Robert Milkins was able to secure a spot in round two of the World Championship after a close 10-9 victory over Pang Junxu at the Crucible. The match was filled with errors and missed opportunities from both players, with Milkins struggling to find his usual form. Pressure was evident early on, with both players making questionable shot choices and struggling to capitalize on opportunities. The match see-sawed back and forth, with Milkins eventually coming out on top to avoid becoming the seventh seed to fall in the opening few days of play.
The opening frame set the tone for the match, with both players making mistakes on the colours. Pang held an early lead, but Milkins was able to capitalize on a missed yellow to draw level. Despite Pang’s struggles, Milkins was far from his best, making errors and handing opportunities to his opponent. The match remained close throughout, with both players making mistakes and strange shot choices. Despite the poor standard of play, the match was filled with tension and drama as the players battled for the win.
After a series of errors and missed chances, Milkins was able to edge ahead with a strong break in the 11th frame. However, Pang fought back to level the match at 6-6, taking advantage of Milkins’ mistakes. The match continued to be a battle of attrition, with both players struggling to find their rhythm. Each frame was hard-fought, with neither player able to secure a comfortable lead. The tension continued to build as the match neared its conclusion.
As the match entered the final stages, both Milkins and Pang continued to make mistakes and struggle to find their form. After a series of misses and errors, Milkins was able to produce a special break in the 18th frame to take the match to a decider. With his place in the top 16 on the line, Milkins faced intense pressure as he battled to secure the win. In a tense final frame, Milkins was able to capitalize on a mistake from Pang and close out the victory, letting out a roar of delight as he secured his spot in round two.
In another match, Barry Hawkins fought back against Ryan Day to end the session with the score at 5-4 in Day’s favor. Despite Day running through four frames in a row, including a break of 110, Hawkins was able to dig in and win the final two frames of the session. With the match finely poised, both players will have a chance to battle it out and secure a spot in the next round in their concluding session on Wednesday evening.
