Welsh youngster Liam Davies knocks out World Champion as English Open quarter-finals set

Welsh youngster Davies defeated reigning World Champion Wu Yize, 4-1, on the main table to reach the last eight of a world ranking event for the first time.

Having turned 20-years-old towards the end of last June, Davies is viewed as one of British snooker’s most promising young talents following a glittering junior career during which he won both the European Under-18, and Under-21 Championship titles.

Davies was relegated from the professional circuit earlier this year after his maiden spell on snooker’s top-flight, but immediately regained his tour card at UK Q School, and has already enjoyed a fine season by qualifying for several main venues, and reaching the last 16 of the Wuhan Open.

Facing Crucible king Wu for the second time (Wu won their previous encounter at the 2024 Shoot Out), Davies took the opening frame and then doubled his lead with a break of 105. The world number 86 also claimed the third to stand on the brink of progression in the £550,400 tournament.

Wu avoided the whitewash - getting on the scoreboard with frame four - and it looked like he was going to complete an incredible counter clearance in the fifth having dealt with the final six reds, but after landing awkwardly on the final yellow, he missed it.

Moments later, Davies rattled the green that would have left his opponent needing penalty points, but Wu failed to pot it with his next shot to gift wrap a golden opportunity for his opposite number which was taken.

Within the past month, Davies has recorded three very impressive wins against top 16 opponents in front of the live television cameras; he defeated Ding Junhui at the Wuhan Open, Barry Hawkins in the British Open, and now Wu.

In what will be an all-Welsh clash of generations on Friday, Davies shares the baize with three-time World Champion Mark Williams who compiled efforts of 76, 103 and 63 in defeating Barry Hawkins, 4-1. Hawkins made a 114 in the fourth as he averted a whitewash, although that contribution was ultimately a consolation.

Davies will be featuring in his first ranked quarter-final, 51-year-old Williams will be in his 123rd.

Kyren Wilson records big personal win over Mark Selby

Someone else who unlocked a new career achievement on Thursday at the Brentwood Centre was Kyren Wilson, who scored his first big stage victory over Mark Selby.

Not counting the behind-closed-doors Championship League, Wilson had lost all eight of their previous encounters on the pro tour, but the former World Champion put an end to that unwanted streak with a 4-3 win.

Current UK and China Open champion Selby went 2-0 up - teasing a maximum in frame two before breaking down on 112 - but Wilson (84 break, frame four) strung together the next three frames to go in front, edging the fifth frame on the final black after his opponent had made a 60.

Selby forced the contest all the way with the aid of a 64 in frame six, but Wilson got the job done on the colours in a lengthy, but compelling, decider.

Wilson will meet Ding Junhui in the last eight after the three-time UK Champion racked up runs of 59, 51, and 80 in dispatching Joe O'Connor, 4-1.

In the other quarter-final, Ali Carter plays last year's runner-up Zhou Yuelong.

Six-time ranking event champion Carter (75 break) ended the run of Gong Chenzhi with a 4-2 win, meanwhile China's Zhou dismissed fellow countryman Yuan Sijun by the same scoreline with runs of 72, 141, and 54.

The 141 becomes the tournament's new highest break, eclipsing the 140 that Yuan made in the round before. It could be worth a £5,000 bonus to Zhou.

Judd Trump to face Shaun Murphy in English Open quarter-finals

Arguably the pick of Friday’s last eight programme will be Judd Trump versus Shaun Murphy.

Recently dethroned world number one Trump (68 break) remains on course for a record third Steve Davis Trophy after he pipped Anthony McGill, 4-3, on the colours.

Murphy was also taken all the way to a deciding frame against a lower-ranked rival in Pang Junxu, but having earlier crafted sequences of 56 and 72 in moving 2-0 up, he saved his best scoring until last with a 103 in the final frame that took place well past midnight.

In a change to previous years, the quarter-finals of all Home Nations Series events this season will be the best of 11 frames.

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