This was published today by WPBSA:

EIS Sheffield to Host the Qualifying Rounds for the Betfred World Championship

• 16th June 2020

The qualifying rounds of snooker’s Betfred World Championship will take place from July 21st to 28th at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.

All tour players seeded outside the top 16 will need to make it through the qualifiers to earn a coveted spot at the Crucible Theatre, for the final stages which will run from July 31 to August 16.

There will also be 16 players invited by the WPBSA to compete, bringing the field for the qualifying rounds up to 128.

WST and the WPBSA are working closely with the UK Government to assist players coming from outside the UK in regard to visas, quarantine and travel issues.

Regulations on Covid-19 testing, sanitisation and social distancing at the qualifying rounds will follow government guidelines, with details of the precise arrangements to be announced soon. The qualifying rounds will be staged behind closed doors.

Despite the current challenges which sport faces globally, total prize money for the 2020 Betfred World Championship remains at a record £2.4 million, with the winner to receive £500,000.

There is a new structure for the qualifiers this year, as follows:

The 16 players invited by WPBSA will join players seeded 81-128 in Round One. Those 64 players play each other, with the 32 winners going into Round Two.

Round Two: those 32 winners will face players seeded 49-80.

Round Three: those 32 winners will face players seeded 17-48.

Round Four: those 32 winners play each other, with the 16 winners going through to the Crucible to face the top 16 seeds.

All matches will be best of 11 frames, up until Round Four which will be best of 19. Playing the first three rounds with a best of 11 frame format allows those matches to be completed in a single session and therefore minimises the risk of breaching social distancing guidelines for the safety of players, officials and crew. Details of the format of Round Four, known as Judgement Day, will be released soon.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: “We are delighted to stage the qualifying rounds at the English Institute of Sport as we know from many years of experience that it is a fantastic venue. We look forward to working with the venue to ensure that the health and safety of our players and officials is the highest priority throughout the event. We have already proved that we are at the forefront of sport by staging events in the current conditions.

“Alongside the WPBSA we are already doing all we can to give as much assistance as possible to players coming from overseas. We want to see a full and international field.

“The Betfred World Championship, our biggest tournament, starts from the first ball struck of the opening qualifying round. Everyone dreams of a place at the Crucible, from legends like Jimmy White and Ken Doherty to exciting young talent. The drama of the final round, when places at the Theatre of Dreams are on the line, can barely be matched.

“This is another important step in the right direction as our tour gets back on track. While fans will not be able to go to the venue, we expect a further exciting announcement shortly on how fans will be able to watch the live action.”

Councillor Mary Lea, Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks and Leisure at Sheffield City Council said: “Sheffield and the World Snooker Championship go hand in hand. The tournament is an annual highlight of our rich sporting tapestry, so we are thrilled that WST have been able to adapt and overcome the challenges that COVID-19 presents, to allow this global event to take place here in its rightful home.

“The 2020 tournament will of course be different to any other before it, with spectators only able to watch from their screens, but keeping players, staff and the public safe is our number one priority and we’ll be working with all partners to ensure this.

“I’m certain that the world’s best players will still deliver just as much excitement, tension and skill to keep everyone on the edge of their seats, starting with these all important qualifiers in July.”

Fans who had bought tickets for the qualifiers will automatically receive a full refund within seven to ten working days. Any fans not receiving a refund within this time frame are advised to contact their ticket provider.

The draw and format of the event will be announced in due course.

The Betfred World Championship is supported by Sheffield City Council.

So, as expected, the format has been reduced to best of 11 for all rounds, except the last. Despite WST statements of intention I remain unconvinced that a similar shortening can be avoided for the main event at the Crucible. If that happened it would really devaluate the championship.

WPBSA claims to be working hard with the authorities to make sure that all players can make it to the UK and to the venue. I have no doubts that they try their best, but I do have serious doubts about their chances of success. As, it stands, Marco Fu has withdrawn already. This is the link to the announcement, thanks to Lewis.

The first paragraph reads this way (google translation):

On June 16, 2020, the Hong Kong sports news platform “Tianlu” released news that Fu Jiajun had aggravated flying mosquitoes due to rope skipping. For the double consideration of eye disease and epidemic situation, Fu Jiajun decided to withdraw from the Snooker World Championships to be held in July . Fu Jiajun also stressed that he will not retire and will return to the professional arena as soon as September.

I would be very surprised if he was the only one. Actually, as it stands, I expect most Asian players to be unable to travel, by no fault of them. If they are relegated, it would be totally unfair. A number of mainland Europe players may have problems as well.

I understand that there are commercial aspects, and sponsoring/broadcasting contracts to consider, but, as it stands, I’d rather have the event postponed until April 2021, and the extended season being resumed as soon as possible, with more modest events, non ranking ones, until ALL players REALLY have the possibility to travel safely and play.

We have only four players left, and they will do battle for the title today. They are Luca Brecel, Ryan Day, Ben Woollaston and Stuart Bingham. Not the line-up many would have predicted.

Here is WST report on what happened yesterday:

Wednesday 10 Jun 2020 11:37PM

 

Ryan Day booked his place in the Tournament Finals of the Matchroom.Live Championship League, claiming top spot in a high quality Group B over Judd Trump, David Gilbert and Barry Hawkins.

Click here for Group Tables, Results and Fixtures and here for details of how to watch live.

Day struck a significant blow in his opening tie of the group, blitzing World Champion Trump 3-0 with breaks of 122, 107 and 60. Trump went on to record a 3-1 defeat of Hawkins, but a 2-2 draw with Gilbert ended his hopes of progressing.

In his second match, Welshman Day compiled a break of 103 on his way to snatching a 2-2 draw with Gilbert, to put himself in prime position to qualify.

Going into the final tie of the group only Day’s opponent Hawkins, who also drew 2-2 with Gilbert, could catch him. The Hawk needed to win 3-0, but his hopes were ended after losing the opening frame of a match he and Day went on to draw 2-2.

“I am really pleased with the way I played all day,” said Day. “To start off against Judd, it doesn’t get any tougher than that and I really came out of the traps quite quickly. It was a good draw against Dave in the end, and being a Championship League veteran I was trying to do the sums and realised I only needed one frame in the last match there and I was delighted to get the first frame and secure my place in the final.

“I dropped into the zone as they call it and played lovely and felt great all day. It has been a long time since anybody has played competitive snooker so I think the break might have done me good and given me a bit of a boost. I felt okay with my game in general but I didn’t really enjoy going away and playing, which is strange, as that’s something I have never really struggled for but I think the lockdown has helped me get a bit of that back and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

 

On the other table, Belgium’s Luca Brecel completed the lineup for the Tournament Finals, edging out Gary Wilson, Ashley Carty and Mark Joyce to top spot in Group A.

Former China Champion Brecel got underway today with a 2-2 draw against world number 68 Joyce, despite losing the third frame to the three miss rule. He then fired in breaks of 109, 64 and 74 to seal a 3-1 defeat of Carty.

Brecel trailed 2019 World Championship semi-finalist Wilson 2-1, but crucially clinched the last frame to secure a 2-2 draw. That result ultimately booked his place in tomorrow’s finale.

“I am relieved to be through,” said the Belgian. “I didn’t really expect to top the group, especially after the third frame against Mark Joyce when I missed the red three times.

“I got a draw out of the game and knew if I beat Ashley I would have a good chance against Gary, but obviously I was lucky that Mark played really well to get two frames against Ashley. I will be relaxed tomorrow and anything can happen.”

Joining Brecel and Day tomorrow are yesterday’s winners Stuart Bingham and Ben Woollaston. The player who tops the final group will pocket total event winnings of £30,000.

It was all a bit strange yesterday, as no player managed to win more than one match. The day before, Ronnie finished third of his group with two wins…

Judd Trump was much hyped throughout the tournament, as you would expect given that he is the reigning World Champion and ranked number one but he never played anywhere near his best. An indication of that, is the fact that he didn’t make a single century in the six matches he played.

Judd who, a few weeks ago, had claimed that playing at the Crucible, without a crowd, would feel weird, and he didn’t fancy it, has now come up with the complete opposite in an interview with the Yorkshire Post:

I would defend world title in a car park – Judd Trump

Judd Trump would have no problem with the World Championship taking place behind closed doors as he revealed he would be satisfied with defending his title “in a car park somewhere”.

By The Newsroom

Wednesday, 10th June 2020, 10:19 pm

The world No 1 has returned to the baize in the Championship League, where there are no spectators because of the stringent protocols behind snooker’s resumption amid the coronavirus pandemic. Hushed silences are a common theme in snooker, interrupted intermittently by occasional cheers and more general applause, and it is for that reason why Trump feels there is little difference in the ‘new normal’.

If that extends into the defence of the title he won last year at the Crucible, which has been rescheduled to take place between July 31 and August 16, then so be it.

“I’d be happy to defend it in a car park somewhere,” Trump said. “I don’t really care. As long as it’s on, it doesn’t really matter where it is.

“It’s the same for all the players, we’re just happy to be out there playing. It doesn’t really matter what’s going on, we’re just here in our little zone in this tournament and it’s just good for everyone involved.

“There’s not a real difference playing with a crowd, it doesn’t make too much difference for anyone.

“I think this could work for every tournament. Snooker doesn’t necessarily need to have a crowd in every single tournament and it works on TV, it looks good on TV.”

The lack of spectators is most noticeable once someone has successfully made a long pot or played a particularly good snooker.

But Trump added: “You just don’t notice those kinds of things.

“The only way you do is if your concentration’s not great but when you’re in amongst the balls and potting balls, to be honest I just completely forget that there normally is a crowd there.”

Nevermind, I bet he would still find it very weird to be handed the trophy in front of nobody in a silent Crucible.

Ronnie’s run in the CLS 2020, came to an end at the hands of Stuart Bingham who beat him by 3-0 in the fifth match of the last 16 Group C.

Ronnie played very well all week, he won 5 matches out of the 6 he played, won 15 frames out of the 19 he played, and made 4 centuries, but still came third in that group! Group C was very hard fought: Ronnie, Stuart Bingham and Sam Craigie all won two matches and lost one: Sam beat Stuart, Ronnie beat Sam, Stuart beat Ronnie. Had Ronnie taken one frame from Stuart, he would have come first, as it is, he came third. It was that close. Ronnie looked in control in frame 2, but missed a tricky green at power, having to cross the whole length of the table to get position on the next red. He missed the green but unfortunately for him got the position right. Stuart needed no second invitation. In the third and last, he was in and with a decent table, when he missed a black off the spot. His reaction showed both his frustration and the awareness that this was probably his last shot in the tournament.

Here are yesterday’s results:

And here is WST report:

Stuart Bingham beat Ronnie O’Sullivan 3-0 in the crucial match in Group C of the Matchroom.Live Championship League to book a place in the Tournament Finals.

Tuesday 9 Jun 2020 09:28PM

Click here for Group Tables, Results and Fixtures and here for details of how to watch live.

O’Sullivan started the day by beating Harvey Chandler 3-0 and Sam Craigie 3-1, and at that point had won 15 of the 16 frames he had contested in the tournament, making four centuries and eight more breaks over 50.

Bingham, meanwhile, lost 3-1 to Craigie and beat Chandler 3-0, meaning that only a 3-0 win over O’Sullivan would guarantee top spot in the group. And that’s just what the Basildon cueman achieved as he beat his fellow Essex player for the first time since the 2015 World Championship.

A break of 71 gave Bingham the opening frame tonight, then in the second he came from 65-21 down to snatch it with an excellent 51 clearance.  And a run of 75 in the third put Masters champion Bingham into Thursday’s concluding group.

“I knew I needed to win 3-0 to top the group,” said Bingham. “I took my chances. Who would have thought it after my first game between me and Sam? We were struggling to pot a ball between us. But I got it going when it mattered. I’m happy with the performance. I have three more games now on Thursday and I’ll have to play like that to have any chance.

Joining him will be Ben Woollaston, who topped Group D thanks to another late turnaround. Leicester’s Woollaston lost his opening tie against Martin O’Donnell 3-1 but recovered in tremendous style by beating Tom Ford 3-0 with three consecutive centuries, 134, 101 and 127, scoring 375 points without reply.

That left him needing to win his third match against Liang Wenbo while hoping that, on the other table, O’Donnell would lose to Ford.

World number 38 Woollaston rose to the challenge by beating Liang 3-0 with a top run of 68. O’Donnell, meanwhile, lost his last two frames against Ford and his 3-1 defeat ended his hopes.

“It’s amazing,” said Woollaston. “I went into my last match thinking I would come second, so I was surprised when I came off that I was through. I went 2-0 up and knew that guaranteed me second. I thought about coming out just to look at the score but I didn’t because I didn’t want to know.

“After beating Tom I had a few messages because I’m not really known for lots of centuries, so it was quite funny to do that. Both tables have been perfect today, so if you played badly it was your own fault.

Groups A and B will be played on Wednesday, with the two winners to make up Thursday’s final stage alongside Bingham and Woollaston.

Also, I’m glad to see Ben Woollaston doing well. After he made it to the final at the Welsh Open 2015, I thought that he would breakthrough, but he didn’t. Quite the opposite, he has gone missing for the best of five years. He has recently started working with Sightright and, hopefully, that will help him. He certainly has the potential.

I saw nothing from that group. By the time it was 11pm where I am they had only played two matches… I’m not sure what the solution should be, and I DO understand that every player is different and has their own natural pace, but this is not helping to promote the sport. Some situations, some shots ask for more thinking time, but surely not every single one of them.

Here are Ronnie’s matches:

Vs Harvey Chandler:

Vs Sam Craigie:

Vs Stuart Bingham:

Despite the defeat, I enjoyed watching Ronnie. He was focused, his attitude was good, he didn’t play rash shots.

Here is Ronnie’s reaction after his defeat

Ronnie O’Sullivan wants five more years of lockdown as he crashes out of Championship League

Ronnie O’Sullivan requested that lockdown last another five years on the day he crashed out of Championship League Snooker after a shock 3-0 defeat to Stuart Bingham.

The Rocket was looking in sublime form in the Milton Keynes event, winning all of his first group stage matches 3-0 and then opening up his second group with another 3-0 victory over Harvey Chandler on Tuesday.

The 44-year-old dropped his first frame of the tournament in his next match, but a 3-1 win over the impressive Sam Craigie meant he just needed a draw against Bingham to progress to the final group.

However, the 2015 world champion seized on a couple of O’Sullivan errors and made breaks of 71, 51 and 75 to pinch top spot in the group and progress.

O’Sullivan will not have been happy to lose, and looked close to damaging his cue in frustration after a missed black in the third frame, but he will be pleased to have left Milton Keynes and to return home.

I’ve really been enjoying the lockdown, I’ve had the best three months of my life,’ said O’Sullivan beating Chandler.

Talking about snooker and talking about this and that..I want the lockdown to go on for another five years if it can!

You never quite know how far O’Sullivan’s tongue is in his cheek, but he did mention how much he had enjoyed being at home before his second round matches as well.

Got to be off me head coming here, haven’t I? I’ve been sat in my room for 24 hours, O’Sullivan told Eurosport.

I done 16 hours in a cell once, and it was better cause I got to choose my own food. But listen it gets you out of the house, but I’ve enjoyed being at home. It’s good fun.’

Bingham, in contrast, was delighted to progress after he lost his first match to Craigie and ended up needed to whitewash the Rocket to make the next stage.

I knew I needed to win 3-0 to top the group,’ said Bingham.

I got it going when it mattered. I took my chances when they come. Happy to be through. I have to play like that to have any chance in the final.

Bingham joins Ben Woollaston in the final group after the Leicester cueman turned in a superb display to win his group on Tuesday, bouncing back from defeat to Martin O’Donnell to whitewash Tom Ford and Liang Wenbo to progress.

The 3-0 win over Ford saw Woollaston rattle in breaks of 134, 101 and 127 in the performance of the tournament.

Two more groups are played on Wednesday to decide the remaining two places in Thursday’s final group, with Judd Trump and Gary Wilson favourites to progress.

Yesterday saw the conclusion of the last 64 round and, again, we got two “outsiders”, Martin O’Donnell and Sam Craigie, coming out the winners.

Here is the report by WST:

With the clock just shy of 1am, Martin O’Donnell sealed a 2-2 draw with world number five Mark Allen to reach the Group Winner’s phase of the Matchroom.Live Championship League in Milton Keynes.

Click here for Group Tables, Results and Fixtures and here for details of how to watch live.

The pair faced off in the pivotal match of the group, with Allen knowing only victory would put him through, due to O’Donnell’s superior frame difference.

After O’Donnell moved 1-0 up, Allen hit back with a break of 70 to restore parity. The Northern Irishman then moved 2-1 up by taking the third on the pink. However, a break of 62 in the final frame was enough for O’Donnell to seal the crucial draw.

O’Donnell had already secured wins in his opening two ties of the day. He defeated Michael White 3-0 and sealed a 3-1 victory over Nigel Bond by winning an hour long final frame.

“I am pleased to go through and think I played pretty well all day,” said O’Donnell, who will face Tom Ford, Liang Wenbo and Ben Woollaston in the next phase on Tuesday.

“I should have probably beaten Mark tonight, but I got the job done. I try until the end and have lots of fighting spirit in me. I knew, especially once I won the first frame, that whatever happens I would be in it until the end. I have been working really hard on the mental side of things and I’m pleased I made a good break in the end to finish off there, because two years ago I would have crumbled and he would have beaten me.”

On table two, Sam Craigie topped his group to join Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stuart Bingham and Harvey Chandler in Group C of the winner’s phase, which will play out on table one tomorrow.

Craigie faced Dominic Dale in a winner takes all clash this evening. He powered to an impressive 3-0 win, with breaks of 131, 71 and 123 to beat Dale in under 40 minutes.

Martin O’Donnell is 34. If we forget the shootout, his best performances are three quarter finals, and they all came last season. He’s a very slow player, and that contributed to the very late finish yesterday. He wasn’t the sole culprit though. In fact nobody played really well consistently in that group. The matches dragged because they weren’t potting the balls. Mark Allen appeared very rusty. Michael White, still only 28, is a pale shadow of the young promising amateur he once was. He will almost certainly be relegated at the end of the season and it is sad to see. He needs help.

Sam Craigie is 25, and, for at least ten years already has been identified as a very talented player. He is very dangerous on his day. On the main tour, his performances have been disappointing. He’s never got past the last 8 in any event, and even that happened only once. This season, he had only won three matches before this event, and he has been guilty of several no-shows or late arrivals. Those facts hint at either depression or demotivation. But he has played very well yesterday. Maybe the “forced” break, because of the lockdown, has helped him.

The last round 16 starts today. Group C features two top 16 players, Ronnie and Stuart Bingham, and two young outsiders, Harvey Chandler and Sam Craigie; that has banana skin written all over it. Group D doesn’t feature any current top player, but, this one promises to be extremely close: Tom Ford, Liang Wenbo, Ben Woollaston and Martin O’Donnell will be battling it, and some high scoring can be expected!