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‘Disappointed’ Wilson misses maximum break chance but takes two-frame lead
Former world champion Kyren Wilson overcame his recent UK Championship setback with a dominant display, defeating Si Jiahui of China 6-2 to advance to the Masters quarter-finals.
Wilson, visibly emotional after a first-round loss to Elliot Slessor at the UK Championship in York last month – citing a damaged cue as a contributing factor – has seemingly rediscovered his form. He previously described himself as being “close to a mental breakdown”.
However, the 2024 world champion and 2025 Masters runner-up showcased renewed confidence and composure at Alexandra Palace, attributing his resurgence to a new cue he has been using for the past month.
In the evening session, two-time champion John Higgins secured his place in a 16th Masters quarter-final, triumphing 6-2 over Barry Hawkins. He is now set to face reigning world champion Zhao Xintong in the next round.
Higgins’ victory extends a curious trend at this year’s Masters, where all six matches thus far have concluded with a 6-2 scoreline.
Earlier on Tuesday, Wilson narrowly missed out on a maximum 147 break in the second frame of his match, potting 10 reds and 10 blacks before his run ended at 80.
Si, a former World Championship semi-finalist, initially kept the match competitive, trailing 3-2 before Wilson asserted his dominance, winning three consecutive frames to seal the victory.
Wilson compiled his 545th career century in the seventh frame with a break of 101, highlighted by an audacious no-look shot on the black, before closing out the match with a 105 in the subsequent frame.
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Wilson ‘enjoying himself’ with no-look shot to bring up century break
Kyren Wilson has lost in the final of the Masters twice – to Mark Allen in 2018 and to Shaun Murphy in 2025
Wilson has faced considerable challenges in recent months after his world title-winning cue was damaged during refurbishment at the beginning of the season, resulting in a six-inch piece breaking off.
Describing the incident as “a freak accident totally out of my control,” Wilson lamented the loss of the cue he had used to achieve global success.
Reflecting on his first-round UK Championship defeat, Wilson admitted: “I’m just very lost. You were very close to seeing someone have a mental breakdown out there.
“I wanted the world to swallow me up as soon as I missed the pink in the first frame. It’s been a nightmare. I gave it my all – but I just knew I couldn’t win.”
Since then, he has transitioned to a new cue, achieving a third-round appearance at the Scottish Open before losing to world number 68 Chang Bingyu.
Wilson, 34, also participated in the Championship League earlier this month, but his performance at Alexandra Palace, marking his first Triple Crown event since the Slessor loss, suggested a return to form.
“It has been a really tough time so I thank you for all your love you have given me, it really lifted me,” Wilson expressed to the London crowd following Tuesday’s match.
“This venue can bring the best out of you. I still have a lot of time in this game so hopefully I can conquer this venue for a long time.”
Regarding his cue issues at the UK Championship, Wilson explained: “I had to put a ferrule and a tip on the cue on the day of my first-round match and it got to boiling point when I felt I had let people down.
“I had a bit of a hissy fit at the end of that game. I’m over that now and I’ve got a cue that I’ve been playing with since the Scottish Open and I’m very happy with it.”
Wilson, who will face either Neil Robertson of Australia or Chris Wakelin of England in the next round, added: “When you go out there and can’t trust what you’re using, you have no chance.
“I think this cue is better because there’s a bit more power, a bit more whip and it’s about learning how to control that – I’ve had a month to get used to it, I’ve had to modify my cue action.”
Si, 23, contributed to an engaging match with a break of 97 in the third frame, but was unable to join compatriots Wu Yize, Xiao Guodong, and Zhao Xintong in the quarter-finals.
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Higgins masterclass to take the sixth frame
In Tuesday night’s session, 50-year-old Higgins displayed excellent form, compiling six half-century breaks – 50, 71, 53, 99, 58, and 61 – to defeat two-time Masters runner-up Hawkins.
Hawkins secured the opening frame with a break of 58, but relinquished a 46-0 lead in the third frame, allowing Higgins to seize control.
Hawkins, 46, endured nearly an hour without potting a ball as Higgins, the 1999 and 2006 Masters champion, showcased exceptional long potting skills en route to victory.
“I was delighted with the way I hit the ball,” said Higgins. “Even at the start, I felt good in myself and Barry didn’t play as well as he can, but I’m delighted to beat someone as good as him.
“I was probably seen as a decent draw for Barry but when I play like that he will be thinking: ‘How has he done that?’
Looking ahead to his quarter-final match against Zhao, the first Asian player to win the World Championship, Higgins commented: “I will have to produce that standard again to beat him because he is an unbelievable player.”
A disappointed Hawkins added: “John played brilliantly. I missed a black in the third frame and he cleared up. From then on he never looked back and played so strong.”
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