Masters snooker 2021 - David Gilbert storms past Joe Perry to advance to quarter-finals
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Updated 10/01/2021 at 21:50 GMT
Joe Perry was a late entry into the Masters on account of Judd Trump's positive coronavirus test. He did not take advantage of his chance, as David Gilbert was a comprehensive winner. Up next for the the world number 13 is a meeting with Kyren Wilson in the quarter finals following his 6-2 win over Gary Wilson.
David Gilbert | 2021 Masters
Image credit: Eurosport
David Gilbert shrugged off concerns about his own form to power past Joe Perry and reach the quarter-finals of the Masters.
Perry was a late entry into the tournament, taking the place of Judd Trump following his positive coronavirus test, and he was off the pace throughout.
Gilbert has had a poor season to date, his best result being a run to the last eight of the Champion of Champions, but he was gifted a number of openings by Perry and it allowed him to build confidence on his way to a 6-2 win.
It may have been a markedly different outcome had Trump been in the opposite chair, but Gilbert could only take on the challenge he faced and it was one he overcame with aplomb to set up a last-eight meeting with Kyren Wilson who beat Gary Wilson 6-2 earlier on Sunday.
Gilbert told Eurosport before the match that the coronavirus restrictions had impacted on his form and he was arriving at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes low on confidence.
There did not look to be any confidence issues in his opening visit to the table, as he compiled a fluid 58 only to see his break come to an end when he stuck on a red while attempting to split the pack.
Perry admitted to arriving undercooked, as he was not expecting to play only for Trump to be ruled out. That was reflected in his start, as a series of poor safety shots enabled Gilbert to take the opening frame.
World number 19 Perry got his first points on the board 28 minutes into the match, and he had a great chance to claim the second frame. He did not take the opportunity and Gilbert stole in to clear the colours and pinch it on the black.
Gilbert got the better of a safety battle at the start of the third and a break of 62 proved enough to secure a three-frame advantage for the world number 13.
Perry's woes continued in the fourth and Gilbert rolled in a break of 60 to take a four-frame lead into the mid-session interval.
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Gilbert, who has fond memories of the event having made it to the semi-finals on his debut 12 months ago, stepped in with a 71 to move within one frame of victory.
Whitewashes are rare occurrences at the Masters, given it is usually contested by the cream of the crop. Ronnie O'Sullivan got the most recent one, when beating Marco Fu 6-0 in 2018, and Perry avoided the embarrassment when rolling in a 73 to get on the board.
Gilbert had a chance to close out the match in the seventh frame, but an awful safety attempt with the spider let in Perry and he rolled in a confident 108 - the first ton of the match - to make it back-to-back frames.
He needed a couple of bites at the cherry in the eighth frame, but an excellent mid-range red set him up for a break of 54 to book his place in the last eight.
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