Kettering's Kyren sets up a big semi-final clash

Kettering’s Kyren Wilson has reached another semi-final and has set up another showdown with rival Judd Trump at the Cazoo Champion of Champions.

World no.5 Wilson, who turns 30 next month, booked his place in the last four with a 6-4 victory over world no.4 Neil Robertson in a high quality contest at the University of Bolton Stadium.

Wilson will now take on world no.2 Trump in the semi-finals tomorrow (Friday) night with the winner going on to play in the final on Sunday.

Wilson, who has four ranking titles to his name, reached the final of the Champion of Champions in 2018 when he was beaten by Ronnie O’Sullivan and he knows he will have to come through the toughest of tests against Trump if he is to continue his quest of going one better this time.

“You learn from those moments and I certainly feel like I have,” Wilson said.

“It’d be nice to get back in that position again and put it right.

“It doesn’t get much tougher (than playing Trump). That’s what you expect in a showpiece semi-final. It’s going to get tougher and tougher. Everyone is a champion in this event.

“It’s very pleasing to be a part of it and I’m looking forward to that match.”

Wilson’s win over Robertson saw him gain revenge on the same player who beat him in the quarter-finals of the English Open earlier this month.

The quarter-final match was set up after, earlier in the day, Wilson had defeated debutant Jordan Brown 4-2 while Robertson beat Mark Wiliams by the same scoreline.

Having fallen a frame behind, Wilson took control as breaks of 114 and 112 helped him into a 3-1 advantage.

Robertson hit back after the interval and reeled off three frames in a row to move 4-3 in front but Wilson made it 4-4 with a clearance of 98 and then took the lead again before completing the 6-4 success with a break of 113.

“I played Neil at the English Open and it was another cracker there, but I was on the wrong side of that one,” the Kettering star added.

“It was nice to put in a similar performance and come out the winner.

“I was a little bit unlucky at 3-3, I went into the pack off the blue and knocked in a red. Sometimes you can see potential plants and I couldn’t see anything, it was just sort of freak shot that the red went in.

“I knew I was starting to hit the ball pretty well and it was all about staying focused and waiting for my next chance.”