The semi-finals of the 2026 English Open snooker are set in Brentwood

Ding Junhui, Ali Carter, Mark Williams, and Shaun Murphy all came through their quarter-final assignments on Friday at the Brentwood Centre to move two steps away from claiming the fifth ranking title of the season, and pocketing a first prize of £100,000.

China’s original snooker superstar Ding defeated Kyren Wilson, 6-3, to reach the last four of a ranking tournament for the first time in over 17 months.

Breaks of 93 and 87 helped the three-time UK Champion establish a 3-0 lead before Wilson took frames either side of the mid-session interval to get back into contention.

However, 39-year-old Ding - assisted by runs of 59 and 76 - went on another three-frame winning streak to get the verdict and move into his maiden Home Nations Series semi-final.

Currently ranked 15th in the world, Ding was projected 28th on the ‘Race to the Crucible’ provisional rankings before a ball was struck in Brentwood as he has £175,000 to come off his two-year rolling total for winning the 2024 International Championship.

Ding will share the baize with Carter on Saturday afternoon after the 47-year-old Englishman recovered from two down with three to play to oust last year’s runner-up Zhou Yuelong.

Six-time ranking event winner Carter crafted efforts of 74 and 85 in going 3-2 up, but Zhou strung together the next three to stand on the cusp of progression at 5-3 ahead.

Zhou was close to getting the job done in frame nine, but broke down whilst on a break of 55 and his opponent punished with a counter clearance of 71. Carter then registered runs of 77 and 74 for a comeback victory and to reach his third Home Nations Series semi-final.

Currently ranked 25th in the global standings, Carter - who lives just 40 minutes away from this week’s venue - can really get himself in the top 16 mix this weekend.

Williams makes 700th professional ton in quarter-final success

The second semi-final is an all-World Champion encounter between two of the sport’s most decorated champions of all-time.

Williams is through to the 70th ranking event semi-final of his illustrious career after stopping the run of young Welsh compatriot Liam Davies.

20-year-old Davies - appearing in his maiden quarter-final - won back-to-back frames to level up at 2-2 going into the mid-session interval.

But 51-year-old Williams notched up four of the next five frames for a 6-3 victory, fashioning breaks of 63 and 95, and finishing with a 112 - the 700th century he has made in professional competition.

‘The Welsh Potting Machine’ is already the sport’s oldest ranking event champion, a record he received last October for winning the Xi’an Grand Prix. In that Far East final he denied Murphy, and the two will meet again on Saturday night after ‘The Magician’ ousted Judd Trump, 6-5.

In an affair that featured three century breaks (Trump: 110, 112 and Murphy: 101) and six further runs over 55, Murphy led 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2, but was pegged back each time.

Trump - a two-time winner of this crown - then put together consecutive frames to lead 4-3, but Murphy followed suit for a 5-4 advantage.

Recently dethroned world number one Trump forced the tie all the way, and he got in first in the decider, but it was Murphy who won it to advance to his 59th ranking event semi-final.

To view the full draw, results, schedule, and other information from the 2026 English Open snooker, visit our tournament information centre here.