Kyren Wilson Reaches First Ranking Semifinal in 19 Months at Northern Ireland Open
Kyren Wilson secured a 6:1 victory over Anthony McGill at the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open, advancing to his first ranking tournament semifinal in 19 months, according to flashscore.de. The result sets up a semifinal match against Sam Craigie on Saturday afternoon.
Breaking a 19-Month Drought in Belfast
Wilson last reached a ranking semifinal at the Players Championship in March 2025. Facing McGill in a rematch of their 2020 Crucible semifinal—which Wilson won 17:16—the 34-year-old from Kettering controlled the match with breaks of 77, 75, and 122. Across four matches in Belfast this week, Wilson has recorded three centuries and eight breaks over 50. He currently sits ninth in the official world rankings but stands at 23rd in the provisional list for April’s World Championship, needing a deep run to secure his top 16 position.
“There were a few moments where I could have played for snooker or safety. I consciously chose to take the risk to decide the frame in one visit.”
Craigie Overcomes Injury to Reach Semifinals
Sam Craigie advanced to his second career ranking semifinal with a 6:2 win over Elliot Slessor. Slessor opened the match with an 80-break, but Craigie responded by winning five consecutive frames with runs of 50 and 66. Slessor narrowed the gap to 2:5 before missing chances in the eighth frame, allowing Craigie to seal the win on the colors.
The 32-year-old Craigie nearly retired in 2024 due to a cervical disc herniation. Now fully recovered, the world number 72 has guaranteed himself £21,000 in prize money and will climb at least six spots in the rankings. His only previous ranking semifinal appearance came at the 2024 German Masters, where he lost 6:2 to Judd Trump.
“There was a point where I was on the verge of hanging up my cue. Because of the pain, I didn’t know if my neck would ever feel normal again.”
Saturday’s Semifinal Schedule
Wilson and Craigie meet on Saturday afternoon for a place in the final of the Alex-Higgins-Trophy. While Wilson targets his 11th career ranking title, Craigie aims to reach his first final since returning from career-threatening surgery.
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