2024 Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters: Friday's Semi-Final Matches, Order of Play

The semi-finals line-up for this new £2.3 million-plus ranking event features three of the most decorated champions professional snooker has ever had, and one of the sport’s brightest young prospects who is knocking on the door for his maiden title triumph.

Both matches on Friday in the Saudi capital are the best of 11 frames. The champion on Saturday evening will collect a £500,000 top prize - the same amount Kyren Wilson scooped for winning the World Championship at the Crucible Theatre a few months ago.

12:00BST: Judd Trump v Shaun Murphy

These two first met on the professional circuit in 2007 at the World Championship when it was Trump’s Crucible debut. Murphy won that encounter, but since then in all competitions, Trump leads the head-to-head record 27-13. He has also won each of their four most recent meetings.

They have already faced each other in a huge match this season, in the final of the Shanghai Masters invitational final in July that Trump won comfortably. 11-5.

It won’t be the first time they’ve played each other in Riyadh, either. Earlier this year at the inaugural Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker, Trump ousted their quarter-final tie, 4-3, despite Murphy beginning with back-to-back century breaks in the opening two frames.

In terms of ranking event success over the past year or so, they have very contrasting records. For world number one Trump, this will be his ninth ranking semi-final appearance within the space of 11 months.

Murphy will be featuring in the final four of a ranking event for the first time since his title win at Championship League Snooker in July 2023 (although that tournament had a last eight stage before the final).

18:00BST: Mark Williams v Si Jiahui

The second semi-final is a clash of generations with an age difference of over 27 years.

22-year-old Si Jiahui produced one of the most important results of his young career, to date, on Thursday evening when he eliminated Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-4 in the quarter-finals.

The victory put him into his third career ranking event semi-final and the £100,000 guaranteed payday has assured him of a place in the world’s top 16 for the first time. The Chinese star has already won five matches in as many days in this competition.

As for 26-time ranking event winner Williams, he is preparing for his 66th outing in a ranking semi-final. If Williams were to win the title, it would be his third ranking success within the past 12 months.

The Welshman - who has yet to face a top 16 opponent this week - whitewashed world number 52 Jimmy Robertson 6-0 in the last eight.

Si and Williams have only faced each other twice on the professional circuit; both matches were in recent months this year.

Williams won the most recent tie at the behind-closed-doors Championship League Ranking Event, 3-0, but their first head-to-head was a very memorable one when Si pipped Williams 10-9 in the first round of the World Championship.

For the draw, results and other important details, please visit our 2024 Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters Tournament Information Centre, here.