Qualifiers Stephen Maguire and David Gilbert poised for Crucible showdown

Last year it was Chinese rookie Si Jiahui who made the unlikely journey to the one-table set-up at the Crucible, and 12 months later there will be another unseeded semi-finalist in Sheffield.

For qualifiers Stephen Maguire and David Gilbert meet in Tuesday’s quarter-final after the Crucible seeds continue to tumble.

On Sunday, it was the 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy who departed, losing 13-9 to Maguire.

While Si’s stunning performances last year came as a shock, the same cannot be said for Maguire – a former UK champion – who has plenty of experience at the Crucible.

The 43-year-old from Glasgow has twice reached the semi-finals – in 2007 and 2012 – and this will be his eighth quarter-final appearance.

“The quarter-finals are the pressure matches,” said Maguire. “I’ve won a couple and lost a couple.

“It is a match you don’t want to lose in because that arena changes and it does become the best in the world with the one table.”

With an overnight 10-6 lead to protect, Maguire extended his advantage to 12-7 with breaks of 68 and 73, before a 127 – the first century of the match – secured a 13-9 win.

Maguire said: “He looked like he was comfortable in that session so I was starting to get geared up for a comeback and a close finish. Once I got my chance, I finished pretty well there.

“Me and Dave (Gilbert) get on and we’ve grown up with each other for the best part of 30 years. He is a great player.

“He’s not had a great season by his standards.

“I’m probably the same, so we are coming into a good game at the right time.”

Murphy added: “I just wasn’t good enough throughout the match. It was typical of my season really. There were some glimpses of some good stuff but far too many self-inflicted mistakes to challenge Stephen.

“I thought he played really well and he was very solid. I wish him all the best for the rest of the tournament.”

Another qualifier in Tuesday’s quarter-finals is Welshman Jak Jones, his reward for beating Sheffield-based Si 13-9 is a meeting with the 2019 world champion Judd Trump.

Jones is the first player in 25 years to reach the quarter-finals on his first two Crucible visits.

“It's a relief because it was a shocking match and I'm not sure how I won,” admitted Jones.

“I was lucky to be 6-2 up because I won four black ball frames in the first session.

“I have got a couple of days now to spend time on the practice table, trying to get something together so I am ready to challenge Judd.

“Judd and Ronnie (O’Sullivan) are the best two players at the moment so it can't get any tougher for me. Everyone excepts those two to meet in the semi-finals.

“He is much more used to the big occasion than me, but I've got nothing to lose.”

Trump is one of the favourites to add a second world title to his collection next Monday, but the 34-year-old insists he does not feel any extra pressure and is relishing his stay in Sheffield.

“I don't put too much pressure on myself here, I try to relax and enjoy it,” said Trump. “I have the same attitude and will to win that I do at any other tournament.

“For some other players, winning here means the absolute world, nothing else matters and they forget to enjoy it, but it's not the same for me.

“I have played Jak a few times and he has played some unbelievable stuff against me, plus he seems to love this venue.”

Another battle of the qualifiers concludes on Monday evening, with Stuart Bingham – the 2015 world champion – taking a 9-7 overnight advantage against Jack Lisowski in their second-round match.

It’s the same overnight scoreline for Mark Allen, who leads John Higgins in their battle for a quarter-final place.

O’Sullivan – looking to clinch a record eighth Crucible crown – and Ryan Day resume their second-round match on Monday.