Neil Robertson revealed that he feels his game is better than ever as he reflected on an emphatic 6-2 win over Zhou Yuelong in the semi-finals of the Betway UK Championship.
That didn’t take Yue-Long. Robertson needed just 148 minutes to wrap up the match
World number three Robertson is into the final of this event for the third time, having lifted the trophy in 2013 and 2015. He will face Judd Trump or Lu Ning over 19 frames on Sunday with the winner to lift the trophy and bank £200,000. Victory would make Robertson the sixth player to win the UK Championship three times, joining Ronnie O’Sullivan (seven titles), Steve Davis (six), Stephen Hendry (five), John Higgins (three) and Ding Junhui (three).
It will be Robertson’s third final of the season, and while he lost to Trump in the English Open final and to Mark Allen at the Champion of Champions, his seemingly limitless self-belief will be undented as he aims for his first silverware since the World Grand Prix in February. He has made three centuries in each of his last two matches and looks at the top of his game. The 38-year-old Australian is into his 31st ranking event final and is seeking his 19th title.
The result ends Zhou’s hopes of qualifying for the Masters as he needed to reach the final to jump into the top 16. Jack Lisowski is now safe in that race, while Thepchaiya Un-Nooh will earn a Masters debut if Lu Ning doesn’t win this week’s tournament.
Robertson got the better of a fragmented opening frame then made a 125 for 2-0. Zhou had first chance in frame three and made 46 before missing a red to a top corner, then Robertson replied with 62 before wobbling the final blue in the jaws of a baulk pocket. A safety tussle was resolved when Zhou escaped from a snooker on the blue and fluked it into a top corner. He added pink and black to get a frame on the board.
But Robertson wasn’t rattled and compiled a run of 118 for 3-1. In frame five, Robertson led 56-0 when he ran out position, but when Zhou went in-off playing safe on the penultimate red it was 4-1.
A break of 104 in frame six – his tenth century of the tournament and 753rd of his career – put Robertson 5-1 ahead. Zhou restored some respectability to the scoreline and showed his break-building talent with a excellent 141 total clearance. But that just delayed the inevitable as Robertson closed out victory in frame eight with an break of 89.
“My game is the best it has ever been,” said 2010 World Champion Robertson. “Last season I reached three finals in a row and I have carried that on. My club WTs in Cambridge as well as the Grove Academy have been brilliant in terms of allowing me to practise and keep my consistency. Plus there has been less travelling and jet lag this season so physically I feel fantastic.
“When I played Zhou in the final of the European Masters last season (Robertson won that match 9-0) I didn’t let him settle, and it was important for me to do the same today. Even when he fluked the blue to go 2-1 it jolted me into wanting to get back on top. I probably played better today than I did against Mark Selby yesterday.
“Everyone on the tour really rates Zhou and I’m sure he’ll be back in big finals before long. He has determination and he’s also a very friendly guy.”
Asked about the possibility of playing Trump tomorrow, Robertson added: “What Judd has done in the last couple of years is incredible, I have learned a lot from him, in terms of how hard he practises. He very rarely takes days off and works a lot harder than he did four or five years ago. Having lost two finals this season and I have plenty of motivation to get the job done this time.”
Zhou looked extremely tense at the start of the match. It’s only when he was 5-1 down, and all easonable hopes of winning the match were gone, that he seemed to relax; his 141 in frame seven was fantastic. I hope he can find some solace and confidence from it.
Judd Trump set up a showpiece final with Neil Robertson at the Betway UK Championship with a commanding 6-2 defeat of Lu Ning.
World number 40 Lu had enjoyed an excellent run to the semi-finals, but he was no match for Trump as the world number one remained on course for winning his second UK title and first since 2011.
Trump last reached the UK Championship final in 2014, losing to Ronnie O’Sullivan
Trump will battle Robertson over a possible 19 frames in Milton Keynes on Sunday, with the winner to take the trophy and £200,000 top prize. It will be their 22nd career meeting, Trump winning 12 of the previous 21. Their last three matches have been finals; Robertson coming out on top at the 2019 Champion of Champions, then Trump taking the honours at this year’s German Masters and English Open.
Bristol’s 31-year-old Trump is through to his 30th ranking event final and looking for his 20th title. He already has two trophies to his name this season, from the English Open and Northern Ireland Open, so victory tomorrow would see him half way towards matching last season’s record haul of six ranking titles.
Tonight’s result means that the field is set for the Masters and the draw will take place during the interval of the afternoon session on Sunday. Lu could have jumped into the elite by winning the tournament but instead Thepchaiya Un-Nooh can breathe a sigh of relief as he keeps the 16th and last spot.
Lu, playing in the semi-finals of a ranking event for the second time in his career, could have won the opening frame tonight but missed the pink to a centre pocket on 51, letting Trump in to clear with 66. China’s 26-year-old Lu was not overawed by the occasion and dominated the second frame for 1-1.
A run of 107 saw Trump regain the lead, then in frame four he was on target for a 147 until he left the 13th black just short of a top corner pocket on 99.
Frame five came down to a safety battle on the colours and Lu converted superb pots on the blue and pink to keep himself in the match at 3-2. Trump won frame six with a run of 54 and took control of the next with a 55. Lu had a chance to counter but made just 7 before missing a tricky red to a top corner. That effectively ended his resistance as Trump mopped up the frame and cruised over the winning line in frame eight with a 113.
“Lu should have won the first frame tonight, after winning it I felt in control,” said Trump. “I made mistakes tonight and I’ll need to cut those out in the final.
“Every time I play Neil it is special. The Champion of Champions and English Open finals are two of the best ever. The table is playing beautifully and I’m sure there will be a lot of high scoring. Neil’s all round game looks very good so I’ll have to be at my best. The way we are both playing spurs the other players on so they don’t fall behind.”
Trump has won 15 consecutive matches over the past 26 days and admits fatigue is playing a part. “The past few games have been draining,” he said. “It is taking its toll. There is one last hurdle. It’s no good getting to a final and then losing, especially as I have waited for six years to get to the final of this event. To win it would top off an amazing few weeks. Since the start of the tournament the trophy has been by the table and that has made me feel to win it is what I’m here for.”
Part about the Masters deleted … I was wrong, the draw doesn’t go by strict seeding. I was misguided by last year draw, when it DID go by strict seeding but that was because that time Judd Trump the defending champion, the World number one and the World Champion. I had completely overlooked that. My bad
Neil Robertson played near-flawless snooker in a 6-2 defeat of Mark Selby at the Betway UK Championship, setting up a semi-final with China’s Zhou Yuelong.
Australia’s Robertson is into the semi-finals of this event for the fourth time and is chasing his third title, having lifted the trophy in 2013 and 2015. He has now beaten Selby three consecutive times this season, having come out on top in the semi-finals of both the English Open and the Champion of Champions.
Today’s performance was Robertson’s best of the season so far as he stepped up his quest for a first title of the campaign. He raced into a 3-0 lead with breaks of 75, 122 and 63. Selby fought back to take the next two with runs of 67 and 59.
In frame six, Selby led 39-22 when he misjudged a cannon on a red and played safe. Robertson converted a tremendous long pot on a red which was close to a side cushion, and cleared the table with 56 to lead 4-2. That proved the turning point as the world number three fired runs of 91 and 130 in the last two frames.
The latter break was his seventh century of the tournament and also brought him to the career milestone of 750 tons – joining Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, Stephen Hendry and Judd Trump in reaching that landmark.
“From start to finish that was very good, it was one of my best performances of the season, probably the best,” said Robertson after reaching his 11th Triple Crown semi-final. “I played some fantastic stuff to go 3-0 up then Mark came back well and looked like going 3-3. He forced me into a do-or-die red because I didn’t have any other shot. I thought that if I potted it I could clear up to go 4-2 which I knew would be a big blow to him. Not many players in the world would have been capable of potting that red.
“I am very experienced, I have been here many times before in big tournaments. The top players don’t get over excited about semi-finals. If I play my best then I have a great chance of getting through, irrespective of how Zhou plays.”
Zhou – I Believe I Can Win
Having knocked out John Higgins in the previous round, world number 25 Zhou claimed another top-16 scalp with a 6-4 defeat of Jack Lisowski.
The 22-year-old from Chengdu in the west of China lost 9-0 to Robertson in the final of the European Masters last season and will hope for revenge when they meet again on Saturday afternoon. Zhou has extended his best ever run in a Triple Crown event and remains in the hunt for his first ranking title.
Today’s result was significant in the Race to the Masters, as Lisowski could have guaranteed his place at Alexandra Palace next month by winning the match, but instead he must wait to see how the weekend results pan out. Zhou will secure a top 16 place for the first time if he beats Robertson.
A break of 60 helped Lisowski win the opening frame today then Zhou levelled with a 69. Frame three came down to a safety battle on the pink and Zhou knocked in an excellent pot to lead 2-1. He added the next two with a top run of 99 to go 4-1 up.
The next two were shared, then in frame eight Zhou had a clear match-winning chance, but after potting the last red he missed the black off its spot at 31-60. Lisowski took advantage to take the frame, and made a 55 in the next to close to 5-4. But the fight-back ended there as Zhou got the better of a fragmented tenth frame.
“I am very pleased,” said Zhou. “This is a new level. Today I didn’t play well. I missed an easy chance to win the match at 5-2 up. I always felt pressure.
“It’s not good for me to play Neil – both times we have played before I have lost. But everyone has their first time and hopefully this will be mine. I am confident, I believe I can win. To get to the final might mean more snooker fans in China will watch. It would be good for my family, my mum, my coach, my teacher. It is a big prize for me.”
…
“My family when they are watching me on TV they mute it and put music on. And when I have listened to it as well I do get a hard time. The style I play is risky, but that has got me to where I am. I am given a hard time when I play certain shots,” I have accepted that is part of my game at the moment but I am trying to improve on that. I don’t proclaim to be some great player, but they seem to rate me maybe because I play fast and then judge me accordingly. If I make it look easy, it doesn’t feel it to me.
“But I definitely get given a hard time and maybe I do feel it out there, thinking too much about what they are saying and I shouldn’t. It probably does add pressure. I know when I hit certain shots the guys in the comms box are saying ‘What was that’, I’m thinking the same thing.
“But that is my style, I am erratic and the sooner I can win something and get rid of that tag of ‘good player who won’t win a tournament’ the better. Maybe everything will get easier if I can do that. You can’t shut these people up until you have won.
“I want to win a title mainly for me, but also to show other people. And that is why I am trying so hard to win any tournament I can and get that first ‘W’. It is a long time coming but I hope it will be worth it.”
…
I do understand that it’s hard for Jack to cope with this and there was more of the same yesterday:
I truly believe that it’s frustration more than anything else that drives the pundits to deliver such assessment. Jack is extremely talented – he’s probably one of the most talented players on the tour – and his game is fantastic to watch when it works. But it doesn’t always work. Nobody, however talented they are, can produce their best all the time. Jack has no B game, nevermind a C or D game. Every player needs to find ways to compete on lesser days and he doesn’t have that. Maybe he should listen, take this as advice rather than criticism, and find someone who could help him?
Judd Trump let slip a 3-0 lead against Kyren Wilson in the quarter-finals of the Betway UK Championship, but showed character at the business end of the contest to win 6-4.
Trump now meets world number 40 Lu Ning who kept his tremendous run going with a 6-4 win over Joe Perry.
World number one Trump remains on course to win his third title of the season having landed the English Open and Northern Ireland Open within the last seven weeks. The 31-year-old is just two matches away from doubling his tally of UK Championship titles having first lifted the trophy in 2011.
Bristol’s Trump has shown only glimpses of his best form this week but still has the all-round game and confidence to keep his winning streak going.
He made a sensational start tonight with breaks of 73, 102 and 106 to take the first three frames. The match turned in the fourth when Wilson enjoyed a massive fluke on a red when he led 23-17, setting him up for a run of 43 which gave him a foothold. World number four Wilson got the better of a safety exchange on the yellow in frame five and cleared for 3-2, then made a 64 in the next to square the tie.
A scrappy seventh frame went Trump’s way then Wilson hit back with an 88 for 4-4. In the ninth, Wilson was on 24 when he missed a mid-range blue to a baulk corner, letting Trump in for an excellent 71 which restored his lead.
A superb long red at the start of the tenth initiated a break of 63 for Trump, and Wilson’s hopes of a counter-attack ended when he missed the fourth-last red to a top corner.
“It was tough,” said Bristol’s Trump, who has won four out of seven meetings with Wilson this year. “At 4-4 he had a good chance to go 5-4 up, I was delighted when he missed the blue and left me a chance. If I had missed then I probably would have lost the match because my confidence had been knocked. I had to dig in to make that break and I’m sure it would have hurt him. To get through in the end is a nice feeling.
“Whenever I play Kyren I have to play well to win and I raised my game in the first three frames tonight. I was going around the table just trying to pot everything I could see. Then the fourth frame changed everything and after that things didn’t go my way, so it was important to pull myself out of that.
“In the past I have put too much pressure on myself and that’s when you get nervous. This season I have just treated it as a game while trying my best, and I get more enjoyment from that.
“If I get to the final I can start to think about winning the trophy but there’s still a long way to go. Lu Ning is in new territory but he is playing to the same standard as the top boys.”
Lu Battles Past Perry
China’s 26-year-old Lu is having the best week of his career so far and is through to his second ranking event semi-final; the first coming at the 2019 Gibraltar Open. The former world under-21 champion has scored heavily in this event, making seven centuries, but it was his calmness under pressure which helped him to a gritty win over Perry.
The result ends Perry’s hopes of a place in the Masters, but Lu is still in that race and will climb into the top 16 if he wins the tournament.
Lu took the first two frames tonight then Perry won the third with a 76 and had a clear chance in the fourth but missed the penultimate red to a top corner and his opponent punished him to lead 3-1.
Runs of 63 and 69 helped Perry win the next three frames, but he didn’t the chances that came his way in the remainder of the match. Lu won a scrappy eighth for 4-4 then made a cool 39 clearance to steal the ninth. And a break of 58 in frame ten helped the player from Jilin over the line.
A Neil Robertson v Judd Trump final looks like a very likely outcome of today’s matches but… I wouldn’t write Zhou or Lu off. The pressure will firmly be on the top seeds.
Zhou Yuelong reached the quarter-finals of a Triple Crown event for the first time with an emphatic 6-2 win over John Higgins at the Betway UK Championship.
Higgins, a three-time winner of this event, described Zhou as the best Chinese player to come through since Ding Junhui’s emergence 15 years ago. World number 25 Zhou goes through to the last eight to face Jack Lisowski or Xiao Goudong.
Last season, 22-year-old Zhou was runner-up at both the European Masters and the Shoot Out, and it seems only a matter of time before he wins his first ranking title.
He dominated the early exchanges today, taking the first four frames with top breaks of 90 and 60. Higgins made a trademark 72 clearance to win frame five, but then crucially lost the sixth on the colours. The Scot got the snooker he needed on the blue but then played a poor safety on the pink, allowing his opponent to pot it for 5-1.
A break of 80 gave Higgins frame seven, and he had chances in frame eight but when he missed a straight-forward pot on the green off the last red, it proved his last shot as Zhou cleared from yellow to pink for victory.
Zhou said: “It’s a big win for me because I had never beaten John before and it’s the first time I have reached the quarter-finals of this tournament. I have been playing well in practice and I felt I was ready, I believed I could win. Every time I go to a tournament I want to win it, and I just do my best on every shot.”
Higgins, the 11th member of the world’s top 16 to be knocked out this week, said: “It was a bad day. Zhou played well, his safety was very good. At 4-1 I played a horrendous safety on the pink, it was such an easy shot to get it safe. I love Zhou as a player and as a person as well. He deserves to go far. I rate him as the best since Ding coming through, he has got that good an all-round game. I hope he goes on and does himself justice.”
Robertson Fights Back To Beat McGill
On the other table, Neil Robertson came from 4-2 down to beat Anthony McGill 6-4. Australia’s Robertson is chasing his third UK crown having lifted the trophy in 2013 and 2015.
The first four frames were shared, McGill making breaks of 100 and 69 while Robertson knocked in 94 and 83. McGill fluked the green during a safety exchange at the end of frame five and went 3-2 ahead, then extended his lead with a superb 127. Robertson responded with a 132 to trail 4-3.
In frame eight, McGill missed a red to a top corner on a break of 40, and that proved costly as Robertson compiled runs of 24 and 43 to square the match. World number three Robertson then got the better of a scrappy ninth frame before finishing the contest in style in the next with a run of 82.
Robertson is through to the quarter-finals of this event for the seventh time and now meets Mark Selby or Barry Hawkins. He said: “It was a very tough draw, Anthony seems to play his best snooker when he’s up against a top quality opponent. I didn’t do a whole lot wrong to be 4-2 down, then when I got my chance to get back into the match I took it. In the last frame I got the balls open early and killed it off quickly.”
Defeat for McGill ends his hopes of qualifying for the Masters as he is 17th in the race.
Mark Selby fired three centuries in a 6-3 win over Barry Hawkins to tee up a blockbuster clash with Neil Robertson in the quarter-finals of the Betway UK Championship.
Selby and Robertson have already played twice over the best-of-11 distance this season, Robertson winning classic contests 6-5 in the semi-finals of the English Open and the Champion of Champions. Leicester’s Selby will be out for revenge on Friday when he competes in his seventh UK Championship quarter-final.
A run of 121 gave world number five Selby the opening frame tonight, before Hawkins made it 1-1. Frame three was highlighted by a fabulous shot from Selby on the blue, going in and out of baulk to free the last two reds from the top cushion. That helped him regain the lead and he made a 77 in the next to go 3-1 up at the interval.
Hawkins pulled one back, but breaks of 117 and 106 from Selby stretched his advantage to 5-2. A scrappy eighth frame went to Hawkins, but two-time UK Champion Selby clinched the result in the ninth.
“I felt really good tonight,” said 37-year-old Selby. “I have had some great games with Neil and I’m looking forward to Friday. He might have won our last two matches, but every game is different so that has no bearing. When I played him at the World Championship this year (winning 13-7) my safety was very good, which is important because Neil’s long game is better than anyone’s.”
Perry Pulls Away To Beat Jones
Joe Perry reached the quarter-finals of this event for the third time in four years with a 6-3 defeat of Jamie Jones. Perry has suffered several early exits from ranking events this season, but has stepped up his game this week.
Perry reached the UK Championship semi-finals in 2004 and 2005.
The world number 19 now faces either Lu Ning or Pang Junxu, and victory in that match could vault him into the top 16 and give him a place in the Masters. A semi-final berth would put Perry ahead of Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in the Race to the Masters.
Perry trailed 3-2 tonight but then took four frames in a row with top breaks of 58 and 87.
“I came here with no form whatsoever but it is turning out well,” said the Cambridgeshire cueman. “I had no expectation of getting into the Masters and I still don’t want to think about it and put extra pressure on myself. It would be fantastic to be there because Alexandra Palace is such a special place.
“There’s no getting away from the fact that the draw has opened up this week – when Ronnie O’Sullivan is knocked out of your section of the draw you feel it is an opportunity. But both of the two lads I could play next have scored more heavily than me this week. Hopefully I can bring some form to that match and use my experience.”
Jack Lisowski’s improved attitude helped him to reach the quarter-finals of a Triple Crown event for the first time as he beat Xiao Guodong 6-4 at the Betway UK Championship.
Judd Trump also made it through to the last eight in Milton Keynes with a 6-3 defeat of Ricky Walden.
One-eyed Jack: Lisowski is more focussed this week
Lisowski also took a huge stride towards keeping his top 16 ranking and booking a place in the Masters in January. He has gone above Thepchaiya Un-Nooh into 15th place in the race, so it would need two of Joe Perry, Graeme Dott, Zhou Yuelong and Lu Ning to overtake him this week to knock him out of the elite. He faces China’s Zhou in the quarter-finals on Friday.
Xiao took the first two frames today with breaks of 71 and 68 before Lisowski made important clearances of 43 and 42 to get back to 2-2. After the interval, Lisowski went ahead with a run of 65. He took control of frame six with a run of 62, but Xiao clawed his way back and gained the snookers he needed to force a respotted black, then doubled it to a corner pocket for 3-3.
Two scrappy frames went Lisowski’s way before Xiao pulled one back with a run of 79 for 5-4. Lisowski sealed victory in style in frame ten with a 107.
Talented Lisowski, age 29, has had some fine results in recent years, reaching three ranking finals, but admits his mentality during matches has not always been robust.
“There was pressure today with my Masters place on the line and I was nervous in the first few frames,” he said. “I have collapsed in some games in the past, but today I kept a very positive attitude. If I lose a bad frame I’m just telling myself ‘so what? Just keep going.’ That’s what got me to 2-2 after losing the first two frames.
“In the past I was getting embarrassed when I missed, and then the next shot gets harder and harder. Ronnie O’Sullivan beat me 6-1 in this event a couple of years ago and I didn’t deal with it. I find it easier playing without a crowd because when there is no one there it doesn’t seem to matter as much if I miss.”
Lisowski’s run will also send him flying up from 67th place into the top 32 of the one-year ranking list and on course for a place in the World Grand Prix later this month.
Excited Trump Keeps Momentum Going
Trump reached the last eight of this event for the first time since 2014 thanks to a comfortable win over Walden. The world number one has already won two tournaments this season but remains hungry for more silverware.
Trump has won 12 tournaments in the past 25 months
He came from 48-7 down in the opening frame to take in on the colours, then surged into a 4-0 lead with top breaks of 85 and 65. Walden fought back, taking three of the next four frames to make it 5-3. Both players had chances in frame nine but it was Trump who got the better of a safety battle on the last red and cleared to book a match with Graeme Dott or Kyren Wilson.
“My last couple of matches have been a bit of a struggle,” said 2011 UK Champion Trump. “I am just winning the crucial frames at important times. My mindset is to save my best for when I need it. I have the confidence to get through games which go close.
“I was a bit tired today so hopefully I’ll get a good sleep tonight because we are at the business end of the tournament now. There are a lot of top players left who really want to get their name on the trophy. I love playing snooker and I still get that excitement out there for every match. Just to have these big events to play in every week, trying to win titles and keep the number one spot keeps me going.”
Trump is a close friend of Lisowski and added: “I’m pleased for him and it would be great to play him in the final. Jack has produced his best form when the pressure was on.”
Kyren Wilson will hope to send Judd Trump packing at the Betway UK Championship on Friday – while his wife Sophie is packing up boxes to move into their new home.
The Wilson family are set to move into a new house in Kettering but Kyren will be preoccupied in Milton Keynes taking on the world number one in the quarter-finals. A 6-1 victory over Graeme Dott put Wilson into the last eight of this tournament for the second time.
His clash with Trump on Friday evening will be their seventh meeting this year, with the previous six shared three apiece. One of those matches was the final of the recent Championship League, Wilson coming out on top to win his fourth ranking title and first on UK soil. He hopes to achieve another career milestone this week by winning his first Triple Crown event.
World number four Wilson eased into a 4-0 lead over Dott tonight with top breaks of 89 and 69. Former World Champion Dott pulled one back and had chances in frame six, but had to watch Wilson convert a brilliant long double on the penultimate red which set up the chance to go 5-1 up. And an excellent break of 82 in the seventh frame saw Wilson over the line.
“To beat a player of Graeme ‘s class 6-1 is very pleasing,” said 28-year-old Wilson. “I know that when I get to quarter and semi-finals then Judd is going to be around and I expect to play him. It’s good to have the chance to take him out, to learn from him and eventually overtake him, that’s what I’m trying to do.
“In terms of snooker CVs he is well ahead of me. He has a lot of experience while I am still finding my feet at the top level. I have got a long way to go to match him. But our head to head record is quite even and we often have exciting matches.”
Asked about moving house, Wilson joked: “I have told my five-year-old son Finley that he has to help Sophie with the packing! It has given me a distraction this week and perhaps that helps take my mind off the tournament.
“We are moving to a bigger house and it makes me so proud to be able to provide a lovely life for my family, it makes all the sacrifices worthwhile. I remember being in Shanghai in 2015 when I won my first tournament, at the time Sophie went on a family holiday in Tenerife. She had 400 Euros which was all the money we had, and unfortunately she lost it when she got there. She called me crying her eyes out because she couldn’t even afford to buy nappies. Our lives have changed a lot since then.”
Lu Wins Chinese Derby
Lu Ning reached the quarter-finals of a ranking event for the third time in his career with a 6-2 win over fellow Chinese cueman Pang Junxu.
World number 40 Lu has been arguably the player of the tournament so far in terms of high scoring – the 26-year-old has made seven centuries and eight more breaks over 50.
The former world under-21 champion now faces Joe Perry, a crucial match for both players in the Race to the Masters. Perry could jump into the top 16 by winning that match while Lu needs to win the tournament to earn a Masters spot.
Breaks of 65, 56 and 57 helped Lu build a 5-1 lead tonight. Tour rookie Pang pulled one back with a 76 but Lu clinched the result in frame eight with a 123.
Quarter-Final Line-Up
Jack Lisowski v Zhou Yuelong
Mark Selby v Neil Robertson
Judd Trump v Kyren Wilson
Lu Ning v Joe Perry
I can’t comment on the matches, having seen next to none of the action over the last two days.
The quarter-finals line-up is quite intriguing. We have still four of the top 8 in there, and they play each other. The outcomes of these matches are hard to predict.
It’s interesting that Judd Trump admits to feeling tired. Of course he has played an awful lot of matches already this season but the conditions may have played a role as well. Neil Robertson recently complained about the main arena being really cold, icy. If your body is constantly fighting to keep warm, it’s very tiring.
The outcomes of the other two matches are equally difficult to predict.
Between Jack and Zhou, it will depend on who can dictate the style of the match I feel. Jack can out-pot anyone on his day, but if it turns into a hard battle, I favour Zhou to come out the winner.
I have absolutely no clue about the Joe Perry v Lu Ning encounter. Lu Ning is an incredible fighter on his day, but so is Joe Perry. Joe Perry though has more experience of the big stage, so, maybe, he has some sort of advantage here.
The WST Pro Series, a brand new ranking event with an innovative format, has been added to the WST 2020/21 calendar and will take place between January and March next year.
The tournament will feature 128 players split into 16 groups of eight, competing in a round robin format. The 16 group winners go into two further groups of eight, with those two group winners to contest the final. All matches will be best of three frames.
The event will be staged in three phases
Groups one to seven: January 18-24
Groups eight to 16: March 9-17
Final stages: March 18-19 OR March 20-21
The WST Pro Series will have total prize money in excess of £300,000, and the winner will earn a place in the 2021 Champion of Champions.
The 2021 Championship League has also been added to the WST calendar for the second half of the current season. This will be a non-ranking event promoted by Matchroom Multi-Sport.
Due to travel restrictions and government quarantine rules, WST cannot stage any events in China this season.
WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: “We are delighted to announce our updated calendar for the remainder of the 2020/21 season. Between January and May we will have ten tournaments, and in a spell of 121 days we have 109 days of scheduled live snooker. This is absolutely fantastic for the fans around the globe who have a relentless appetite for watching our sport on television and online, as well as the players who will be kept extremely busy competing for titles and prize money.
“I believe that snooker has adapted to the challenges posed by the current climate better than any other sport. In 2020 we will stage a total of 20 events, and this announcement keeps that momentum going into 2021.
“I am particularly pleased to reveal plans for the new WST Pro Series with an exciting format. In the group phase, players will have to contest seven matches in a single day so it will be a test of skill and stamina. This will be a ranking event so that all 128 tour players have the chance to battle for the inaugural WST Pro Series title.”
Venues for these new events will be announced in due course, as well as broadcast details.
WST 2021 updated calendar
JANUARY 2021
3–9 Championship League Stage One. Venue TBC
10-17 The Masters. Alexandra Palace, London
18-24 WST Pro Series rounds 1-7. Venue TBC
27-31 German Masters. Venue TBC
FEBRUARY
4-7 Shoot Out. Venue TBC
8-14 Championship League Stage Two. Venue TBC
15-21 Welsh Open. Venue TBC
22-28 Players Championship. Venue TBC
MARCH
1-7 Gibraltar Open. Venue TBC
9-17 WST Pro Series rounds 8 – 16. Venue TBC
18-19 or 20-21 WST Pro Series final stages. Venue TBC
22-28 Tour Championship. Venue TBC
29-April 4 Championship League Stage Three. Venue TBC
APRIL
7-14 Qualifiers: Betfred World Championship. English Institute of Sport – Sheffield
17-3 May Betfred World Championship. Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
I’m not sure that the Pro Series will thrill the top players so much, but I do believe that it will be good for the lower ranked players, the younger ones in particular. Even if those are very short matches, and it’s just one day, it’s playing against seven different opponents, each proposing a different challenge.
Ok, unless you are living on Jupiter, you probably know this already: after 30 years of being ignored, snooker has a spot in SPOTY! Indeed Ronnie has made it into the shortlist.
Ronnie O’Sullivan is on the shortlist of nominees for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award for the first time in his career.
The shortlist is announced today and O’Sullivan has been named as one of six nominees, alongside Lewis Hamilton, Stuart Broad, Jordan Henderson, Hollie Doyle and Tyson Fury.
O’Sullivan won the World Championship for the sixth time earlier this year, beating Kyren Wilson 18-8 in the Crucible final. That reinforced his status as snooker’s greatest ever player, having won a record 37 ranking titles and 20 Triple Crown events. He also holds the records for the most century breaks, with 1,070, and most 147s with 15.
O’Sullivan won his first ranking title at the age of just 17 at the 1993 UK Championship, and 27 years later he is still a regular winner of tournaments and ranked second in the world. At 44, he is the oldest World Champion since Ray Reardon in 1978.
BBC Sports Personality of the Year will be televised on BBC One on the evening of Sunday December 20th and the winner will be named on the night after a public vote.
It’s the first time a snooker player has been in the mix for the main award since Stephen Hendry in 1990. The only snooker player to win it was Steve Davis in 1988.
WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: “This is fully deserved for snooker’s greatest ever player and one of the most talented British sportsmen of all time. His nomination is well overdue so I am delighted that he is finally on the shortlist. Ronnie’s popularity among fans has helped us to grow snooker around the world. I hope he wins the award and that anyone who loves sport will vote for him based on his incredible achievements over the years.”
BBC’s Director of Sport Barbara Slater said of this year’s awards: “As we know, it has been a strange and unprecedented year, but we have still been fortunate enough to see plenty of sporting highlights which we look forward to honouring on the night.
“The 67th BBC Sports Personality of the Year award promises to be another exciting and tough choice for audiences.”
Votes can be cast by phone or online on the evening of Sunday 20 December and the number to call for each contender will be revealed during the programme. For further information and full Terms and Conditions, go to bbc.co.uk/sportspersonality.
The prestigious award has been running since 1954. Here are the former winners:
1954 Sir Chris Chataway
1955 Gordon Pirie
1956 Jim Laker
1957 Dai Rees
1958 Ian Black
1959 John Surtees
1960 David Broome
1961 Sir Stirling Moss
1962 Anita Lonsbrough
1963 Dorothy Hyman
1964 Mary Rand
1965 Tommy Simpson
1966 Bobby Moore
1967 Sir Henry Cooper
1968 David Hemery
1969 Ann Jones
1970 Sir Henry Cooper
1971 HRH Princess Anne
1972 Dame Mary Peters
1973 Sir Jackie Stewart
1974 Brendan Foster
1975 David Steele
1976 John Curry
1977 Virginia Wade
1978 Steve Ovett
1979 Lord Sebastian Coe
1980 Robin Cousins
1981 Sir Ian Botham
1982 Daley Thompson
1983 Steve Cram
1984 Torvill and Dean
1985 Barry McGuigan
1986 Nigel Mansell
1987 Fatima Whitbread
1988 Steve Davis
1989 Sir Nick Faldo
1990 Paul Gascoigne
1991 Liz McColgan
1992 Nigel Mansell
1993 Linford Christie
1994 Damon Hill
1995 Jonathan Edwards
1996 Damon Hill
1997 Greg Rusedski
1998 Michael Owen
1999 Lennox Lewis
2000 Sir Steve Redgrave
2001 David Beckham
2002 Paula Radcliffe
2003 Jonny Wilkinson
2004 Dame Kelly Holmes
2005 Andrew Flintoff
2006 Zara Phillips
2007 Joe Calzaghe
2008 Sir Chris Hoy
2009 Ryan Giggs
2010 AP McCoy
2011 Mark Cavendish
2012 Sir Bradley Wiggins
2013 Andy Murray
2014 Lewis Hamilton
2015 Andy Murray
2016 Andy Murray
2017 Mo Farah
2018 Geraint Thomas
2019 Ben Stokes
I must confess that I had never heard about three of the six nominees, but then I’m not one bit interested in football, I never understood cricket, and all I know about horse racing comes from reading Dick Francis crime novels …
There were plenty of reactions on social media and here are some of them:
And, of course, the Eurosport gang is delighted about the nomination of their very own Ronnie …
“I think it’s more a reflection on snooker rather than me. Snooker is where it is in comparison to other sports,” O’Sullivan told Eurosport before the announcement was made.
“I think a lot of snooker players get overlooked because of the sport, not because of their achievements.”
And he was quick to point out that he thought someone else was more deserving of a nomination.
“If it was on their achievements, you’d probably have to say Judd Trump was deserving of getting in the top three because he’s broken records: winning six ranking tournaments last season was a great achievement,” he added.
…
Eurosport pundit Neal Foulds says the nomination is well deserved for O’Sullivan.
“Ronnie’s career has spanned a long time. There was a period when he was seen as a bit of an under-achiever. When it got past 2000 you thought he’s won a few things but he’s this wonderful talent who hasn’t won that much – now he’s won it all and he’s won it again and again.
“He’s the current world champion and all those years must amount to something. It’s never boring when he is playing, there is always something going on, and he deserves to be on that list.”
Jimmy White added: “It’s about time he got recognised for his amazing achievements in snooker. I hope everybody votes for him.”
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN EARNS SPOTY NOMINATION: WHY SNOOKER GOAT WOULD BE WORTHY WINNER
Ronnie O’Sullivan is the greatest snooker player of all time and one of the most naturally gifted sportsmen in the world. His first nomination for the Sports Personality of the Year Award is not only right, it should also be used to celebrate a body of work that continues to brim with intimitable brilliance after lifting his sixth world title with an 18-8 win over Kyren Wilson in August.
…
He has been blackballed more times than he’s potted them, but Ronnie O’Sullivan has finally reached the palace of wisdom as a SPOTY nominee. Finally, the British public gets to decide how much they appreciate his effervescent and rapidly moving repertoire of timeless snooker supremacy.
After three decades of refusal, the Sports Personality of the Year Award’s judgemental judging panel has deemed snooker’s greatest player worthy of a place on the public ballot paper. For that, we should all rejoice.
…
Such has been the eccentricity of the SPOTY decision-making in the past, one would not have been surprised if Wicks’ lockdown workouts were chosen ahead of O’Sullivan by a panel who have previously deemed Dressage as a form of sporting excellence, achievement and personality worthier of their attention.
It is a rather tragic and farcical state of affairs that it has taken this long for an appointed “expert independent panel” to reach the conclusion that the ongoing Essex man is lively enough to make the shortlist. It appears to be a curious piece of nonsense riddled in class bias and snobbery against the working class roots of snooker and a refusal to recognise the incomparable levels of commitment that it takes to master the most imposing of all cue sports.
…
Since the inception of SPOTY in 1954, snooker has gradually been potted off the table. This is a prize last won by a snooker player when six-times world champion Steve Davis triumphed in 1988, a time when Nelson Mandela was still inside, the Berlin Wall had yet to topple and David Hasselhoff had yet to sing about it.
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As for Ronnie himself, he was interviewed both by Rachel and in the studio
I think that Ronnie spoke very well there. He sees it as being more about snooker resurgence and image than about himself. He also says that he would watch the show from home…
Is the the 20th of December the day of the Players Championship Final? Why not celebrate the occasion with another trophy?
The last 32 round was played over the last two days, and we have lost three more of the top 16 seeds: Stuart Bingham, Mark Williams and Stephen Maguire.
Judd Trump eased into the fourth round of the Betway UK Championship with a 6-1 defeat of Liang Wenbo, while John Higgins scored a 6-2 victory over Jak Jones.
Given Trump’s rise to the top in recent years, he has a surprisingly patchy record in this tournament; his only title came in 2011 and he hasn’t reached the quarter-finals since 2014. The world number one will be into the last eight this time if he can win his next match against Mark Williams or Ricky Walden.
Trump was far from his best today but took advantage of errors from Liang to score a comfortable win. The highlight came in frame seven when Trump, leading 5-1, went all out for a maximum 147. He missed the 12th black, taking his eye off the pot as he tried to move a red from a side cushion. The break of 89 was his highest of the match.
“It’s wasn’t a great game, we both struggled,” admitted Trump, who has already won two tournaments this season. “I potted a few good long balls and played some good safety to get control of the game. Overall it was one to put behind me and I can look forward to the rest of the event.
“Hopefully this is my time to have a good run in this tournament. In the last three years I have come into it off the back of winning the Northern Ireland Open and it is tough to keep that form going. Playing every day for three weeks is going to take its toll. But today I played badly and got through and hopefully that’s a good sign. I’ll get on to the practice table and come back hungry for my next match.”
Trump’s chances of winning the title have been boosted by the second round exits of the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Ding Junhui, Mark Allen and Shaun Murphy.
He added: “I’m not surprised when anyone loses because once you get into the second round here everyone can play to a very high standard. Playing behind closed doors gives a chance for the lower ranked players to win this event because usually they would find more pressure in front of the big crowds.
“Even without fans I still get the same feeling when I walk out for my matches. I get the butterflies and nerves, especially before the big games. It still feels like the UK Championship and I want to play my best. I just miss the reaction of the crowd when I walk into the arena or when I’m on a 147 as I was in the last frame today. Otherwise I have learned to just get on with matches.”
Higgins – Keen On Keynes
Higgins has won this title three times, in 1998, 2000 and 2010, but has never lifted the trophy in York and hopes that this year’s move to Milton Keynes could be an omen for him.
“This hasn’t been a great event for me in the last ten years,” said the Scot, who top scored with 81 today. “In York every year I seem to lose 6-5. So maybe having the event somewhere different could be good for me. I played better after the interval today but I still need a lot of improvement.”
He now meets Zhou Yuelong, who beat Chang Bingyu 6-5 in a Chinese derby. In a high quality see-saw match, Zhou took the first three frames with breaks of 135 and 77 then Chang won five in a row with top runs of 139, 55, 98 and 98. But Chang didn’t score a point in the last three frames as Zhou fired breaks of 60, 92 and 72.
Barry Hawkins is also through to round four as he beat Robert Milkins 6-3 with top runs of 122, 83, 72, 80, 66 and 69.
Neil Robertson insisted that he “won’t panic” as he seeks his first title of the season, after beating Li Hang 6-2 to reach the last 16 of the Betway UK Championship.
Robertson has reached two finals this season – at the English Open and Champion of Champions – but is still looking for his first trophy since winning the World Grand Prix in February.
He was far too strong for Li tonight, knocking in breaks of 60, 53, 54 and 81 in a comfortable win as he set up a fourth round tie with Anthony McGill.
“There’s no rush or panic to try and win a title this season,” said Australia’s Robertson, UK Champion in 2013 and 2015. “The only thing I would be disappointed with would be not to prepare properly or put the time in on the practice table. When I do those things then eventually the results will come, it’s just a matter of when.
“It was a tough draw because Li Hang is a very accomplished player, the last time I played him he beat me 5-0. Fortunately he missed a few more than me tonight and I was able to capitalise.”
As for his next opponent, Robertson added: “It’s good to see Anthony back in form because he had a tough couple of years. He works very hard and loves the game. All of the players on the tour get along with him and it’s great to see him turn a corner. He’s definitely good enough to be in the top 16.”
Dott Finds Form
Graeme Dott, who lost to Robertson in that World Grand Prix final in February, booked his place in round four with an impressive 6-2 defeat of Stuart Bingham in a battle of two former World Champions.
Dott started the match in blistering fashion with breaks of 126 and 137 and went on to lead 4-0. Bingham hit back after the interval, closing to 4-2, but Dott regained the momentum with a brilliant 67 clearance to take frame seven from 59-0 down. The Scot went on to seal the result in the eighth.
“Yesterday I was rubbish but today I played really well,” said 2006 Crucible king Dott, who now plays Kyren Wilson or Kurt Maflin. “That’s the best I have played since March. I’ll need to do that consistently to have a long run in this event.”
Dott is still in the running in the Race to the Masters, and so is McGill who beat Chen Zifan 6-1 with a top break of 91.
David Grace couldn’t follow up his second round win over Ding Junhui as he lost 6-3 to Xiao Guodong, who knocked in runs of 121 and 104.
Tuesday afternoon
Battling Selby Downs Persian Prince
Two-time Betway UK Champion Mark Selby came from 2-1 down to score a 6-2 victory over Hossein Vafaei and set up a last 16 clash with Barry Hawkins.
Selby struggled in the early stages against Iran’s top player but stepped up a gear to take the last five frames and boost his hopes of a winning a first Triple Crown event since 2017. He now faces a tough fixture against Hawkins for a place in the quarter-finals.
Leicester’s Selby took the opening frame with a break of 65 before Vafaei won the next two. Frame four lasted 61 minutes and came down to a battle on the colours, which was resolved when Vafaei crucially missed a mid-range pot on the green, letting Selby in to clear for 2-2.
That proved a turning point as world number five Selby took the next two frames with a top break of 50 to lead 4-2. Vafaei had a chance to win the seventh from 62-1 down, but failed to gain position on the final black. He then made a safety error on the black, Selby potting it for 5-2. A run of 52 in the next saw Selby reach the last 16 of this event for the tenth time.
“Hossein is a rhythm player and a good front runner,” said Selby, who won this event in 2012 and 2016. “If he had gone 3-1 up he would have been full of confidence. That fourth frame was so long that to lose it was a big blow for him. After the interval the match was more open and I felt more at ease.
“It will be tough against Barry because he is a top 16 player in my eyes. He is a great friend and we have been having dinner together this week. I might ask the hotel reception to call his room at 4am before our match!”
Warrior Conquers Viking
Wilson won the recent Championship League, his fourth ranking title.
Just like Selby, Kyren Wilson recovered from a slow start to book his place in round four. He lost the first two frames against Kurt Maflin but ended up a 6-3 victor, firing breaks of 132, 132, 54, 62 and 99.
Crucible runner-up Wilson has only reached the quarter-finals of this event once before, in 2018, and will match that run if he can beat Graeme Dott.
“From 2-0 down I knew I had to score heavily to beat him,” said world number four Wilson. “Kurt had a fantastic run at the Crucible and it’s good to see him showing his potential because he is great to watch.
“There are still a lot of big names in the field here and I can’t look past my next match against Graeme because he is such a great player.”
Round-up
Jack Lisowski scored a third consecutive 6-2 win, beating Xu Si with top breaks of 69, 88, 89, 85 and 53.
Every win is vital for Lisowski in terms of keeping his top 16 spot and a place at the Masters in January. He is currently in 16th spot in the Race to the Masters but one more win would put him above Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, which would mean that two players would need to overtake Lisowski to knock him out of the elite.
“I played well today and I have scored well in every game this week,” said Lisowski, who will reach the quarter-finals of this event for the first time if he beats Xiao Guodong. “If I get a Masters place it will be a bonus but the main thing here is just to keep winning and concentrating on every match, because this is our second biggest tournament.”
Joe Perry made a tremendous comeback from 5-2 down to beat Joe O’Connor 6-5. The key frame was the ninth as Perry recovered a deficit of 63 points to nick it 65-63 with a 35 clearance. He then made breaks of 71 and 73 to win the last two frames.
Ricky Walden scored his best win in a recent seasons, beating Mark Williams 6-5 to earn a last 16 clash with Judd Trump at the Betway UK Championship.
Walden won three ranking events between 2008 and 2014 as well as reaching the semi-finals of both the World and UK Championship. He then suffered a serious back injury which set him back for 18 months and put his career under threat. He has now recovered and believes he is gradually working his way back to his best.
Tonight’s result will give the 38-year-old confidence, going into his fourth round tie with world number one Trump on Thursday afternoon.
Chester’s Walden built a 5-2 lead tonight with top breaks of 53, 79 and 55. The match turned when he failed to convert a risky plant in frame eight, which opened the door for Williams to fight back. Breaks of 56 and 106 helped two-time UK Champion Williams recover to 5-5. But Walden dominated the decider with runs of 21 and 55 to reach the last 16 of a ranking event for the first time since the 2019 China Open.
“I messed up one chance early in the decider but stayed patient, potted a good red to a middle pocket and then held myself together,” said world number 46 Walden. “My practice game is probably as good as it ever has been, but to try and bring that on to the match table is another story and a difficult thing to do. I’m pretty optimistic that it’s going to happen and I’m going to get back to winning tournaments. It’s going to be a lot of hard work, but results like tonight help,
“It has been a roller-coaster over the last few years. I went through mental torture, knowing that I had just plummeted off the face of the Earth because of something that wasn’t my fault. It was so difficult to deal with. Now that I am back playing well again, I feel like it’s a second chance.
“Judd is flying at the moment but if I can bring my game out there again I’ve got every chance.”
Pang Of Anger For Maguire
Stephen Maguire let slip a 5-3 lead and lost 6-5 against rookie Pang Junxu. It’s the first time Maguire has failed to reach the last 16 of this event since he won the title in 2004. The fiery Scot then threatened to pull out of the next two tournaments.
China’s 20-year-old Pang has already shown plenty of promise in his debut pro season, beating the likes of Mark Allen, Barry Hawkins and Tom Ford. The world number 112 took another impressive scalp tonight to set up a match with Lu Ning.
Maguire came from 3-0 down to lead 5-3 with top runs of 67, 54, 120 and 103. But Pang hit back in frame nine with a 102 then got the better of a safety battle on the final pink in frame ten for 5-5. In the decider, Maguire missed a mid-range red to a top corner and his opponent punished him with a superb match-winning 95.
World number nine Maguire said: “That’s one way to throw a match away. To be honest I shouldn’t have been in the match at the start, I was diabolical in the first few frames. He should have won more easily. I had false hope in the end. He is a great player, I have no complaints about him. I’m thinking about having a break now over Christmas and not playing again until the Masters.”
Round-up
Lu followed up his 6-0 win over Matthew Selt with a 6-1 defeat of Elliot Slessor, making breaks of 63, 65 and 94.
Jamie Jones, who regained his tour card via Q School in August, continued his best run of the season with a 6-4 defeat of Alexander Ursenbacher.
“I am relieved because Alex played better than me tonight but I won the scrappy frames,” said Welshman Jones, whose top break was 65. “From 4-4 I decided to be more aggressive and it paid off.”
I’m happy to see Ricky and Dotty playing well again. They are two players I like as persons as well as on the table.
Pang Junxu battling qualities are exceptional, particularly for someone so young. Maguire’s reaction IMO is telling: the “bubble” life in Milton Keynes is probably taking it’s toll on most players and we might see even more surprising results in the coming weeks.
We could be on course for yet another Judd Trump v Kyren Wilson clash. Of the six remaining top 16 players, four are in the top side of the draw and all four of them face a serious challenge. This top 16 isn’t the one most would have predicted, but it’s definitely interesting!
That didn’t take Yue-Long. Robertson needed just 148 minutes to wrap up the match
“My game is the best it has ever been,” said 2010 World Champion Robertson. “Last season I reached three finals in a row and I have carried that on. My club WTs in Cambridge as well as the Grove Academy have been brilliant in terms of allowing me to practise and keep my consistency. Plus there has been less travelling and jet lag this season so physically I feel fantastic.
Trump last reached the UK Championship final in 2014, losing to Ronnie O’Sullivan
Frame five came down to a safety battle on the colours and Lu converted superb pots on the blue and pink to keep himself in the match at 3-2. Trump won frame six with a run of 54 and took control of the next with a 55. Lu had a chance to counter but made just 7 before missing a tricky red to a top corner. That effectively ended his resistance as Trump mopped up the frame and cruised over the winning line in frame eight with a 113.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 