April 30th 2024.
Stephen Maguire and Dave Gilbert have been big admirers of each other since they were young snooker players. Now, as they prepare to face each other in the quarter-finals of the World Championship, they are still full of praise for each other as both players and people.
Despite both men being former semi-finalists, they have had to come through qualifying rounds this year after struggling with disappointing results in recent years. However, their performances so far at the Crucible have shown their true quality, with Maguire beating Ali Carter and Shaun Murphy, while Gilbert has taken down defending champion Luca Brecel and Rob Milkins.
This upcoming match between the two friends and rivals has been a long time coming, as they have been competing against each other since their days as junior players. Even now, in their 40s, they continue to challenge each other on the snooker table. Gilbert spoke highly of Maguire, saying, "I've been a fan of Stephen Maguire since we were kids. He was the one I looked at and thought would win everything." He also described Maguire as a "top lad" who is always honest and kind to everyone.
Maguire also had nothing but positive things to say about Gilbert, stating, "I've always said Dave's a great player. He was a great junior...He's good to watch." He also reflected on their long history together, saying, "To play Shaun and then Dave back-to-back, you're talking 11-years-old playing in junior tournaments. Young, ugly kids running about trying to pot balls. It's mad that we're still here 30 years later."
Despite their close friendship, both players are determined to win this match and advance in the tournament. Gilbert sees it as an even contest and is drawing on fond memories of a quarter-final win over Maguire at the Masters in 2020. He feels that he is returning to that same level of play and believes it could give him an advantage in their upcoming match.
Maguire, on the other hand, is fired up and ready to face his friend on the table. He is hoping to replicate the success he had at the Masters and is confident in his abilities, saying, "If I play well, I can win...We're both doing well for ourselves." He also acknowledged that both he and Gilbert have struggled in recent years, but believes their true rankings are higher than what they currently hold.
The two players will face off in what is sure to be a thrilling and competitive match on Tuesday at the Crucible. Despite their past disagreements, they are both looking forward to the challenge and respect each other as great players and individuals.
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