Gilbert sets up meeting with Higgins or Rocket
DAVID GILBERT is the first man through to this year’s Betfred Masters semi-finals after battling his way to an “ugly” victory over Kyren Wilson in Milton Keynes.
The two Englishmen are no strangers to top battles but clashing styles brought the pace down with Gilbert scraping through with a 6-5 victory.
Neither player led by more than one frame at any stage with Wilson’s breaks of 114 and 107 counteracted by efforts of 67 and 66 to turn the match on its head.
An intriguing could now be in semi-final store with
Gilbert set to face the winner of John Higgins’ titanic clash with Ronnie O’Sullivan.
“It is a fantastic win – it was ugly, but they’re not wins I get very often so it was nice to get one on the board in a big tournament,” said the world No.13.
“I’ve been chucking so many frames away in matches, where I’ve been losing games like this one. A lot of people have been telling me to dig in more – maybe I should listen to them more often.
“Playing Ronnie or John, when they get into the rhythm, they have such a lovely style around the table.
“You can almost feed off them and get yourself into that rhythm. Ronnie has mastered it – he plays like there’s
no pressure, regardless score or the occasion.
“It’s a skill, something very difficult to master and I’m nowhere near it. Hopefully I can feed off them and get some of that.”
Higgins’ clash with O’Sullivan tonight is the standout tie of the quarter-finals, with no
of the player having a better Masters record than the seven-time champion Rocket.
Higgins is certainly no slouch, though his second title in 2006 is the last time a Scot has reigned supreme in the prestigious invitational event.
Scottish interest spills over into tonight’s other last-eight match with Stephen Maguire the favourite heading into his battle with Yan Bingtao.
Maguire has won all three previous meetings but the Chinese cueman has certainly taken a huge leap forward in the subsequent years, despite being just 20 years of age.
The two certainly have impressive victories to fall back on, with Yan dumping in-form Neil Robertson out in the opening round while Maguire overcame three-time world champion Mark Selby.
Watch the London Masters live on Eurosport and Eurosport app from 10 January