Wilson: Now I want to win the world title
Snooker Kyren Wilson reached the Crucible quarter-finals for a second time as he sent former title winner Stuart Bingham tumbling out of the Betfred World Snooker Championship last night.
Kettering cueman Wilson gamely kept Bingham at bay throughout the contest, building an initial 5-0 lead on Thursday and making it count.
The 25-year-old was well chased by Bingham, who came to Sheffield with the distraction of a pending World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association betting case against him.
But the surprise champion of two years ago could not haul himself level at any point as Wilson sealed a 13-10 victory.
Bingham made the highest break of the tournament so far, 137, and had a sniff of a 147 maximum break in the 22nd frame but missed the 11th red.
Wilson soon wrapped up his place in the last eight.
He lost to the eventual champion Mark Selby in the quarter-finals 12 months ago and this time will tackle John Higgins or Mark Allen.
Wilson said: “I learned a lot from last year. It made me comfortable as soon as I came through the doors this year.
“This isn’t an easy place to play and to be in my second quarter-final is testament to myself as a player.
“I’m not really bothered about taking one step further, I want to win the tournament.
“I’ve got to win three more matches to win that trophy.
“That’s what I’ve dreamt of since I was a little boy and that’s what I’ll keep aiming towards.”
Bingham said of his missed maximum opportunity: “That obviously hurt.
“It was so on, as soon as I went into the reds.”
He said how in the closing stages of the match he had looked around the venue and recalled his 2015 triumph.
“I still love the place,” Bingham said. “I obviously wish I’d gone a couple of matches further but knowing what I did two years ago, that’ll be with me until I go to my grave.”
Bingham added that he will work with coach and 1979 world champion Terry Griffiths next season, saying: “For the last 15 months I haven’t had a coach. Terry’s got good players around him and everyone speaks very highly of him so I think it’s worth a go.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan leads Shaun Murphy 10-6 going into their final session.