Yesterday in Dornbirn saw all remaining top 16 players exit, except for Barry Hawkins and Neil Robertson. .

Mark Williams was ahead for most of his match against Zhou Yuelong, but lost in the decider. This was still a last 32 match.

Here is WST report on the morning session (L32)

Thursday 23 Jan 2020 01:10PM

A slice of misfortune at a crucial moment proved costly for Mark Williams as he suffered a 5-4 defeat against Zhou Yuelong in the last 32 of the BetVictor European Masters in Dornbirn.

China’s Zhou fluked a snooker on the green in the penultimate frame when he trailed 4-3, and took advantage as he went through to the last 16 to face Jackson Page on Thursday evening.

Three-time World Champion Williams has been beyond the last 32 of just one ranking event so far this season – at the China Championship in September where he reached the final before losing to Shaun Murphy.

The Welshman looked favourite today when he led 4-3 with top breaks of 66, 73 and 94. Frame eight came down to the colours, and when Williams found himself snookered behind the brown, he failed to escape, giving Zhou the chance to clear for 4-4.

The decider was a scrappy affair though 21-year-old Zhou showed impressive tactical nous to create a chance and make a fine break of 42 which proved vital.

“He had so much run in the last two frames, the kisses he was getting, it was frightening,” insisted Williams. “Especially at 4-3 when he snookered me behind the brown. But that’s the way it goes.

“In the last frame, whoever got in and made a 30 or 40 was going to win it, but I didn’t get a chance.”

Williams showed his frustration earlier in the match, punching the table after one miss, and it was a disappointing day for the 44-year-old as he missed the chance to take on Page, his protégé and practice partner.

“Usually I’m good with my emotions but I felt if I showed a bit, it might make me play better,” added Williams. “I didn’t play badly. If I had played Jackson it would have been difficult because I don’t need the points, and he needs them to stay on tour.”

It was a good morning for young Chinese talent as Zhao Xintong saw off Michael White 5-2 with a top break of 95. He now plays Crucible semi-finalist Gary Wilson, who top scored with 106 as he beat Luca Brecel 5-1

This is unusual for Williams to “moan” about luck. As I didn’t see the match, I can’t comment though.

The last 16 round was played to a completion in the afternoon and the evening.

I watched John Higgins v Thepchaiya Un-nooh. Thepchaiya looked tired, maybe jet lagged, missed quite a few easy balls but got better as the match progressed. To me the main difference was that Theppy went for his shots, whilst Higgins was more defensive and refused a few opportunities.

Here is the afternoon report by WST

Thursday 23 Jan 2020 05:38PM

John Higgins described a 5-4 defeat against Thepchaiya Un-Nooh at the BetVictor European Masters as a “tough one to take” as he failed to capitalise on a 4-2 lead.

Thailand’s Un-Nooh is through to the quarter-finals in Dornbirn where he will meet Neil Robertson, who beat Graeme Dott 5-2.

Four-time World Champion Higgins admitted yesterday that his game these days is a mixture of good and bad performances, and today’s result is certainly a blow as he is yet to reach a ranking final this season.

He opened the match with a break of 92 and later led 4-2 but passed up several chances to finish the tie in frame seven, notably missing the final yellow after his opponent had gone in-off. Un-Nooh cleared the table then got the better of frame eight before making a superb 89 in the decider.

“I have always wanted to beat John, to do that for the first time today is a dream come true,” said Un-Nooh, who won his first ranking title at the Shoot Out last season. “I have always watched him and tried to learn from his safety game, even when he has beaten me. Deep down I hope I can win another tournament.”

Higgins said: “It’s a tough one to take, I should have won 5-2. If you don’t take your chances the balls don’t forgive you. Finishing off matches gets harder as you get older. Thepchaiya made a great break in the last frame.”

Vegan Burger Helps Robertson Sizzle

Robertson reached his first ranking event quarter-final of the season by beating Dott with top breaks of 51, 52, 75, 50 and 50.

It has been a roller-coaster campaign for Robertson as he won the invitational Champion of Champions in November but has suffered a few mishaps in ranking events, including a cancelled flight which caused him to miss the Riga Masters and a navigational error which cost him a place in the World Open.

But the Australian still has time to add to his tally of 16 ranking titles this season. “Things are in my hands, I have done enough to qualify for the World Grand Prix now and there’s still time to get into the other Coral Series events,” said Robertson. “I’ve got a lot of inspiration and motivation to get back into those tournaments.”

Robertson has followed a plant-based diet for several years and managed to find a vegan cafe in Dornbirn. “When I got here I thought I’d just be living off supermarket food and buying loads of fruit,” he added. “Then this morning I randomly walked past a cafe called Vegan Burger. I went in and they do vegan sushi, cakes and all sorts so I’m well in my element there.”

Donaldson Keeps Run Going

Scott Donaldson followed up yesterday win’s over Kyren Wilson by beating another player ranked inside the world’s top ten, Ding Junhui. Runs of 109, 50 and 76 helped Perthshire’s Donaldson to a 5-2 success.

“I really enjoyed the game,” said the Scot. “I feel very calm and in control of my emotions. I know what I’m capable of and I’m happy with my game.

“The best players win most of the tournaments because they have more ability than the others. I am trying to close that gap by making small improvements. And the results are showing I’m going the right way. I’m trying to cut out the frustration you sometimes get when your opponent plays well or has a bit of luck.”

In the race to qualify for the Coral World Grand Prix in Cheltenham, Donaldson has now moved ahead of Ben Woollaston and into the top 32. Next week’s BetVictor German Masters also counts towards the race so Donaldson is not safe yet, but the £11,000 he is already guaranteed from this event has boosted his chances.

He added: “It will be a bonus if I get in. But I’m just keeping my head down and playing matches.”

Donaldson now plays Ali Carter, who came from 2-0 down to beat Michael Holt 5-4 with a top break of 62.

Scott Donaldson is a strange player. You don’t hear about him for weeks or months and, when you don’t expect it, he’s on a good run in a tournament. If he can beat Ali, he might well go very deep this week, although Neil Robertson will probaly be waiting in the semi-finals.

This is the WST report on the evening session:

Thursday 23 Jan 2020 10:33PM

Barry Hawkins gave up a 4-0 lead against Mark Selby but kept his composure to win 5-4 and reach the quarter-finals of the BetVictor European Masters.

An exciting match which included three centuries and six more breaks over 50 eventually went Hawkins’ way as he booked a meeting with Zhou Yuelong.

Hawkins is through to the quarter-finals of a ranking event for only the second time this season and first since September.

The world number 12 from London played superb snooker in the first half of the match tonight as breaks of 55, 69, 102 and 100 gave him the first four frames. He had chances to seal the result in a scrappy fifth but couldn’t take them and Selby eventually cleared from green to black to snatch it, raising his arms to the crowd as he got one on the board.

Hawkins had first chance in frame six but only made 44 and Selby cleared with 82 to close to 4-2. Runs of 136 and 72 got the three-time World Champion back to 4-4.

A run of 50 put Hawkins ahead in the decider. Selby had once chance to counter but missed the pink to a centre pocket on 13 and his opponent added 59 to seal victory.

“I’m delighted. Even at 4-0 I knew it wasn’t over,” said Hawkins. “I was a bit unlucky not to win earlier and then I was sitting in my chair at 4-4 thinking I hadn’t done a lot wrong. I was very pleased to make a decent break in the last frame after what had gone before. I still felt good in myself and I fancied winning.

“When I lost in the Masters last week I felt awful, it was the worst I had felt for a long time. I felt uncomfortable and had no self belief whatsoever. Sometimes you need a good kick up the bum and I have worked hard since then. To beat Mark tonight gives me back some confidence.”

China’s Zhou beat Jackson Page 5-3 with top breaks of 53, 91 and 100. Gary Wilson saw off Zhao Xintong 5-1 with a top break of 102. He now meets Marco Fu who top scored with 72 in a 5-2 win over Xiao Guodong. Hong Kong’s Fu is through the quarter-finals of a ranking event for the first time since the 2018 World Open.

Friday’s Quarter-finals
Ali Carter v Scott Donaldson
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh v Neil Robertson
Zhou Yuelong v Barry Hawkins
Marco Fu v Gary Wilson

I watched Hawkis v Selby and it was bizarre. For the first four frames Barry was playing well, but to be fair, Mark was playing terrible. His highest break was a rare 25 and at a point Barry scored over 300 points without reply against him. But, as they say, the last frame is the hardest to win and Barry couldn’t finish him off there and then. It’s all Mark needed to come to life, and at 4-4, I expected him to win. Credits to Barry to find the resources to win the decider.

The 2020 European Masters started yesterday in Austria, with just 32 players at the venue. There are four tables in use, all in the main Arena.

Prior to the event, Hector Nunns – who made the trip to Dornbirn – had interviewed John Higgins.

Wednesday 22 Jan 2020 08:35AM

John Higgins admits he is super-charged for the start of the BetVictor series of tournaments – and checking out a new venue in Austria.

By Hector Nunns

The World Snooker Tour sets down in the picturesque town of Dornbirn in the mountainous Vorarlberg region this week for the BetVictor European Masters.

And it looks like snooker in the snow for the 32 players having qualified to take part at the Messe complex, with the nearby ski slopes at Boedele having been covered by a fresh fall in recent days.

It might be more remote than capital city Vienna, but the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Selby have played an exhibition here to huge crowds, and similar are expected for this event.

For Scotland’s Higgins, 44, who like the others present has won two qualifiers to be in the draw, the attractions of the tournament are numerous.

While others arrive via Zurich and a train, he was flying in to Munich, hiring a car, and then meandering down over the Germany-Austria border taking in some wintry scenery.

There is the obvious target of the world number six adding to his 30 ranking titles, and trying to get closer to O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry, currently locked on 36.

But perhaps most of all, four-time world champion Higgins is licking his lips at the prospect of having a real tilt at the BetVictor series bonus of £150,000 for being the leading money-winner.

Any player claiming the £80,000 first prize in either Austria or at the BetVictor German Masters in Berlin next week will have a real shot at the bumper extra pay-out.

Doing well in both could make them a red-hot favourite, with the quickfire Shoot Out and Gibraltar Open to follow.

Higgins said: “The bonus on offer for winning the most money on this BetVictor series is massive, on top of what you would win anyway.

“And it isn’t some incentive that looks impossible, but very real and achievable.

“You would have to think that if a player wins one of the first two, the big European tournaments in Austria and Germany, they would be in a very strong position.

“I have qualified for both of those, and will be giving it everything. So I would love to do well this week in Dornbirn and then in Berlin. And then if I was in the mix and it was in the balance, I would probably go to Gibraltar which I might not normally.

“The idea of different bonuses for different series is a good one, the players like it – and there is a lot of great stuff going on.

“I think I have been to play in Austria – in Vienna – once in the past for an exhibition. Obviously we are not in the capital this week, but somewhere a bit more remote.

“But I am really looking forward to a new experience. I am flying over to Munich in Germany, hiring a car and then driving down from there.

“I think it is maybe a couple of hours, just over, so I’ll see some sights from the car as it should be a scenic route.

“And with the coverage on Eurosport so good now all over the continent and fans keen to see the top players, I think there will be great crowds turning up in Dornbirn.

“I only heard late that it was so close to some ski slopes. It is probably just as well the missus didn’t know about that earlier!

“She keeps going on about us going on a family skiing holiday, and I say ‘no way’. If she’d known before it might have been a more difficult conversation!”

One thing is certain, the big crowds weren’t there yesterday. The arena look pretty empty, even in the afternoon. This is probably the result of a combination of factors: the absence of some of the biggest stars, notably Ronnie and Judd Trump, as well as the fact that the local wilcards had to play two rounds and didn’t make it to the venue, are two of them. Add to it the rather remote venue, not necssarily easy to get at in the winter with the snow and the time of the year (post Christmas holidays  paucity of  money)  are others.

The big bonus may have inspired John Higgins but the fact remains that a lot of top players didn’t qualify. Having the qualifiers just before the Christmas holidays is simply dooming: I’m sure that it’s not just John who likes the idea of £150000, but when you are exhausted … you are exhausted and it’s hard to find the mental resources needed to win matches. It’s that simple.

Most top players involved yesterday won their matches. The exception being Kyren Wilson who lost by 5-2 to Scott Donaldson. Kyren is clearly going through a bad spell.

Here are the reports by WST:

Morning and afternoon session

Wednesday 22 Jan 2020 06:49PM

Top stars John Higgins, Ding Junhui and Neil Robertson all enjoyed comfortable wins on day one of the BetVictor European Masters to reach the last 16.

It’s the first ever world ranking event in Austria, in the city of Dornbirn at the foot of the Eastern Alps. The tournament runs until Sunday with a top prize of £80,000 up for grabs.

Higgins battled to a 5-2 win over Fergal O’Brien though he made a top break of just 44 and admitted that consistency in his game is missing.

“Maybe when you get to this age you’re going to have good days, bad days and different days,” said Scotland’s 44-year-old Higgins. “I’m resigned to that fact. The good games are still a good standard but the bad games can be really brutal.

“The World Championship has maybe masked over a lot of things because when you get to three consecutive finals you think you’re close again. But then when you come to some tournaments and play poorly you realise you’re a million miles away again. I’m trying to correct it and when I come to a tournament I still have aspirations of winning it.”

Higgins now faces Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, who scored a 5-2 win over Robbie Williams. Thailand’s Un-Nooh established a marker for the £5,000 high break prize with a 146 in the sixth frame, taking a pink from the first red and then blacks from the other 14. He sealed the result in the next with a 124.

 

Thunder Back To Winning Ways

Robertson is yet to reach the quarter-finals of a ranking event this season but will do so if he beats Graeme Dott on Thursday. Today he saw off Lyu Haotian 5-2 with top breaks of 71, 100 and 110.

“I felt I played really well and I’m pleased not to come all this way and lose,” said Robertson. “I’ve got a day now to go out and explore a bit because I’ve never been to Austria before.”

At the Masters last week, Robertson squandered a 5-1 lead as he lost 6-5 to Stephen Maguire, but has put that result behind him. “Those kind of matches happen, “said the Australian. “If it happened in my first season I might have been traumatised but I have now won and lost matches like that, it’s part and parcel of the game. It’s not as if I threw the match away, Stephen played very well.

“It was disappointing because it’s such a big event, but the good thing about the tour now is that you are straight back into another tournament so I took a couple of days off then I was back on the practice table.”

Round-up

UK Champion Ding looked sharp in a 5-0 defeat of Robert Milkins. After taking a scrappy first frame on the colours, Ding stepped up a gear with runs of 54, 81, 78 and 73 in taking the last four frames. He now meets Scott Donaldson or Kyren Wilson.

Masters runner-up Ali Carter came from 2-0 down to beat Tian Pengfei 5-3 with a top break of 58. Dott made a 104 as he beat Liang Wenbo 5-3, while Michael Holt top scored with 130 in a 5-0 whitewash of Daniel Wells.

Evening session

Wednesday 22 Jan 2020 10:45PM

Scott Donaldson, one of the most improved players on the circuit in recent years, scored an impressive 5-2 win over Kyren Wilson at the BetVictor European Masters.

Perthshire’s 25-year-old Donaldson has jumped from 93rd to 26th in the world rankings since 2015, reaching four semi-finals. And he is targeting another deep run in Austria this week; he faces Ding Junhui in the last 16 on Thursday.

Breaks of 96, 55, 57, 58 and 50 helped the Scot to a fine win over world number eight Wilson.

“I played well, I know I’m capable of beating these guys on my day. I am just looking to enjoy it when I’m out there,” said Donaldson. “It’s not rocket science, I’ve just been working on my game and finding little clues here and there which might help my performance. The one thing I want to do is get used to the TV tables because that’s something I have not mastered. I can play some really good stuff on outside tables.

“Everyone on the tour wants to win tournaments, that’s why we play snooker and that’s why we play for hours a day.”

Donaldson now needs to win just one more match either this week or at next week’s BetVictor German Masters to go above Ben Woollaston in the race to qualify for the Coral World Grand Prix in Cheltenham.

“I’m good mates with Ben so it’s funny he’s the one I’m chasing. If I get above him I’ll give him some abuse on WhatsApp,” added Donaldson. “It’ll be tough to get into the World Grand Prix but that’s not what I’m thinking about, I’m just trying to keep my head down and play well.”

Three-time World Champion Mark Selby eased to a 5-2 win over Jak Jokes to set up a match with Barry Hawkins. Runs of 80, 78 and 73 helped Selby into round four.

Hawkins came from 2-1 down to beat David Lilley 5-2 with a top break of 80 while China’s Xiao Guodong saw off Alfie Burden 5-3 with a top run of 121.

I only watched two matches: John Higgins v Fergal O’Brien and Mark Selby v Jak Jones.

The first one was much closer than the score suggests. Most frames were hard fought and went to the last balls. Amazingly it’s Fergal who scored the three 50+ breaks of the match.

The second one was rather poor despite featuring five breaks over 70, three from Mark, two from Jak. Mark Selby didn’t look confident and, as a result, played a lot of negative shots attracting criticism from the ES commentators. Jak was more positive but missed too many balls, especially from distance.

Finally, Alfie Burden who lost 5-3 to Xiao Guodong, from 2-0 up, was unhappy with his opponent behaviour and told so on twitter .

25 years as a pro teaches you how to behave as a player unfortunately some players have no class my opponent was warned twice for chalking his cue on my backswing whilst in his chair , I then declared i feathered the white on 60 at 3/2 down and showed him how a sportsman behaves

Maybe Lewis will be able to tell us more?

Congratulations Stuart Bingham!

Stuart Bingham, 25 years a pro, beat Ali Carter by 10-8 yesterday evening to become the oldest Masters Champion in snooker history. He was very emotional during the Trophy ceremony and later in the studio.

Here are the reports by World Snooker Tour:

First session: Bingham 5-3 Carter

Sunday 19 Jan 2020 05:46PM

Stuart Bingham will carry a 5-3 lead over Ali Carter into this evening’s final session of the Dafabet Masters at Alexandra Palace.

Regardless of the result there will be a new name on the Paul Hunter Trophy at the close of play, with both players making their first appearance in the final of this event.

There are a potential 11 frames remaining this evening, with the first to ten picking up the £250,000 top prize.

Carter is seeking a maiden Triple Crown title, having been World Championship runner-up to Ronnie O’Sullivan in 2008 and 2012. Victory for Bingham would be a second in snooker’s big three events, after his stunning World Championship win in 2015.

Carter, nicknamed the Captain, got off to a flying start this afternoon. He fired in a break of 126 to take the opening frame

Bingham immediately responded with a contribution of 75 to restore parity. They then traded frames to head into the mid-session locked together at 2-2.

When they returned, four-time ranking event winner Carter made a break of 93 to edge in front at 3-2.

Carter gained an opportunity to double his advantage when he came from snookers required to have a chance on the colours in the sixth frame. However, he missed the brown, allowing Bingham to eventually win on the black to make it 3-3.

Bingham then stepped up to claim the final two frames of the afternoon to secure his 5-3 lead. They will return to play the match to its conclusion at 7pm.

Second session: Bingham 10-8 Carter

Sunday 19 Jan 2020 10:38PM

Stuart Bingham defeated Ali Carter 10-8 in a thrilling contest to lift his maiden Dafabet Masters title at Alexandra Palace in London.

Basildon’s 43-year-old Bingham is now the oldest ever winner of the Masters, taking the record from Ray Reardon, who was just under five months younger when he won the title in 1976.

Victory sees Bingham lift Triple Crown silverware for the second time in his career, following his stunning victory at the 2015 World Championship. He picks up the top prize of £250,000, the richest in the event’s history.

It’s the third year in a row that a new name has been added to the Paul Hunter Trophy, with Mark Allen claiming the title in 2018 and Judd Trump securing his maiden title 12 months ago.

Carter was competing in his first Masters final and third Triple Crown title match. He was a late entrant to the event after world number three Ronnie O’Sullivan pulled out. Carter was runner-up to O’Sullivan at the World Championship in 2008 and 2012. The 40-year-old leaves Alexandra Palace with the consolation of this week’s second prize of £100,000.

In a match which went back and forth, Bingham produced his nerveless best to charge the title down in the closing stretch. He came into tonight 5-3 ahead after this afternoon’s opening session.

However, it was Carter who came charging out of the traps this evening, claiming the first two frames to draw level. He then fired in breaks of 95 and 133 to complete a clean sweep of frames prior to the mid-session and lead 7-5.

The interval came at the right time for Bingham, who looked like a different player when they returned. Breaks of 64, 85, 58 and 88 saw him relentlessly string together four frames in a row and move to the verge of victory at 9-7.

Carter showed his resilience to respond with a run of 77 and close within a frame. However, Bingham wasn’t to be denied his moment. The six-time ranking event winner composed in a supreme run of 109, his first century of the event, to secure Masters glory.

“To get my hands on that trophy, finally, means everything,” said Bingham. “I was getting ready for the loser’s speech at the interval. Ali played brilliantly and it would have been fitting him getting his hands on the Paul Hunter Trophy. I had a coffee and a Mars bar and it seemed to calm me down. Ali missed a couple and I went from strength to strength.

“I just think I have been so tired from the last couple of days, it all came out. Especially at 7-5 down and the way I was thinking. How I put those five frames together to get over the line, I have no idea. I suppose champions are champions for a reason.

“I’ve always played with a smile on my face and enjoyed it all. The atmosphere is similar to the Shoot Out, in that if you can get the crowd involved then it is like having a couple of extra points. Sometimes it felt like an exhibition getting the crowd involved. It was a bit like Bubba Watson trying to get them cheering on the shot.”

Carter said: “You have to say it wasn’t meant to be. I hit him with everything to go 7-5 in front. The interval came at the wrong time for me. I missed a pink with the rest and I never really got another shot.

“I wasn’t even supposed to be in this event. I’ve picked up £100,000 and it pays the school fees! I am gutted I’ve lost, it is all about winning. You guys aren’t interested in talking to me really, it is all about Stuart.

“It has renewed my belief. I am working with Chris Henry as my coach now. That has made a massive difference and hopefully there are a lot of good times to come.”

Here is the last frame and the emotional trophy ceremony

More content will be added if/when available

So … we have Ali Carter v Stuart Bingham in the Masters Final today. Neither of them has been there before. Ali has been a Word Championship finalist twice, Stuart is a former World Champion. It’s not as if they never competed in a major final, but the Masters is special, it’s a bigger arena than the Crucible and it’s a much livelier, rowdy crowd as well.

They are both from Essex and know each other since the junior days. That doesn’t mean that they are friend or even good pals. There is a lot going on in juniors sport, not always positive. Rivalries pushed too far not just because kids are naturally competitive but because of pushy coaches and parents as well. You may be surprised how many parents/coaches interfere and  put huge pressure on their kids to succeed and to make their own unfulfilled dreams a  reality, living them “by proxy” in a way. But it’s very common, and extremely unhealthy.

From bits and snippets I overheard when I  spent time on the tour, there seems to have been a lot of that in Essex in the days when King, Carter, Bingham and Ronnie were juniors and it left scars.

Anyway, here is how we got there.

Ali Carter 6-3 Shaun Murphy: (WST report)

Saturday 18 Jan 2020 06:53PM

Ali Carter defeated Shaun Murphy 6-3 at Alexandra Palace to make his first ever Dafabet Masters final.

This will be the third time that the Captain has graced a Triple Crown final, having been runner-up to Ronnie O’Sullivan at the World Championship on two occasions in 2008 and 2012.

Carter’s run to this year’s final has seen him take down three former World Champions and Masters winners, having beaten Mark Selby, John Higgins and now Murphy. World number 17 Carter’s exploits this week have been all the more remarkable given he was a late entrant to the event after world number three O’Sullivan pulled out.

With David Gilbert and Stuart Bingham contesting this evening’s second semi-final we are now guaranteed a new name on the Paul Hunter Trophy. Carter will face the winner tomorrow over the best of 19 frames for the £250,000 top prize.

Triple Crown winner Murphy will have to wait to end a five year run without claiming one of snooker’s big three titles. However, he leaves Alexandra Palace with £60,000 for reaching the last four.

Breaks of 55 and 91 saw Carter move into a 2-0 lead in the early stages this afternoon. Murphy hit back with a superb contribution of 105, but Carter claimed the fourth to lead 3-1 at the mid-session.

When they returned Murphy compiled his second century of the evening, a break of 110, to pull within a frame at 3-2. Carter came from behind to compose a run of 70 to steal the sixth frame, before a dramatic seventh.

Essex cueman Carter missed a straightforward brown to move a frame from victory and Murphy capitalised to make it 4-3.

An outrageous fluke when escaping a snooker on the final red allowed Carter to move 5-3 ahead and he completed the win with a steely break of 97.

“It’s a massive event. It is a great event. To beat three players like I have, means I deserve to be in the final. Hopefully I go out there and produce the goods tomorrow,” said four-time ranking event winner Carter. “I was presented with an opportunity and I’ve taken it. That is all you can ask for. It is in my hands and I couldn’t believe it when Ronnie withdrew. You never know what he is going to do.

“It is a massive match for me tomorrow. The experience that has gone before in my career can only help. I am working on new things. I am feeling strong and feeling positive. I am just trying to do the right things out there and not get frustrated or let my frustrations get the better of me.

“It is one more match at the end of the day. I will turn up, chalk my cue and get stuck in.”

Murphy said: “I think that is just the game. I thought I played quite well. I enjoyed the match and thought we had some good battles. There was some good potting and break building.

“Very well done in terms of standing up to take his chance at the end. It is not easy out there and not as easy as people make it look from time to time. To get to his first final here in front of a packed house and on an invite. Someone shouted ‘finish him’ like from Karate Kid at the end and he did.”

I’m not too sure how Shaun assessed his own performance. He didn’t play well. He wasn’t terrible either but still far from his best. I don’t like the person Ali is, or at least how he comes across on social media, but I certainly admire his fighting qualities. He will give it his all today, I have no doubts.

Stuart Bingham 6-2 David Gilbert (WST report)

Saturday 18 Jan 2020 11:27PM

Stuart Bingham is through to his first Dafabet Masters final, after a thumping 6-2 semi-final defeat of David Gilbert at Alexandra Palace.

There is guaranteed to be a new name on the Paul Hunter Trophy tomorrow night, with Bingham being pitted against Ali Carter, who defeated Shaun Murphy in this afternoon’s match to reach his first Masters final.

It will be the third year in a row that the Masters has produced a maiden winner, after Mark Allen picked up the title in 2018 and Judd Trump was victorious 12 months ago.

Bingham and Carter will clash over the best of 19 frames for a top prize of £250,000, the richest in the event’s history.

As play got underway this evening, Bingham established control of proceedings with Gilbert struggling to settle. Breaks of 94 and 71 saw him establish a 2-0 advantage.

There was then an edgy third frame, where both players spurned opportunities. Ultimately it came down to a missed final brown to the baulk corner from Gilbert, which landed at the mercy of Bingham who cleared to the black to lead 3-0.

Gilbert steadied himself and got a frame on the board with a stunning break of 131 to keep himself in touching distance, trailing 3-1 at the mid-session.

They returned to a raucous reception from the packed crowd and 2015 World Champion Bingham managed to re-assert his authority. He took the fifth frame, before a run of 75 saw him move one from victory at 5-1.

Gilbert did pull another back courtesy of breaks of 45 and 42 in the seventh. However, Bingham wasn’t to be denied, firing in a run of 63 to secure victory.

“I settled down a bit quicker than Dave. You could see he was a bit nervous and missed a couple. I had a couple of good breaks,” said Bingham. “When we came back out after the break the atmosphere was mad. I have never even been anywhere like that before. We both looked at each other and thought ‘wow’. I am just glad to be over the line and in the Masters final.

“Myself and Ali used to play in junior tournaments in the Essex county, now we are competing in a major final. It is a bit surreal.

“It would mean everything to win. Just being in the VIP lounge and seeing all of those names on the list of past winners and the history of the game. To be amongst them would be fantastic.”

Gilbert said: “It was a really poor start. People will put it down to nerves, as they always do with me. That was probably the best I have felt this week early on. I just missed a few easy pots.

“Thanks to everybody for cheering me on. It has been a brilliant week. The Masters was everything and more than I ever thought it was. I showed that I could play a bit. Stuart is a tough matchplayer and he doesn’t give it to you easily.”

Coverage:

The preview

The review

Ronnie was in the studio and was critical of David Gilbert mentality. He compared him wto  Jack Lisowski and, to an extend, to Ding. Supremely talented players but who lack the belief that they can win when not at their best and/or the fight to keep battling under those circumstances and give up. Himself has been guilty of that on occasions of course, but he’s also battled very hard on his B od C game in many other circumstances. I’d say that in Ronnie’s case, it’s more been a matter of what mental state he was on the moment than a personality trait.  This attitude however can originate from a number of circumstances as much as it can be a fundamental aspect of a person’s character. In Ding’s case for instance, I’m convinced that years of sustained massive pressure and excessive expectations since a very young age have taken a lot out of him, mentally and emotionally. That he wants to step away from that at times isn’t surprising. Gilbert has been a journeyman for most his career – he’s 38, a late developper – and I’m not sure that deep down the self-belief is there, or “enough” there yet I should say. Jack for me is yet another case. He’s a cancer survivor, he was only 16 when he was diagnosed, he just turned pro that year. Who knows how much this battle has taken out of him physically and mentally? He was only a young teenager. Quite often he looks tired, and older than his years. And maybe, when you have got on the other side of such ordeal, you just want to enjoy your life. Everyone is different: Ali seeems to have got more hungry for it, all credit to him.