2024 British Open Snooker: Friday 27th September Preview, Matches, Order of Play

We've seen a conveyor belt of contests at the Centuar since Monday, but proceedings will be much easier to follow from now on in, with only one match per table for each session in the last eight.

Mark Selby and David Gilbert have both had to come through deciding frame finishes in the previous two rounds in Cheltenham - Selby has had three-in-a-row.

And there could be another final frame shootout on the cards here, as their three most recent head-to-heads have gone all the way. Their last meeting came only a few weeks ago at the Xi’an Grand Prix in China where Gilbert edged it, 5-4.

World number 37 Elliot Slessor eliminated reigning World Champion Kyren Wilson in the last 16, but he now has to face another Crucible conqueror in the form of a resurging John Higgins who could climb back into the world’s top 16 at the end of the tournament.

Higgins has won all six of their previous meetings, although their most recent encounter came back in 2019. Slessor is a far better player now and widely acknowledged as one of the most improved players on the World Snooker Tour over the past 12 months or so.

At number 99 in the world rankings, Oliver Lines is the lowest ranked player left in the competition. Lines will be appearing in his third ranking event quarter-final where he faces this year’s World Championship runner-up Jak Jones who is aiming to reach his third ranking event semi-final.

The blockbuster tie of the round is between world number one Judd Trump and world number three Mark Allen on Friday evening.

Allen compiled his fourth maximum 147 break in professional competition during the last 32, and Trump made his 999th top tier century in round one on Monday, although he is still waiting to join the very exclusive 1000 club alongside Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins.

The two have shared many memorable tussles down the years. In all competitions, Allen leads the head-to-head record, and he also won their last two fixtures - both in 2023, and both in finals at the World Grand Prix in January and Champion of Champions in November.

The quarter-final matches are the best of nine frames with a scheduled mid-session interval after four.

2024 British Open Snooker, Friday 27th September match schedule:

13:00BST

• David Gilbert v Mark Selby
• Elliot Slessor v John Higgins

19:00BST

• Judd Trump v Mark Allen
• Jak Jones v Oliver Lines

For full details on the 2024 British Open including the draw, results, prize money, schedule and how to watch, please visit our tournament information centre here.