Protester covers snooker table in orange powder during World Championships
Robert Milkins could not pull off a second straight huge comeback at the World Snooker Championship as he failed to overturn a heavy deficit against impressive debutant Si Juahui on Monday afternoon.
The 20-year-old Si, who at 80 is the lowest-ranked player at the Crucible, turned an 11-5 overnight advantage into a 13-7 victory as he sealed the win with a break of 105. Milkins had recent experience of big comebacks, after overturning a 7-2 deficit in his first-round match with Joe Perry to win 10-9, but couldn’t pull off another great escape.
Milkins vs Si was the only game taking place on Monday afternoon, following a vintage John Higgins display that saw him sweep past Kyren Wilson 13-2 with a session to spare to book his place in the quarter-finals.
The evening session at the Crucible will see Anthony McGill look to convert an 11-5 lead over Jack Lisowski, while four-time world champion Mark Selby leads Gary Wilson 10-6.
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Si Juahui’s dream run continues
Si once again looked so impressive in dispatching Milkins with the minimum of fuss. He’ll fancy his chances of reaching the one-table set-up on debut by beating most likely Anthony McGill in the quarter-finals.
Not since Matthew Stevens in 1998 has there been a Crucible quarter-finalist this young but the world No 80 plays with a maturity far beyond his years.
Luke Baker24 April 2023 14:56
Si Jiahui beats Robert Milkins to reach Crucible quarter-finals on debut
Si has won all three of his previous meetings with McGill – the length of these World Championship matches means it will be a different sort of encounter, but that hasn’t seemed to trouble the 20-year-old so far.
He’s the youngest Crucible quarter finalist for 25 years.
Harry Latham-Coyle24 April 2023 14:43
Si Jiahui beats Robert Milkins to reach Crucible quarter-finals on debut
It was a little nervy at times in the last couple of frames, but that’s a sizeable win for Si, showing his talent and big-game bottle to reach a second quarter-final of the season. Anthony McGill, who starts tonight’s evening session with a commanding lead over Jack Lisowski, is all but certain to be his last-eight opponent – McGill likes the Crucible and has looked in good touch, but you’d give the young Chinese player every chance of at least challenging the Scot.
Harry Latham-Coyle24 April 2023 14:41
Robert Milkins 7-13 Si Jiahui
What a way to finish, too, the last red beautifully guided home and then the black slammed in too to bring up a 100. The yellow and green make 105 – Si Jiahui is through to the last eight!
(Getty Images)
Harry Latham-Coyle24 April 2023 14:38
Robert Milkins 7-12 Si Jiahui
And in goes frame ball. Si Jiahui will be a quarter finalist on Crucible debut.
Harry Latham-Coyle24 April 2023 14:36
Robert Milkins 7-12 Si Jiahui
Si takes an extra second or two over his shots, keen not to repeat the error he made two frames ago with the chance to seal his place in the quarter finals. But his head drops as he fails to put quite enough on a positional shot to the pink, ending up on the wrong side.
That’s good salvaging, though, playing with top spin and a touch of side to get on a red on the cushion.
Harry Latham-Coyle24 April 2023 14:35
Robert Milkins 7-12 Si Jiahui
That’s the extent of the early scoring, though, with both players sitting in and playing safe. Milkins eventually chances his arm, cuttign a red between pink and blue and up past the yellow, but a bash of the mandibles and its away.
Si doubles his tally with the chance to build a score of substance.
Harry Latham-Coyle24 April 2023 14:28
Robert Milkins 7-12 Si Jiahui
Si won’t be overly concerned by this Milkins rally yet, particularly given the Englishman isn’t playing truly outstanding snooker, but he would ideally like this wrapped up before the mid-session interval. He starts smartly with a lengthy red.
Harry Latham-Coyle24 April 2023 14:25
Robert Milkins 7-12 Si Jiahui
This is frame shot, surely, trying to knock the last red away from the pink. In goes the black, up goes the cue ball…and away springs the red perfectly! A beautifully deft shot from Milkins, and into the colours he moves 19 in front needing only a couple more balls to make sure.
In they go – another frame back! There’s life in this one yet.
Harry Latham-Coyle24 April 2023 14:20
Robert Milkins 6-12 Si Jiahui
Milkins has played a couple of corking safeties in this frame. Si is forced into a prolonged consideration of options, and ends up making a hash of his riposte, fumbling around the right corner and ending up knocking both a red and the black back into a more convenient position.
Harry Latham-Coyle24 April 2023 14:18