David Gilbert 13-17 Kyren Wilson
A fascinating match-up between two of snookers most likeable players and what an opportunity for both to not only take their place in the final, but realistically have a huge chance of claiming their first World Championship title. Kyren’s run to the German Masters semi-final is the furthest either player has progressed in a ranking event this season so they are by no means coming into this championship on-form. Both players progressed through their Quarter Finals with relative ease, showing their class along the way (Gilbert 13-8 Maguire, Wilson 13-8 Higgins). Although Wilson had been thrashed 13-2 by Higgins at the same stage last year so it was a big hurdle for him to cross. He has shown maturity throughout this Championship and from day 1 has looked a different animal at the Crucible this year. Coming through qualifying, Gilbert has had five victories to get to this stage. He has shown glimpses throughout of being back to his best and the 10-9 win over defending Champion Luca Brecel was the confidence boost he needed. There is no doubt the momentum built up is playing a crucial part in his brilliant form at the minute and a place in his first World Championship Final is a real possibility. Both players love to attack so it should be a free-flowing, enjoyable game for the viewers with plenty of high breaks. Head-to-head between the pair doesn’t give much clue as to who the winner will be as it is as close as expected (6-5 Wilson). It’s very hard to call a winner and it’s hard to see either player running away with the win but I’m going to side with Wilson to continue his run and reach his 2nd World Championship Final.
Jak Jones 14-17 Stuart
Bingham
A real
contrast in styles. Jones has shown how he can grind down opponents by playing
really solid match-play snooker while Bingham is more of a free-flowing,
high-scorer. It sets it up to be a very interesting watch. The fact both players
have come through the qualifiers is a prime example of the quality on tour at
the moment. Jones is well-known for enjoying playing at the Crucible following
his run to the Quarter-Final last year and is well-suited by the longer format.
His defeat over World number 2 Judd Trump in the quarter-final was a prime
example of how he can frustrate his opponents with long safety battles but is
then more than capable of taking advantage when an opportunity arises. What
makes his performances even more surprising is the lack of form he had coming into the Championship after a poor season on tour by the Welshman’s standards. How
he’s come through against Judd Trump, Si Jiahui and Zhang Anda relatively
comfortably has been so impressive and it’s unlikely he’ll be phased by the one
table-setup either. 2015 World Champion Stuart Bingham arguably caused the upset
of the Championship by coming through against World number 1 Ronnie O’Sullivan
in the quarter final, from 10-10 he played brilliantly to win the remaining 3
frames and progress to his first semi-final since 2021. Apart from his run to
Quarter-Final of the Scottish Open, it has been a quiet season for “Ballrun” but
coming through against one of the tours form players Gary Wilson in round 1
seems to have been the catalyst for the run he is currently on. The pair have
only met once with Jones coming out of top in Gibraltar in 2022 (4-0) but this
is a completely different environment and I think the experience Bingham’s had
of playing in the one table environment twice previously may just edge it in
his favour. With Jones seemingly able to frustrate Trump in the previous round,
I feel it’ll be much more difficult to do the same with Bingham.
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