Snooker results: Mark Selby and Si Jiahui reach Crucible quarter-finals

Selby had edged Wilson in both sessions to move into a commanding lead heading back to the table on Monday evening, and a break of 109 made it appear almost unassailable.

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 and a meeting with Higgins.

"The performance wasn't great, but the game sort of dictated that, the way the match went," said Selby. "Gary's as good a scorer as anybody and he didn't really get going either, it was a matter of just battling out there.

"If you go on and win this tournament you're not going to play fantastic every single session, you have to have sessions like that and you have to battle.

"It didn't feel easy, it may have looked like that because I was pulling away, but every frame felt like a battle. I was pleased with myself after the first session and also from 6-6, the way I dug in to give myself a lead.

"I've played John a few times here, he's beat me, I've beat him, so it's going to be another tough game. He played fantastically against Kyren. I need to up my game and if I do, hopefully it'll be a good match."

McGill makes advantage count

Anthony McGill reached the quarter-finals for the fourth time in his career after fending off a fightback from Jack Lisowski.

Trailing 11-5, Lisowski took the first three frames of the final session to cut his deficit in half, but that was as close as he got as the Englishman ultimately paid the price for a devastatingly slow start to the match which had seen him trail 10-1.

McGill had begun to look shaky before taking the final frame of the mini-session on Monday evening but took that one before returning afterwards to seal victory at the first attempt.

"Nervy in the end, Jack came back incredibly from 10-1," said McGill. Obviously, 13, that was the target, and I got there. I don't go 10-1 up and think I've won, and when he's coming back at me I don't think oh no... you just play.

"It's a test of everything. You can't just collapse at the first sign of something going wrong. Everything gets tested, things you didn't know existed. You've just got to try and deal with it somehow and past experiences help, but every time you're out there something new comes up."

McGill will face Si Jiahui for a semi-final place and said of his young opponent: "He's an incredible player, I've played him already a few times, he's bashed me up. The guy's incredible, the pockets could be the same size as the balls and he's still pot them, he's so accurate."

A visibly disappointed Lisowski confessed: "It's too much (sic) too late.

"I remember just feeling like I wanted to get out there the first frame and come back afresh, a new day. Maybe that'll teach me sometimes it's about damage limitation. The odd frame here and there can pay dividends in the later stages of the game.

"I did turn the game round, but I was just nowhere near that first session. I thought I was very poor over the three days, so got to figure out what happened. (I've) got a few months off now, reassess, and I know I don't feel like it now but I'll come back next season and practise and train even harder."

Simple for Si

Si Jiahui picked up where he left off on Sunday to secure a spot in the quarter-finals with a 13-7 victory against Robert Milkins.

The world number 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.

Si will now face McGill in the quarter-finals later this week.

The 20-year-old started the afternoon 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.

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.”

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