SNOOKER fans returning to Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre were treated to two classic quarter-finals as the tournament approaches its fabled one-table set-up.

Mark Selby dispatched Mark Williams 13 frames to three, while Kyren Wilson overcame one of the tournament favourites, Neil Robertson, 13-8.

But the quarter-finals between world No 1 Judd Trump and Shaun Murphy, and Anthony McGill versus Stuart Bingham were hard-fought epics that had a bit of everything for spectators.

McGill and Bingham needed every frame of the best of 25 quarter-final to determine a winner, while Murphy saw off pre-tournament favourite Trump within 24 frames.

2005 champion Murphy is playing some of his best snooker at this venue in years.

“It was epic, it was a really high-quality match,” Murphy said. “I’m just thrilled to take the chances in the last two frames having taken an onslaught before that.” 

“Without a doubt, it’s one of my best wins of recent years.

“I was watching the other match on TV between sessions, then they were talking about our game and Stephen Hendry said: ‘I expect Judd Trump to come out and play like a world No 1.’

“I was thinking: ‘I don’t want that!’ But the way Judd started tonight was outrageous.”

Murphy will have been one of many snooker fans around the world glued to the final frames of McGill versus Bingham which concluded in the Thursday afternoon season.

It had everything: safety battles, break building, excellent potting, and the tense final moments the World Championship is famous for.

Bingham rounded it off with a composed break of 125 — his highest of the match — in the decider.

“At 12-10 I went into the reds and landed on nothing,” said Bingham. “After that, I felt it wasn’t going to happen. 

“Fair play to Anthony, he came back strong to make it 12-12. Luckily for me, he didn’t fall on anything in the decider. My break [of 125] was the best of my career.”

Bingham faces a tough opponent in the semi-finals in the shape of three-time champion Selby, who is now favourite to win this year’s title, though Bingham himself will be confident after defeating the tenacious McGill.

Murphy faces Wilson in the other semi-final, both of which continue today.