John Higgins has taken a huge step forward in his bid to win the World Championship for a fifth time after dominating the opening two sessions against Kyren Wilson.

With a huge overnight lead of 11-5, Higgins only needs to win two more frames on Wednesday morning to secure his seat in the World Championship semi-finals.

The four-times world champion has not reached the semi-finals of this event since he last became world champion six years ago.

Wilson, who has struggled with his cue tip throughout the day, will have to pull off an incredible comeback to stop Higgins in his tracks of the semi-finals.

ONE WAY TRAFFIC AS HIGGINS DOMINATES WILSON

Leading 5-3 from this morning’s opening session, Higgins took his game to further gears tonight to put him way out in the clear.

And what a start he made as a break of 126 stretched his lead to 6-3.

The next two frames were shared before breaks of 74 and 135 put the Scot 9-4 ahead.

A break of 97 followed from Wilson but Higgins comfortably won the next two frames to take a six-frame lead.

Meanwhile, defending champion Mark Selby enjoyed a solid start to his opening quarter-final session – leading Marco Fu 6-2.

The Jester from Leicester enjoyed total domination early doors winning the first five frames before Fu, who yesterday beat Neil Robertson in a late night thriller, brought some respectability to the score.

Fu wont mind being behind though as he’s come back to beat Neil Robertson and Luca Brecel so far in this year’s World Championship.

And Stephen Maguire rallied late to keep himself in the game against Barry Hawkins.

The Scot appeared to be in big trouble at 5-1 down heading into the business end of the opening session. But a stunning long deciding black won him a vital seventh frame before he then won the eighth frame to finish overnight just 5-3 down.

Hawkins, who beat Graeme Dott in the last round, reached the World Championship final four years ago.