World Snooker Championship 2024: David Gilbert returns to the Crucible semi-finals

Five years on from his previous experience of it, David Gilbert will return to the one-table set-up at the Crucible Theatre following a 13-8 victory over Stephen Maguire in the quarter-finals of the 2024 World Snooker Championship.

Gilbert was left heartbroken following the 2019 semi-finals, missing out on snooker’s biggest fixture having been ousted by John Higgins 17-16 after leading 12-7 and 14-11. The Englishman now has the opportunity for redemption, and could even face Higgins again over four sessions in the coming days.

The 2021 Championship League Ranking Event winner did serious damage in his opening session against Maguire. Scoring beautifully with breaks of 83, 110 and 130, Gilbert also won two frames on the final black ball, and one on a re-spotted black as he established a commanding 7-1 advantage.

World number 31 Gilbert swelled his profit to seven frames at 8-1 and 9-2 up (breaks of 73 and 67), but despite registering a run of 130 in frame 15, Maguire battled back and claimed four of the final five frames of the second session to close to 10-6 behind overnight.

Returning for a conclusion on Wednesday afternoon, it wasn’t plain sailing for Gilbert, but he crossed the line with frame 21 and booked a date with either Higgins or Kyren Wilson starting on Thursday afternoon. Following Jak Jones’ win earlier in the day, he is already the second qualifier to reach this year’s one-table.

Prior to this event, it had been a relatively quiet season for former top 16 star Gilbert with a quarter-final run at the Northern Ireland Open representing his best result. Earlier this month, he navigated two qualifying rounds before dethroning reigning champion Luca Brecel 10-9 on the opening day of the main event - having come back from 9-6 down - and brushing aside number 16 seed Robert Milkins 13-4 in the last 16.

He is already guaranteed at least £100,000 for his efforts this month.