Kyren Wilson is just three frames away from becoming world champion (Picture: Getty Images)
Kyren Wilson has maintained his five-frame lead over Jak Jones in the World Snooker Championship final after sharing the third session and ending it 15-10 ahead.
Wilson built a commanding 7-1 lead in Sunday’s opening session and although the Welshman was vastly improved in the second, the Warrior was still in control at 11-6 ahead.
The Silent Assassin had got himself back into the game, but was fighting against the odds as he embarked on the last Monday of a World Championship for the first time.
Jones needed a strong start to keep his hopes alive and that is exactly what he got on Monday afternoon, winning the first two frames of the session with breaks of 64 and 59.
That took the score to 11-8 and as close as it had been since Wilson raced into a 3-0 lead, there was no panic from the Warrior, though, as he re-asserted his dominance once again.
Wilson knocked in a 50 and an 83 before the mid-session interval and edged closer to victory at 13-8 in front.
The Welshman was so much more competitive at this point than the first session, though, and he continued to worry the Warrior, making a break of 90 to win the 23rd and then a run of 73 to go back within three frames.
Jak Jones got start he was after in the third session (Picture: Getty Images)
Wilson was showing a hint of a wobble at this stage but got back onto solid ground in the next, pouncing on an early error from Jones on a long missed blue to make 87 and keep his opponent at arm’s length.
The final frame of the session felt very important for Jones’ chances of an unlikely victory and it did not go well for him, with Wilson re-establishing a five-frame lead.
Kyren Wilson enjoyed the unique walk-on in the Crucible final (Picture: Getty Images)
Wilson was first to make a break, but after stalling on 32, Jones got in with a great long red only to miss a black off the spot and let the Englishman back in.
There was more drama to come, with Wilson only managing 22 from that effort, but the underdog failed to capitalise, missing a yellow to middle and the Warrior got over the line, with his third chance the one that took him to 15-10.
Both were struggling as the session came to an end, but maybe it was the leader enjoying less pressure which helped him flop over the line.
Six-time world champion Steve Davis said on the BBC: ‘Your head can be in a spin. One minute you’re in total control and all of a sudden you’re in a spin.
‘Kyren was in just as much of a spin, both of them were gone. But somebody, in the end, has to get themselves out of it and Kyren has the luxury of being a few frames in front.’
The players return at 7pm in the race to 18, with the iconic trophy and £500,000 on offer for the winner.
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