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David Gilbert extended his lead over John Higgins to four frames at the end of the morning session of the World Championship semi-final at the Crucible.
Gilbert punished the Scot for a series of uncharacteristic errors as he turned a 5-3 overnight advantage into a 10-6 lead ahead of the third session of their match on Friday evening.
High drama to end the session!
What a final black from Gilbert. He now leads John Higgins 10-6 heading into tonight. #ilovesnooker @Betfred pic.twitter.com/8ngqGbkO2y
— World Snooker (@WorldSnooker) May 3, 2019
Yet the 33-year-old may still be left feeling he missed a chance due to a performance by Higgins which BBC commentator John Virgo described as “one of the worst in all his years of coming here”.
Gilbert was not punished for a pair of early errors before he rattled in a break of 125 to clinch the opening frame of the morning.
Higgins’ error-strewn display allowed the world number 16 to make up for his own missed chances and drag his advantage to five frames at 8-3.
Virgo: “This is one of the worst sessions he (Higgins) has had in all his years of coming here”. — Mark Staniforth (@markstani1) May 3, 2019
It could have been worse for Higgins in the 12th frame but a missed green from Gilbert allowed the Scot to dredge out his first frame of the day and hint at a shift of momentum.
Higgins looked to have seized his chance after the mid-session interval, winning the next two frames to move back to 8-6 and pile the pressure on Gilbert, experiencing the one-table set-up at the Crucible for the first time.
But the Tamworth player responded magnificently, with a break of 72 winning the penultimate frame and a nerveless final black after Higgins had hauled back a 50-point deficit, leaving him firmly in control.
Marvellous response from Gary Wilson, who rounds up the session with a break of 77. But Judd Trump has finally broken the deadlock and holds a two-frame advantage overnight. #ilovesnooker @Betfred pic.twitter.com/vCVQia6WrQ — World Snooker (@WorldSnooker) May 3, 2019
In the afternoon session Judd Trump recovered from falling 6-5 behind to take a 9-7 semi-final lead over Gary Wilson as he pursues a first World Championship final since 2011.
Two half-century breaks had put Wilson in front, after Thursday’s session had concluded with them drawing 4-4, before Trump secured a 73 break as he began to respond.
Breaks of 73, 123 and 75 in the last three frames… @judd147t is definitely warmed up now 🔥 #ilovesnooker @Betfred pic.twitter.com/9iSYbXORdX — World Snooker (@WorldSnooker) May 3, 2019
Trump followed that up by also winning next two frames, including the 13th with a break of 123, leaving Wilson with only a single point from the previous three.
After Trump’s fourth frame win in succession, Wilson produced a 77 break to reduce the deficit to two ahead of Saturday’s session, which begins at 10am.
