We are down to the final four in the European Masters and the cream has risen to the top at the Kia Metropol Arena in Nuremberg.

In one semi-final world number four Judd Trump is set to meet four-time world champion John Higgins in a true epic, while the other pits world number five Mark Selby against last season’s runner-up Barry Hawkins.

The semi-finals are played over a best-of-11 format and it promises to be an informative day, which should be full of quality and big breaks.

John Higgins to have the highest break @ 10/11

This is set to be the 50th competitive meeting between Higgins and Trump and it has been a close rivalry down the years with the more experienced Scot having narrowly edging their personal series with 26 victories.

However, Trump is the higher ranked player and has enjoyed more recent success which is why he is favourite to triumph in this semi-final.

These two clashed in the final of a star-studded invitational event in Huangguoshu, China, earlier this month and Trump prevailed 5-1.

That showed both players to be in excellent touch coming into this event and that is how it is proved in Germany.

Trump has been in devastating form, winning three of his five matches 5-0, but Higgins has shone against a tougher list of opponents.

While the Juddernaut’s highest ranked victim is world number 28 Chris Wakelin, Higgins has accounted for Zhou Yuelong and fellow top-ten performers Shaun Murphy and Kyren Wilson.

The Wizard of Wishaw showed his scoring prowess with two centuries in each of his wins against Murphy and Wilson and that may make him a good bet to record the highest break in this tussle with Trump.

Barry Hawkins to beat Mark Selby @ 6/4

Hawkins will be determined to go one better than last year, having lost to Kyren Wilson in last season’s final and the Hawk looks a nice price to reach another title decider.

The world number 19 may not be as consistent as he once was, but he is still able to mix it with the best on his day, highlighted by his last-16 win over reigning world champion Luca Brecel.

Last season Hawkins toppled Robert Milkins, Trump and Mark Williams on his way to the final and he is playing well enough to stop Selby, who has had a generous run to the semi-finals.

Anthony Hamilton, the world number 36, is the Jester from Leicester’s highest-ranked victim and it is interesting that this is a rivalry that Hawkins has thrived in.

The Hawk won their most recent encounter 6-1 at The Masters in January of last year, meaning he has triumphed in six of their last eight meetings.

The outsider is certainly playing well enough to stick it to the four-time world champion.