Hossein Vafaei is set for a rematch with Ronnie O’Sullivan in the semi-finals of the UK Snooker Championship, eight months after a memorable clash at the Crucible. Vafaei, who faced O’Sullivan at the World Championship in April, is determined to avoid a repeat of his unconventional break-off that led to a 78-break by O’Sullivan in their previous encounter.

In a grudge match fueled by perceived disrespect, Vafaei, despite expressing pre-match intentions to silence O’Sullivan, faced a comprehensive defeat, exiting the stage arm in arm with the Englishman. The Iranian now emphasizes respect for his hero and aims for a friendly rivalry.

Vafaei, displaying top form with six centuries in the last two rounds, faces O’Sullivan as the form player. O’Sullivan, frustrated by missed chances, secured his spot in the semi-finals with a crucial break to pink of 122 against Zhou Yuelong.

O’Sullivan dismisses any ill feelings, acknowledging Vafaei’s fiery character and valuing their unique friendship. The semi-final promises an exciting showdown as both players strive for a spot in the tournament’s final.

In other quarter-final action, Judd Trump overcame Mark Selby 6-3 despite battling flu symptoms. Mark Williams and Ding Junhui made snooker history, surpassing the previous frame score record, with Ding eventually securing a 6-5 victory over Williams. Ding will face Trump in the semi-finals on Saturday evening.