In the early hours of January 18, 2025, according to Beijing time, the last quarterfinal match of this year's Snooker Masters has concluded. The match was a fierce competition between world number 2, Kyren Wilson, and world number 8, Brecel. After an intense battle, Kyren Wilson emerged victorious with a total score of 6-4, securing his place in the semi-finals. With this victory, the top four players for the Snooker Masters have been determined. The upcoming semi-final matchups are now clear, featuring world number 1, Judd Trump, against world number 2, Kyren Wilson, and another match between world number 4, Mark Allen, and world number 7, Shaun Murphy.
The final quarterfinal match of the tournament saw the reigning world champion, Kyren Wilson, face off against the 2023 world champion, Brecel. Kyren Wilson has won eight ranking event titles in his career, including the world championship title from the previous season. This season, he has been in excellent form, winning two ranking events from world number 1, Judd Trump, namely the Xi'an Grand Prix and the Northern Ireland Open. In the first round of this event, Kyren Wilson defeated China's Zhang Anda with a score of 6-4, advancing to the quarter-finals.
Brecel has also claimed four ranking event titles in his career, including the world championship title in 2023. However, after winning the world championship trophy, Brecel's form took a sharp downturn, entering a slump. Last season, he was often eliminated in the first round of various ranking events, which was disappointing. This season, Brecel's form has not shown significant improvement. Nevertheless, at the recently concluded Riyadh Championship, he performed well, reaching the final again and finishing as the runner-up. In the first round of this event, Brecel played impressively, scoring three breaks over 50, and with such outstanding play, he defeated the in-form Wakelin with a total score of 6-3, advancing to the next round. Comparing Brecel and Kyren Wilson's overall performance this season, it is evident that Kyren Wilson has the upper hand in terms of strength.
At the beginning of the match, Kyren Wilson was in excellent form, scoring 71 points in a single stroke in the first game, winning with a score of 72-38 and taking the lead. In the second game, Kyren Wilson continued his fiery form, showcasing his prowess with a 67-point break, securing another win. However, in the third game, Brecel started to exert himself, making a high score of 96 points, giving a strong response. In the fourth game, Kyren Wilson maintained his good form, scoring 64 points in a single stroke, winning the game and leading with a total score of 3-1 before the mid-game break. After the break, Brecel played well in the fifth game, scoring 84 points in a single stroke and winning one game back. But in the sixth game, Kyren Wilson once again took the victory with a 78-point break. In the seventh game, Brecel showed no signs of weakness, making an impressive 83-point break. In the eighth game, Kyren Wilson had multiple opportunities to take control of the game, scoring 55 points in a single stroke and eventually winning the game with a score of 85-0 to secure the match point first. In the ninth game, both sides were locked in fierce contention, and after a struggle, Brecel managed to save a match point with multiple attempts, scoring 68-44. In the tenth game, both sides were once again entangled in a tense battle, and at a critical moment, Kyren Wilson accurately seized the opportunity, successfully potting the winning pink ball, and won the game with a score of 60-52, advancing to the semi-finals.
In other matches, China's leading figure, Ding Junhui, faced off against world number 1, Judd Trump. Unexpectedly, despite trailing with a score of 1-3, Judd Trump made a remarkable comeback by winning five consecutive games, achieving a stunning reversal. In this match, Judd Trump's performance was impressive, scoring one century break and five breaks over 50 points, with an astonishing long-range accuracy rate of 91%. Given this, Ding Junhui's loss in this match was understandable. In another match, Mark Allen also played exceptionally well, scoring one century break, two breaks over 50 points, and a streak of four consecutive victories, ultimately defeating Mark Selby with a comfortable score of 6-2 and advancing to the next round. In the first quarterfinal match, Shaun Murphy also had an outstanding performance. He scored one century break and four breaks over 50 points, and with a streak of three consecutive victories, he defeated Neil Robertson with a total score of 6-2, advancing to the subsequent events.
Here are the upcoming semi-final matchups:
On the evening of January 18th at 9 pm.
The confrontation between Shaun Murphy and Mark Allen. These two will engage in a fierce battle, and it is truly anticipated who will emerge victorious in this contest. Both Shaun Murphy and Mark Allen are formidable opponents, and this clash is destined to be spectacular.
In the early hours of January 19th at 3 am.
The duel between Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson.