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Jonathan White

Masters champion Yan Bingtao is into the semi-finals of the Northern Ireland Open snooker tournament where he will play veteran John Higgins in a repeat of this year’s Masters final
Yan followed up victory over Ronnie O’Sullivan with a quarter-finals win over Mitchell Mann, taking the tie 5-0 to march into the last four in Belfast.
The 21-year-old is the highest ranked Chinese player in Belfast after world No 9 Ding Junhui decided to stay away – the only one of the top 16 to steer clear of the ranking event.
O’Sullivan praised Yan after his win over Mann. “The kid’s got something different,” he told Eurosport after the whitewash.

Scottish veteran Higgins, 46, beat David Gilbert 5-3 in their quarter-final, coming back from 2-0 down to set up a meeting with Yan.
The Chinese world No 15 beat Higgins 10-8 in the Masters final in Milton Keynes back in January to win his first Triple Crown event.
The next Ding Junhui? ‘All I can do is be the best Yan Bingtao’
In the other semi-final, home favourite Mark Allen takes on Ricky Walden, who is into his first ranking event semi since the 2016 China Open, where he reached the final.
Allen beat Judd Trump – who had won in 2018, 2019 and 2020 – after being 3-0 down to the reigning champion while Walden won a deciding frame to beat No 5 seed Shaun Murphy 5-4.
Walden was 3-1 down before mounting his comeback.

John Higgins has beaten David Gilbert 5-3 to reach the last four!

Granite. #NIOpen pic.twitter.com/PaHXAA79rm
— World Snooker Tour (@WeAreWST) October 15, 2021

Seventh seed Higgins is the highest seeded player left in the tournament, with the Chinese youngster seeded at No 14.
Ninth seed Allen, playing in his home tournament, will have the crowd when he faces the unfancied No 29 seed Walden.
The Northern Ireland Open is the third ranking event of the 2021-22 campaign and the first of the Home Nations tournaments of the snooker season.


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World Snooker

Northern Ireland Open: Masters champ Yan Bingtao to face John Higgins in Belfast semi-final

China's Yan Bingtao in action at the 2021 World Snooker Championship in Sheffield. Photo: Xinhua

(210118) -- MILTON KEYNES, Jan. 18, 2021 (Xinhua) -- China's Yan Bingtao kisses the trophy after winning the final with Scotland's John Higgins at Snooker Masters in Milton Keynes, Britain, on Jan. 17, 2021. Chinese debutant Yan Bingtao defeated veteran John Higgins by 10-8 to clinch the title at the Snooker Masters on Sunday. (Photo by Benjamin Mole/WST/Handout via Xinhua)

The next Ding Junhui? ‘All I can do is be the best Yan Bingtao’ says China’s new snooker star

China’s Yan Bingtao playing in the 2014 IBSF World Amateur Championship final against Pakistan’s Mohammad Sajjad. Photo: AFP

(210118) -- MILTON KEYNES, Jan. 18, 2021 (Xinhua) -- China's Yan Bingtao poses with the trophy after winning the final with Scotland's John Higgins at Snooker Masters in Milton Keynes, Britain, on Jan. 17, 2021. Chinese debutant Yan Bingtao defeated veteran John Higgins by 10-8 to clinch the title at the Snooker Masters on Sunday. (Photo by Benjamin Mole/WST/Handout via Xinhua)

(FILES) This file photo taken on November 29, 2014 shows winner of the IBSF World Snooker Champion mens's category Yan Bingtao (R) from China, being congratulated by runner up Muhammed Sajjad of Pakistan prior to the presentation ceremony in Bangalore. - Yan Bingtao has risen from a poor working-class background and playing to support his cancer-stricken mother to become China's latest sporting prodigy. (Photo by Manjunath KIRAN / AFP)

Masters winner Yan Bingtao tipped to be China’s first snooker world champion

China's Yan Bingtao kisses the Paul Hunter Trophy after winning the Masters snooker final over Scotland’s John Higgins. Photo: Xinhua

YORK, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 05: Ronnie O'Sullivan shakes the hand of Ding Junhui after the fourth round of the Betway UK Championship at The Barbican on December 05, 2019 in York, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

Masters snooker 2021: Yan Bingtao beats John Higgins to win debut triple crown

China’s Yan Bingtao with the Paul Hunter Trophy after winning the Masters snooker final against Scotland’s John Higgins in Milton Keynes, England. Photo: Xinhua

Masters snooker 2021: China’s Yan Bingtao to meet John Higgins in debut final after beating Stuart Bingham

Yan Bingtao of China in action at the 2020 Coral Players Championship in Southport. Photo: VCG via Getty Images

Sport

China

Other Sport


Chinese No 14 seed romps past Mitchell Mann 5-0 to set up repeat of January’s Masters final
Home favourite Mark Allen and Ricky Walden face off in other semi-final at Northern Ireland Open



Chinese No 14 seed romps past Mitchell Mann 5-0 to set up repeat of January’s Masters final against Scot.


World Snooker Championship

Northern Ireland Open: Masters champ Yan Bingtao to face John Higgins in Belfast semi-final

Chinese No 14 seed romps past Mitchell Mann 5-0 to set up repeat of January’s Masters final Home favourite Mark Allen and Ricky Walden face off in other semi-final at Northern Ireland Open

Chinese No 14 seed romps past Mitchell Mann 5-0 to set up repeat of January’s Masters final

Home favourite Mark Allen and Ricky Walden face off in other semi-final at Northern Ireland Open