MARK SELBY v STUART BINGHAM

37 AGE 444 WORLD RANKING 1819 RANKING TITLES 68 ‘TRIPLE CROWN’ TITLES 217 HEAD TO HEAD 18Won (2014, 2016, 2017) CRUCIBLE BEST Won (2015)

Selby and Bingham have only met once previously in a ‘triple crown’ event, in the last 16 of the Masters in 2013, when Selby battled back from 5-1 down to win 6-5, and went on to win the title. Selby’s stunning resurgence makes him a strong favourite to reach a fifth Crucible final, but there is no doubt Bingham, battle-hardened by coming through qualifying, is playing his best snooker since he won the world title in 2015.

SHAUN MURPHY v KYREN WILSON

38 AGE 297 WORLD RANKING 69 RANKING TITLES 43 ‘TRIPLE CROWN’ TITLES 06 HEAD TO HEAD 3Won (2005) CRUCIBLE BEST Runner-up (2020)

Murphy will wish for a repeat of the pair’s meeting in last year’s Welsh Open final, which resulted in an unlikely 9-1 victory. In reality, Wilson’s game has improved enormously, highlighted by his run to last year’s final, and the way he reeled off five frames to dispatch in-form Neil Robertson makes him a narrow favourite for their semi-final clash.