Northern Ireland Open: Kyren Wilson overcomes Mark Williams to reach semi-final, Neil Robertson crashes out

React to this story

Kyren Wilson continued his dominance over Mark Williams to beat the Welshman 5-1 and reach the semi-final of the Northern Ireland Open. The current world champion will face Pang Junxu, who squeezed past English Open champion Neil Robertson to book his place in the last four. An emphatic break of 129 helped him claim a comeback win after falling behind to the Australian three times.

‘The swagger of a world champion’ - Wilson makes 'terrific' 135 break against Williams

Video credit: TNT Sports

Kyren Wilson fired home a 135 break on his way to beating Mark Williams 5-1 in a near-flawless performance at the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast to reach the semi-finals.

The world champion made light work of the Welshman and will face Pang Junxu for a spot in the final, after the Chinese player overcame Neil Robertson earlier in the day.

Wilson excelled in his long game - which included a beautiful red to the top left - and after the match told Eurosport he "was really on it" in the last eight tie.

Shanghai Masters

Trump and Wilson show future can be bright for British snooker despite Hendry prediction

03/08/2026 at 08:50

"I worked really hard before going out for the match, I had about an hour-and-a-half solid, solo practice and did a lot of long potting with my brother," he explained.

"They've got to go in against these top players, that's how you get in and yeah, it kind of puts them on edge a little bit and you have to do that or they'll walk all over you.

"We both played a couple of them and I didn't want to back down, I wanted to play really positive and it's good fun for the crowd to see good, positive attacking play.

"When you're feeling confident and you want to play the shot, you shouldn't push yourself away from playing it."

'A wonderful shot' - Wilson drills home 'fabulous' long red to close in on semi-final

Video credit: TNT Sports

Wilson, who holds a remarkable head-to-head record over Williams, began the contest in fine form as he sent down a break of 72 to kick things off and take the early advantage.

The Warrior looked just as good in the second frame as he went 62-8 ahead, but the world champion squandered a straightforward red to the top left, drawing gasps from the spectators in Belfast.

Williams had hardly been at the table, and could only pot a red and a black before he also made a blunder at the same pocket. Wilson returned to the baize and struck an excellent long red into the yellow bag as he took a rapid 2-0 lead in 21 minutes.

A far tighter third frame followed, which Williams gained to get on the board and halve Wilson’s deficit, but the latter was back to his clinical self in the fourth frame as he drilled home a 135 break for a 3-1 lead.

Wilson moved to within a frame of victory when a handy run of 67 helped him to come from behind in the fifth frame, and then took advantage of a complacent Williams to claim victory and earn the chance to play for a spot in the final.

Robertson out as Pang eliminates another former world champion

Neil Robertson led Pang Junxu three times in the quarter-final clash at the Northern Ireland Open, but he could not shake off the Chinese player, who moved into the semi-finals with another colossal scalp.

Pang, who has already beaten another former world champion in Luca Brecel this week, came from behind to clinch the decider and move into the last four with a 5-4 victory.

'Marvellous century!' - Robertson produces fabulous ton to level against Pang

Video credit: TNT Sports

After his English Open triumph, Robertson's hopes of completing the Home Nations set of tournaments have come to an end.

Pang will face another former world champion, Mark Williams, or the current world champion Kyren Wilson for a place in the final.

The 24-year-old took the opening frame after some nervy play from both players, potting a long red after a sprightly start had put Robertson on the back foot.

The Australian made a concerning start to the second when he missed a routine black, but he recovered superbly by producing a brilliant 105 clearance to draw level in style.

'Cool, calm, composed!' - Pang eliminates Robertson with 'brilliant' century

Video credit: TNT Sports

Robertson had his eye in as he took control of the following frame early, eventually holding off a resurgent Pang thanks to an excellent pot on brown, but the Chinese player drew level again ahead of the mid-session interval with his best break so far, a fine 87.

Robertson responded with a superb 85 clearance of his own after the break when a Pang plant went wrong, edging the former world champion back in front in what was turning out to be a tight and unpredictable contest.

Pang provided some tricky puzzles for Robertson to wriggle out of early in the sixth frame, before both players squandered opportunities to take charge. The Chinese player eventually got the job done to level things up once more at 3-3, continuing the theme of neither player being able to establish a two-frame lead.

Nerves continued to show from Robertson when he missed a simple red early in the following frame, but Pang couldn’t take advantage and the Australian showed his class by making sure he would edge back in front with some superb shot-making on a run of 52.

‘Showing his mettle’ – Robertson pounces on Pang miss to steal crucial frame and move ahead

Video credit: TNT Sports

Pang missed a long but very sinkable red - almost hanging over the pocket - at the beginning of the eighth frame when he rattled the jaws of the top right, which gave Robertson a way in. He put 40 points together but then found himself in a predicament as he attempted to escape a snooker Pang had left him in.

Tucked up behind the yellow on its spot, Robertson was looking to get the cue ball back up the table without leaving one on and, on his fourth attempt, nailed the escape. This led to a period of safety play, but Pang was back in the frame and he made the most of his chance to take the match to a decider after an impressive 85 clearance.

The in-form player took the momentum into the deciding frame, where he drilled home an impressive 129 break - his third century of the week - to book his spot in the last four.

Watch and stream the Northern Ireland Open live on Eurosport and discovery+.

Shanghai Masters