Mark Selby saw off Gary Wilson 13-7 to reach the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship and keep alive hopes of a fifth title.
Selby, who last lifted the trophy at the Crucible in 2021, resumed with a 10-6 advantage which was soon extended following a confident 109 clearance in the opening frame of Monday’s concluding evening session.
Two half-century breaks helped Wilson reduce the deficit to 11-7, before Selby, who sank a superb thinly-cut black with the extension, edged the next 73-45 after both men had spurned chances to put the frame to bed.
There were more nerves in the 20th frame, with Wilson unable to capitalise on a poor break from Selby, who then failed to build on a run of 35.
Selby took four attempts to get out of a snooker behind the brown before going in off the blue when again well set.
Wilson, though, missed a long red and then a poor safety gifted a match-winning opening to Selby, who this time made no mistake to wrap up victory.
Selby goes on to face fellow four-time champion John Higgins, who completed an impressive win over Kyren Wilson with a session to spare on Sunday evening.
Earlier, Si Jiahui had picked up where he left off to secure a spot in the quarter-finals with a 13-7 victory against Robert Milkins.
The world No 80 is the lowest-ranked player left in the tournament and continued his fantastic debut at the Crucible despite a rocky start on Monday afternoon.
The 20-year-old started the final session 11-5 ahead needing just two frames to seal a spot in the last eight, but both players felt the pressure in the opening frame with Milkins missing plenty of chances to score.
“I treat it as if it is a minor event, like a daily practice— Si Jiahui
Si sunk the final red and cleared up the remaining colours to go within one frame of victory, but a great start to the second was soured after he missed the match ball, allowing Milkins to steal the frame with a clearance of 69.
The Welsh Open champion gathered momentum as he took the third frame, but Si denied any chance of an incredible comeback after a dominant display in the fourth saw him finish with a stunning century break to reach the quarter-finals.
“Since the qualifiers, I have felt peaceful and calm emotionally,” Si said on the World Snooker Tour website. “I treat it as if it is a minor event, like a daily practice, and I try to enjoy the Crucible.”
