Mark Selby's defense of his English Open title continued on Friday, as he beat China's Zhou Yuelong 5-2 in the quarterfinals of this year's tournament. 

After sharing the first two frames, 22-year-old Zhou made an excellent 51 clearance to lead 2-1. World No.4 Selby dominated the next two frames, making breaks of 72, 52 and 48 to lead 3-2. 

Zhou had a chance to win frame six but missed a short range brown, from a tight angle, to a center pocket when he trailed 43-34. He later played a loose safety on the brown and Selby punished him to go 4-2 ahead. The Englishman sealed the result in frame seven with a run of 56. 

"I didn't play great today but I'm happy to win," Selby told the World Snooker Tour website. 

The 37-year-old English cueman will meet Neil Robertson in the semifinals, after the Australian fired three centuries to defeat Robbie Williams 5-2. 

World No.1 Judd Trump and four-time world champion John Higgins will face off in the other semifinal on Saturday. 

Higgins outplayed Jak Jones 5-1 while Trump saw off Kyren Wilson by the same scoreline. 

Trump failed to defend his world championship title in August but nevertheless took six ranking titles last season. 

Higgins, 45, hasn't won any titles since taking the 2018 Welsh Open.  

(With input from agencies)