The first evening in Cheltenham saw all top seeds progress except… Ronnie.

Here is the report on Worldsnooker:

Tuesday 5 Feb 2019 12:45AM

Marco Fu ended a 10-year losing run against Ronnie O’Sullivan, coming through 4-2 to clinch his place in the last 16 of the Coral World Grand Prix in Cheltenham.

The Hong Kong potter came into the clash having lost his last nine meetings with the Rocket, in a streak which extended back to the 2009 Welsh Open.

The result is O’Sullivan’s first opening round defeat since the 2016 World Grand Prix, where he lost out against Michael Holt.

Fu secured his impressive victory this evening thanks to breaks of 61,52 and 66. Afterwards he admitted that it wasn’t easy coming into the match off the back of a hefty losing run against O’Sullivan.

“Going through ten years without beating him in tournaments is very hard to handle,” said the three-time ranking event winner. “It is a weird record. I had quite a good one against him in the early part of my career. It is very strange. Sometimes you don’t know what to expect. You can play great against him and still lose.”

The 32 best players of the season so far, according to the one-year list, are here this week with the top 16 progressing to the next phase of the Coral Series at the Players Championship in Preston. The series will then be rounded off with an elite eight player event, the Tour Championship in Llandudno.

Mark Allen is currently leading the series having won ranking silverware at the International Championship and the Scottish Open this season. He comfortably progressed this evening thanks to a 4-2 defeat of Gary Wilson.

Barry Hawkins produced a blistering display to defeat Welshman Ryan Day 4-1 in a repeat of the 2017 World Grand Prix final. The Hawk fired in breaks of 72, 130 and 143 on his way to the win. He will face Fu in the last 16.

Stuart Bingham progressed courtesy of a 4-1 win over China’s Zhao Xintong. The 2015 World Champion will now meet either Kyren Wilson or Matthew Stevens.

I didn’t watch much from the Mark Allen v Gary Wilson match, but from what I saw, Mark Allen wasn’t at his best, far from it. Had he played Marco Fu, or Ronnie, he wouldn’t have won.

Here is my report on Ronnie vs Marco Fu.

Ronnie’s title defense came to an end in the first round at the hands of Marco Fu. It is the first time since the World Grand Prix 2016 that Ronnie loses in the first round of a ranking event; that time he was beaten by Michael Holt by 4-3.

Ronnie actually started well, winning the first frame with a 51 and a 68. But from then on things turned. Marco Fu won a scrappy second frame after Ronnie missed mid-long blue early on. Ronnie was first in the next, made 47, missed a difficult red, and Marco made a 61 to win the frame from there. Marco knocked a long red in to start a 52 break in the next, lost position, missed a difficult cut back black, and Ronnie made an excellent 77 to level the match. Marco Fu was first in the next frame again, made 66, and missed the frame ball blue. Ronnie needed blacks with all remaining reds, managed it – it was far from easy – only to inexplicably miss the simple yellow. He conceded as soon as Marco potted it. In the next frame, that proved to be the last, Ronnie went in-off playing a safety shot, Marco slotted in a long red, made 47, missed a slightly difficult red but left nothing. After a short safety exchange, Ronnie decided to go for a red in the left corner, missed it, scattered everything open, and failed to return to baulk. That was the end: Marco added a 44 to his previous 47 to seal the match. It’s hard to know if Ronnie played that as a shot to nothing that went wrong or if it was frustration and annoyance at himself for what happened in the previous frame, but it was certainly a risky shot to take. Somehow it was similar to the double he took against Kyren Wilson during the Champion of Champions Final, only this time he didn’t get away with it…

Image shared by World Snooker

Marco Fu did actually play very well, as the ITV pundits rightly pointed out. Ronnie himself didn’t play badly, he looked sharp in the balls, but his concentration wasn’t the best and there were glimpses of the “pre-Peters” Ronnie … which is a bit worrying.

Tournament preview

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The match

The match review

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Apparently, Ronnie wasn’t interviewed.

Following the completion of the German Masters, the full draw for the World Grand Prix 2019 is now know and Worldsnooker has published the format for the last 32.

Sunday 3 Feb 2019 10:42PM

The draw and format for the Coral World Grand Prix in Cheltenham has now been confirmed.

The tournament at Cheltenham Racecourse runs from February 4 to 10 and it’s the first in the season’s Coral Series.

…

The draw is (seeding numbers in brackets):

Mark Allen (1) v Gary Wilson (32)
Martin O’Donnell (16) v Ali Carter (17)
Jack Lisowski (9) v Ding Junhui (24)
David Gilbert (8) v Yan Bingtao (25)
Neil Robertson (5) v Xiao Guodong (28)
Jimmy Robertson (12) v Mark Davis (21)
Stephen Maguire (13) v Mark King (20)
Mark Williams (4) v Yuan SiJun (29)
Mark Selby (3) v Shaun Murphy (30)
John Higgins (14) v Noppon Saengkham (19)
Joe Perry (11) v  Tom Ford (22)
Judd Trump (6) v Stuart Carrington (27)
Kyren Wilson (7) v Matthew Stevens (26)
Stuart Bingham (10) v Zhao Xintong (23)
Barry Hawkins (15) v Ryan Day (18)
Ronnie O’Sullivan (2) v Marco Fu (31)

And the first round schedule is:

Monday February 4

7pm

Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Marco Fu
Mark Allen vs Gary Wilson
Barry Hawkins vs Ryan Day
Stuart Bingham vs Zhao Xintong

Tuesday February 5

1pm

Martin O’Donnell vs Ali Carter
Jimmy Robertson vs Mark Davis
Mark Williams vs Yuan Sijun
Neil Robertson vs Xiao Guodong

7pm

Joe Perry vs Tom Ford
Stephen Maguire vs Mark King
Judd Trump vs Stuart Carrington
Jack Lisowski vs Ding Junhui

Wednesday February 6

1pm

Mark Selby vs Shaun Murphy
John Higgins vs Noppon Saengkham
David Gilbert vs Yan Bingtao
Kyren Wilson vs Matthew Stevens

Ronnie is the Defending Champion, but that doesn’t matter when it comes to this tournament. He’s not been handed an easy draw! He’s got Marco Fu in last 32, should he win, Barry Hawkins or Ryan Day in last 16, then possibly Kyren Wilson in QF, and Judd Trump or Mark Selby in SF! Last 32 is only best of 7.

The tournament starts tonight, and Ronnie plays at 7pm UK time.

Congratulations Kyren Wilson!

Here is the report on Worldsnooker:

Sunday 3 Feb 2019 11:37PM

Kyren Wilson came from 7-5 down to beat David Gilbert 9-7 in an exciting D88.com German Masters final , winning his second ranking title of the season and third in all.

Wilson showed his fierce competitive streak and calmness under pressure by raising his game in the closing stages, notably with a brilliant clearance in the 14th frame.

The 27-year-old from Kettering takes home the trophy and a top prize of £80,000 and moves up one place to eighth in the world rankings.

He becomes one of 26 players in snooker history to win three or more ranking titles, and now stands alongside Marco Fu, Ricky Walden, Paul Hunter, Barry Hawkins and James Wattana on the all-time list. This time last year, after a series of final defeats, he was in danger of being considered a ‘nearly man’, but has emphatically answered any doubts by winning three tournaments this season including the invitational Six Red World Championship.

He also completes a unique ‘Deutschland Double’ of two ranking titles in Germany in the same season, having won the Paul Hunter Classic in Fürth earlier in the campaign.

Gilbert had hoped this ranking final would be third time lucky, having lost his previous two, but he lost the initiative after the mid-session interval in the concluding session, having come from 5-3 down to lead 7-5.  This defeat will not be as tough to take as the Yushan World Open final last August when Gilbert let slip a 9-5 lead against Mark Williams, losing 10-9, as this time he made no more than a handful of errors at the business end.

The 37-year-old from Tamworth goes home with £35,000 and moves up the rankings from 19th to 17th, boosting his hopes of climbing into the top 16 in time for the World Championship.

Trailing 5-3 after the first session, Gilbert took a close opening frame tonight, sealing it by knocking in an excellent pot on the last red. That gave him the momentum to take the next two frames in a row with breaks of 94 and 65 to lead 6-5. In frame 12 he made 58 before trapping his opponent in a snooker on the last red, and from the chance that followed he extended his advantage.

Wilson hit back after the interval with a break of 93 to close to 7-6. Gilbert looked to be in control of frame 14 when he led 47-4 with four reds left in awkward positions, only for Wilson to make a fantastic 54 clearance which included several difficult pots.

Gilbert had a scoring chance in the 15th but made just 3 before missing a red to a top corner. Wilson punished him with a run of 70 to edge ahead at 8-7. In frame 16 Wilson made 42 before running out of position and playing safe, and when he got back in to add 27 the title was secured.

“It was a fantastic final with lots of big breaks and good safety,” said Wilson, whose first ranking title came at the 2015 Shanghai Masters. “We put on a good show for the German fans. I have always been a fighter and I dug in deep from 7-5 down. I felt it might be difficult for David to close it out because he has not won a title before.

“This is one of the biggest events outside the Triple Crown because we play in front of 2,500 people. I feel at home and relaxed here and that’s when my best snooker comes out. The atmosphere makes is so special. I’ll be full of confidence going into the next tournament now. I’m very proud of what I have achieved in the last three or four years, I’m only 27 and I’ve got many years ahead of me.”

Gilbert said: “I’ve had a great week and I’m not too disappointed about this one. Kyren made one of the best clearances I’ve ever seen to go 7-7.”

Both players now head to Cheltenham for the Coral World Grand Prix which starts on Monday – for ticket details click here.

All pictures by O.Behrendt / contrast

And the Final review and trophy ceremony

It was a very entertaining final. Kyren Wilson played very well after the last MSI, but to be fair to David Gilbert he was a bit unlucky. He fought back from 4-1 down to 7-5 up. The last MSI changed the psychology of the match. Kyren came back mentally refreshed, David went a bit more negative. He could have gone 8-6 ahead possibly,  had Kyren not got a huge piece of luck, leaving him snookered after completely misjudging a safety. And he was in the balls again in the next , when a phone rang whilst he was on his backswing: he missed and lost the frame.

As I have been traveling for most of the I didn’t see much, so here are the reports on Worldsnooker:

David Gilbert 6-1 Duane Jones

Saturday 2 Feb 2019 04:57PM

David Gilbert ended the run of outsider Duane Jones at the D88.com German Masters, winning 6-1 in the semi-finals to boost his hopes of winning his first ranking title.

After a nervy start, Gilbert pulled away to win comfortably and set up a final with either Kyren Wilson or Stephen Maguire on Sunday in Berlin. The world number 19 from Tamworth has lost both of his previous ranking finals, to John Higgins at the 2015 International Championship, and a narrow 10-9 defeat against Mark Williams at this season’s Yushan World Open. The 37-year-old will hope it’s third time lucky as he plays in a final outside China for the first time.

Gilbert is already guaranteed £35,000 and has now won £157,000 this season, but the talented cueman will be more concerned about getting a first title under his belt in tomorrow’s Tempodrom showdown.

World number 90 Jones has enjoyed the best week of his snooker career, having never previous been beyond the last 32 of a ranking event, but the form which saw him knock out Ding Junhui in the quarter-finals deserted him today. He finishes the week with £20,000 but his hopes of qualifying for next week’s Coral World Grand Prix are now over, instead it’s Gary Wilson who hangs on to the 32nd and last spot for the tournament in Cheltenham (for more on that click here).

Welshman Jones started well today, taking the first frame with breaks of 31 and 39. Gilbert got the better of a  scrappy second, then Jones had a chance to win the third but missed the final yellow to a baulk corner when trailing 40-54, and the error was compounded as the cue ball went in-off. Gilbert took advantage to lead 2-1.

That proved a turning point as Gilbert stepped up a gear, making breaks of 66, 105 and 52 to lead 5-1. Frame seven came down to the colours and Jones had a chance to clear but missed a tricky final pink. A safety exchange ended when Gilbert slotted the pink into a top corner for victory.

“It was a struggle for both of us early on, neither of us have experienced that kind of fantastic atmosphere,” said Gilbert, who knocked out both Mark Selby and Neil Robertson yesterday. “We wanted to try to put a show on and play proper snooker. But for me it was just about getting to six frames. I have had experience of playing in semi-finals before.  I was prepared to be useless, it didn’t bother me. In snooker there are so many ups and downs, matches can go either way and I have seen them go the wrong way before.

“I will try to get some sleep now because last night was the worst I’ve ever had. I was so knackered after playing two matches but it’s weird when you are that tired you can’t switch off. Hopefully I’ll be ready for tomorrow.”

All pictures by O.Behrendt / contrast

Kyren Wilson 6-1 Stephen Maguire

Saturday 2 Feb 2019 11:03PM

Kyren Wilson crushed Stephen Maguire 6-1 at the D88.com German Masters to set up a final meeting with David Gilbert.

Wilson will be aiming for his third ranking title, and second of the season, when he faces Gilbert over 17 frames at the Tempodrom in Berlin on Sunday. The trophy and a top prize of £80,000 awaits the winner.

It has been a superb season so far for Kettering’s 27-year-old Wilson; he has won the Paul Hunter Classic and invitational Six Red World Championship as well as reaching the final of the Champion of Champions. Victory tomorrow would strengthen his reputation as one of snooker’s blossoming talents.

World number nine Wilson beat Mark Williams 5-0 in the quarter-finals and was in similar clinical mood against Scotland’s Maguire. Breaks of 67 and 51 helped give him the first three frames, then in the fourth he trapped his opponent in a snooker on the last red, and from the chance that followed made a cool clearance for 4-0.

Maguire, whose last ranking title came in 2013, pulled one back after the interval and looked to be gathering some momentum when he led 47-0 in frame six. But Wilson pulled out a remarkable 63 clearance, which included a series of daring pots, to lead 5-1. That broke Maguire’s resistance as Wilson settled the tie in the seventh with a run of 62.

“I felt as if I held my composure very well tonight,” said Wilson after reaching his sixth ranking final. “I knew I couldn’t give Stephen any easy chances, but at the same time I had to be aggressive and try to attack at the right times.

“It’s pleasing to keep reaching the latter stages of tournaments. I’m just enjoying the events rather than chasing titles.

“David Gilbert is a very good cueist, very naturally talented. He has already had a final this year and he’ll be desperate to win his first title. He has beaten some very good players this week.”

The final starts at 2pm on Sunday.

All pictures by O.Behrendt / contrast

David Gilbert’s easy win over Duane Jones doesn’t surprise me. At some point Duane was always going to be a bit overwhelmed, by what he was achieving, by the surroundings and atmosphere … all  that was completely unfamiliar to him whilst David has been there before.

I had Kyren Wilson as a favourite over Stephen Maguire before the other semi final but wasn’t expecting a one-sided match. Having not watched the match, I’m not sure what happened. Did the Stephen Maguire of old reappear, losing his patience and going for too many?

Kyren today will start as a favourite, but Gilbert, who is a very good player, certainly IS a contender for the title.

A win today for Gilbert would mean that he would break into the top 16, ranked n°15, pushing Luca Brecel to a perilous n°16 and Jack Lisowski out of it at n°17.

As it stands, come April David Gilbert is provisionally seeded 15 for the Crucible, at the expense of Stuart Bingham, now seeded 17, who would need to qualify.

The third day in berlin certainly didn’t bring the results most expected.

Indeed this is the semi finals line-up it produced:

Duane Jones v David Gilbert (afternoon)

Stephen Maguire v Kyren Wilson (evening)

How did we get there?

Here are the reports on Worldsnooker:

Afternoon session – last 16

Friday 1 Feb 2019 05:11PM

David Gilbert won a 54-minute deciding frame on the final black to beat Mark Selby 5-4 at the D88.com German Masters.

Gilbert goes through to meet Neil Robertson in the quarter-finals on Friday evening in Berlin.

Selby maintains his grip on the world number one spot he has held since winning this title in 2015, though second placed Mark Williams is sure to gain ground this week.

Breaks of 83, 68 and 126 gave Selby a 3-1 lead today, despite Gilbert’s 139 in the second frame. After the interval, Yushan World Open finalist Gilbert took three in a row with top runs of 78 and 85. Selby won the eighth to set up a tense decider, which came down to the colours.

Selby potted a long yellow but then missed a difficult green to a centre pocket when leading 54-37. Gilbert converted an excellent mid-range pot on the green and cleared the table to book his place in the next round.

Robertson needed just 77 minutes to beat Stuart Bingham 5-0 with top breaks of 75, 100 and 104.

Duane Jones kept his best career run going as he beat Yuan Sijun 5-3. Welshman Jones had never previously been beyond the last 32 of a ranking event but is now through to the last eight to face Ding Junhui.

Jones made breaks of 138 and 79 to go 3-1 ahead before Yuan, who knocked out John Higgins yesterday, recovered to 3-3. Jones, age 25, took the last two frames with 73 and 60. That result keeps alive his chances of qualifying for next week’s Coral World Grand Prix as he needs to win the tournament to earn a place in Cheltenham. For more on that race click here.

“I have played really well all week,” said Jones. “I have been practising all the hours under the sun and I’m glad I have got some reward for it. When you put so much effort in and get no reward it is demoralising and it makes you want to give up. It’s nice to show a crowd that I can play. I’m over the moon with the way I am playing. I’m on a freeroll now but I am here to win. The money will hopefully help me to stay on the tour because I don’t want to have to go back to Q School.”

Ding edged out Xiao Guodong 5-4 in a high quality Chinese derby. Ding, who won this event in 2014, made breaks of 74, 128 and 57 in building a 4-1 lead, then Xiao got back to 4-4 with top runs of 102 and 75. The decider went Ding’s way thanks to a break of 68.

 

Up to there, things looked relatively normal. Mark Selby hasn’t played consistently well for a year and a half now, and David Gilbert is very capable, flirting with the top 16 for a while now. The two “unexpected” players at that stage – Duane Jones and Yuan Sijun – were playing each other, so, one of them was always going to reach the QF.

Here is that decider!

The evening session – QF stage – is where the tournament took a turn to the unexpected

Friday 1 Feb 2019 11:08PM

Judd Trump’s hopes of winning back to back titles came to an end as he was beaten 5-2 by Stephen Maguire in the quarter-finals of the D88.com German Masters.

Maguire will meet Kyren Wilson in the semis in Berlin on Saturday at 8pm, while David Gilbert will take on Duane Jones at 2pm.

Trump won the Masters last month, his second Triple Crown title, but his form deserted him tonight as he made too many errors against clinical Maguire.

Breaks of 87, 74 and 53 gave Glasgow’s Maguire a 3-1 lead. Trump pulled one back with a run of 69 then Maguire’s 70 made it 4-2. Both players missed chances in frame seven before a thumping long pot on the last red from world number 15 Maguire set him up to clinch victory. The 37-year-old is chasing his sixth ranking title and first since the 2013 Welsh Open.

“I have just started working with a coach for the first time, Chris Small, and I felt the benefit out there tonight,” said Maguire, who reached the semi-finals of the Riga Masters and English Open earlier in the season.

“You know what Judd can do to you, you just have to get in first and luckily I did tonight. And I played well this evening. I go for my shots, I always have – what is the point of attempting shots to nothing?

“The atmosphere here from the semis when it is one table in front of 2,500 fans is incredible, the time I got to the final against Ronnie O’Sullivan here in 2012 is still the best I have ever experienced.”

World number 90 Jones continued his incredible run by beating Ding Junhui 5-3. The 25-year-old Welshman had never previously been beyond the last 32 of a ranking event but is now into the semis.

He had earned just £3,000 this season prior to this tournament but is now guaranteed at least £20,000 from this event. Two more wins at the Tempodrom would bank him £80,000 and also earn him a place in next week’s Coral World Grand Prix in Cheltenham (for more on that race click here.)

From 3-1 down against Ding he took the last four frames with top breaks of 66 and 75.

“I can’t believe it,” said former pub barman Jones. “I was really nervous at the start tonight and at 2-0 down I thought I had blown it. I didn’t play my best but I played decent in spells and Ding let me off the hook. I have been practising like a madman back home so I knew my game was in good shape.

“The fans here love the underdog. I have seen a few players I grew up with getting to semi-finals this season, like Eden Sharav, and I’ve been sitting at home watching on TV thinking I’d love to have a crack myself. It’s a dream come true.”

It was a fantastic day for David Gilbert as he knocked out both Mark Selby and Neil Robertson. After edging out world number one Selby 5-4 earlier in the day, Gilbert came back just two hours later and recovered a 3-1 deficit to beat Robertson 5-3.

Breaks of 57, 120, 62 and 50 gave Gilbert the last four frames as he reached the semi-finals of a ranking event for the third time in his career.

“This is one of the best venues we play at but I have never done well here before,” said Gilbert, who was runner-up at the Yushan World Open in August. “To beat Mark and Neil on the same day is great. I was abysmal in the first four frames tonight but I stuck in there and from 3-1 down I found some rhythm.”

World Champion Mark Williams managed a top break of just 16 as he lost 5-0 to Wilson, who scored runs of 81, 61 and 54.

All pictures by O.Behrendt / contrast

Stephen Maguire beating Judd Trump doesn’t come as a surprise to me. Judd hasn’t played well this week in Berlin and he eventually was found out. The same can be said about Mark Williams, who was trashed by Kyren Wilson. I expected that result, but not a whitewash. Earlier in the week people on social media were all about “men to beat” about those two. Did they actually watch the matches? Williams was consistently missing in the middle pockets and Judd had been very lucky to play a terrible Li Hang in his first match because himself had been very poor. The outcome of the semi final between Stephen Maguire and Kyren Wilson is hard to predict. It will depend on Maguire’s form on the day.

David Gilbert being able to knock out Mark Selby AND Neil Robertson on the same day is quite some feat. And Duane Jones getting the better of Ding, and actually outscoring him, certainly wasn’t expected by many. Those two play each other and, on paper, Gilbert should be favourite … on paper…

There was plenty of drama yesterday at the Tempodrom in Berlin.

The last 32 round concluded with the morning and afternoon sessions. I

n the morning session Mark Selby – who played very well – missed the yellow for a 147. Position from black to yellow was always going to be difficult as the yellow wasn’t on its spot, it was tight on the baulk cushion and not close to a pocket. Therefore Mark left himself with a bit too much angle for comfort on the shot on the yellow and the ball stayed in the jaws of the pocket.

It was a pity but without any impact of the final result of the match.

In the afternoon session, the 18 years old Yuan Sijun beat John Higgins in a deciding frame that ended in such a way that it sparked “war” on social media. Yan had been the better player all match, and, for John Higgins experience, tactical nous and resilience, he should have won much more comfortably. At a point towards the end of the match, stats were displayed on our screens, showing that Yuan had potted almost twice as many balls as John and scored twice as many points, yet they had won the same number of frames, the only stat that actually matters. It came to a decider …

As soon as the black entered the pocket, a clearly gutted John Higgins came forward to shake hands and rushed out of the arena. Nobody at the table paid attention to the fact that the white was still moving and that something was happening, that started a discussion between the pundits … and huge controversy on social media.

Yes technically this was a foul, and had it been called there would have been a respotted black and, possibly, a different outcome of the match. However, it wasn’t noticed by anyone at the table, the foul wasn’t called, the players had already shaken hands and that’s end of story. Those who know me, know that I’m not a fan of John since what happened in 2010, but I know for certain that he wouldn’t have wanted to win this way. He would have been as uneasy about it, as Ronnie had been when he found out that he had fouled with the rest against Luo HongHao in Crawley earlier this season. That generation of players have that sort of ethics and the sport should be proud of it.

Here is the report on Worldsnooker about the last 32 action yesterday

Thursday 31 Jan 2019 06:18PM

John Higgins’ poor run of form continued as he lost 5-4 to China’s 18-year-old Yuan Sijun in the last 32 of the D88.com German Masters.

All pictures by O.Behrendt / contrast

Last month, four-time World Champion Higgins admitted that this could be his last season, following a string of disappointing performances  and results. And today’s display in Berlin did nothing to lift his mood as he made numerous errors in losing to a player who was not even born when Higgins won his first world title in 1998.

The deciding frame came down to the last few balls and it was teenager Yuan who held his nerve to pot the crucial balls and set up a last 16 match with Duane Jones.

“I’m missing so many easy balls when it comes down to the crunch so I didn’t expect to win in the end,” said Scotland’s 43-year-old Higgins. “Even at 3-1 up, I knew if Yuan played decent he would come back into it. It’s tough.

“In the last frame I twitched a red in the middle bag, it was such a big twitch. If you can’t win a frame from that position then as I’ve said before it’s time to chuck it. I’d forgotten how tough it is to concentrate when you’re not playing great and not feeling great.”

Yuan, who reached the quarter-finals of the China Championship earlier this season, came from 3-1 down to win three frames in a row with breaks of 68, 54 and 51. Higgins found some fluency in frame eight with a run of 93, his highest of the match, to make it 4-4.

And Higgins looked favourite in the decider until he missed a red to a centre pocket on 43. Yuan replied with 47 before snookering himself on the final green, leading to a long tactical exchange on the colours. Eventually a loose safety from Higgins gave his opponent the chance to pot pink and black for victory.

Yuan said: “It’s my best win. I was nervous at the end but I potted some good balls. I am confident now.”

Mark Selby made three centuries – and came close to a 147 – as he beat Ricky Walden 5-1. Selby led 3-1 with a top run of 106 then in frame five he potted 15 reds with blacks before missing a tricky yellow along the baulk cushion on 120. Undeterred, he wrapped up the match in frame six with a 127.

“I played a good shot on the black to get on the yellow and I felt as if I’d make the 147 if I potted the yellow. It just wasn’t to be,” said Selby who won this tournament four years ago to become world number one, remaining there ever since.

Duane Jones reached the last 16 of a ranking event for the first time with a surprise 5-2 win over Jack Lisowski. Jones top scored with 129 in an impressive performance.

Ding Junhui came from 2-0 down to beat Fergal O’Brien 5-3 with a top break of 73 while Stuart Bingham made a 130 in a 5-2 defeat of Jimmy Robertson.

Xiao Guodong showed his break-building class as he made 66, 57, 105, 102 and 53 in a 5-1 defeat of Ryan Day. Neil Robertson was also a 5-1 winner, firing runs of 65, 60, 56 and 78 against Kurt Maflin.

The evening session – last 16 matches – was less dramatic.

Here is the report on Worldsnooker:

Thursday 31 Jan 2019 10:19PM

Robert Milkins saw his chances of qualifying for next week’s Coral World Grand Prix ended by a 5-1 defeat against Stephen Maguire at the D88.com German Masters.

Victory for Milkins in Berlin tonight would have catapulted him into the top 32 of the one-year ranking list, potentially earning him a spot in Cheltenham next week. But as it stands Gary Wilson hangs on to 32nd spot, although he could still be ousted by Duane Jones. For the latest on that race click here.

Maguire fired breaks of 81 and 82 as he sent Milkins home and set up a quarter-final against Judd Trump at the Tempodrom.

“I’m happy with my results here though I can still improve,” said Glasgow’s Maguire. “I knew Robert needed to win tonight to get into the event next week and I was glad because if I was in that position I’d feel extra pressure. It gave me a bit of extra confidence knowing he needed to win.

“I’m practising hard and my back is fine at the moment,” added Maguire, who has suffered from sciatica in recent months. “It went again last week and I panicked. I went to get some treatment on Saturday night which did wonders so I feel great now. I just hope it lasts for the next three months until the end of the World Championship.

“Judd Trump is the man in form, he has played well all season and I don’t think many people were surprised when he won the Masters. He has given me a few bashings over the last couple of years so I’ll need to step it up. Against the top boys I’m not scoring heavily enough. It’s a big step up there and I’m on the threshold just below them. It’s up to me to try to improve.”

Masters champion Trump remained on a roll as he saw off Yan Bingtao 5-1 with top breaks of 50, 57, 113 and 93. Trump is aiming to win his third title within three months, having also landed the Northern Ireland Open in November, but he does not feel he is ready to dominate the sport.

“It’s virtually impossible to dominate now, you’d have to take the game to a standard no one has ever seen before,” said the 29-year-old. “For me it’s just about going at my own pace. If I can win another two titles before the end of the season that would be amazing. But I’m not setting my sights too high, I’ll just keep trying to enjoy it. I’m very relaxed at the moment and that shows in the way I’m playing.”

Peter Ebdon had a chance of qualifying for Cheltenham with a deep run this week, but he lost 5-2 to Kyren Wilson, whose top breaks were 92 and 117. Wilson now plays defending champion Mark Williams, who top scored with 63 in a 5-0 whitewash of Joe Perry.

All pictures by O.Behrendt / contrast

Mark Williams played well against Joe Perry, but predictions that he will now win at the Crucible again in that form look a bit premature to me because it was far from faultless. Joe Perry  made a 60 break in the first frame, twitched a red that was essentially frame ball, and, from there, never looked at the races. He did have chances in nearly every frame, but wasn’t taking them and Mark Williams duly punished him. Mark himself in his postmatch on Eurosport stressed that the Crucible glory is what he aims at from now on but also admitted that he had work to do in the coming months to achieve that goal.