Giants clash in Thailand semis

O'Sullivan is looking for his second title of the season

World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan and world number one Mark Williams will clash in an eagerly awaited Thailand Masters semi-final on Saturday after securing rapid-fire quarter-final wins.

Williams, with self-belief restored after capturing the China Open title five days ago, eased past Dubliner Fergal O'Brien 5-1.

But the Welsh left-hander, determined to complete the Far East double, will have his hands full against O'Sullivan.

He remained on course for the £67,500 first prize with a 5-3 victory over Stephen Hendry.

I'm just not enjoying the game

A depressed John Higgins

Williams said: "It was a big relief to finally win a tournament after so long and I think that's why I'm playing reasonably well here.

"I've got nothing to worry about now."

Hendry went into the mid-session interval with O'Sullivan all square at 2-2 thanks to a 122 break - his 556th century in pro-competition and 20th of the season.

Adopting a policy of all out aggression in the second half, though, Hendry came unstuck.

O'Sullivan followed up on a couple of Hendry mistakes with runs of 63 and 72 to lead 4-2 and two frames later he scored his 18th win over the seven-time world champion in 33 meetings thanks to a 75 break.

"You know you have to play well yourself and make the most of your chances or he'll punish you," said O'Sullivan, looking for only his second title of the season.

Stevens still believes there is better to come

In the other semi-final Stephen Lee - a 5-4 victor over Ken Doherty - will face Welshman Matthew Stevens.

After losing 5-3 to Stevens, and delivering a performance he classified as "terrible", Higgins said: "I'm just not enjoying the game."

But Stevens, reaching his first semi-final since the 2000 world championships, hopes the win will be the confidence boost he needs to put his career back on track.

"I've been putting in a lot of work back home for months and nothing good has happened.

"Then I come here, practice for half an hour a day and managed to get to a semi-final. It's crazy."