally surprised if he wins it 6-2. But Rob is more than capable of pinching the last of the mini-sesh if offered an opportunity.

Is Ronnie settling? He builds a nice lead and the way the balls are, you fully expect this to be a frame back.

Robert will be staggered to be two-up having played as he has, and as I type that, bridging awkwardly over the pink, he misses a diagonal one to left corner you expected him to sort easy. However, he is in now, Rob shaking his head at the potting error that allowed it - he'll know he'll not be allowed to win this if he doesn't up his level.

John Higgins 0-1 Zhou Yuelong

...and down it goes! Neither man is playing well, but it's the underdog with the lead!

Robert clears to the brown, and it's a simple blue for 2-0...

Now then! Ronnie misses a brown then, when Robert can't capitalise, misses a pink to middle! Can Robert make it count this time? He's away...

Ooooh yeah! Ronnie power-strokes a starter into right corner - that's a gorgeous strike - and he's in the balls, black available to both corners.

John Higgins 0-1 Zhou Yuelong

Ronnie gets a double-kiss and Rob drains green and brown ... then blue and pink. Now he's in the match.

But left a cut to the green, Ronnie misses, but Rob - with the brown on the lip of the yellow - can't see it away and doesn't even get close.

Rob wobbles in the green but he doesn't get away with his next imprecision, leaving the final red in the jaws of left corner. he's lucky, though, getting cover from the yeller ... except Ronnie pots it with the rest, off the side! That's tremendous work, and though he soon has to play safe, he bins the aforementioned yeller then lays a snooker on the green; Rob escapes first go. He needs green and brown for the frame, Ronnie needs everything.

Oooh, playing away from the brown, Ronnie leaves it in the yellow jaws,and Rob now has a chance to polish off the frame.

You get the sense Ronnie doesn't really believe Rob can beat him, and he's soon ushered back to the table thanks to a loose safety. The balls aren't perfectly spread, but they're spread well enough.

Well, sort of, because he's just left a simple starter to the yellow having caught a safety far too thickly - nerves, pressure - and that could well cost him the frame. But a poor positional shot from Ronnie means he's soon playing safe.

Landing low on a red, Rob has to bash the pack, and he sends balls all over but doesn't land on a colour. He'll have wanted more from that opportunity, but he's in the match.

Robert has never beaten Ronnie, losing eight times with an aggregate frame-score of 46-7. And he starts poorly here, leaving a red ... but Ronnie misses it, leaving it for him! He'll know he needs to get going early because no chance he's beating the greatest from behind.

But Ronnie played his way into form last round, despatching Anthony McGill after a difficult start. Rob, meanwhile, is enjoying a terrific Indian summer to his career, but he'll have to play better than he's ever played before to even have a chance this afternoon - and I say that not because I don't respect his ability, just that his particular attacking style plays to Ronnie's strengths.

Hossein Vafaei v Matt Selt

Zhang Anda v Luca Brecel

Ronnie O'Sullivan v Robert Milkins and John Higgins v Zhou Yuelong

And welcome to the UK Championships 2023 - day six!

Jimmy White described Judd Trump as a “winning machine” after he whitewashed Jamie Jones to book his place in the quarter-finals of the UK Championship.

“He’s just relentless,” White told Eurosport. “You know, he's just like this winning machine, full of confidence.

“When he's got his opponent in trouble, he's keeping them on the back foot.”

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Stream top snooker action, including the UK Championship, live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com