Who is playing in Saturday's semi-finals at the Masters Snooker? Preview of the Ally Pally last four

The opening round failed to produce too much drama with all eight results freakishly ending 6-2, but the quarter-finals delivered two thrilling deciding frame finishes - one on the final black, and the other yielding five centuries beforehand.

We preview the last four action coming up from the capital...

Judd Trump v John Higgins - 13:00GMT

World number one Trump hit a trio of century breaks in his round one win over Ding Junhui, and then strung together the final four frames to see off Mark Allen by the same 6-2 scoreline in the quarter-finals.

Four-time world champion Higgins - who has been making a record-extending 32nd Masters appearance this year - registered six half-centuries in defeating Barry Hawkins first up. He then produced a brilliant comeback from 5-3 down - albeit with a huge slice of luck in the penultimate frame - to oust reigning world champion Zhao Xintong on the final black of a 6-5 deciding frame victory.

Aged 50, Higgins is set to be the oldest Masters semi-finalist since 1983.

In terms of their seasonal form, neither have won a title this term, but Higgins reached the final of the International Championship in November, and Trump was runner-up at the Northern Ireland Open, Champion of Champions, and UK Championship across a several week spell between October to December.

Both cueists are two-time Masters winners, but they have contrasting records at the ‘Ally Pally’ since professional snooker’s most prestigious event moved there in 2012.

Higgins has never made a final at the grand venue, with this being his third semi-final there after 2012 and 2018. ‘The Wizard’ was runner-up in 2021, but that year the event was held in Milton Keynes behind-closed-doors due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.

The Scot’s last Masters triumph came twenty years ago in 2006 when he famously pipped Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-9 on the final black at the Wembley Conference Centre.

Trump has been very consistent on top of Muswell Hill. Including this year’s ongoing effort, Trump’s last 10 appearances have supplied him with two titles (2019 and 2023) and a further five semi-final dates (2016, 2018, 2022, 2025, 2026).

These two have dished up a catalogue of classic encounters down the years, but the recent head-to-head record makes for very pleasing reading for Trump. If you discount the short-format Championship League, Trump has won their last seven meetings, and 14 of the last 15.

They have shared the baize four times in Triple Crown events before (2-2 on that count, with Trump taking the two latest meetings), but never at the Masters. Two of those came in snooker’s biggest fixture - the world championship final - with Higgins claiming the blue riband prize in 2011, and Trump doing so in 2019.

Wu Yize v Kyren Wilson - 19:00GMT

Unlike the contestants in the opening semi-final, neither of those starring in the evening session know what it's like to become the Masters champion, although last year's runner-up Wilson has twice (2018 finalist, too) come very close.

At 22-years-old, China's Wu was the youngest player in this year's starting field, and one of two Masters debutants.

In the first match of the tournament, Wu defeated reigning champion Shaun Murphy, and then whitewashed fellow countryman and debutant Xiao Guodong 6-0 in an impressive quarter-final performance.

Last month, Wilson was visibly distressed during his first round defeat at the UK Championship. But now equipped with a new cue, the 2024 World Champion is hopeful again.

'The Warrior' dismissed Si Jiahui in the first round before coming through the correct side of a Masters classic as he ousted Neil Robertson 6-5 - having earlier led 4-1, then trailed 5-4. The encounter featured five century breaks - three from Wilson.

Both players have lifted a trophy on the World Snooker Tour this season. Wilson won the Shanghai Masters back in August, although since then it has been an unfulfilling campaign for him, with no further semi-final outings until now.

Marked by pundits for success over the past few seasons, youngster Wu made his big career breakthrough in November when he secured his maiden ranking event title at the International Championship on home soil in China. The result pushed him into the world’s top 16 for the first time in his career.

Wilson and Wu have played each other only twice before on the professional circuit with Wilson getting the ‘w’ on both occasions (6-3 win in the last 32 of the 2021 UK Championship, 6-4 win in the last 32 of the 2024 International Championship).

To view the full draw, results, schedule, and other information from the 2026 Masters, visit here.