Qualifiers Stuart Bingham and Jak Jones Cause Major Upsets at the Crucible

Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump both suffered surprising defeats in the World Snooker Championship quarter-finals, as qualifiers Stuart Bingham and Jak Jones caused major upsets at the Crucible. Both top-ranked players were expected to advance to a highly anticipated semi-final showdown, but instead, they were knocked out by their lesser-ranked opponents.

Bingham, a former champion in 2015, secured a thrilling 13-10 victory over O’Sullivan, who struggled in the final frames after a tense battle. Meanwhile, Jones capitalized on Trump’s uncharacteristic errors, turning an 8-8 tie into a commanding 13-9 win, marking his first-ever semi-final appearance at the Crucible.

The results mean three qualifiers have reached the semi-finals for the first time since 1977, including Bingham, Jones, and David Gilbert, who also triumphed over Stephen Maguire to reach the last four. Bingham will face Jones in a semi-final, while Gilbert will take on Kyren Wilson.

Jones, who previously reached the quarter-finals on his debut in 2023, expressed satisfaction with his performance, acknowledging Trump’s struggles in the match. Despite having never watched her son play live, Jones’s mother might make an exception for this historic semi-final.

The quarter-final upsets have set the stage for an exciting and unpredictable finish to the tournament.