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Robert Milkins and Joe Perry

Snooker results: Robert Milkins pulls off comeback to beat Joe Perry at the Crucible

By Sporting Life

Snooker

Thu April 20, 2023 · 2y ago

Robert Milkins pulled off a brilliant comeback to beat Joe Perry at the World Snooker Championship, recovering from 7-2 down to eventually prevail 10-9.

Their first-round match had originally been suspended on Monday after orange powder was tipped over the table cloth by a protester, and Perry took complete control when play finally resumed on Tuesday, establishing a significant lead.

However, Milkins looked a different player when their final session began on Thursday and fought his way back into the contest with a series of big breaks that put his opponent on the back foot.

By winning three of the first four frames played on Thursday morning, Milkins reduced his arrears to 8-6 and with momentum on his side, he kept his foot firmly on the gas by adding further breaks of 53, 55 and 59.

That meant this season's Welsh Open champion had won five frames on the spin to lead for the first time, though there was still time for another twist as Perry responded to force a deciding frame with a run of 63.

Ultimately, a lapse safety shot was to prove Perry's downfall, Milkins then stepping in to sink a brilliant long red from distance which paved the way for a nerveless frame- and match-winning break of 63 that belied the magnitude of the situation.

"From 7-2 down you are pretty much dead and buried," said Milkins. "You just come out and try and make the score respectable.

"I won the first two frames but then lost the next for 8-4 which was a setback. I dug in and managed to close the gap. If I had ended up losing 10-9 after being 9-8 up, I would have been more gutted than losing 10-2.

"I tried to be more positive, playing the percentage shots but being a bit more aggressive and speeding up a bit to get myself going. I am not totally happy with the tip on my cue, it will take more time to bed in.

"I have some time to practise now and be ready for round two."

He'll face either Shaun Murphy or Si Jiahui in the second round.

Selby denies stubborn Selt

Mark Selby was pushed hard by Matt Selt, who had threatened to take the match the distance before the four-time world champion closed out the match with a century.

Resuming 6-3 to the good, Selby might have been hoping for an early finish when claiming the first frame of the concluding session to stretch his lead to four.

However, Selt won three of the next four frames to keep himself in the hunt and then closed to 9-8 when holding his nerve in a tense 17th frame that had appeared destined to go Selby's way after he was the beneficiary of a remarkable fluke on the blue.

In the end, Selby kept his cool and again produced when his best when he needed it most, signing off with a classy, closing 112 that confirmed his 10-8 victory and sets up a second-round meeting with Gary Wilson.

"It was one of the best breaks I have made, under the circumstances," said 39-year-old Selby. "Matt was asking me questions, he played well in both sessions.

"It was tense out there and he put me under pressure. I was happy with how I stood up to it. Matt is a good player, he should do better. He has been here a few times and I knew he wasn’t going to buckle. He has a good match game and he’s capable of beating anyone.

"The biggest thing for me is that mentally I am in a better place to be out there competing. Last year, mentally I was fragile, but now I’m in a better place and that is showing on the table."

Earlier, Mark Williams took the final frame of an absorbing opening stanza to draw level with Luca Brecel at 4-4.

Williams had made an electric start as a break of 113 saw him lead 3-1 at the mid-session interval, but Brecel pinched the first one back and rattled off four in succession.

Williams will now hope the eighth frame prompts a similar shift in momentum after taking it to ensure they'll return with nothing between them on Friday morning.

CLICK HERE TO READ OUR FEATURE ON ROBERT MILKINS

World Snooker Championship: Today's schedule & results

Scroll down further for round-by-round draws and full tournament schedule
* denotes 'to a finish'

THURSDAY APRIL 20
Morning Session (9.30am)
First Round (Best of 19 frames)
TV Coverage: Eurosport & BBC

Robert Milkins 10-9 Joe Perry *

Afternoon Session (2.00pm)
First/Second Round (Best of 19/25 frames)
TV Coverage: Eurosport & BBC

Mark Selby 10-8 Matt Selt *
Luca Brecel 4-4 Mark Williams (Match 18)

Evening Session (7pm)
First/Second Round (Best of 19/25 frames)
TV Coverage: Eurosport & BBC

Shaun Murphy vs Si Jiahui *
Mark Allen v Stuart Bingham (Match 21)

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