Gary Wilson will play Martin O’Donnell in the final of the Welsh Open.
Gary Wilson, who survived to defeat five-time champion John Higgins 6-4, will take on fellow Englishman Martin O’Donnell in the Welsh Open final on Sunday.
Wilson scored a close victory in Llandudno with a total that comprised breaks of 104, 82, and 89 in addition to a 147.
After Higgins won three straight, the Englishman had a 5-1 lead, but Wilson prevailed with a 73-break.
O’Donnell defeated Elliot Slessor in the first semi-final with an incredible break of 126 in the decisive set.
Wilson got off to a quick start, opening with a century break of 104 before his 147 gave him a 2-0 lead. Higgins was aiming for his sixth Welsh Open victory.
Winner of the Scottish Open Wilson seized command at 4-0 and Higgins responded with a break of 93 to regain the frame.
Wilson responded to get to within one frame of the championship match, but Higgins battled valiantly to tie the match at 5–4 with breaks of 69, 66, and 78.
Wilson scored the 199th maximum break in snooker history that night, but he maintained his composure to win with a break of 73.
Wilson became the 13th player in history to reach his fifth career maximum.
I don’t think I realized “the balls are on here” and could hear the crowd cheering me on until I was probably 40 or 50.
“I should have had one in the frame before, I had a chance at it.”
Higgins conceded that Wilson’s lightning-fast early form had him covered.
“He was deadly for the first three-and-a-half frames… incredible, two centuries in a row,” Higgins stated.
“Gary played superbly, I give him credit… there was nothing I could do.”
In the decisive match, O’Donnell won the first semi-final with amazing poise.
In the decisive match, O’Donnell won the first semi-final with amazing poise.
Following a tight safety struggle, O’Donnell seized the opportunity to win 6-5 and make the first century break in the history of the match. This was his first ranking final.
O’Donnell had taken a 5-3 lead over his fellow Englishman, but Slessor equalized with breaks of 65 and 95.
“I was just enjoying it and I thought of all the hours you put in at the club, everything you do,” said O’Donnell.
I said to her, ‘Come on, let’s see what you’re made of, and see if you can handle this.'”
That was really all I was thinking about. Strangely enough, I felt arguably the most calm I had ever been during a match at.
