2023 Masters – Day 4: Last two quarter-finalists take their place

The fourth day of the Masters brought around the end of the first round. Six players had already advanced to the quarter-finals, and yesterday that line-up was completed. The afternoon session pitted Judd Trump against Ryan Day – the former the favourite, but we’ve already seen how little that branding is worth in this tournament. And then, Kyren Wilson faced Stuart Bingham for the final spot. Who would be the final two players to still be in with a chance of winning the 2023 Masters?

Trump was inching closer and closer to the finish line in frame one, but he passed on two opportunities to steal the frame, and Day swept in for the kill – once he landed on the brown, it was game over. Trump made 59 in the second before running out of position, and Day had a chance to steal. He got close, but then it came down to battles on the final few colours, and Trump levelled. It took Day two visits to win the third frame, but he did so, without a reply by his opponent. The final frame of the mini-session felt important – indeed, the amount of foul points Day gave away on the pink early in the frame spoke to the need to prevent his opponent having a chance. Ultimately, though, good snookers by Trump gave him more penalty points and, eventually, the chance he needed to make a frame-winning break – it was 2-2 at the interval.

Both men had a lot of opportunities in the fifth frame, and they struggled to get going despite some superb pots. After countless shifts back and forth, Trump left the last red over the bottom-left pocket, and from there secured the frame. Another scrappy frame followed, with neither player pulling out particularly good snooker, but Trump then forced an opportunity, making 105 and levelling again. A safety battle gave Day the table, but it was very awkward – he made 46 before leaving it to Trump. Safety ensued on the final reds, before a Trump miss left the penultimate red for Day over the middle. It was down to the colours, with Trump needing a snooker. After another protracted battle, Trump went in-off the green and conceded the frame.

Wilson needed to make something happen, but he never really had a shot

It was down to the yellow again after a further scrappy frame, but Day took it to lead 5-3, one from victory. An error-laden ninth frame came down to the colours again, and then Day forced a re-spotted black. He had to go for a tough black, missed it, and Trump kept his hopes alive. Day had first chance, until a split went wrong, Trump fought to level the points, and then ceded a chance to Day. He missed what was essentially frame ball, and it came down to the colours again, with Trump forcing a decider. It was Day’s chance, with him potting a red despite a miscue. But the next black proved heart-breaking – he opened the pack and potted a red, fouling and leaving Trump an open table. Day fought on for snookers, and secured a free ball – he took on the brown and missed it, leaving Trump to steal the match 6-5.

Trump sets up a quarter-final clash with Barry Hawkins – on the strength of this match, one of the worst-quality clashes the Masters has ever seen, you’d fancy Hawkins for the victory.

The evening match started off with a lot more flash. Bingham had first chance after a lovely red to the corner pocket, from which he made a century break of 102. Wilson broke down on 18 in the second frame, and after Bingham won the safety exchange, he made another century – this time, 109. The third frame was less dominant, with Wilson missing a good opportunity to put a frame on the board after missing a surprising green. Bingham built a lead, and after a snooker battle, it proved enough to make it 3-0. Wilson needed to make something happen, but he never really had a shot – after some false starts, Bingham made 85 to lead 4-0 at the interval.

Things were looking very ominous now for Wilson, particularly as frame five got underway. Bingham found a starter, and produced a clearance of 127 to go one frame from victory. A second whitewash looked on the cards, but things didn’t play out that way – Wilson punched a red into the bottom-left corner, and made 90 in a superbly controlled break to put a frame on the board. Wilson trapped Bingham in a good snooker, and after his escape left an easy starter, it was swiftly 5-2. Both players had chances in the next frame – Bingham broke down on 28, then Wilson established a 29-point lead before misjudging a cannon. It was down to the last two reds, both stuck on the black cushion. Wilson left for a pot, and didn’t get it. Bingham got them both, but then missed the yellow. A battle on the colours ensued, and one that Wilson won. Once again, there were great chances for both players in the ninth frame, but after Wilson left the penultimate red in the pocket, it seemed inevitable that Bingham would eventually close out the match 6-3.

Bingham will face Shaun Murphy in the next round.