Kyren Wilson beats Ronnie O'Sullivan to reach quarters

Defending champion Kyren Wilson has advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Shanghai Masters, eliminating the heavily favored Ronnie O'Sullivan in a high-quality second-round match. Wilson secured a 6-4 victory on Tuesday, July 28, setting up a final-eight clash with Mark Williams on Thursday, July 30.

The match was a showcase of break-building, with Wilson taking an early 3-1 lead. O'Sullivan, a seven-time world champion, responded with three consecutive century breaks of 100, 111, and 131 to surge ahead 4-3. Wilson, the 2024 world champion, then rallied with breaks of 89, 79, and 97 to win the final three frames and clinch the match. Afterward, Wilson said playing in Shanghai against a player of O'Sullivan's caliber was inspiring, especially with the vocal crowd support for his opponent. He noted he had brought his two young children to experience the event.

Wilson's next opponent, Mark Williams, booked his quarterfinal spot with a hard-fought 6-5 win over Chris Wakelin earlier on Tuesday. Ahead of their match, Wilson joked that he hoped the Welsh legend had "had a shave for that game," while praising him as a class player and a legend of the sport. Wilson also reflected on...