Haikou World Open Day 5

Image: World Snooker

Shaun Murphy’s hopes of a first full ranking title for almost three years as he benefitted from a horrendous fluke on the final black in the decider as he beat a disconsolate Graeme Dott. Murphy won the opening three with breaks of 70 and 126 but Dott won the next four to go 4-3 up. Murphy halted the rot to force a decider and in attempting a safety, knocked the crucial final black around the angles before fluking it in the left middle.

Murphy will play Mark Allen in the semis on Saturday after the 2012 and 2013 champion here in Haikou beat John Higgins 5-3. The Ulsterman won the opening two with a top effort of 119 but Higgins replied to draw level at the break winning frames three and four. Allen won the next two with breaks of 111 and 62 but Higgins kept the game alive with a 55 in the seventh. However, Allen secured victory thanks to a break of 80 in the eight frame.

Mark Selby is also into the last four as he eased past Alan McManus 5-1, in a match which was closer than the scoreline suggested. McManus won the opener on the colours but Selby won the next three to head into the interval 3-1 ahead. Selby then nicked the fifth on a re-spotted black before completing victory with a run of 56 in the sixth.

He faces Marco Fu in the first semi on Saturday after the Hong Kong player came back from 3-2 behind to end Mark Joyce’s run in the tournament. Breaks of 77 and 108 had put the Walsall man in a strong position but Fu won the last three to complete victory.