Stevens beats Perry to reach semi-final

Welshman Matthew Stevens reached the semi-finals for a fourth time in five years, holding off a late rally by Joe Perry.

But the UK champion from Carmarthen now hopes to turn it into a first ever world triumph.

The 2000 world runner-up plays the winner of the last unfinished quarter-final between Scotland’s Graeme Dott and David Gray from Surrey.

Stevens eventually got home 13-10 after world number 16 Perry, a second round winner over title holder Mark Williams, closed from 11-5 and 12-8 down to 11-8 and 12-10.

“It can be difficult when you have a big lead like that because all the pressure is on you,” said the world number nine.

“But I will be relaxed now and hopefully I can go out and play a lot better.

“I went through a bad patch after winning the UK though I don’t think I played that badly. But it’s never easy when someone plays well against you in a best of nine.

“However, winning the UK title took the pressure off because I was always reminded of never having won a ranking tournament.”

Stevens is 5-2 third favourite to win the championship while O’Sullivan is evens favourite and Hendry 9-4 for the first prize.