Welsh Open: Martin O'Donnell knocks out world champion Luca Brecel

No player has won the Welsh Open more times than John Higgins

Martin O'Donnell stunned world champion Luca Brecel at the Welsh Open to reach a first major ranking event semi-final.

The world number 76 briefly trailed Brecel in their quarter-final before coming through to claim a 5-3 win on the black in the eighth frame.

John Higgins is once again revelling in Wales, achieving a comfortable 5-2 win over world number three Mark Allen.

He faces Gary Wilson next, but the 25-year wait for a Welsh winner goes on after Elliot Slessor beat Dominic Dale.

The story of quarter-final Friday at Llandudno was provided by Englishman O'Donnell who knocked out world number four Brecel.

O'Donnell set the tone with a break of 88 to win the opening frame before Brecel showed his class with two breaks of 75 to lead 2-1.

However, O'Donnell won four of the next five frames, making a 130 break to level at 3-3 and later holding his nerve in a tense eighth frame that went down to the black.

Earlier, five-time Welsh Open winner Higgins made light work of an off-colour Allen.

The Scot was never behind in his quarter-final, opening a two-frame lead with a 131 break and later winning three in a row to make sure of a place in the last four.

Higgins said: "I thought I played really well. The table was difficult to play on and suited my game a little better than Mark.

"I'm delighted because that's a great win for me against such a good player.

"I've always had a good time in Wales and it would be amazing to win a sixth title."

Allen, who who came close to pulling out before the tournament because of a shoulder injury, briefly got level with Higgins at 2-2 but fell away, making just one break over 50 in the seven frames.

He said: "I struggled today technically and with the table. I've played some half-decent stuff here this week so it's disappointing to end like that."

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Higgins will next face Wilson, who followed up beating defending champion Robert Milkins 4-0 earlier in the week with an equally emphatic win over Anthony McGill.

Wilson looked supremely confident with breaks of 71, 76 and 92 to leave Scotland's McGill with little opportunity.

Slessor has qualified for only his third semi-final at a ranking event after battling to a 5-3 victory over the last remaining Welshman.

Dale, one of 15 Welsh players to start the tournament, was making his first quarter-final appearance at the Welsh Open in 20 years and won the opening frame with a break of 51.

But Slessor replied by taking the next three with breaks of 53, 54 and an impressive 128.

He missed an easy red after play had been paused to correct the scoreboard, opening the door for Dale's recovery.

But a missed black in the eighth frame allowed Slessor to close out victory and set up a semi-final on Saturday against O'Donnell.