Kyren Wilson produced the first maximum 147 break of the 2023 World Snooker Championship in his opening-round match against Ryan Day at the Crucible.Welshman Day, the British Open champion, had moved into an early 2-0 lead with a break of 75.World number seven Wilson, runner-up at the Crucible in 2020, responded with fine clearances of 133 and 83 to head into the mid-session interval with the match all square at 2-2.Wilson continued his momentum on returning to the table as he built towards a perfect clearance, sinking a fine final red and black before sweeping up the colours.It was just the 13th ever maximum at the World Championship and landed Wilson a £40,000 bonus.
Neil Robertson had made the most recent one in his second-round defeat to Jack Lisowski last year.On the other table, Lisowski closed on a place in the last 16 as he took a lead of 9-4 into the mid-session interval against Noppon Saengkham.Saengkham resumed 6-3 down, but opened up morning session with fine long red, but both players then missed the chance to wrap up what was a scrappy frame before Lisowski finally finished off on the colours.The Thai qualifier then edged the next 68-61 on a respotted black.Saengkham promptly lifted his cue in the air with both hands to mimick the celebration of Dennis Taylor from his memorable 1985 victory over Steve Davis in a nail-biting last-ball decider.Lisowski, though, responded with a break of 65 to take the 12th frame and the next to move to the cusp of victory heading into the mid-session interval with a lead of 9-4.