| Venue: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield Dates: 15 April-1 May |
| Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV and Red Button with uninterrupted coverage on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and the BBC Sport app |
Mark Allen won a hard-fought encounter with Jak Jones 13-10 to reach the World Championship semi-finals for the first time since 2009.
An intriguing affair saw both players lead several times as the first two sessions concluded 4-4 and 8-8.
Wednesday’s decider saw Jones open with a break of 77 and reply to two half-centuries from Allen with a superb 124.
However, 37-year-old Allen secured the final three frames to wrap up victory as Jones faltered.
The Northern Irishman will face either John Higgins or Mark Selby in the last four.
Scotland’s Higgins and England’s Selby have both collected four Crucible titles, while Allen will be featuring in only his second semi-final, some 14 years on from his 17-13 defeat to the Scot.
Meanwhile, Anthony McGill and Si Jiahui are tied at 8-8 after the second session of their quarter-final.
Having resumed at 4-4 Chinese debutant Si took the opener before 2020 semi-finalist McGill enjoyed breaks of 88 and 68 as he won four of the next five to go 8-6 up.
Si responded superbly though with runs of 80 and 86 to leave the match delicately poised for their concluding session which begins at 19:00 BST.
Allen’s winning experience counts
Jones had been aiming to become the first Crucible debutant to reach the single-table set-up since Andy Hicks in 1995 and the first player to win a world title on his bow at the tournament since fellow Welshman Terry Griffiths in 1979.
But while the 29-year-old produced a gritty display against Allen in what has been a breakthrough tournament for him after impressive victories over Ali Carter and Neil Robertson, it proved a step too far, despite Jones making six half-centuries and one ton.
Allen, the world number three, played with the assurance that winning the UK Championship, Northern Ireland Open and World Grand Prix has provided in his best-ever campaign and rarely looked ruffled in a match that was nip and tuck until the finale.
Allen, whose only century, a wonderful 137, arrived in the third frame, relied upon some excellent match-play to see him through, none more so than when he sealed his win in a protracted 23rd frame that lasted more than an hour.
More to follow.
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