World Snooker Championship: Kyren Wilson holds off David Gilbert to reach second career Crucible final
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Published 04/05/2024 at 15:23 GMT
Kyren Wilson is a World Snooker Championship finalist for the second time in his career after wrapping up victory over David Gilbert at the Crucible on Saturday afternoon. Stuart Bingham or Jak Jones await Wilson in the final on Sunday and Monday. Stream top snooker action, including the 2024 World Championship, live and on-demand on Eurosport and discovery+
Wilson flukes red to leave Gilbert unimpressed
Kyren Wilson stamped his ticket to a second appearance in a World Championship final after beating David Gilbert 17-11.
Wilson and Gilbert were locked together after two sessions, but the former made his move on Friday evening to open up a four-frame advantage.
Gilbert faced a huge task on Saturday, and was unable to mount a revival as Wilson advanced to the championship match - four years on from his loss to Ronnie O’Sullivan in 2020.
Wilson started the final session with an excellent long red, but overcut a yellow.
He got a further chance only to miss a red to the bottom left by a distance, but it took two cannons before dropping into the bottom right.
Gilbert emerged from his chair when Wilson missed, but sat down muttering under his breath at the fluke.
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Wilson flukes red to leave Gilbert unimpressed
The fluke was a sign that Wilson was not in full flow and he missed a black a few shots later. This time there was no fluke and Gilbert picked off a break of 70 to cut the gap to three.
Wilson has a steely temperament, and he shrugged off the missed black in the opening frame of the session by starting strongly in the 16th. He looked good in making 47, but a cannon on the cluster saw him lose position.
Itr was a handy lead, and despite Gilbert attempting a counter on the back of a superb snooker, Wilson potted yellow and green to take a 42-minute frame and restore his four-frame lead.
Gilbert had a chance to respond in the 17th, but a missed red handed a chance to Wilson who responded with 54 before playing a good safety.
It brought an error from Gilbert, and a second contribution of 25 took Wilson to within one frame of the final.
Wilson had first bite in the frame he needed for victory, but nerves were apparent as he missed a red to the bottom right.
Gilbert countered with 49, but a split on the cluster was not kind and he missed a red in an attempt to keep the break going.
At the second time of asking, Wilson made no mistake. He played a deft cannon to develop the one safe red and held his nerve to wrap up the win with a break of 67.
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