Judd Trump, the English snooker player, defeated Zhao Xintong, who is currently ranked as the world number one, with a score of 5-1 to reach the semi-finals of the British Open. This victory marks another strong performance for Trump, who is known for his consistency in high-stakes matches. Trump will now face either Aaron Hill or Jak Jones in the semi-finals on Saturday, while Mark Selby will take on Liam Highfield in the other semi-final match. Earlier in the day, Highfield, a rising player in the snooker world, defeated Stan Moody, a young and talented player, with a score of 5-2. Meanwhile, Mark Selby, a former world champion, dominated Jack Lisowski with a decisive 5-0 victory. These results set the stage for a competitive semi-final lineup. In his match against Zhao Xintong, Trump started strongly, scoring breaks of 101 and 57 to win the first two frames. Zhao, who had recently taken the number one spot from Trump, responded with a century break of his own. However, Trump controlled the match in the following frames, limiting Zhao to just 29 points across three frames. Trump also added two more half-century breaks to secure his win. After the match, Trump spoke on Channel 5 about the intensity of playing in the later stages of a tournament. He said that when the competition narrows down to just a couple of players, the atmosphere becomes more intense and exciting. He also mentioned that being in this situation often gives him a boost of adrenaline and motivation, especially when playing against a top-ranked opponent like Zhao. Trump admitted he was more determined than usual, driven by a desire to prove himself and reaffirm his status as one of the best players in the sport.