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Masters snooker: David Gilbert into semi-finals on debut; Stuart Bingham beats Kyren Wilson

By Ben Coley

Snooker

Sat January 18, 2020 · 5y ago

David Gilbert impressed again on his Masters debut, beating Stephen Maguire 6-2 to earn a place in the semi-finals, while Stuart Bingham stunned Kyren Wilson.

Surely the best player in the sport yet to win a ranking title, victory on Sunday would in fact see him remain in that category - The Masters is a non-ranking event.

And yet it is second only to the World Championship in terms of prestige, and make no mistake this means much to the Derby potter, who held his nerve to eliminate UK Championship finalist Maguire.

Gilbert produced the highest break of the tournament on his way to the last four, a fluent 144 clearance, and fended off Maguire with relative ease as he advanced to face either Stuart Bingham or Kyren Wilson.

On this evidence and his first-round defeat of Mark Allen, Gilbert might well be the form player in the event - and he's now two wins away from a career-changing moment.

"I knew I was leaving the lot but I want to see how my arm feels," said Gilbert, explaining his decision to take on a tricky red which paved the way for that magnificent 144.

When told that nobody in his half of the draw has won this title before, the midlander was typically laid back, adding: "I don't worry about anybody else, I'm only ever bothered about myself. I never look that far ahead."

Gilbert could not have started the match in better fashion, clearing for a brilliant 144 break - the highest of the tournament so far, with the vanquished Judd Trump the only other player to have registered more than one century so far.

He was fully deserving of a 3-1 lead at the interval having produced breaks of 55 and 91 before Maguire responded with a 57 of his own, but with the Scot having fought back from 5-1 down to beat Neil Robertson 6-5 in the first round, it was clear to all that there was work still to do.

Maguire ought to have cut the deficit to one upon resumption, but a simple missed green proved costly and Gilbert was in no mood to pass up another frame-winning opportunity, taking it ruthlessly by just a single point.

Again in the sixth frame, Maguire had chances, but Gilbert took it to edge within one before his opponent produced an impressive 94 break which would have been a century had he not gone in-off the black.

There was a glimmer of hope for Maguire in the next, but when he left an opening for Gilbert, the game's best maiden took his chance gloriously, a 77 break sealing his place in the semi-finals - where he'll stick to the same formula.

"Not really," he replied, when asked if he was at all superstitious. "But I have worn the same socks and pants for the last two matches, and they'll definitely be on tomorrow!"

Bingham comeback stuns Wilson

Gilbert will now play Stuart Bingham after he staged a tremendous fightback to beat Kyren Wilson 6-4 and complete the Masters semi-final line-up at Alexandra Palace.

Wilson, the only top-eight seed in the last four, dominated the early stages of the quarter-final, racing into a 4-1 lead, but the match turned on a crucial sixth frame which Wilson had threatened to steal with some excellent safety play and fine long potting.

In the end, Wilson missed a tricky final black to the yellow pocket and after Bingham also missed from the distance, the latter found a brave double to the middle pocket that reduced his arrears to 4-2 and kept his hopes alive.

From there on it is was all one-way traffic, breaks of 82 and 75 drawing Bingham level before he dictated terms in frames nine and ten to seal a most rewarding victory that came after midnight.

"Adrenalin, the atmosphere gets you through it," Bingham told Eurosport.

"It's great when the crowd gets involved. If you can enjoy yourself and play with a smile on your face, the crowd seem to turn for you."

Looking ahead to his semi-final clash with Gilbert, Bingham said: "I think he's the man of the tournament.

"The 144 break shows what level he's at at the moment, so fair play to him.

"It can be pretty frightening here. I've come here and froze loads of times, but he's letting his snooker do the talking.

"He's a danger in any tournament he enters."

Tournament schedule and round-by-round results

All matches up to and including semi-finals best of 11; final best of 19

ROUND ONE

Sunday 12 January
Afternoon Session (1300 - BBC/Eurosport)

Ding Junhui 3-6 Joe Perry