Anthony McGill (left) and Kyren Wilson after their epic World Championship semi-final (Image: WST)
Kyren Wilson is set for a repeat of the match that left him in tears and apologising to his opponent. faces Anthony McGill in the quarter-finals of the German Masters on Friday, a match-up which conjures up memories of one of the most bizarre and dramatic finishes to a match ever.
Back at the 2020 tournament, which had been delayed by the pandemic, Wilson and McGill met in the semi-finals. At 16-16, the match went to a final-frame decider, which saw the fortunes of both players go one way and then the other.
Scottish qualifier McGill conceded 35 points as he missed a snooker eight times before Wilson fouled twice by sinking the cue ball. Wilson then incredibly fluked a green with an intended safety shot to put him on the brink of victory.
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That moment was too much for the Warrior, who struggled to keep his emotions in check. After saying sorry to McGill and composing himself, Wilson went on to wrap up the 62-minute frame, albeit another tense safety exchange.
On commentary, seven-time world champion called it “the most bizarre end to a World Championship match I’ve seen”. An in-shock Wilson, who went on to lose to in the final, called it a “cruel game”.
He added: “I’ve dreamt of this moment but I didn’t want to get there like this. I held myself together right up until the end of that decider. It’s just mad what can happen on a snooker table.
“I felt like it was one of the best semi-finals ever at the Crucible. I felt it was such a good standard, I’m just annoyed that it ended that way.”
Wilson reacts after fluking the green against McGill (Image: WST)
A crestfallen McGill said: “I don’t feel as though I have done anything wrong. I feel like it has been stolen from me, not by Kyren but by the snooker gods.”
Onto the present day, reigning world champion Wilson is both the favourite to beat McGill and to win the tournament in Berlin following the exit of world No.1 Judd Trump, who was defeated by Neil Robertson in the last 16.
Wilson booked his place in the quarter-finals after coming through a repeat of last year’s Crucible final against Jak Jones, prevailing 5-3 after a hard-fought battle. Meanwhile, McGill defeated Zhang Anda 5-2.