Northern Ireland Open: Williams to face O'Sullivan conqueror Slessor in semi-final

World number 16 Williams is the highest ranked player left in the tournament

Mark Williams will play Elliot Slessor in one of the Northern Ireland Open semi-finals on Saturday after beating Mike Dunn 5-1 in Belfast.

Two-time world champion Williams, 42, lost the first frame before winning five in a row to set up a meeting with Ronnie O'Sullivan's conqueror Slessor.

Wales' world number 16 Williams, the highest-ranked player in the last eight, hit breaks of 63, 71 and 53.

Slessor reached his first ranking semi-final by beating China's Li Yuan 5-4.

World number 82 Slessor, 23, from Gateshead, hit back from 2-0 down to lead 4-3 and although Li forced a decider, the Englishman prevailed in a low-scoring encounter.

Slessor produced the shock of the tournament on Thursday when he defeated five-time world champion O'Sullivan 4-1 in the third round.

Both quarter-finals went the distance in Friday's evening session.

Lyu Haotian beat Tian Pengfei 5-4 in an all-Chinese affair to set up a semi-final clash with his 17-year-old compatriot Yan Bingtao, who defeated England's Robert Milkins by the same scoreline.

Haotian's highest break in a tight tactical battle was 64.