World Snooker Championship 2023 results: Gary Wilson holds off Elliot Slessor fightback to progress
- Published
Gary Wilson was a semi-finalist at the Crucible in 2019
Cazoo World Championship |
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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 |
Gary Wilson withstood a fightback from practice partner Elliot Slessor to win 10-8 and move into the second round of the World Championship in Sheffield.
World number 16 Wilson led 7-1 at one stage but Slessor made breaks of 68, 70, 90 and 82 to get back to 8-5.
A 14th frame lasting more than an hour went Wilson's way but Slessor won the next three to increase the tension.
However, Wilson held his nerve to compose a superb 109 break and avoid a final-frame decider.
He will now will face either four-time champion Mark Selby or Matthew Selt.
Perry and Lisowski surge ahead
Joe Perry built a handsome 7-2 advantage over fellow Englishman Robert Milkins in their rearranged first session after protesters disrupted two matches on Monday evening.
Perry, appearing at snooker's blue-riband event for the first time since 2019 and 15 years on from reaching the last four, crafted two half-century breaks to surge into a 5-0 lead over the misfiring Milkins, before rounded off his evening with an 83 - the highest break of the match.
Earlier on Tuesday, England's Jack Lisowski opened up a 6-3 lead over Thailand's Noppon Saengkham.
Lisowski began with a century and made three more half-centuries to take control against Saengkham in an attacking contest that saw only two frames last longer than 15 minutes.
The world number 13, who is yet to win a ranking event, enjoyed his best ever run at the Crucible last year when he reached the quarter-finals.
But if he is able to see off Saengkham when they resume on Wednesday (10:00 BST) it will leave him with the tantalising prospect of a possible second-round encounter with his good friend Judd Trump.
Reigning Masters champion Trump currently trails Scotland's Anthony McGill 6-3 after their first session.
Wilson scrapes past pal Slessor
Wilson, who won the Scottish Open in December and has been seeded for the first time at the Crucible looked at his fluent best as he made breaks of 61, 50, 62, 95, 92 and a superb 131, on his way to reeling off six frames in a row and a 7-1 lead.
World number 60 Slessor crucially took the final frame of the first session and then went into attack mode as he reduced his deficit.
With Wilson finding it increasingly more difficult against an opponent who has great familiarity with his game, the influence of former world title winner Peter Ebdon was apparent in several lengthy tactical exchanges, where Slessor refused pots.
A missed black into the bottom corner from Wilson gave Slessor the opportunity to pinch the 15th frame and an unlikely comeback gathered more pace when he knocked in a 76 and 69 to move within a frame.
However, Wilson finally put the match to bed with a century.
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