Day 9 at the 2025 English Open in Brentwood was “quarter-finals” day and here is the report shared by WST on what happened on the baize:
Zhou Into Seventh Semi-Final
Zhou Yuelong staged a superb fightback to overcome 2023 World Champion Luca Brecel 5-4 and earn his place in the last four of the BetVictor English Open in Brentwood.
The three-time ranking event runner-up hasn’t made it this far in an event since the 2023 Scottish Open. However, having recently started working with coach Steve Feeney, Zhou appears to be back to his best.
Zhou’s struggles in recent times have seen him drop to 32nd in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings. He failed to go beyond the last 16 in a ranking event last season. In a welcome return to the business end of a tournament, the Chinese cueist will now play either Mark Selby for a place in the final.
Brecel was competing in the final stages of a ranking event for the first time this season. The Belgian revealed earlier this week that he has been struggling with an undiagnosed illness this season, which was his reason for missing the first few events.
He will need time to hit top gear, but despite this he looked to be in command this afternoon when he raced 4-2 ahead.
Breaks of 81 and 75 helped Brecel to the verge of victory, before Zhao fired in runs of 94 and 113 to force a decider. The final frame lasted 52 minutes, before Brecel eventually left Zhou a routine black to the yellow pocket and handed him a place in the last four.
Zhou said: “I know Luca is a very aggressive player, so I had prepared myself with more patience, focusing on tactical exchanges and waiting for his mistakes. When I was 4-2 down, I managed to make the most of my chances and force a decider.
“It’s been almost two years since I last reached this stage of a ranking event. When you win matches, your confidence grows. However, last season my performance was very poor and I never really found my game. The season has just started, so I’m very happy to have found some form early.
“Working with Steve Feeney has helped me a lot, especially mentally. Sometimes I don’t believe in myself enough, or I’m not sure about my decisions. Having someone with so much experience and success by my side makes a big difference. He sees my weaknesses, both in personality and in how I think about the game. He gives me positive ideas.”
Selby earned his progression with a stunning 131 in the decider to overcome Welshman Jackson Page 5-4.
Victory for the Jester from Leicester sees him earn a 67th ranking event semi-final slot. He’s just two games away from capturing a 25th career ranking crown.
Jak Jones admitted that the birth of his son Harry earlier this year has provided a renewed source of inspiration, after he ended the fairytale run of Aaron Hill with a 5-2 victory.
Jones now progresses to the semi-finals for the first time since making the World Championship final in 2024, when he was denied the sport’s biggest prize by Kyren Wilson. Although Hill’s week has come to an end, he can reflect on making the first ever 147 of his career en route to a third quarter-final.
Jones said: “Last season I wasn’t in a good place mentally at all. This season I feel like a completely different person and my life is good. I feel happier when I’m playing and I’m more focussed. I feel that I’m playing well and I’m confident.
“My son was born seven months ago. That has had a massive impact on me. I feel a different person and it has changed my life. Me, my wife and my son are really happy now. It gives you a different perspective on life and I’m practising happier and feel more motivated.“
Next up for Jones is a showdown with Mark Allen, who once again came back from the brink, this time beating Elliot Slessor 5-4 from 4-0 down. That follows yesterday’s win over Ding Junhui, where he trailed 3-0 before winning 4-3.
With only four matches played yesterday, the report by WST covers them all. I only watched in the afternoon, and followed Zhou v Luca. It was a good, hard fought match that featured five breaks over 751. There were no “Luca antics” and even if there had been, I doubt that it would have affected Zhou2. The crowd in Brentwood seemed to duly enjoy it. They have been very good all week, both in numbers and in the way they have supported all players no matter their nationality.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 