Ronnie O'Sullivan continues to excel in securing Welsh Open quarter-final with Mark Selby

After losing the first frame on a fluked re-spotted black, the five-times world champion O'Sullivan clicked into gear as breaks of 96, 132, 70 and 66 was enough to secure a meeting with Mark Selby in the last eight on Friday. Selby, the world number one, enjoyed a 4-2 success against home hope Mark Williams.

Defending champion John Higgins tumbled out of the tournament in suffering a surprise 4-1 defeat to another Welshman in Michael White.

"I'm pleased to still be in the tournament. No matches here are a gimme," said O'Sullivan, who also ousted Barry Pinches, Tian Pengfei and Jimmy Robertson in progressing to the quarters of a tournament he has won three times in 2004, 2005 and 2014.

"John Higgins, the second greatest player I have ever seen, has been beaten. It takes a top player to have a slightly off day and you are going out.

"Yu Delu is a brilliant player so I was a bit nervous at the start

"I maybe was giving him a little bit too much respect. I lost the first frame but got some momentum going after."

The 2010 world champion Neil Robertson was a 4-2 winner against Marco Fu while Ben Wollaston completed a 4-1 victory over Martin Gould.

In the evening's match, Judd Trump suffered a surprise 4-3 defeat to Joe Perry, but Mark Allen set up a meeting with White after edging out Barry Hawkins by the odd frame in seven.

"Michael is a great player, very aggressive, scores well so it is going to be a tough match,” said Allen. "But if I play the way I have been this week, then I am confident.”

John Higgins (Sco) 1-4 Michael White (Wal)

Mark Allen (NI)4 4-3 Barry Hawkins (Eng)

Luca Brecel (Bel) 2-4 Ding Junhui (Chn)

Marco Fu (HK) 2-4 Neil Robertson (Aus)

Mark Selby (Eng) 4-2 Mark Williams (Wal)

Yu De Lu (Chn) 1-4 Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng)

Judd Trump (Eng) 3-4 Joe Perry (Eng)

Martin Gould (Eng) 1-4 Ben Woollaston (Eng)

From 12pm

Ding Junhui (Chn) v Neil Robertson (Aus)

From 1pm

Mark Selby (Eng) v Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng)

From 7pm

Joe Perry (Eng) v Ben Woollaston (Eng)

Michael White (Wal) v Mark Allen (NI)