World Open 2024 semi-finals recap - Ding Junhui edges Neil Robertson in thriller after Judd Trump beats Jackson Page

Updated 23/03/2024 at 15:44 GMT

Welcome back to Eurosport's live coverage of the 2023-24 World Open. We're onto the semi-finals today with very exciting games coming up. First on the table is Judd Trump, with the tour's in-form player facing off against Jackson Page who has enjoyed a dream run to the final four. Then later on Neil Robertson continues his quest to find form ahead of the World Championship against Ding Junhui.

‘Brilliant stuff’ - Robertson makes century in fourth frame of World Open semi-final

Don't miss Trump v Ding on Sunday

The Chinese star comes through a thriller and will now meet Judd Trump in what will be a fascinating tussle for the title on Sunday.

World Open

Crucible titles key if Trump wants to 'end all arguments' over his status - Hendon

25/03/2024 at 12:18

Be sure to join us again tomorrow for all of the action from the 2024 World Open final.

RESULT! - ROBERTSON 5-6 DING

Robertson rushes into his next shot and the cue ball cannons into the pink as he tries to escape to baulk.

Ding lines up the final mid-range red down the left via the rest and his cut to the corner bag is perfection.

The colours follow from there as he hits the front on the board and there are huge roars from his fans in the crowd as he sinks the pink to clinch victory. A run of 24 under real pressure gets it done and he punches the table in delight. What. A. Match!

ROBERTSON 5-5 DING (56-44)

Robertson has a couple of nibbles at long reds but it just won’t come off for him. A miss on a long cut to the left corner leaves a red on down the left rail for Ding and the Chinese comes up trumps with a belting pot.

A pink up to middle left clips the near jaw and somehow drops in and a lovely angle on a low red to the right corner even ends with the cue ball topside of blue.

He needs another nerve-less cut on a red to the bottom right and betters that with a pressure pink to the same pocket.

He’s on the final red but it’s close to the black near the lower right cushion. He plays safe up to baulk with a run of 20 but it’s anyone’s from here now.

ROBERTSON 5-5 DING (56-24)

Ding makes some steady inroads but then curses himself when he lands high on the black. He needs the rest and a fine, fine cut to stay on course.

He produces a beauty of a pot, but then thuds a red against the jaws of the bottom left and the plot thickens further!

ROBERTSON 5-5 DING (56-0)

There’s another gasp from the audience as Ding’s safety is first to blink.

Robertson again plays attack-minded snooker with a delicious clip on a red up to the yellow pocket and then polishes off the colour.

However, the pressure of the moment gets to the Aussie as he blows a red down to the bottom right corner and suddenly Ding has a chance to turn the tables.

Incredible, yes. Surprising? Not really. This frame is just in-keeping with the pattern of the match!

ROBERTSON 5-5 DING (53-0)

It’s Robertson who seizes the initiative as he boldly thunders a long red to the left corner. He’s perfectly on the black to the opposite corner too and there’s an air of resignation for Ding and his fans as the Aussie sets about building a significant lead.

Of course, we’ve had plenty of plot twists in this semi-final, so it’s perhaps no surprise and maybe even fitting when it all goes awry close to the remainder of the pack. Robbo ponders a risky red, but in the end a run of 53 leaves him well placed, but also offers Ding and his followers hope.

ROBERTSON 5-5 DING

A face-off on the yellow ends with Robertson nicking it into the green pocket. He fires the green down to middle left and then guides a controlled brown up to the green pocket. The blue follows to the same bag but his attempt to lay a trap in-behind the black with the pink up north doesn’t come off and Ding does indeed force the decider.

Who will come out on top? We still have no inkling as the players prepare for a one-frame shoot-out to decide a place in Sunday’s final versus Judd Trump.

ROBERTSON 5-4 DING (69-36)

The crowd gasp as Ding’s routine run threaten to go awry after eating away at Robb’s lead.

He can just about see a red beyond the black and shows nerves of steel to sink it to the bottom left bag and land perfectly back on the black.

He takes care of the three remaining reds with the minimum of fuss but overcooks a pot on the black and has no options on in baulk!

Robbo still needs snookers but will at least attempt to get them with a return to the table he wasn’t expecting.

ROBERTSON 5-4 DING (0-36)

That 128 clearance has put a spring in Robertson’s step at the best possible moment and he dashes around the table, knocking in reds with authority.

He looks odds-on to finish it here, but that wouldn’t be in-keeping with this topsy-turvy tussle, and some awkward cueing over the top of a red sees him miss what was surely a routine red to bottom right.

Lifeline for Ding!

ROBERTSON 5-4 DING (0-1)

Ding almost tosses the rest away in disgust when he undercuts a pink to the right corner after earning the opportunity with a lovely opener.

It opens the door for Robbo, who will be very keen to finish this off from here.

ROBERTSON 5-4 DING

Neil complains again about a member of the crowd just to the side of his seat. He can’t quite believe the referee isn’t taking clear action as he feels he has purposefully been hindered mid-shot on various occasions in this match.

He’s perplexed, but the venting helps him reset, and he picks off a beauty of a long red just shy of the pack to the bottom left to open here and set about building a steady lead with some thoughtful snooker.

He bides his time before cannoning into the pack, getting the spread he was hoping for and with it a frame-winning opportunity.

The black is out of commission between two reds for the large part, but he feeds off the pink to move beyond frame ball and brilliantly slides the final red down the left rail to stay on track for a century.

The colours are on their spots, so it’s fairly routine from there as he hits the front at the perfect moment via a scintillating 128 clearance.

‘Brilliant stuff’ - Robertson makes century in fourth frame of World Open semi-final

ROBERTSON 4-4 DING

Robertson does indeed seize the day as he gobbles up the open reds to move well clear before he comes up trumps on a very fine cut on a red to the bottom right to banish some of those earlier demons.

The World No.15 then nails frame ball with a controlled pot on a red to the bottom right via the rest. He lands neatly on the black and from there Ding has no intention of returning to the table.

Neil doesn’t get much further and he gestures at movement in the crowd – an issue he lamented earlier in the match - as reason for his miss. He shakes his head and moves towards the bathroom, but he has at least stopped the rot with a place in the final still anyone’s at this key juncture.

ROBERTSON 3-4 DING (26-28)

Ding looks puzzled as a routine attempt to flick a red from a tricky position behind the brown and retreat to baulk sees him completely miss the ball and foul.

He makes it count second time around and should be in the same pickle when Robbo attempts the same snooker behind the brown.

The Aussie makes a hash of it and Ding has the frame on his cue with a tricky red too middle right. In-keeping with the scruffy nature of this match, he butchers his attempt and crashes into the pack as collateral damage.

Surely Robertson will level from here with such an inviting table to attack?

ROBERTSON 3-4 DING (22-28)

It’s increasingly difficult to guess who is going to come out of this semi-final triumphant.

Ding is certainly a different proposition now, but he still looks shy of firing on all cylinders. On a break of 28 he clips the brown on the run down the table and has to take on a tough red to the bottom left. He duly misses it and there’s no joy with the fluke as the red speeds towards the green pocket but wriggles with the jaws and stays out.

Robertson steps in and nicks it away before some excellent positional play helps him to eat into Ding’s lead. The Aussie knows he can’t afford a slip given the scoreboard and retreats tight to baulk from a run of 22 with just two reds loose from the remainder of the pack.

‘Brilliant stuff’ - Robertson makes century in fourth frame of World Open semi-final

ROBERTSON 3-4 DING

Neil threads the eye of the needle by evading the black close to the left cushion and nicking the long red past it and into the bottom corner. He then makes awkward cueing over a nearby red look simple with a cut on the pink up to middle left and suddenly he has a glimmer of an opportunity for the steal.

That quickly evaporates when an attempt on a red to the bottom right goes awry with his fear of a touching ball seeing him miss his pot and also commit a foul.

Ding steps forward and when a red to middle left clips the near jaw and somehow drops, Robbo knows his hopes are gone.

The Chinese star misses the green up to its own pocket and a forlorn Robertson plays on for a snooker, but when he fails at the first attempt he throws in the imaginary towel.

ROBERTSON 3-3 DING (0-51)

The pendulum has swung out of Robertson’s reach and it feels like the momentum is all with Ding right now.

The Thunder from Down Under has had issues with the angle on his cuts to the bottom corners at various points in this match and the malfunction costs him again here with a miss on a red to the bottom right.

Ding jumps all over the error and surges to the half century before an inexplicable miss on a red to bottom right leaves him fuming with himself and gives the Aussie some much-needed hope.

ROBERTSON 3-3 DING

Neil fails to cut a long red to the bottom left and Ding makes him pay with some beautiful cueing helping him to sizzle down an even trickier red to the same pocket.

It paves the way for The Dragon to seize control of the frame. It’s steady and almost hard-fought potting with a tricky red via the rest to the bottom left the pick of the bunch.

Another miss-able red to the bottom right nestles safely in the bag and the reward for staying so focused in a far from routine break appears on his horizon when he expertly guides a long red up the green pocket. It's all about the clearance from there and some swashbuckling potting with the heat off helps him to his target with a run of 76 squaring the match at three apiece!

ROBERTSON 3-2 DING (16-9)

It really is a mixed bag from Ding so far today and Robertson will wonder how this match is still so finely poised.

The Chinese offers a cameo of his unpredictable form so far in this semi as he follows a sublime cut on a red down to the bottom right with a painful miss on a yellow down to the middle right.

‘Great pot’ - Ding nails fine blue in World Open semi-final against Robertson

ROBERTSON 3-2 DING (16-4)

Neil ends the lengthiest safety impasse of this semi final by picking off a tidy red to bottom left from a central position. It’s a fine pot, but there’s no colour on.

He thinks he’s safe playing off pink up to baulk but Ding pulls off an almighty fluke on a red to the corner and the Chinese guides a green down to middle left to turn the tables.

The black is tight to the lower left rail, but Ding cannons it into play and tempts Neil into a tough red to middle right that would leave an open table for the Chinese should he miss.

The Aussie takes it on successfully and then nicks a yellow to middle right, but he can’t pull off the long red to seize control of the frame and The Dragon is in again.

ROBERTSON 3-2 DING (12-0)

Robertson shrugs off the irritation of that miss in the previous frame and crunches into the pack off a belting pot on the blue to middle right.

He’s so unfortunate not to have got a great split off that contact and needs to play safe up to baulk with a run of 12 when he probably thought he was well-placed to keep Ding rooted to his seat.

ROBERTSON 3-2 DING

Ding eases a red to middle right to open and this time he doesn’t falter as a clinical pot on the penultimate red down the left rail leaves Robbo needing a snooker.

The Dragon’s run ends on 45 as he has no position on a colour, but he’s in the box seat playing off the final red with Neil desperate to snare the foul.

Sadly for the Aussie, he’s the one who gets caught in a trap and when he clips the black trying to navigate a path from baulk to a red near the bottom rail, he knows the game is up – and Ding is back in business!

ROBERTSON 3-1 DING (24-19)

Ding needs to rally quickly following that interval – and he gets off to a flyer.

A weak Robertson break-off allows him to cut a neat red to middle right and follow it with a superb, slow-paced blue to the left corner.

His position off the ensuing red is woeful but he recovers by leaning into a tough green up to its home pocket and not only pots it, but comes off two cushions to land perfectly on a red to the right corner.

His mojo appears to be flowing – but it comes to a sudden halt on a run of 19 with a sloppy, surprising miss on a routine pink.

Robertson almost jumps out of his seat and seemingly can’t wait to try and take advantage of such a shocker from his opponent, easing to a break of 24 before a miscalculation ona red to middle right gifts Ding a reprieve. Neil is fuming and rightly so. There was a HUGE chance for a 4-1 lead there, but now this frame is Ding’s to lose.

ROBERTSON 3-1 DING

Neil spots a mid-range red from left to right to the corner and a lovely pot on the blue opens the door for another decent run.

He overcompensates on a cut on a red to the bottom left and is fortunate that it hugs the jaw before dropping. He’s faced a few demons with that pocket so far today, but this time he escapes unscathed.

A yellow up to its home pocket keeps him on track and he quickly works his way down towards the stray reds and the black to score more heavily.

Cautious use of the extension and rest takes care of a red down the right rail and leaves him perfectly on the black and it’s not long until he uses a pot on the black to bottom right to split the remaining pack further.

It’s his for the taking from there and a pink up to middle right leaves Ding needing a minor miracle and a plethora of snookers.

Not that Robbo gives him time to process that thought as the Thunder from Down Under rushes through some delightfully efficient potting to snare the first century of the contest and complete an excellent 118 clearance to head into the interval firmly incharge.

ROBERTSON 2-1 DING (0-5)

Once again Ding produces two stonking pots; one red up in baulk and a superb long-range brown down to the corner left.

There’s no positional reward for his endeavour, however, and he again comes up short following the safety with a tough miss on a red up to middle right that leaves an opening for the Aussie…

ROBERTSON 2-1 DING

Robertson takes full advantage of the reprieve and mops up the stray reds near the black before guiding one up to middle right to clinch frame ball.

The crowd and Robertson think it’s all over despite another missed cut on a red to the corner pocket, but Ding has other ideas. He’s 63 behind with just 51 remaining and yet he opts to pot a few more balls. The Eurosport Comms team feel it’s just for him to try and build some rhythm again and it seems to be the case as he soon concedes the frame and Robertson has what he will feel is a deserved lead.

ROBERTSON 1-1 DING (34-10)

There’s a yelp of approval from someone in the audience as Ding nails a diagonal red from left to right but there’s no thought for position.

He contemplates his options briefly before guiding a sublime long blue up to the yellow pocket. It quite rightly earns him a big round of applause, but he can’t slip a red up in baulk to the same pocket and suddenly Robertson has a big chance despite the two 'worldies' from the Chinese veteran.

ROBERTSON 1-1 DING (34-4)

Robertson pulls off another spectacular long red in mid-table down to the right corner and again gets the first real look at the table.

The black is out of commission tied to a solitary red south of the pack, but the Aussie makes use of the colours in baulk to remain at the helm and problem-solve his way down the table.

He manages to free the black but the pink is buried amidst the remaining cluster of the pack.

He plays a delightful positional shot to take on a red just below the pink and tries to free it, but in-doing so he sees the cue ball screw back and make a beeline for the middle-left pocket.

There’s a collective gasp in the audience and Robertson pauses to grimace before sloping back to his chair.

ROBERTSON 1-1 DING

Somewhat surprisingly, The Dragon plays a very weak safety into the pack and leaves a red hovering close to the bottom right pocket.

Robertson shunts it down from baulk and with some stray reds south of a half-complete pack, he is able to prey off the black. He doesn’t take long in spying a decent angle to split the pack further and once again a frame-winning position opens up for him.

The Thunder from Down Under has missed a couple of sitters already here, but he remains unfazed as romps beyond frame ball, coming up shy of the century with a run of 68 when he fails with a tough cut on a red down the right rail.

ROBERTSON 0-1 DING (13-0)

Neil sizzles a long red to the corner right and again seems to be ticking along nicely, but it’s déjà vu as he fails with another cut on a red to the bottom left.

This time Ding can’t make any inroads as a mid-range red to the same pocket jiggles with the jaws before nomadically darting back into play.

ROBERTSON 0-1 DING

Ouch.

Ding plays a beauty of a snooker tight behind the black and lures the foul out of the Aussie as he completely misses the yellow.

Ding clouts down the free ball green but still can’t get over the line with another short run.

Robertson is surely out of this now as he needs two snookers to tie and after giving it a go for a moment or two, he regretfully concedes the frame and it is - FINALLY -Ding's.

ROBERTSON 0-0 DING (39-68)

It feels like it’s about the final red and after a brief exchange of safety, Robbo leaves a half chance for the Chinese veteran.

Ding takes on the long red and bullets it to the left corner. Position goes out of the window and he has to cut a tricky green to its own pocket up near baulk before opting for safety as he claws his way closer to taking this opener.

ROBERTSON 0-0 DING (39-64)

Robertson can only watch on and internally toil over blowing a great opportunity to lay down an early marker.

Ding dutifully sets about trying to make him pay the full price, mopping up the loose reds on a very inviting table.

A sharp black to bottom right sees The Dragon ease in front on the board and he follows with a simple use of the blue to help gain more favourable position on a tricky red down the left rail. He stretches into the shot but makes it look simple before a black and the use of the rest to take care of the penultimate red down the opposite cushion puts him within sight of the frame.

The crowd are excited but that shifts to dismay as he can’t get the cannon he wants on the final red near the lower left cushion and has to play safe up to baulk.

ROBERTSON 0-0 DING (39-0)

Robertson tests Ding’s safety early doors and a horrible full-ball kiss on a mid-table red leaves a routine one down to the corner left for the Aussie.

The World No.15 rolls it down and teases a neat pink to middle right. The pack is well spread around the black and he looks to be ‘quids-in’ as he makes quick work of a series of red-black combos to build a commanding lead.

It seems like it may well be a frame-winning visit, but he inexplicably miscues a cut on a red to the corner left and his run ends abruptly on 39.

Here we go!

The players have arrived at the table and we are underway in the second semi of the day.

A BIT OF PREVIOUS...

This is just their second meeting in the last four years. Robertson came out on top 6-5 at last year's Shanghai Masters and the Aussie also prevailed 6-4 at the Champions of Champions event in 2020. Indeed, Robertson has won the last four encounters and is 10-8 to the good overall. Ding's last victory was 10 years ago in the final of the China Open.

THE ACE IN THE PACKS AWAITS

Earlier today, Judd Trump roared into the final with a convincing 6-2 triumph over Jackson Page.

Page executes fine plant in World Open semi-final loss to Trump

Welcome back!

It's almost time for the second semi-final from the 2024 World Open in Yushan.

Ding Junhui locks horns with Neil Robertson in a best of 11-frame showdown for a place in Sunday's final.

The boys are due at the baulk from 11.30 GMT.

-------------------------------------------

SECOND SEMI-FINAL COMING UP

That's it for the first semi-final from the World Open in Yushan, but the second is just around the corner where Neil Robertson will be taking on home hero Ding Junhui. Both have played an excellent tournament so far, so it should be a good one - coming up at 11.30am GMT!

TRUMP 6-2 PAGE

It wasn't a classic by any means, but Trump gets the job done. It's been a bit of a scrappy one from both players, but, at the end of the day, it was too many unforced errors from Page and Trump had the edge when it came to taking opportunities when they arose.

TRUMP 5-2 PAGE (61-37)

Pink refuses to fall for Trump. Page returns to the table briefly, but concedes.

TRUMP 5-2 PAGE (56-37)

Brown falls and that's the frame ball for Trump.

TRUMP 5-2 PAGE (28-37)

Page misses brown on the middle and leaves Trump an opener. Looking at the table. this could be it.

TRUMP 5-2 PAGE (27-37)

Bit of a let-down from Page who ends up on the wrong side of the blue. However, he finds a way out of it and makes a great plant to safe himself for the moment.

TRUMP 5-2 PAGE (27-8)

And another brilliant shot from Page who pots a long green and splits the reds.

TRUMP 5-2 PAGE (27-5)

Unreal opener from Page at a wide angle.

TRUMP 5-2 PAGE (27-4)

Decent break so far from Trump, but he's now facing the remaining reds all bulked up. He opts for the safety.

TRUMP 5-2 PAGE (1-4)

Page sinks green but ends up in an awkward position from there. His safety attempt is a poor one and he leaves Trump a long pot to open,

TRUMP 5-2 PAGE (0-1)

Quick opener from Page - long pot into bottom left.

TRUMP 5-2 PAGE

Hard work and sheer willpower got Trump through that frame. The positioning wasn't quite coming together, but the title defender played some excellent shots to keep his break going. He's one frame away from the final.

TRUMP 4-2 PAGE (68-8)

Trump plays black along the cushion and it doesn't want to fall. Still, the frame is his.

TRUMP 4-2 PAGE (58-8)

Trump is looking at the plant and he makes it - great shot! One more colour and that's the frame.

TRUMP 4-2 PAGE (42-8)

Trump finishes on the wrong side of the blue and is forced to go around the table. He needs a great red to continue from there and he finds it.

TRUMP 4-2 PAGE (17-8)

Indeed, black for Trump and he follows it up with an excellent red at a tricky angle. Awkward cuing on black from there, but he makes it.

TRUMP 4-2 PAGE (2-8)

Trump pots to open and has a set-up on black. It will be tricky to find something afterwards though.

TRUMP 4-2 PAGE (1-8)

Some decent shots from Page, including nice work to open up black, but he misses an attempt on black. In his defence, there was some noise from the crowd which looks to have distracted him in the crucial moment. On the upside, he doesn't leave Trump an opener and it's safeties again.

TRUMP 4-2 PAGE (1-1)

Page now finds an opener and he has some options from here.

TRUMP 4-2 PAGE (1-0)

Opener for Trump, but he has absolutely no position on anything from here and opts for the safety.

TRUMP 4-2 PAGE

Scrappy, scrappy frame all around. There was a chance back in for Page, but, once more, Trump had the edge in capitalising on errors.

That's Trump ahead two frames for the first time in the match now.

TRUMP 3-2 PAGE (60-12)

No chance to pot, so Trump opts for the snooker instead. Page remains seated and the frame is Trump's.

TRUMP 3-2 PAGE (54-12)

Frame ball for Trump now.

TRUMP 3-2 PAGE (47-12)

Page misses the opener and leaves one for Trump instead.

TRUMP 3-2 PAGE (46-12)

Trump misses a delicate red on bottom right and doesn't quite get the frame ball. Still a healthy advantage though.

TRUMP 3-2 PAGE (35-12)

Risky shot from Page and he pays the price for it as he opens things up and leaves Trump an opener.

TRUMP 3-2 PAGE (34-12)

It's an odd table with all reds now moved to the bottom right hand cushion, black, green, and blue amongst them. Safeties are being traded still.

TRUMP 3-2 PAGE (34-12)

Brilliant long pot from Page, but where does he go from here? He opts to hit yellow for a safety.

TRUMP 3-2 PAGE (34-11)

Nice cue shots from Page, but he's nowhere near closer to the higher value colours and now also has all reds remaining in bulks. He opts to hit green for a safety.

TRUMP 3-2 PAGE (34-1)

Opener for Page. He will have to work with the smaller value colours from here though.

TRUMP 3-2 PAGE (34-0)

Nice break so far from Trump, but he messes up his position on blue and misses. He leaves Page an awkward table with blue against the cushion and both black and pink trapped in red staggers.

TRUMP 3-2 PAGE (1-0)

Opener for Trump and he has a set-up on blue. There's some nice open reds as well.

TRUMP 3-2 PAGE

Certainly a golden chance missed for Page more than anything else with Trump in place to capitalise. There's not too much in it, but Page needs to cut out the unforced errors if he wants to beat Trump.

TRUMP 2-2 PAGE (95-30)

Not quite a clearance as he misses a decent position on black, but Trump takes the frame.

TRUMP 2-2 PAGE (70-30)

Very thin chance on the red, but Trump makes it and there should be nothing in his way now this frame.

TRUMP 2-2 PAGE (69-30)

Brown falls and that's the frame ball for Trump. He misses the following red though and Page has a chance here.

TRUMP 2-2 PAGE (64-30)

Trump is on a roll now. One more red and the next colour would be the frame ball. Getting the colour does look a bit tricky though.

TRUMP 2-2 PAGE (21-30)

What a chance that was but Page misses red and leaves Trump an opener.

There's another phone going off and the referee now addresses the crowd rather harshly.

TRUMP 2-2 PAGE (20-1)

Uncharacteristic miss on red from Trump and he leaves Page an opener with options.

TRUMP 2-2 PAGE (16-0)

Well handled by Trump who finds red despite the tricky situation.

TRUMP 2-2 PAGE (15-0)

Bit too much on the black and the position is a bit off. Trump sinks it anyway but ends up with the cue ball nestled against blue. Bit unlucky.

TRUMP 2-2 PAGE (1-0)

Long opener from Trump and he has a set-up on pink.

TRUMP 2-2 PAGE

All square at the interval after what has been an interesting match so far.

Trump looked set to take control early on, but that's not how things panned out. Page will be delighted with 2-2 at this point, having played a nervy game so far but, equally, having kept himself in it with glimpses of brilliance here and there. Trump has probably had the edge so far, but he will rue some missed chances that could have had him ahead.

TRUMP 2-1 PAGE (23-73)

Great shot on brown, but blue doesn't want to fall. Nevertheless, it's Page's frame.

TRUMP 2-1 PAGE (23-59)

Page is making things more difficult for himself than he needs to with some untidy positioning, but he keeps getting away with it and that's the frame ball.

TRUMP 2-1 PAGE (23-27)

Beautiful shot from Page who sinks black and makes a delicate split on the reds. He's in a great situation in this frame now.

TRUMP 2-1 PAGE (23-2)

... not the best safety though as Page sinks a long hit on red and gains a set-up on black.

TRUMP 2-1 PAGE (23-1)

Unforced error from Page who misses a routine shot on black. On the upside, at least he doesn't leave Trump an obvious opener. Safety it is.

TRUMP 2-1 PAGE (23-1)

Tricky shot on blue and Trump misses. There's an opener left for Page as well.

TRUMP 2-1 PAGE (1-0)

Page misses and Trump capitalises. He has a set-up on blue as well.

TRUMP 2-1 PAGE

It's not that Page is being outplayed, but he has been leaving Trump too many chances and the title defender has done the better job of capitalising so far.

TRUMP 1-1 PAGE (71-9)

The red to top right at an awkward angle doesn't want to fall, but the frame is Trump's anyway.

TRUMP 1-1 PAGE (58-9)

Frame ball now for Trump.

TRUMP 1-1 PAGE (33-9)

Indeed, Page misses blue and leaves Trump an opening. There's nothing obvious to stop Trump in this frame now.

TRUMP 1-1 PAGE (32-9)

Trump misses what looked to be a safe opener and Page is in turn to capitalise. The cue ball runs a bit further than he would have hoped for on blue though.

TRUMP 1-1 PAGE (32-8)

That's it though for Trump on the table, but he leaves Page just about snookered with blue in his path.

TRUMP 1-1 PAGE (26-8)

Bit of a shot to nothing for Trump on the long hit for an opening but it turns out quite nice for him.

TRUMP 1-1 PAGE (25-8)

That's the options run out though for Trump and there's no easy safety either. He leaves Page an easy safety in turn but at least there's no opener available.

TRUMP 1-1 PAGE (4-8)

Black for Page, but he misses the next red by miles. Trump converts in turn and is back on the table with options.

TRUMP 1-1 PAGE (3-1)

Trump does sink the yellow but follows it up with an uncharacteristic miss. Worse so, he leaves Page an opener.

TRUMP 1-1 PAGE (1-0)

Terrific opener from Trump, red to middle going up the table, and he has a set-up on yellow.

TRUMP 1-1 PAGE

Truly an astonishing second frame, marked by a remarkable snooker. There was some scrappy frame building from Page in there, but he got the frame nonetheless which will hopefully help him to settle.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (36-73)

Page can't sink green from here, but the frame is his nonetheless.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (36-73)

Bit of a fluke, but Page navigates yellow into the left side pocket. It must have been a quarter of an hour at least on that yellow.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (36-71)

Page yet again snookers Trump, this time with blue in the path to yellow, and Trump finds the black instead, giving away some further foul points.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (36 - 64)

A couple more fouls - in fact, the maximum number of fouls - from Trump out of that very awkward snooker. And Page is back on the table.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (36-48)

That's Trump finding himself snookered now and it's a nasty one. The cue ball sits against the bottom cushion with black and pink right in front of it, yellow is all the way up the table. He has to go via the cushion at least twice, probably three times and he misses on this occasion.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (36-44)

Snooker again as Page has blue in his way to yellow. He finds a way around the situation, going via the top cushion.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (36-44)

Page finds himself snookered with blue between the cue ball and yellow. He manages though and we're back to safeties. Really hard to see how this well get resolved at this point.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (36-44)

Nice safety from Trump who places the yellow almost against the brown that sits precariously close to top right. Page manages and we have a bit of a stalemate now with the yellow and the brown still sitting close together.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (36-44)

Indeed, blue and then that's it for Trump.

There's only colours left on the table now.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (31-44)

Trump sinks a red and he has a set-up on blue as well. From there onwards, things look rather tricky.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (30-44)

Nice safety from Page who nestles the only remaining red against the yellow. Trump manages though.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (30-44)

And that's it for Trump for now as he opts for a safety.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (17-44)

Trump makes the opener but the table doesn't exactly look destined for a clearance.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (16-44)

Page lost his way a bit throughout but somehow managed to save himself time and again. However, he now misses green and leaves an opener as well.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (16-34)

Opener now for Page and he's back on the table.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (16-33)

Not quite on the red in the stagger, Page misses and, worse so, opens up the reds and leaves Trump an opener. Astonishingly though, Trump misses.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (16-19)

Not a big angle on brown, but Page plays it beautifully. He has options from here as well.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (16-9)

Opener now for Page and he has a set-up on blue.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (16-8)

Page misses - in his defence, a mobile phone went off in the crowd there which might have been a factor - and Trump is in place to capitalise. He misses pink in turn but gets away with it, leaving no opener for Page. Back to safeties.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (15-8)

Not bad from Page who navigates his way over the cushion and doesn't leave an opener either. Safeties again now

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (15-8)

Trump finds a red to sink but there's nowhere to go from here and he places the cue ball behind green to snooker Page.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (14-8)

There's nothing much to work with though for Trump with the reds still in a bulk. We're back to trading safeties.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (7-8)

Terrible choice from Page who leaves Trump an obvious opener.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (6-8)

Nowhere to go from here for Trump though who has to opt for a safety with no red in an opportune position.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (1-8)

Yellow but then a miss from Page. He leaves an opener for Trump as well who has a set-up on the blue that's ended up at the bottom of the table.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE (0-6)

Foul from Trump who hits the blue while attempting a long opener to bottom left. To make matters worse, he leaves Page an opener.

TRUMP 1-0 PAGE

Just the start Trump was looking for with a calm and composed frame and a century break to kick things off.

However, just the start Page did not want, clearly unsettled by the cut ahead of the match.

TRUMP 0-0 PAGE (126-6)

The long black on top right just refuses to fall, but it's a superb 122 break nonetheless for Trump.

TRUMP 0-0 PAGE (92-6)

And that's two reds against the cushions opened up also for Trump. Nothing obvious to stop him in this frame now.

TRUMP 0-0 PAGE (68-6)

So far, so good for Trump who deals with a trio of staggered reds and sinks the frame ball.

TRUMP 0-0 PAGE (53-6)

Pink and blue for Trump who is looking to compose himself here. He looks in control of the frame now, but there's some tricky red to come.

TRUMP 0-0 PAGE (5-6)

Trump misses a chance for an opener but so does Jackson in return. This time, Trump is able to capitalise and he has a set-up on black also.

TRUMP 0-0 PAGE (4-6)

Foul now from Jackson who sinks the cue ball.

TRUMP 0-0 PAGE (0-6)

... but nothing much after that blue. Jackson opts for the safety instead.

TRUMP 0-0 PAGE (0-1)

Relatively quick opener for Page and he has a perfect set-up on blue from here.

TRUMP 0-0 PAGE

Now we're ready to go after the referee found a plaster.

It's Jackson to hit us off. Remember, we're playing best of 11 in the semi-finals.

TRUMP 0-0 PAGE

The players are at the table, but we're not quite ready to go due to what looks like a cut on Jackson's hand.

QUARTER-FINALS RECAP

Judd Trump secured his place in the last four after coming through a tough battle with Kyren Wilson - but the title defender needed a healthy slice of luck along the way. At 2-2, a see-saw, hour-long fifth frame turned in Trump's favour courtesy of two astonishing back-to-back flukes. A despondent Wilson then jawsed a red to the middle pocket in the next frame before conceding to leave his opponent one frame from victory. Wilson’s misfortune continued after missing a red to the bottom left, allowing Trump to take advantage and seal the frame and a 5-2 win.

Jackson Page is set to take on his first ranking tournament semi-final following an impressive 5-2 win over Elliot Slessor. Breaks of 90 and 140 put Page in control in the first two frames, but Slessor battled back to level things up at 2-2 with a break of 77 and edging a closely-fought fourth. But buoyed by his win over Mark Selby a day earlier, Page kept the big breaks coming with knocks of 78, 76 and 87 in the final three frames to advance in style.

Neil Robertson was in ruthless form as he beat Barry Hawkins 5-1 and secured his first semi-final appearance in a ranking event since the Scottish Open in 2022. The Australian looked back to his best and was up 3-0 with less than an hour played. Hawkins finally got on the board in the fourth frame before Robertson capitalised on a missed red in the next to hit a 115 break. Hawkins clawed another one back, but Robertson was able to finish with a flourish, sealing victory with a knock of 79 in the seventh, 5-2 the final scoreline.

Ding Junhui thrilled his home fans by dismantling Hossein Vafaei 5-0. Ding opened up with a break of 73 and withstood some Vafaei pressure in the second to double his lead. A break of 135 made it 3-0 and while the Iranian threatened something of a fightback in the fourth, Ding managed to capitalise on Vafaei’s missed chances to leave himself one frame from the final four. Finishing in style, Ding produced another century to the delight of the home faithful.

WELCOME BACK TO THE WORLD OPEN

Good morning and welcome back to our live text coverage of the Snooker World Open 2024.

It's semi-final time in Yushan starting with title defender Judd Trump facing Jackson Page before Ding Junhui takes on Neil Robertson from 11:30am GMT.