Kyren Wilson’s red-hot run rolls on into Sunday’s final, with the Warrior withstanding a spirited Shaun Murphy fightback to win 6–4 at the Mattioli Arena, stretch his winning streak to 15 successive matches and reach his first Champion of Champions final since 2018.
Wilson said: “That match brought me back to the World Championship semi-final against Shaun where I steamed ahead and he clawed back. He’s such a good potter, he can put you under the pressure when he gets in his strut. I felt I didn’t miss howlers, it was more I lost my white a couple of times. Just needed to stay calm and take my chances, and that’s what got it over the line. I’ve not got the best record against Shaun, he always plays incredible against me, so I was expecting the same tonight. When I won the World Championship it was a massive pressure off my shoulders and I changed everything about my game from that point and I worked out a way to play good snooker under pressure.”
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Wilson set the tone in style, landing a superb long red to begin a magnificent century break of 138 in the opening frame. It was the first frame Murphy had dropped all week. The second was a tense affair that looked to be heading Murphy’s way until the Magician missed a straightforward cut on a red and then a tough cut on the yellow, allowing Wilson to double his lead.
Murphy finally got on the board in a scrappy third frame. Wilson missed a black to let him in, but Murphy fouled when he potted a red by accident off the blue. Wilson then missed the blue himself, and Murphy returned to the table to take the frame and make it 2–1.
An in-off in the fourth ended Murphy’s hopes of levelling, and Wilson pulled clear again. He then escaped a testing Murphy safety in the fifth to lead 4–1, and took full control in the sixth with a break of 92 to move one frame from victory.
Murphy refused to go quietly. A crucial missed black in the seventh let Wilson back to the table, but poor position on a red sparked a safety exchange that Wilson lost, missing a red to let Murphy take the frame. Murphy then took the eighth, capitalising after both players missed reds, and recovered from a failed long pot to win the ninth and cut the gap to 5–4.
The dream comeback was not to be, however. Wilson took control of the tenth and sealed victory in style with an excellent century break of 110 to book his place in Sunday’s showpiece.
Looking ahead to the final, Wilson added: “Chris Wakelin is having a great spell, winning the Scottish Open to rightfully be in this tournament, so hopefully tomorrow we give the fans a good match to watch. It’s a fantastic opportunity for us both. I know Chris will fancy the job, I know I do. Looking forward to tomorrow.”
A new name will be engraved on the Champion of Champions trophy tomorrow, as Wilson takes on Chris Wakelin for the title. Wilson is bidding for his first Champion of Champions crown and a third consecutive tournament victory, while Wakelin, who has knocked out Mark Selby and Neil Robertson on his way to the final, looks to claim the biggest title of his career.
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