World Snooker Championship 2023: Dominant Si Jiahui extends lead over Luca Brecel
Last updated on .From the section Snooker
| Cazoo World Championship |
|---|
| Venue: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield Dates: 15 April-1 May |
| Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV and Red Button with uninterrupted coverage on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and the BBC Sport app |
Si Jiahui produced a dominant display to extend his lead over Luca Brecel to 11-5 in the World Championship semi-final in Sheffield.
Leading 5-3 overnight, the Chinese qualifier took control with breaks of 52, 89, 58 and a wonderful 122 as he won four of the first five frames.
A stunned Brecel made just one half-century break as he struggled.
Si, 20, left the auditorium to a standing ovation as he rounded off the session with runs of 55 and 71.
It proved a frustrating session for Brecel, 28, who was told to calm down by referee Rob Spencer for swiping the white off the table with his cue when conceding the opening frame of the morning.
The Belgian's surprising reaction came after his opponent navigated his way out of a snooker on the green, fortuitously leaving Brecel snookered by the jaw of the right corner pocket.
But Si remained completely unruffled throughout and repeatedly punished any minor lapses from Brecel with an assuredness that belied his years.
The qualifier, who was spoken of his own "surprise" at reaching this stage of the tournament at his first attempt, would rise from 80th to fifth in the world rankings if he were to eclipse Stephen Hendry's long-standing record, set in 1990, as the youngest champion.
On this evidence, he cannot be discounted, ending his morning's work with a pot success ratio of 94% and with Brecel failing to limit the damage in the final frame after breaking down on 31.
World number 10 Brecel had come into the contest heavily fancied after his stunning victory over over seven-time champion Ronnie O'Sullivan in the quarter-finals but he will now have his work cut out to avoid defeat with a session to spare when their best-of-33 encounter resumes on Friday evening at 19:00 BST.
Analysis - 'What Si is doing is mesmerising'
Six-time world champion Steve Davis on BBC Two
It'll be a shock to Luca because he would not and could not have expected this level from Si. At the moment, this kid is bullet proof. It is amazing what he is doing. It is just superb.
Luca has been put under pressure and his safety play is letting him down but it is understandable because he is not getting the table time. What Si is doing is mesmerising and clinical. He doesn't seem hurried and he is a predator at the moment.
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