World Snooker Championship: Kyren Wilson dominates third session to secure four-frame lead over David Gilbert
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ByEurosport
Updated 03/05/2024 at 21:36 GMT
Kyren Wilson grew in stature as the third session progressed on Friday evening, and he worked a strong advantage going into the final session on Saturday afternoon. The players began level at 8-8, but Gilbert faltered and Wilson cashed in. Stream top snooker action, including the 2024 World Championship, live and on-demand on Eurosport and discovery+
'Heavyweight scoring' - Gilbert levels scores with 129 clearance
Kyren Wilson dominated the third session to open up a 14-10 lead over David Gilbert in their World Championship semi-final clash.
The pair were locked together after two sessions and began Friday evening at 8-8.
Gilbert had the chance to draw level at 10-10 but missed a yellow and the momentum shifted Wilson’s way from that moment.
The 2020 Crucible finalist rammed home his advantage and will return on Saturday afternoon needing three frames for victory in the race to 17.
After the quality of the first two sessions, it was a surprise when Gilbert played a slack safety in the 17th.
It was no surprise that Wilson punished the mistake, as he knocked in a superb 85 to edge in front.
Gilbert shrugged off the error, and potted his way out of trouble in the 18th. With seemingly no path back to baulk, Gilbert found a stunning pot. It got him unstuck and later in the frame he made 55 to get back on level terms at 9-9.
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‘If you’re in trouble, pot your way out’ - Gilbert knocks in superb long red
The free-flowing snooker continued in the 19th, with Wilson punishing an error from Gilbert with a run of 93 - missing out on his first century of the match when wrigging the final black in the jaws of the bottom left.
For 19 frames there had been no daylight between the pair, but Wilson opened some up in the 20th - after nerves reared their head for the first time.
Wilson looked well set to take the 20th at a single visit, but missed a black off its spot. The counter from Gilbert was up and running until he missed the final yellow off its spot.
Wilson won a battle on the colours to open up a two-frame lead for the first time in the match.
Wilson piled on the pressure after the interval, while his opponent had an issue with his trousers, as a run of 88 on the back of a Gilbert miss stretched his lead to 12-9.
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‘There ain’t much to see anyway’ - Gilbert jokes with crowd after wardrobe malfunction
While Wilson was the stronger player on Friday evening, he had more than his fair share of good fortune as was demonstrated in the 22nd when on a couple of occasions he missed, only for the cue ball to drop safe.
Gilbert could not find any momentum and Wilson made it four frames in a row to extend his lead to 13-9.
Gilbert attempted to pot his way out of trouble, but it did not pay off as Wilson took the 23rd to move five clear.
To his immense credit, and to roars from the Crucible crowd, Gilbert stopped the rot by taking the final frame of the session with a superb century to keep his hopes alive at 14-10.
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Gilbert finishes third session with brilliant century against Wilson
Wilson and Gilbert level after high-quality second session
Earlier on Friday, Wilson and Gilbert played out an enthralling second session which finished 8-8.
Neither player could take more than a single frame lead as the pair continued to match each other at the Crucible.
Both players began the morning session locked at 4-4 and it was Wilson who took the lead by sealing the frame in just a single visit to the table.
The following frame was a scrappier affair with Wilson missing an easy pink which would have given him a two-frame lead, but instead Gilbert levelled the match.
Wilson then blundered again by missing a blue that could have cost him the 11th frame, but Gilbert missed the yellow.
A nervy remainder of the frame concluded with Wilson taking a 6-5 lead.
Gilbert responded in emphatic fashion before the mid-session interval with a brilliant run of 129 to level the match.
Wilson retook the lead after Gilbert missed a long red to bottom left and instead sent down the cue ball. Gilbert levelled to make it 7-7, falling just shy of a century with a run of 96.
The quality on display from both players was evident.
Wilson again retook the lead in the match with a break of 79 before Gilbert ensured the second session would finish level with a sparkling break of 106.
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Gilbert gets up and sits back down after Wilson benefits from fluke
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