MAGUIRE’S ON FIRE IN GLORY BID
Scot coasts into last 8 with session to spare
SUPER Stephen Maguire reckons he’s on a roll at the World Championship.
The fiery Glaswegian has reached his first quarter-final on snooker’s grandest stage for five years.
Maguire hadn’t won a match at the Crucible in all that time but has only dropped five frames en route to the last eight after ripping apart Rory McLeod 13-3.
He said: “I’m definitely on a roll. That’s five matches I’ve won already because I had to qualify.
“I’ve had two hard matches and I’ve come through them quite comfortably but need to raise my game.
“Rory made it easy for me but you can only beat what’s in front of you.”
Milton marvel Maguire slammed in brilliant breaks of 67, 71, 63, 114, 61, 90 and 57 to deservedly progress.
And he could face Graeme Dott in a potential second all-Scottish showdown of the tournament for a place in the final four. The 2006 champion will conclude his best-of-25 duel with former finalist Barry Hawkins tonight.
Maguire said: “I just hope they play 25 frames and I can chill out.
“It’ll be tough against Graeme or Barry, they’re both great players.
“I don’t fear either of them and if I play the way I want to play then I fancy winning.
“Graeme’s beat me up a few times but at least there will be a Scot in the semis if we do play each other.”
Beating McLeod with a session to spare means Maguire secured himself an extra day off to freshen up before tomorrow’s quarterfinals get underway.
He added: “It’s nice to get some time off and have a little practice.
“At 9-3 I knew I had half a chance to do it with a session to spare.
“The last two frames I really wanted to get the match done because you don’t know how long it’ll take coming back at 12-4.”
McLeod, 46, mounted one of the biggest Crucible shocks as he conquered tournament favourite Judd Trump in the first round.
And the media circus that surrounded that win was playing on his mind.
The Englishman said: “All the hype from that win distracted me. I should have locked myself away.
“I’m gutted but Stephen deserved to win, he played really well.”
Reigning champion Mark Selby needs three frames today to see off Chinese cueman Xiao Guodong, with the match at 10-6.
Meanwhile, four-time winner John Higgins continues his surge towards the record £375,000 top prize tomorrow.
Emerging English talent Kyren Wilson is the man standing in his way of an eighth Crucible semi-final.