Wilson Storm ahead – World snooker
Kyren Wilson made a huge move towards the semi-finals at the Duelbits Tour Championship when he edged out Ali Carter 6-2 in the first session of their first round battle.
World No. 7 Wilson has already played twice in the tournament – in 2019 and 2021 – without a win, but is now within four frames of reaching the bottom four and facing Ding Junhui on Friday. Earlier this season, Kettering’s cueman won his fifth ranking crown at the European Masters, but Sunday’s victory in Hull will be the biggest title of his career.
The opening frame went Wilson’s way and he added a second with a total clearance of 137, a new leader in the £10,000 high-break prize draw. Carter, the German Masters champion, had a clear chance to come back but missed the last red into the top corner when he took a 63-30 lead in the third frame and Wilson punished him with a 35 clearance. In series 66 and 68, Wilson extended his lead to 5: 0.
Eventually Carter found a rhythm and made breaks of 91 and 131 to get close to 5-2. He had an early chance in the last frame of the session, but potted only one red before missing a tricky black and Wilson responded with 54, setting up a four-frame cushion.
They resume at 19:00, and it remains to go from the first to ten frames.
