Four-time world champion Mark Selby edged a 'torturous' five-hour marathon in Llandudno to beat John Higgins 5-4 and reach his first Welsh Open semi-final for 13 years.
The 41-year-old Englishman, whose last ranking title saw him defeat Higgins in September’s British Open final, sealed an attritional, low-scoring encounter with the highest break of the match – 84 – in the deciding frame.
Selby established a 2-0 lead but Higgins then won the next three, his momentum not interrupted by a 10-minute delay at 2-1 due to a medical emergency in the auditorium.
The next two frames went to Selby and although Higgins forced a decider with a break of 55 the best was yet to come from his opponent.
"It was like torture out there," he told wst.tv.
"We both struggled and brought each other down. It was just a matter of getting over the line.
"The only positive is it can’t get any worse, I can only improve on that performance."
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