David Morris bowed out of the Wuxi Classic at the quarter-final stage, losing 5-2 to Wales' Matthew Stevens in China.
The Kilkenny cueist had beaten Ali Carter in the last 16 and led 2-1 against Stevens, but the Welshman hit back with breaks of 50, 48, 40 and 61 to claim victory.
Morris leaves the tournament with a cheque for £11,500 and with his reputation seriously enhanced.
Stevens will now face four-time world champion John Higgins in the semi-final.
Higgins beat Joe Perry 5-2, surging into a dominant 4-1 lead helped by breaks of 97, 50 and 61.
Perry hit back with a 70 but his Scottish opponent would not be stopped and won a close seventh frame.
World number one Neil Robertson will take on Robert Milkins in the other semi-final.
Robertson had anything but an easy progression into the final four as he defeated home favourite Cao Yupeng, who he later said could be "the new Ding Junhui", 5-4.
The 2010 world champion had to come from 4-3 down to progress against the 22-year-old from Guangzhou, levelling with a break of 87 before two contributions in the 40s won him the decider.
Meanwhile Milkins book his place the final four after he came through a quarter-final with Anthony Hamilton.
Milkins showed his intent from the first frame when he fired a break of 120 and moved to a 4-1 lead before Hamilton pulled back two to gain a foothold in the match at 4-3.
Milkins, who is currently ranked 18 in world, saw off the challenge of the Nottingham-born potter with a 53 break to win 5-3.
