Brilliant Yan Bingtao dethrones reigning champion Mark Selby at the Crucible

Yan Bingtao is through to the World Championship quarter-finals for the first time after a 13-10 victory over Mark Selby on Saturday.

The Tiger broke new ground at the Crucible as he dethroned the defending champion to set up a showdown with three-time winner Mark Williams in the last eight.

Yan also maintained his impressive record against Selby, having prevailed in all four meetings between the players this season.

Leading 9-7 from their morning session earlier on, the former Masters champion won two scrappy opening frames in the evening on the pink to pull further clear at 11-7

However, defending champion Selby hit back with a vengeance; breaks of 86, 117 and 88 cutting the deficit to 11-10.

But the pendulum swung back in favour of Yan following a mammoth 22nd frame that lasted 85 minutes and 22 seconds – officially making it the longest in Crucible history.

Chances came and went for both players, but the Tiger eventually sunk the black to move to the brink of a remarkable victory.

And he required no second invitation; a wonderful break of 112 in the next frame sealing the deal.

Elsewhere, the battle of the left-handers in Neil Robertson and Jack Lisowski is finely poised at 4-4.

Tournament favourite Robertson made a strong start with a run of 62, before snatching the second frame from 55-0 down with a brilliant 76 clearance.

Seeking his maiden Crucible quarter-final appearance, Lisowski responded well by winning the next four frames with contributions of 65 and 66 along the way.

However, the Thunder stopped the rot in emphatic fashion; recording back-to-back centuries of 117 and 131 to square things up overnight.

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World Snooker Championship 2022 – Day Eight Scores

Saturday April 23

Last 16

Zhao Xintong 9-13 Stephen Maguire
Anthony McGill 4-4 Judd Trump
Mark Allen 4-13 Ronnie O’Sullivan
Mark Selby 10-13 Yan Bingtao
Neil Robertson 4-4 Jack Lisowski