Mark Selby beats Mark Williams with session to spare to join Kyren Wilson in World Championship semi-finals

Mark Selby gestures after winning his match against Mark Williams at the 2021 Betfred World Snooker Championships. (Photo by Zac Goodwin - Pool/Getty Images)

Phil Casey

April 28 2021 02:02 PM

Mark Selby cruised into the semi-finals of the Betfred World Snooker Championship after thrashing fellow three-time champion Mark Williams with a session to spare.

Resuming their eagerly-anticipated quarter-final with a 6-2 lead, Selby reeled off four frames in a row with the aid of breaks of 96, 58 and 66 before Williams stopped the rot with a run of 79.

However, the Welshman was already resigned to his fate and, despite successfully producing a bizarre four-cushion break-off shot, two more half-centuries saw Selby claim the three frames he needed to complete a 13-3 victory.

The last quarter-final to end with a session to spare was Selby’s 13-3 win over Marco Fu in 2017 on his way to the title and the 37-year-old said: “We’ll find out if that’s a good omen over the next few days.

“But I feel as though I’m playing as good as back then, if not better at the moment. So all I can keep do is keep working hard, get as much rest as possible and stay focused.

“Really happy with the way I played from start to finish. I’ve not eased off at any stage since the start of the tournament which is nice, because you know you’re going to play some bad sessions.

“I’m just trying to go back to basics really, making sure I give every shot 100 per cent and it seems to be working at the moment. I don’t seem to be missing anything silly and not really giving my opponents many easy chances.”

Williams felt he was unfortunate not to get out of the first session just 5-3 behind, but admitted: “I just got outplayed and he totally deserved it.

“Forget about (Judd) Trump and (Neil) Robertson and (Kyren) Wilson and all these – if they’re all playing well Selby’s different class to the lot of them.

“He played outstanding stuff and I’m a man to put my hands up and say I can’t compete with that – not many people can. When it went 10-2 the match is dead. I tried, but the last thing I wanted to do tonight was come back at 12-4 knowing you can’t win.”

England's Kyren Wilson plays a shot during his Betfred World Snooker Championships win over former champion Neil Robertson. Photo credit: Zac Goodwin/PA Wire

Earlier, Wilson stormed into the semi-finals with a 13-8 victory over former champion Neil Robertson.

The pair’s quarter-final was finely poised at 8-8 overnight, but Wilson won five straight frames at the start of their final session to set up a last-four clash with either Judd Trump or Shaun Murphy.

A total clearance of 133 gave Wilson the opening frame after Robertson attempted the break-off shot made popular by Mark Williams, only to hit the pack too hard from the bottom cushion and leave a red to the middle.

Robertson was then unfortunate to inadvertently knock a red into the corner pocket when splitting the pack from the blue and a break of 59 allowed Wilson to extend his lead.

Wilson missed a black off the spot on a break of 62 in the next frame but Robertson surprisingly spurned two easy chances to pot a red and Wilson took advantage to lead 11-8.

Last year’s beaten finalist also won a scrappy 20th frame to leave Robertson needing to win all five remaining frames, but Wilson calmly made a break of 84 after the mid-session interval to seal a comprehensive win.

“I still don’t think I’ve hit my peak, I’m just gritty,” Wilson told the BBC. “I’m trying my heart out in every session, if it’s not quote going for me I won’t give in, I’ll keep fighting and try and get the best result I can.

“The longer format suits me, sometimes I can dip in and out of concentration but because I’m so strong mentally I can overcome that and allow myself to grow into the matches. I love playing at The Crucible.”