Judd Trump felt his ability to read body language helped him to a 5-1 victory over Shaun Murphy in the quarter-finals of the Northern Ireland Open.
Trump edged the first frame 63-62 and, after being pulled back to 1-1, sprinted away from Murphy with brilliant breaks of 128 and 125 in the fourth and fifth frames.
"The first frame was massive," Trump told Eurosport. "I managed to nick that one to settle into the game because he looked sharp at the start.
"It's just something I’m able to do at the moment. I can recognise when I’m in danger and get myself out of it.
"I think I’m very good at reading body language. I can see how they feel immediately, he was confident and up for that game.
"He looked very sharp and, if he’d won that first frame and made a break, I could easily have been 2-0 down. It’s so important to nick those close frames."
Trump is a four-time winner of the Northern Ireland Open having lifted the trophy in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2023.
On his Belfast success, Trump said: "It’s nice to have an actual arena, not a leisure centre or like a warehouse feel.
"I just look forward to coming to places like this. I just get excited when I know this tournament is around the corner.
"I’ve got an excellent record here and it’s a place I love coming to."
Trump’s semi-final opponent at the Waterfront Hall will be Elliot Slessor, who overcame fellow Englishman Louis Heathcote 5-1.
Kyren Wilson set up his quarter-final dominance over Mark Williams with a 72 break in the first frame.
Wilson also rattled in breaks of 135 and 67 as a 5-1 success booked a semi-final date with world number 27 Pang Junxu.
Pang made a 129 clearance in the deciding frame to end Neil Robertson’s hopes of becoming the first player to win all four Home Nations
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