World number fourteen Kyren Wilson became the first player to reach the last eight of the 2017 World Championships as he progressed past the second round in successive years.
Bingham fails to take control as Wilson holds on
Wilson lead the contest with Stuart Bingham throughout, as he won the first five frames before holding onto a 5-3 overnight advantage going into two sessions of play on Friday. Neither player could take control as they took their places at the table, sharing the first eight frames between them with Wilson edging closer to victory with a 9-7 lead. A 110 break from Wilson was the highlight, though Bingham formulated three half centuries of his own. The 2015 World Champion was looking the heavier scorer, though Wilson won two frames on the black to show his grit and determination.
Bingham lost a crucial opening frame to the third session but responded with the highest break of the tournament thus far, a hefty 137. Another frame win gave him hope before Wilson showed that spirit again as breaks of 59 and 88 put him a frame away from victory. Bingham earned a consolation with a break of 80, before WIlson secured the contest 13-10 and etched his name on the quarter-final fixture list.
O'Sullivan in prime position but two Chinese players light up the Crucible
Ronnie O'Sullivan looks set to join Wilson but could not compile the scintillating form that had given him a 6-2 overnight lead against Shaun Murphy. A break of 70 gave Murphy a confidence boost in the opening frame before contributions of 63 and 75 helped O'Sullivan to three consecutive frames and a 9-3 lead. However, Murphy kept himself in the contest with three of the last four frames, making breaks of 84, 73 and 87 as O'Sullivan managed just fourteen points in three frames.
Ding Junhui leads compatriot Liang Wenbo but does not have the same comfort as O'Sullivan. A high scoring contest saw breaks over 50 in fourteen of the sixteen frames as Ding formulated a 9-7 lead. Breaks of 111, 113, 53, 62 and 70 gave him a 6-2 lead after the opening session as Wenbo could not compile a formulation past 62.
Yet the outsider fought back immediately in the evening session, winning five of the first six frames. This time it was Wenbo scoring heavily, making breaks of 84, 75, 130, 51 and 79 whilst Ding could only muster a 91. The Chinese number one did score 94 in the penultimate frame to ensure an overnight lead before Wenbo kept himself in the contest with a final frame success.
Allen hits top gear
Northern Ireland's Mark Allen has rarely been tipped as a potential World Champion this year but may have got some fans questioning their thoughts after an excellent opening session against four-time World Champion John Higgins.
Breaks of 71 and 65 in the opening frame were just a taster as a century in the second left Higgins without a frame or point on the board. The Scotsman eventually found his feet with two consecutive frames, scoring 70 in the fourth. Yet he could only watch and admire as Allen compiled 102, 129 and 82 before Higgins secured a consolation in the final frame of the session with a break of 54.