Kyren Wilson v David Gilbert LIVE: World Snooker Championship latest updates

Despite winning five ranking events to sit inside the top 20 on snooker’s all-time list of victories, questions about his big-match mentality have followed Wilson, perhaps explaining why a Triple Crown title still eludes him. ‘The Warrior’ has reached the last eight at either The Masters, UK Championship or World Championship 14 times but contested only two finals – against snooker’s elite players, he has typically struggled.

A gutsy quarter-final win over Judd Trump at the Covid-delayed World Championship in 2020 suggested brighter times to come, particularly after a fluked green allowed Wilson to pip Anthony McGill in an all-time classic deciding frame in the semi-final. Yet he was unable to hold on to a rampant Rocket as Ronnie O’Sullivan claimed his sixth world title in dominant fashion.

Might 2024 be the year that Wilson finally breaks through? It has been a strange season for the father-of-two, scoring freely at times but unable to put together a deep run at a tournament. Only Trump (79) has more than Wilson’s 65 centuries across the campaign, but he has not even a final appearance to show for it.

Born in Kettering, the 32-year-old first turned professional in 2010 and soon established himself as one of snooker’s brightest young stars, recovering from a loss of form and regaining his World Tour card to return to the top tier of the sport in 2013.

Wilson immediately made an impact, forging a reputation as a player who could beat anyone on his day as he built the consistency required to challenge at the highest level. By 2015, it had arrived — at the Shanghai Masters, Wilson came all the way through qualifying to stun Judd Trump in the final and secure his first ranking title.

Having begun the event ranked outside the world’s top 50, Wilson was the biggest outsider to claim a ranking event in a decade. A run to the quarter-finals of the 2016 World Championship was another indication of a player on the up.

Well. 16 of the 33 possible frames in this semi-final have been played and there’s nothing at all to separate the two men.

Kyren Wilson looked in better flow through the morning session compared with yesterday and repeatedly took the lead, clinching a couple of tight frames in the process.

David Gilbert expertly fought back though and wouldn’t allow Wilson to extend his advantage beyond one frame with two century breaks aiding his cause.

What will happen in the second session that these two play today? They’ll be back in the arena at around 7pm but first Stuart Bingham and Jak Jones will get their semi-final back underway this afternoon.

Century! David Gilbert take a bow.

He dances around the table like a make on a mission trying to get back into the match. Kyren Wilson can only sit and admire as Gilbert moves from red to colour with ease on his way to a third hundred of the match and a break of 106.

The frame is his and the match is level once more. What a semi-final this is.

Shot! A long pot to the top right gets Gilbert going for this break and he slots in the green to follow up. Wilson’s spread of the reds is favourable for him to attack them now.

Wilson’s going to get his opportunity. He pots the first red after a slight positional error from David Gilbert. He rolls in the black and looks to screw into the bunch.

Some spread out but the only thing on is a red to the middle right. It’s tough and Wilson’s misses it. He sits down with a lead of 14 but Gilbert could capitalise here.

A big break of 79 sees him back on top with one frame left to go in the session. Both these players have been fantastic at punishing the other.

Any chance to get in and score big has been taken and it’s so close that the match could swing either way. Can Wilson win the final frame and move two clear for the first time?

Gilbert, slightly hampered by Wilson’s safety, fouls his first attempt at leaving the cueball safe. His second go clips a red and brings the white up by the baulk cushion.

It’s not safe though and Wilson takes advantage once again with a red-pink combo to start a second break.

Wilson thinly cuts a red into the bottom right pocket but leaves the cueball flying up the table. He wants to keep his break going but smartly plays safe but tapping the brown and shielding the white.