He’s vibrant, confident, super talented and still only 17. Is Yan Bingtao snooker’s next big thing?

He’s young, vibrant, confident and still only 17 – China’s Yan Bingtao is setting the snooker world alight with his sensational displays in reaching the semi-finals of the 2017 World Snooker International Championship in Daqing in Heilongjiang province, China.

Yan moved closer to his first ranking title triumph after thrilling victories against two former world champions – 6-1 against Ronnie O’Sullivan in the first round and then 6-2 against John Higgins in the quarter-finals on Thursday. Between O’Sullivan and Higgins, they have nine Crucible titles and are considered the leading lights in the game but Yan made short work of the British pair to belie his tender years.

The manner in which Yan claimed his two latest scalps drew comparisons with a young Steve Davis, who ruled the baize during the early 1980s and went on to win six world titles.

Yan is the latest mainland player to have come through the ranks, following in the footsteps of China number one Ding Junhui and number two, Liang Wenbo, and the talented teenager is extremely likely to improve on his world ranking of 55 in his first season as a professional. Yan takes on Mark Allen in Saturday’s semi-final after the Northern Irishman defeated England’s Judd Trump 6-5 to set up an intriguing encounter.

Watch: Ronnie O’Sullivan v Yang Bingtao in the first round

“I think I can beat anyone, but I need to be calm and mature,” Yan told Eurosport after his win over O’Sullivan. “I learned a lot from my first year as a pro, and I need to be in control and to be consistent. I might beat a top 16 player and then lose the next match playing like a different person.”

But Yan said he was not about to take over the mantle from Ding just yet, saying: “Ding is a legend of China’s snooker and I think it’s almost impossible to surpass or be as good as him. I only can say that I’ll try hard to be a best Yan Bingtao.”