▁October , ▁defe ating ▁Stuart ▁B ingham ▁ 9 – 7 ▁in ▁the ▁final . ▁The ▁following ▁month , ▁he ▁reached ▁the ▁quarter - final s ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Championship ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁ed ged ▁out ▁ 5 – 6 ▁by ▁Mark ▁Allen . ▁He ▁then ▁reached ▁the ▁final ▁of ▁the ▁Shang hai ▁Masters ▁for ▁the ▁second ▁time , ▁but ▁was ▁heavily ▁defeated ▁ 3 – 1 0 ▁by ▁Ron nie ▁O ' S ull ivan . ▁ ▁He ▁made ▁semi - final ▁appearances ▁at ▁three ▁other ▁ranking ▁events ▁this ▁season : ▁at ▁the ▁Scottish ▁Open , ▁he ▁lost ▁ 4 – 6 ▁to ▁C ao ▁Y up eng ▁whom ▁he ▁had ▁defeated ▁two ▁months ▁earlier ▁in ▁the ▁semi - final s ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Masters ; ▁at ▁the ▁German ▁Masters , ▁he ▁was ▁be aten ▁ 1 – 6 ▁by ▁Mark ▁Williams , ▁after ▁making ▁the ▁highest ▁break ▁of ▁the ▁tournament ▁( 1 4 0 ) ▁in ▁his ▁quarter - final ▁cl ash ▁with ▁D ing ▁Jun hui ; ▁and ▁in ▁def ending ▁his ▁title ▁at ▁the ▁Play ers ▁Championship , ▁he ▁was ▁narrow ly ▁defeated ▁by ▁Ron nie ▁O ' S ull ivan ▁ 5 – 6 . ▁In ▁January , ▁he ▁reached ▁the ▁semi - final s ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁Masters ▁where , ▁despite ▁leads ▁of ▁ 3 – 1 ▁and ▁ 5 – 2 ▁earlier ▁in ▁the ▁match , ▁he ▁was ▁elimin ated ▁ 5 – 6 ▁by ▁Ky ren ▁Wilson . ▁ ▁At ▁the