Masters snooker 2021 LIVE - Joe Perry v David Gilbert; Kyren Wilson wins after Covid rules out Trump

A total of 71 secures the fifth frame for Gilbert, who needs one more to secure a quarter-final with Kyren Wilson.

A black takes Gilbert to another half-century. Even though Perry is understandably out of touch, take nothing away from Gilbert; he's been excellent tonight, and looks nailed on to take another frame here.

Perry has a yahoo at a red across the table and into the bottom left, but misses it by such a margin that the red clips in the pink off the cushion. It's been a nightmare for him so far. Gilbert's back in the balls as he sinks a mid-range red in response, and is soon ahead in the frame.

Gilbert makes an absolute hash of a safety at the start of the fifth, splitting the reds but failing to put the white anywhere near the bottom cushion, and he's left Perry straight on one to the right middle. If this is to be any sort of contest Perry really needs to take this chance, but he catches the brown when trying to go in and out of baulk when potting the blue, ending his break on 19.

A 60 from Gilbert secures another frame as the players head for a 15-minute break. Perry has been game, but is clearly out of touch having been asked to participate so late; Gilbert knows it, and is taking full advantage. See you in 15.

Gilbert soon frees the pink up, and he's quickly secured another half-century and frame ball red in the fourth. He'll have an imperious lead at the upcoming mid-session interval.

A chance for Perry, as Gilbert leaves a red hanging over the bottom right after a loose safety. Perry snicks it in, but then misses a cut on a blue to left middle that leaves Gilbert right in. It'll need a delicate touch as the pink and black are tied up, but if Gilbert can keep landing topside of the blue he can rack up a useful break here.

Gilbert drains a long red into the bottom right, coming round the back of the black and pulling up short of baulk to land on the green. He can only make 12 though before losing position and having to play safe.

A poor safety from Perry leaves Gilbert a thin cut on frame ball red to the left middle, and in it goes. Gilbert adds 11 in total, and takes a three frame lead.

Gilbert tries to split a cluster of four reds after a thin cut on the blue to right middle. He does, but the white slides out towards the bottom left and he's not on anything easy. Wisely, Gilbert plays safe; he's got a huge lead and there's a maximum of 67 left on the table for Perry, who is struggling.

It's a half-century for Gilbert, and there's not much more required to sort the frame. He's cruising out there.

Perry gets the first red of the third frame down but nothing more. Gilbert gets the second, to which he adds a pink by stroking it into the left middle to retain position near the reds. That's another excellent shot, and soon after he tags in a nice red beneath the black that only had a tight avenue through to the bottom left.

A wonderful shot on the pink with the rest, thin into the bottom right, lands Gilbert on the black along the rail to the same pocket. He lines it up...and it's there! A great steal from Gilbert, who moves two in front.

A poor safety from Perry leaves the red over the yellow pocket for Gilbert. That goes, but Gilbert can't find decent position from it, and plays safe. Perry then lands Gilbert in a snooker, from which he can't escape, and he leaves a free ball to boot. That's the frame on a plate for Perry, but he takes the green as the free ball yellow and misses it to the left middle! That's a shocker, and he's handed the advantage to Gilbert who is on the yellow. If Gilbert dishes, that's the frame.

Another excellent shot from Perry keeps his break going, as he bridges over the blue to drill a red into the bottom left. There are only two reds remaining and he misses one of them to the bottom left, so his break ends on 56. Perry then gives away four by failing to make a thin connection on a red when playing a safety. Gilbert gets the next red down, playing cushion first behind the pink to snick a red into the bottom right, but he's not on a colour. Perry gives away another four when trying to escape from a snooker; tense stuff on the final red.

Gilbert goes in off from a safety, and he's left Perry a long red to the bottom right from the D, which disappears. Perry adds 15 and then finds a nice recovery shot on the pink to the bottom right with the rest after drifting slightly out of position. In the context of the match this is a big visit for him.

Perry looks rusty here - understandably - and he leaves Gilbert a look at a mid-range red early in the second. Gilbert drills it in to land on the black; it's early, but he looks in great touch here. There's a load on too, with the black available into both corners, and he's flying here until he loses the white when trying to glance off the pack and he's not on the black. That forces him to play safe and that's a reprieve for Perry.

There's 59 remaining, reduced to 51 when Gilbert plugs the fourth to last red.Perry plays on for a while just to get his arm moving, but Gilbert eventually clears the table for 46 to end the argument.

Perry tries a shot to nothing but his thin cut to the bottom right leaves the red hanging over the pocket, and the white than clatters into the pink to leave Gilbert on it. He adds 12 but misses a simple red to the bottom right, so Perry will play on even though he needs three snookers.

A black takes Gilbert to a half-century already. This is a very impressive start from him, though when trying to split the reds off the blue he sticks to one and lands on nothing. He has to play safe, and Perry comes to the table.

Gilbert's in first after a loose safety shot by Perry leaves him an easy starter. He looks comfortable here and he's straight into his rhythm, 20 and counting so far.

Our MC Rob Walker introduces both players. Joe Perry steps in to Lucky Man by The Verve, while David Gilbert arrives to the Faithless classic Insomnia. Let's hope the quality of the match lives up to the quality of the tunes.

Earlier today Kyren Wilson beat Gary Wilson 6-2. He’ll face the winner of the match this evening.

Joe Perry was a finalist in the Masters four years ago, losing out on that occasion to Ronnie O’Sullivan. He’s also reached the semi-finals of the World and UK Championships in his career, which is now into its 29th year. It’s a strange one for him tonight; he didn’t expect to be here, but as of yesterday afternoon everything changed.

Gilbert has yet to land a ranking event in his career, after losing four finals, and also had that emotional run to the semi’s at The Crucible in 2019. He was a semi-finalist in the Masters last year too. He’ll need to be on his game tonight though; he was steeling himself to face Trump, and while Perry might not be the same winning juggernaut, he’s a tough opponent.

Here we are for the evening session of day 1 of the Masters. As you may be aware the world number one Judd Trump – scheduled to play here tonight – and Jack Lisowski both returned positive coronavirus tests and had to withdraw from the tournament. First and foremost, our best wishes for a speed recovery to both players. Trump’s place at the tournament has now been filled by David Gilbert, who takes on Joe Perry in our match tonight.

We'll be back at 6.45pm for live coverage of Joe Perry versus David Gilbert, see you later on.

That was an emphatic victory from 2-1 behind for Kyren, rattling off five frames in a row to beat Gary and advance. He is a serious contender for the Masters title this week, and will face the winner of tonight's match between Joe Perry and David Gilbert in his quarter-final. The match swung on the sixth frame, which Kyren nicked from under Gary's nose. While Gary might curse the pink that he missed in that frame, he has at least played in the Masters for the first time - he wasn't even scheduled to play here as late as yesterday - and he is fifteen grand better off for it. He's coming up the rankings and will surely have other chances to play in the Masters in the future. For Kyren, he can now focus on trying to land the Triple Crown title that his talent suggests he is capable of.

A break of 65 secures the frame and match for Kyren Wilson.

A red to the left middle just about goes, taking Kyren to fifty points in the frame and cannoning two other reds to land perfectly on the black. This one looks over, and if so it'll have been five frames in a row for Kyren to take the match.

Gary catches a safety too thick, and he's left Kyren an easy one to the bottom left. Kyren takes a pink early in the break to get it temporarily housed on the black spot, and he's got a great chance to secure frame and match now.

It's now or never for Gary, and he's in at the start of the eighth frame, gliding a nice long red into the bottom right and landing on the yellow. He soon misses a black along the rail though, and he's left Kyren in. An early split on the pack from Kyren goes awry though and he lands on nothing, forcing him to play safe.

Kyren does indeed ton up, and more; a brilliant thin cut on the black to get on the yellow with the rest - with which he's potted 15 out of 15 so far - leads to a magnificent total clearance of 136.

He's over the line with a blue to right middle; a second ton of the day is all there for him.

It's a half-century already for Kyren, who's in lovely touch at the moment. Three more reds and colours will sort this frame, and there's that and more wide out in the open for him.

Kyren is looking to press home his advantage here. Gary's break-off leaves a red over the bottom right, which Kyren glides in to land nicely on the brown. He's quickly into his break and into the pack early, with a useful enough split to make a sizeable contribution here.

Gary turns down a long pot on the pink to the bottom left, but his up and down safety is underhit and he's left the pink right over the left middle. Kyren plugs it and that's the frame, and a potentially pivotal moment in this match.

Gary blinks first, leaving Kyren a short stab at a long red into the yellow pocket. It goes - just - and he's on the blue. He needs up to and including the pink, but lands on the wrong side of the blue on the colours which forces him to miss the pink to the green pocket. Gary's not on it, and needs pink and black to force a re-spot.

It's another fluke for Kyren as he pots a red while playing it safe around the angles, and he then tucks Gary in behind the black. Gary escapes, and we're now locked into a safety exchange on the final red. Another snooker from Kyren draws four, but he's not been left a pot at the red.

In trying to move one of the awkward reds Kyren misses the yellow to the right middle, but flukes it into to the bottom right to keep his break going. He can't later double a red into the right middle though, and Gary is reprieved.

Oof, this could sting. Gary secures another half-century but then misses a straightforward pink to the left middle. There are three reds near cushions that might save him losing it in one go, but there's enough on for Kyren to get right back in this frame.

Gary's straight down to it in the sixth, gliding in a deadweight long red to the bottom left to land on the black. He's picking off the available reds nicely here; one decent split on the pack could manufacture a frame-winning chance here.

A short break of 17 does it, Kyren moves one frame ahead.

Kyren's break ends on 43 after missing a red horribly to the bottom right. He's left Gary in, but it's difficult; he can only add six before missing a red to the bottom right and leaving Kyren in plum position to win the frame. He's quickly past the winning post, and will regain the lead shortly.

After lots o' safety from the bottom end of the table there are now seven reds north of the blue spot. It's made for a tense situation as whoever gets in next is really in; Gary gets the first chance when Kyren leaves him a thin cut on a red to the bottom right, but Gary undercuts it and leaves it in the jaws. He's also left Kyren an even easier starter than that; big chance here.

After a re-rack the fifth, a good safety from Kyren draws four from Gary and then a scoring chance as he slides off the pack when trying to rest on it and nudges a red into easy starter territory. Kyren blasts into the reds off the black the follows, but sticks to them and lands on nothing. End of break.

The players are back out to see this match to a finish in what is now a best of seven.

Kyren ensures a century with a lovely shot on the green to pot it into its own pocket and nudge the final red over the right middle. He empties the table for a break of 108, going in-off from the black, and it's 2-2. The players will now take a break for 15 minutes, we'll be back with it shortly.

At 59 ahead and with 59 remaining, Kyren drops the frame ball red into the bottom left. We're going into the interval all square.

It's a quick-fire half-century for Wilson, who then loses position slightly by landing straight on the blue and needing to take a red to the bottom right with the rest. There are few better than Kyren when using that contraption however, and in it goes.

Gary's off and running in the fourth, hosing in a red to the bottom right after Kyren's break to land nicely on the black. He's lost position after potting that however, and misses a red to the right middle, leaving it on for Kyren. That goes, and in potting the black Kyren sends another red into the pack and affects a beautiful split on the reds. The frame is at his mercy now.

The brown is the awkward ball, sat just an inch or so off the top cushion, but Gary lands nicely on it and dispatches it emphatically to land perfectly on the blue. He clears the lot, and he's nicked the frame!

Well now! Kyren misses the second to last red along the bottom rail, and he's left it over the jaws of the bottom right for Gary. Can he dish here? He tides up both remaining reds, the latter of which is awkward down the left rail with the rest, and he needs the colours for the frame.

The break stalls on 30 after Kyren misses a red close to the pink into the bottom left. He doesn't pay a price though; Gary plays a cross-double safety and leaves a red over the bottom left, which Kyren soon gobbles up. There are three awkward reds left for Kyren to negotiate if he's going to win this frame.

Kyren's back in, swerving slightly around the black to snick a red into the bottom left. He then clips in the black to get it back on its spot, and he's now got a great chance to make a decisive visit in this frame. The break is at 15 and counting.

Gary leaves Kyren a difficult red over the bottom left, with the cue ball welded to the top cushion. It's close, but it doesn't go; it was a high risk shot, as it's now left Gary an easy starter to the left middle. It's not the easiest table in the world after all the safety, but it's a chance. Gary cobbles together 19 but runs out of position when trying to land on a colour and ends up trapped in a cluster of reds. At the second attempt, Gary escapes by clipping the brown off two cushions and leaving Kyren in baulk.

Kyren clatters in a long red to start frame three, but he's awkward on choice of green or brown and opts to play safe instead. He's had a few issues with his cue tip, which he opts to address with a lighter rather than the traditional sandpaper, but whatever was bothering him seems to have been resolved now. Gary has dropped in a long red too, also without landing on a colour, and we're back into a safety exchange.

An 85 for Gary secures the second frame, and we're all square.

A black after the tenth red secures the frame for Gary. One visit stuff so far.

Gary's ticking along nicely here, and rings in a half-century with a black to the bottom right, landing perfectly on a red to left middle. He's inching towards the winning line in this frame.

Gary's away first again in frame two, tagging in a nice long red to the bottom left but failing to pull the white up in time to land on a baulk colour. Once again, he plays safe. He soon gets another chance though, as Kyren catches a safety too thick and leaves Gary a short red to the bottom left. This is his first scoring chance of the match.

It's a break of 83 for Kyren and he takes the lead in this match.

It's a very quick half-century for the Warrior, who has taken these easily with a simple run of delicate stun and screw shots. There are still three reds in the open so he should mop up the first frame at this visit.

Kyren spoke with Eurosport before the match about the withdrawal of Lisowski and Trump: "It’s really strange times, the unexpected becomes the expected now. Firstly I’d like to wish Jack and Judd all the best. It’s obviously not nice with this virus so obviously I hope they recover quickly and get back playing as soon as possible."

Gary drops in the first red of the frame, stroking a red into the bottom right, but he can't quite land on the black and has to play safe. After a bout of safety, Kyren then launches a stunning long red down the rail and into the bottom left corner. What a shot that is, and he's on the green with a chance to take advantage of a nicely spread pack of reds.

Rob Walker, the original Boys II Baize MC, has introduced the players. It's the best of 11 then for a place in the quarter-finals.

Gary’s had a strange week. On Thursday he became a brief social media sensation when he lost his rag – but strangely, not the frame – in a Championship League group match with John Higgins. Then, yesterday afternoon, he found out that he’d be a late replacement to face Kyren Wilson in the Masters after Jack Lisowski’s withdrawal following a positive coronavirus test. Gary has steadily climbed the rankings in the last three seasons and is now on the cusp of the top 16. This is his first appearance in the Masters.

Kyren Wilson was a finalist here in 2017, where he lost 10-7 to Mark Allen. Since then he’s also reached the final of the World Championship back in August, where he was runner-up to Ronnie O’Sullivan. Kyren is currently ranked at number five in the world and has four ranking event titles to his name, but none of the Triple Crown events. He’s jonesing to win a big one; can he snag the Masters title that would match his undoubted talent this week?

Nothing takes the chill out of January quite like the Masters. There’s a nice piece here by Desmond Kane on 10 of the greatest moments in the history of the tournament.

Welcome to live coverage of The Masters, a tournament that is second only to the World Championship in terms of prestige and rich, dramatic history. There are no ranking points available, but there’s a boat load of cash – a cool £250k for the winner – and a whole load of cachet to be had. Every player in the game is aware of the romantic pull of this event, which represents one third of snooker’s fabled Triple Crown. It’s brutally elitist, too; if you’re not one of the very best in the game, you ain’t playing in it.

It’s a cold world outside, so settle in with a piping hot brew this afternoon as we take you through the action. First up, it’s a battle of the Wilsons – Kyren versus Gary, due to start around 1.20pm.

Well, it's been an eventful start to the 2021 Masters without a ball even being potted.

Pre-event favourite Judd Trump was withdrawn from the Masters on the eve of the event after testing positive for coronavirus, along with Jack Lisowski. That means today's schedule looks a little different as Gary Wilson replaces Lisowski in the 1pm match against Kyren Wilson, and Joe Perry replaces Trump in the evening against David Gilbert.

Best wishes to both players as they tackle this awful virus and we can only hope that the rest of the players in the draw stay healthy and Covid-free.

Trump of course would have been a fearsome challenge for any player he was up against.

It's a simple proposition: the 16 best players in the world playing in a straight knock-out format on one table. There's a day session at 1pm and an evening session at 7pm each day from Sunday, January 10 to Sunday, January 17.

It's best of 11 all the way up to the final, which will be best of 19.

First round

Sunday January 10

Monday January 11

Tuesday January 12

Wednesday January 13

Quarter-finals

Thursday January 14

Friday January 15

Semi-finals

Saturday January 16

Final

Sunday January 17

You can watch every moment of the Masters live and ad-free on the Eurosport app and eurosport.co.uk.

The Masters will also be broadcast on Eurosport 1 across the week.