The Crucible Theatre will transition to the particular single desk setup on Thursday with the 2024 World Snooker Championship semi-finals to begin in Sheffield.
A match stuffed with shocks and upsets up to now means that there’s an sudden final-four lineup nonetheless vying for the £500,000 high prize.
Just one participant among the many remaining quartet is ranked contained in the world’s high 16, making it the primary time since 1977 that three qualifiers have reached this stage.
Whereas it could not present a star-studded climax to this yr’s version, there nonetheless guarantees to be an entertaining finale in retailer.
Match predictions right here throughout this occasion have been absolute rubbish, so let’s go away them the place they belong – within the bin.
Nonetheless, let’s replicate on the 2 semi-finals on the 2024 World Snooker Championship.
David Gilbert vs Kyren Wilson (12)
Session 1: Thursday, Could 2nd at 1pm
Session 2: Friday, Could third at 10am
Session 3: Friday, Could third at 7pm
Session 4: Saturday, Could 4th at 2:30pm
Because the world quantity 12 and the one seed left within the match, Kyren Wilson has been promoted to the brand new match favorite with the bookies.
How the Kettering cueist will deal with the added strain will likely be fascinating to see over the approaching few days.
Apart from a number of minor hiccups, Wilson appeared comfy throughout his 13-8 conquer John Higgins within the final eight.
The 32 year-old, a five-time rating occasion winner at a number of the smaller occasions, has been difficult for main honours at extra prestigious tournaments for a number of years with out with the ability to land the killer blow.
The Englishman reached the ultimate of the 2020 World Championship the place he was denied the trophy by Ronnie O’Sullivan, however he could by no means get a greater alternative to win on the Crucible than the one introduced to him this yr.
Towards David Gilbert, Wilson faces a participant who has stormed again to kind at simply the fitting time after a prolonged spell within the doldrums.
With six century breaks already, Gilbert has represented the best scorer of anyone within the competitors.
If Gilbert can maintain that stage of break constructing, he will definitely give himself an opportunity to go one higher than his semi-final run in 2019 that led to a painful deciding-frame loss.
The 42 year-old appeared a bit edgy within the latter elements of his quarter-final win over Stephen Maguire, however his Scottish opponent was unable to take benefit.
Wilson and Gilbert are each, in truth, liable to getting nervous of their largest moments, in order that aspect might play a job in figuring out who advances to the ultimate.
Not a lot separates them of their head-to-head report, with Wilson successful six to Gilbert’s 5 in all competitions.
Jak Jones vs Stuart Bingham
Session 1: Thursday, Could 2nd at 7pm
Session 2: Friday, Could third at 2:30pm
Session 3: Saturday, Could 4th at 10am
Session 4: Saturday, Could 4th at 7pm
The opposite showdown within the semi-finals of the 2024 World Snooker Championship will likely be between Stuart Bingham and Jak Jones.
Bingham produced a advantageous show to upset match favorite Ronnie O’Sullivan within the quarter-finals.
When he beat the Rocket on the identical stage of the 2015 World Championship, he proceeded to go all the best way to success and the silverware.
With all his expertise as a confirmed winner and a former world quantity two, Bingham is predicted to beat shock bundle Jak Jones within the final 4.
However write the Welshman off at your peril, as he has already proved on numerous events on the Crucible Theatre throughout this season and final.
Not for the primary time on this occasion, Jones took benefit of a horrible efficiency from his opponent when he dispatched of a wretched Judd Trump on Wednesday.
Jones has been doing sufficient to get the job achieved in every of his matches up to now, and the 30 year-old seems to have a helpful knack of negatively affecting the opposition’s recreation and rhythm.
Bingham has confronted Jones solely as soon as earlier than, with the latter recording a convincing 4-0 conquer the previous Masters champion on the 2022 Gibraltar Open.
Among the many remaining 4 contenders, Jones is the one participant who has by no means skilled the one desk setup on the Crucible Theatre.
Whether or not that may have an effect on his efficiency is an apparent unknown, however he has actually handled every part that has been thrown at him up to now.
Bingham, who would return to the highest 16 on the planet rankings by reaching the ultimate, should be cautious of such a menace.
2024 World Snooker Championship Draw
Spherical 1 (bo19)
Luca Brecel (1) 9-10 David Gilbert
Robert Milkins (16) 10-9 Pang Junxu
Ali Carter (9) 7-10 Stephen Maguire
Shaun Murphy (8) 10-5 Lyu Haotian
Mark Selby (5) 6-10 Joe O’Connor
Kyren Wilson (12) 10-1 Dominic Dale
John Higgins (13) 10-6 Jamie Jones
Mark Allen (4) 10-6 Robbie Williams
Judd Trump (3) 10-5 Hossein Vafaei
Tom Ford (14) 10-6 Ricky Walden
Zhang Anda (11) 4-10 Jak Jones
Mark Williams (6) 9-10 Si Jiahui
Ding Junhui (7) 9-10 Jack Lisowski
Gary Wilson (10) 5-10 Stuart Bingham
Barry Hawkins (15) 8-10 Ryan Day
Ronnie O’Sullivan (2) 10-1 Jackson Web page
Spherical 2 (bo25)
David Gilbert 13-4 Robert Milkins (16)
Stephen Maguire 13-9 Shaun Murphy (8)
Joe O’Connor 6-13 Kyren Wilson (12)
John Higgins (13) 13-12 Mark Allen (4)
Judd Trump (3) 13-7 Tom Ford (14)
Jak Jones 13-9 Si Jiahui
Jack Lisowski 11-13 Stuart Bingham
Ryan Day 7-13 Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
Quarter-Finals (bo25)
David Gilbert 13-8 Stephen Maguire
Kyren Wilson (12) 13-8 John Higgins (13)
Judd Trump (3) 9-13 Jak Jones
Stuart Bingham 13-10 Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
Semi-Finals (bo33)
Click on right here for stay scores and session instances.
David Gilbert vs Kyren Wilson (12)
Jak Jones vs Stuart Bingham
Ultimate (bo35)
Gilbert/Wilson vs Jones/Bingham
Featured photograph credit score: WST
