China's Liang to meet Grace in UK semifinals, Robertson plays Selby

China's Liang Wenbo will fight for a final place against 81st-ranked David Grace in the semifinals of the snooker UK Championships after edging out Marco Fu 6-5 at the Barbican Center in York on Friday. 

   World No. 1 Mark Selby overcame an unconvincing start to reach the semifinals with a 6-1 win over Matt Selt, setting up a mouth-watering showdown against former world champion Neil Robertson of Australia.

   Grace continued his giant-killing show and secured his best performance in his career with a 6-5 upset victory over 24th seed Martin Gould. 

   Former world No. 1 Robertson also enjoyed an epic 6-5 win to book a semifinal berth after beating three-time winner John Higgins.

   Liang, whose only ranking final came at the 2009 Shanghai Masters when he lost to Ronnie O'Sullivan, made a sensational start Friday by winning the first three frames with breaks of 106, 132 and 138. In the next frame he had a chance to join Higgins, Robertson and Shaun Murphy as the only players to make four consecutive centuries, but broke down on 49. Fu cleared with 64 to pull one back.

   The next two frames were shared then world number 29 Liang made a 67 to go 5-2 ahead. He might have sealed victory in the next but missed on 45 and his opponent cleared with 79. Fu, runner-up in 2008, added the next two frames with top runs of 45 and 49 for 5-5.

   Both players had chances in the decider but it was Liang who took control with breaks of 28 and 32, and he clinched the result when a safety error from Fu left the penultimate red over a baulk corner.

   "I made a great start with three centuries, then he put me under a lot of pressure from 5-2," said Liang. "When it got to 5-5 it was very tough. I thought I would lose but I just tried to stay calm and enjoy it. Marco and I are friends and it was a good game."  Endi