Mark Selby will play in the opening session tomorrow as he starts his defend of the World title. Mark has taken time off the sport after revealing that mental health issues were crippling him.
Mark Selby Says His Personal Demons Took The Joy Away From 2016 World Title Win
Mark Selby has revealed his demons took away the joy of one of his greatest Crucible achievements. The reigning and four-time world champion embarks on his quest for a fifth Betfred World Championship crown tomorrow against Welsh qualifier Jamie Jones.
But this year’s trip to the iconic theatre in Sheffield comes after Leicester’s Selby, 38, publicly spoke about an acute recurrence of mental health problems.
Current world No2 Selby talked with searing honesty about how the death of his beloved father David when just 16 affected him having never seen him play as a professional.
That pain never went away – and it emerged before and during Selby’s charge to a second world title in 2016.
That same night also saw the Foxes clinch a shock Premier League title and he was pictured with the club’s flag as well as the trophy. But that was just in body, as his mind went blank.
Happily, after taking some time away from the sport before this tournament, Selby seems fresh and relaxed after a two-week break in Dubai with his family, and has been back on the practice table.
But of that night six years ago, he said: “When I won the world title for the second time in 2016, I wasn’t in quite as bad a way as I have been this time but I wasn’t in a good way.
“I went on to lift the trophy, Vikki and Sofia came up to the table afterwards and Vikki said to me it was like they weren’t even there, that I was just staring into space.
“Even in my post-final interview I remember saying it had been a tough few weeks, that close friends and family would understand, I had pulled out of a couple of tournaments before that, and wasn’t even going to play in the worlds.
“In the end I agreed with Vikki to go and play, and that hopefully the venue and the atmosphere might perk me up rather than sitting at home.
“It felt strange winning it that year, but maybe I was feeling under no pressure. I wasn’t expecting anything from myself.
“But at the end, when it should have been one of the best times in my life sharing it with Vikki and Sofia, I was emotionless, holding it up for appearances.
Mark Selby celebrates winning last year’s Betfred World Championship
“While I was trying to have the professional help from the doctor and play at the same time, it was not so much the actual playing that was difficult – more the sitting in your seat.
“When I was at the table I had things to think about and keeping your mind active. But sitting in my chair you’re in your own headspace and thinking about all the rest.
“That was life off the table, past experiences, not snooker at all. Initially we agreed to carry on playing if I could, because there is a danger of locking yourself at home and curling into a ball.
“That wasn’t the way to go, I wanted to keep myself busy which was why I carried on to start with. The playing is the easy bit, it’s the battling with the demons in my head that is tough.
“Some days I am okay, but I am been having more bad days than good, hence why I am in the position I am in and why I spoke out.
“Hopefully I can reverse that, and that is why I have been working with his psychiatrist doctor from London, a couple of sessions a week at first, then one a week, and a change of medication.
“When I am not really doing things and not busy is when the day-dreaming starts, if you want to call it that.
“At home during the day keeping yourself busy can be running, getting outside for a 30-40 minute walk, write down in the morning what you want to do that day, and then do it.
“And I have had to write down a lot about my past and my father and stuff. That has been tough, because now it all seems raw again.
“But I felt I had to do it, because I never really did it before and had bottled it up. Even though I spoke about it, it was never in depth and I had to get it all out.
“Snooker goals seem irrelevant right now, even though this is the World Championship. I have had no motivation and it is hard to explain it other than to people who have had it.
“The temptation is to say ‘Just snap out of it’, but I just never know how I am going to feel. I can wake up and feel a little better, then as the day goes on have a cloudy patch and feel much worse.
“It feels like I am fighting myself every day, but I have got great support around me with Vikki and the family, and now this doctor.
“I will be going to the Crucible probably with a different perspective and hopefully feeling better. I have someone to WhatsApp in a bad patch.
“I have been given a lot of things to do and it is up to me to do them. I have always treated snooker like it is life or death, and the hurt from defeats has been very strong.
“The doctor is sure that has something to do with losing my dad. Because my mum walked out when I was young, when I lost him, it was my whole family.
“I had nobody, the only thing I had to turn to was snooker, and that became like a comfort blanket. He believes that is why I have put so much into it, and where I feel most comfortable.
“I would love to look forward to it, because it would be a shame to be at the Crucible and not care whether I won or lost.”
Whilst there are clearly encouraging signs regarding Mark’s state of mind, reading the above, my feeling is that he’s not out of the woods just yet. That doesn’t mean that he can’t win the title this year. He wasn’t well in 2016, as he explained in this interview, Ronnie has won titles whilst climbing the walls with depression as well, so it certainly can be done. But it’s hard.
Neil Robertson arrives at the World Championships in top form (Picture: Getty)
A total of 32 men with cues turn up at the Crucible Theatre this year with the hope of becoming world snooker champion and, unusually, a significant number of them have a real chance of potting the top prize.
Rarely a wild and unruly sport, results this season could be labelled as such. Some rogue clearly got their hands on the form book back in August, tore it up and stuck it through a shredder for good measure.
So unpredictable have been the ranking event winners that three haven’t even made it to the Crucible. Fan Zhengyi, Joe Perry and Rob Milkins lifted their trophies out of the blue and quickly returned to the azure from whence they came.
There have been first ranking titles for Zhao Xintong, Dave Gilbert and Hossein Vafaei as well, all of whom won tournaments at lengthy odds and have added to the chaotic nature of the campaign.
It has been a far cry from the last couple of seasons when Judd Trump was mopping up so many titles it is a surprise he wasn’t sponsored by Vileda.
The last year has been a nightmare to predict and while the World Championship trophy more than most ends up in the hands of the very elite players, there is a sense that someone could leap from the lower rungs of the ladder and get their paws on the top prize.
The man who wants to see no surprises at all in Sheffield, the tournament favourite and the calmest boat on stormy seas this season is Neil Robertson. The almost unnervingly confident Australian has triumphed at the Masters, Tour Championship, English Open and Players Championship already. In a season of shocks, the Thunder from Down Under has been in electric form and goes to Sheffield as the best player on the planet.
Doubts rumble through the Thunder, though, with the Crucible having been an unhappy hunting ground for the sport’s current apex predator. Robertson was world champion in 2010 but has been to just one semi-final since then, something his pal Joe Perry described as ‘one of the craziest stats in snooker’.
The Gentleman is right, it’s baffling that the Aussie has not done better in South Yorkshire in the last 12 years. The rangy Robertson says he struggles with the cramped nature of the Crucible, while Perry reckons that’s rubbish and his practice partner has developed a mental block in Sheffield.
The question marks accompanying Robertson sum up the vibe of this year’s tournament. He is the rightful favourite, but there is a generous dollop of doubt surrounding him thanks to his ropy Crucible record. And if there are issues over the track record of the world’s best player, there are even more floating around everyone else.
Defending champion Mark Selby has proved to be the perfect beast to trap all prey on the Crucible plains. However, he comes back to his natural habitat this year a wounded animal, not at full fitness as he bids for a fifth world crown.
Selby has been admirably honest about his mental health struggles, which he has impressively fought for years and has only recently opened up about. He has stepped away from snooker in recent months to deal with them.
Mental health is much more difficult to gauge than a physical issue, but effectively Selby is heading to the Crucible lacking match fitness. This is Wayne Rooney heading to the World Cup with a fractured metatarsal. Will he be ready? Can he be at his best? We just don’t know. He’s too good to ignore even if he isn’t at full force, but Selby would have to pull off one of the great achievements in snooker to be world champion again this year after a season in which he has had to tackle more important priorities than sticks and balls.
Ronnie O’Sullivan will attract a lot of money at the betting window and the world number one is undoubtedly in with a great chance of claiming a record-equalling seventh world title. He won it as recently as 2020, but his trophy cabinet has gathered a bit of dust since then.
Ronnie O’Sullivan is hoping to match Stephen Hendry’s record of seven world titles (Picture: Getty Images)
The Rocket has been very active since that last Crucible triumph, but has won just one event, remarkably losing in six finals, which helps explain how he has returned to the summit of the rankings without adding much silverware.
The sport’s greatest artist is the consensus best of all-time and the rankings will tell you he is the best right now, while he also downed Robertson to win his one title this season, so what’s the problem?
Well nothing, really, at least nothing serious. It’s just that the Rocket is never a banker these days, especially not in Sheffield. He has won the World Championship six times in 29 attempts. A superb effort, but nowhere near dominant. His 2020 triumph was his only one in his last eight visits to the Steel City.
His one trophy in two seasons shows that even the greatest gets beaten and beaten pretty regularly. That is no criticism. The man is 46 years old and still at the top of a fiendishly difficult sport, but anyone with rock solid confidence in the Rocket is probably basing it more on love than logic.
Judd Trump completes the world’s top four and comes into the World Championship after what some would tell you has been a stinker of a season. The Ace has racked up £236,000 on his rankings this campaign and that is without his earnings from winning the Champion of Champions and reaching a Masters semi-final. Almost any player to ever lay eyes on a snooker table would sell their granny for just one season like that.
The problem for Judd is that it has come after a period of immense success and his one ranking title looks a paltry return compared to the six of 2019/20 and five of last year. In his first round Tour Championship defeat to Luca Brecel last month he looked worryingly short of form and sick of snooker, he then admitted as much afterwards.
Which Judd Trump will arrive in Sheffield? (Picture: Getty Images)
A shortage of confidence and belief has contributed to Trump has falling away from the position of pre-tournament favourite he held in the last two years and appears vulnerable. He is also still one of the finest players on the planet and can blast anyone away if he finds his form. The ‘if’ there is the problem and it appears to be a big one.
John Higgins is more than capable of claiming the silverware for a fifth time, but has won just one ranking event since 2018. Kyren Wilson has fast joined the very suave and fashionable ‘Crucible player’ club but his impressive Sheffield record is yet to include a world title win on it.
The new kids on the block will appeal to some, with Zhao Xintong announcing himself as a genuine force thanks to his UK Championship and German Masters wins this season, while Yan Bingtao has been a fearsome foe for a couple of years now. The problem is that Yan has never been past the second round and Zhao has never won a game at the Crucible. It’s a leap of epic proportions to go from there to the title.
Zhao Xintong has proven himself as a major winner (Picture: WST)
Of course, all these players are genuine contenders and any could be champion of the world on 2 May, but if there is anyone out there with a seriously strong feeling about any of them, then they have found a source of confidence that this observer has failed to.
Certainly there are enough doubts over the favourites to make a case for those with longer odds, especially when they have significant pedigree of their own. Mark Williams, Mark Allen, Anthony McGill, Shaun Murphy and Ding Junhui would be seen as surprise winners, but nowhere near as surprising as some champions that have been crowned this season. Not in the same stratosphere as 750/1 shot Fan winning the European Masters or even Perry’s win at the Welsh Open at 125/1.
The fact that Williams can be considered a surprise champion is bizarre, but not incorrect. The man has three world titles to his name and has played some excellent stuff this season, but at pre-tournament odds of around 33/1 he is an outsider – and great value.
In the context of a bizarre season, no one should be ignored, and while there is no need to name all 32 men striding into Sheffield, there are plenty so far unmentioned who also have a healthy chance of glory.
The good ship snooker has been caught in a results maelstrom this season and we should not assume the sight of the Crucible on the horizon will restore calm waters. One will remain afloat in Sheffield and none should be condemned to Davy Jones’ Locker before they even get their feet wet. This is anyone’s World Championship.
It is indeed hard to have any confidence in any “prediction” given the season we had. Neil Robertson has been the best player but, indeed, his record at the Crucible is surprisingly poor and it’s hard to understand why. Perry knows him very well and him mentioning a “mental block” is interesting.
Another player who has a poor record at the Crucible is Mark Allen and, in my opinion, this is because a lack of stamina. John Higgins has repeatedly mentioned how losing weight has helped him to play better and feel more comfortable on the shot. That’s something Mark may want to look into. I know that he’s had tough times off the table and that doesn’t help but hopefully he’s past the worst now.
The fact that Ding made it to the final the previous time he needed to qualify has been mentioned quite a lot. I had been at the qualifiers that year and, if my memory is to be trusted (IF), he had played much better in qualifiers than he did this year. There are four Chinese players in the draw this time though and maybe that may “divide” the Chinese media attention a bit and ease the pressure on Ding. To be fair to Ding, the level of expectations he had to cope with over the years is absolutely crazy.
Ronnie will start his bid for a 7th World title on Saturday. I’m not holding my breath over it though. He’s been playing well in recent events but nearly two weeks have past since his last competitive match. In David Gilbert, he faces a player who is probably the hardest qualifier he could have got. David Gilbert will start the match with two wins under his belt, Ronnie will be “match” cold. It won’t be easy.
ROCKET’S 30 YEARS AT CRUCIBLE – RONNIE O’SULLIVAN SET TO PASS ANOTHER STEPHEN HENDRY RECORD AT 46TH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Ronnie O’Sullivan holds almost all of the key records in snooker, but the six-time world champion can pass another landmark held by his great rival Stephen Hendry in Sheffield next month. O’Sullivan is one world title short of equalling Hendry’s seven from the 1990s, but needs two more victories to pass the Scottish icon as the Crucible’s most prolific match winner of the sport’s modern era.
Ronnie O’Sullivan is set to pass another Stephen Hendry landmark when the snooker GOAT competes at the World Championship for a record 30th straight year next month (April 16-May 2, LIVE on Eurosport).
O’Sullivan needs to reach the quarter-finals at the Crucible Theatre to overtake Hendry as the Sheffield venue’s most prolific match winner of all time since the inception of the modern televised era in 1977.
Hendry won 70 matches from 90 played at the Crucible between 1986 and 2012 when he appeared 27 times and lifted the trophy on seven occasions in 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1999.
O’Sullivan stands on 69 wins from 92 matches played between 1993 and 2021. The World No. 2 has appeared at the Crucible 29 times and has carried off the trophy over three decades in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2020.
In an example of remarkable sporting longevity since turning professional in 1992, O’Sullivan will equal the all-time appearance record at the Crucible held by Steve Davis between 1979 and 2010, a farewell year when his fellow Essex professional enjoyed a rousing renaissance run to the quarter-finals.
Davis lifted the world title in 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988 and 1989 as the decade’s dominant force. He played a total of 84 matches at the Crucible over five decades, winning 60 matches from 30 appearances.
ohn Higgins made his Crucible debut in 1995 and has won 60 times from 83 matches over the past 27 years carrying off the trophy in 1998, 2007, 2009 and 2011.
Unlike Davis who failed to qualify for the tournament proper in 2001 and 2002, O’Sullivan has never missed a Crucible appearance after losing 10-7 to Alan McManus on his debut at the age of 17 in the first round in 1993, his first season on the professional circuit.
Since Hendry retired in 2012 before returning last year on a wildcard, O’Sullivan has claimed most of the key records on the green baize ahead of his bid to join the Scot as a seven-time world champion at the 46th Crucible event, the sport’s most coveted tournament.
O’SULLIVAN V HENDRY: HOW KEY RECORDS COMPARE
Ranking title wins: 38-36
World titles 6-7
UK titles: 7-5
Masters titles: 7-6
Crucible match wins: 69-70
Crucible win percentage: 75-77.78%
Career win percentage: 74.74%-68.54%
Crucible centuries: 184-156
Career centuries: 1144-776
Crucible 147s: 3-3
Career 147s: 15-11
Years as World No. 1: 6-9
Age winning first ranking title: 17 (1993 UK Championship) – 18 (1987 Grand Prix)
Age winning first world title: 25 (2001 World Championship) – 21 (1990 World Championship)
Age winning last ranking title: 46 (2021 World Grand Prix) – 36 (2005 Malta Cup)
It’s worth noting though that it’s hard to compare the “years as number one stats” as, in the past the ranking was set at the start of the season, for the whole season but now it changes after every ranking event.
EXCLUSIVE -‘I DON’T REGARD MYSELF AS GREATEST EVER’ – RONNIE O’SULLIVAN WANTS ‘OTHERS TO DECIDE’ SNOOKER KING
“I do not regard myself as the greatest ever,” said snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan in an extended interview with Eurosport ahead of the World Championship at the Crucible. “I think Stephen Hendry had a really good answer: as long as my name is in the conversation, you have to let other people decide that. All I have done is try to win and compete and play the way I want to play.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan has said he does not regard himself as the greatest player of all time as he believes it is up to others to decide in the snooker GOAT debate.
The Rocket will arrive in Sheffield ahead of the World Championship as the world No. 1 after he usurped reigning world champion, Mark Selby, following the Tour Championship in Llandudno, Wales.
It is the fifth occasion in O’Sullivan’s illustrious career that he has occupied the world No. 1 ranking, and the first time since 2019, as he goes to the Crucible looking for a record-equalling seventh world title.
But regardless of whether he goes on to draw level with Stephen Hendry’s record of World Championship crowns in a few weeks’ time, the 46-year-old would not like to judge for himself who is the greatest player the sport has seen.
“Snooker is not all I do now; it is part of what I do,” O’Sullivan told Eurosport in a wide-ranging interview ahead of the World Championship.
“I think if I was coming through snooker now – even in my prime – I still would not like to go through the grind of the tour.
“So I just take what I can from it: I take the good bits and try to leave the not-so-good bits out. I just like to keep the rustiness off and allow the snooker gods to maybe give me a tournament now and again these days. Whereas before, I would win quite a lot [of the tournaments] that I played in. In the last two years, I have not won so much, so maybe there is a sign there that I am not the player I was, even though I still feel like I play okay.
“Age catches up with you at some point, but I still enjoy and relish the challenge. I still enjoy getting my cue out. I still enjoy the lifestyle, and I make it work for me. I’ve had a great career and enjoyed it; it has been fantastic for me, so it is nice to have a plan and to see it through.
“I do not regard myself as the greatest ever. I think Stephen Hendry had a really good answer: as long as my name is in the conversation, you have to let other people decide that. All I have done is try to win and compete and play the way I want to play.
“I have played a brand of snooker that is very difficult to play as an individual sportsman,” he added. “To play the way I play, it is not easy. Sometimes it is easier to win if you are more of a defensive, negative, counter-puncher sort of player.
“I come out and I probably attack the balls more, which leaves you open to being picked off a little bit more. I just enjoy playing.
“Jimmy White played that brand and maybe it cost him winning the World Championship. I was able to stay true to that style of snooker and still win it six times. It is not easy.
“I was never big into records, but if people want to start talking about, ‘is he a great, is he this…’ I suppose you have to look at the record books and as far as World Championships, yes I am one behind Stephen Hendry. Not a bad place to be. I managed to do better in the other two majors and lots of other yardsticks if you want to throw them in as well.
“Like I say, it is not really for me to decide, it is for other people. All I can do is go out and try to do my best. I have tried to win every tournament; I have also tried to win the important tournaments. In the back of your head, you want to win the three majors – the Masters, the UK and the worlds – and I have managed to win a fair amount of them as well.”
Looking ahead to the World Championship, O’Sullivan said it becomes harder and harder to succeed “because you carry that tag on your back” after having achieved so much success in the sport with other players desperate to claim a famous upset win.
“I think it is harder for me because obviously my past, my history in the game makes every match feel like a final to a lot of people who play me. So I have that to deal with, I suppose. Whereas a lot of the other players can slip under the radar a bit.
“But I’ve embraced that and found that that is what happens, you know. You have to deal with that, so it is probably a bit harder for me now to win tournaments because you carry that tag on your back, if you like.”
The main draw of the World Championship gets underway on April 16 with the final taking place on May 2, 2022. It will be the 46th consecutive year the World Championship is held in Sheffield, United Kingdom, and it will be the 16th and final ranking event of the 2021–22 snooker season.
For me though, if he were to win a seventh World title, he would, for now at least, definitely become the greatest.
The draw for the 2022 Betfred World Championship has been made, with defending champion Mark Selby opening his campaign against Jamie Jones.
Selby and Jones will take centre stage in the famous Crucible Theatre at 10am on Saturday morning, with their first round clash concluding later that day at 7pm.
Hossein Vafaei, who is set to become Iran’s first ever Crucible competitor, will make his debut in a mouth watering encounter with 2019 World Champion Judd Trump. The Ace in the Pack won his first ranking silverware of the season last month at the inaugural Turkish Masters, while Vafaei won his maiden ranking crown at the Shoot Out earlier this year.
World number one Ronnie O’Sullivan faces a tough test in the opening round against former Crucible semi-finalist David Gilbert. The Rocket is aiming for a record equalling seventh World Championship crown.
Kyren Wilson, who has reached at least the quarter-finals each year since 2016, has been pitted against Ding Junhui. They are both former finalists in the event, Wilson was runner-up in 2020 and Ding in 2016.
The top 16 seeds have been pitted against the 16 qualifiers who have battled through the qualifying stages at the English Institute of Sport over the last week.
Mark Selby v Jamie Jones Yan Bingtao v Chris Wakelin Barry Hawkins v Jackson Page Mark Williams v Michael White
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Kyren Wilson v Ding Junhui Stuart Bingham v Lyu Haotian Anthony McGill v Liam Highfield Judd Trump v Hossein Vafaei
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Neil Robertson v Ashley Hugill Jack Lisowski v Matthew Stevens Luca Brecel v Noppon Saengkham John Higgins v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
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Zhao Xintong v Jamie Clarke Shaun Murphy v Stephen Maguire Mark Allen v Scott Donaldson Ronnie O’Sullivan v David Gilbert
The final stages at the Crucible start on Saturday and run until May 2nd.
There we go … Ronnie probably has the worst first round draw he could get and Gilbert has probably got his worst nightmare. Shaun Murphyb and Stephen Maguire have history. Mark Williams and Michael White both probably curse their fate…
The last day at the Worlds qualifiers produced more surprises although maybe no major ones. Here is the report by WST:
Iran’s Vafaei Earns Crucible Debut
Hossein Vafaei will become the first player from Iran to compete at the Crucible, thanks to a dramatic 10-9 victory over Lei Peifan in the final qualifying round of the Betfred World Championship.
Vafaei said earlier in the week that he would “fight until my last blood” to make it to the final stages of snooker’s biggest event, and he was forced to battle until the very last ball, after China’s Lei failed to take a gilt-edged opportunity to win the deciding frame.
World number 18 Vafaei won his first ranking title at the Shoot Out in January and the 27-year-old’s breakthrough season continues with his first visit to the Theatre of Dreams. He will be a tough fixture for whichever of the top 16 seeds is pitched against him when the draw is made at 11am on Thursday.
Vafaei led 4-1 in the early stages before Lei, who was also seeking a Crucible debut, recovered to 5-5. There was never more than one frame between them in the closing straight, and in the last frame Lei led 61-0 and needed just two pots for victory when he missed a straight-forward red to a centre pocket. He later missed a tough long pot on the fourth-last red to a baulk corner, letting Vafaei in for a fantastic 54 clearance.
“I’m so happy I have made my people proud,” said Vafaei. “I was so nervous today, all of my body was shaking. I was eating a lot of chocolate to try to calm myself down but it wasn’t working! I forgot how to hold the cue. I promise I will play better than that at the Crucible, I can’t wait to get there. Thank you to everyone who has supported me, I will try my best to be a people’s champion.”
Jackson Page also secured a Crucible debut, having won four qualifying matches, culminating in a 10-6 defeat of David Grace. Welsh 20-year-old Page made top breaks of 104 and 116 in an excellent performance.
“I have always been quite calm, taking everything in my stride, maybe that’s Mark influence,” said Page, who practises with three-time champion Mark Williams. “I won’t be there to make the numbers up, I want to do a bit of damage.”
David Gilbert, who reached the semi-finals in 2019, secured his return with an emphatic 10-3 victory over Anthony Hamilton. A top break of 100 helped Gilbert into the last 32.
“I’m delighted to get through, it’s a great result,” he said. “Anyone who says they want to draw Ronnie or Judd is talking rubbish. I want to avoid Ronnie, Judd, Robertson and Selby! They are the big four and one of them is likely to win it. Not taking anything from any of the other seeds, but I’ll be honest and say it how it is. I feel as if my game is in good shape, at times today I felt as if I couldn’t miss.”
A battle between two players who have both been runner-up at the Crucible twice went the way of Matthew Stevens as he came from 4-0 down to beat Ali Carter 10-8. Welshman Stevens fired breaks of 100, 115 and 139 as he earned his 18th appearance in the televised stages.
“I didn’t have a shot for the first four frames so I showed a lot of character after that. When I came here I had to win a match to stay on the tour, so to get all the way through is a huge bonus,” said Stevens, who lost the final in 2000 and 2005. “It’s fantastic that so many players from Wales have got through.”
Jamie Clarke made it an even better day for Wales as he scored a 10-8 success over 2006 champion Graeme Dott. Clarke was hauled back from 8-4 to 8-8 but then took the 17th frame with a run of 76. The 18th came down to a battle on the final black, and Clarke saw an attempted double to a middle pocket miss its target but then cross the table and drop into the opposite centre.
“Both of us were absolutely gone, I was so lucky to win,” admitted Clarke, who reached the second round on his debut in 2020 before a 13-12 defeat against Anthony McGill. “From 8-4 I knew he was going to come back. I bottled it on the last frame but then got lucky on the black. I’m in absolute shock that I have got through.”
Chris Wakelin recovered a 3-1 deficit to beat Jimmy Robertson 10-7 with a top break of 131. “The pressure here is in the first round to get your ranking points,” said Wakelin. “When I get to Judgement Day I feel it’s a bonus and I don’t feel pressure. My mindset is not to even care whether I win or lose. I just told myself that if I win I’m through to the Crucible, but if I lose – there are a lot worse things going on in the world and I’m privileged to be able to play this game.”
Liam Highfield scored a 10-7 win over Yuan Sijun with a top run of 123, booking his third Crucible appearance. He said: “It will be amazing going to the Crucible with fans again because the last couple of years have been tough for everyone. I can’t wait to see it full again. Having been there a couple of times before, I go there this time with a different mindset, wanting to win matches.”
Noppon Saengkham top scored with 116 and 113 in a 10-8 victory over Gibraltar Open champion Robert Milkins. It’s an exciting time for Saengkham as, back in Thailand, his wife is eight months pregnant with their first child. “We will be having a daughter in mid May. This is a gift for her and a gift for my family and Thai people. I am fighting for all of them,” said Saengkham, one of two Thai players in the draw alongside Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.
I’m quite pleased with who came through overall and, particularly to see Matthew Stevens playing well again and… well yes win that particular match.
Lei Peifan deserves a lot of praise despite the defeat. He’s not had a great season but his run in these qualifiers has been remarkable. As for the man he beat, I have mixed feelings about him. I like his game, and it’s great to see non UK/Irish players doing well.
Hossein Vsfaei had some strong words for Ronnie O’Sullivan (Pictures: Getty)
Hossein Vafaei claims Ronnie O’Sullivan should retire and let the younger generation grow snooker.
Vafaei became the first Iranian to qualify for the Crucible on Wednesday night when he beat Lei Peifan 10-9 on the final black in the deciding frame at World Championship qualification.
The 27-year-old is passionate about representing his country on the sport’s biggest stage and believes his increasing success is helping to grow the sport in Iran.
The Prince of Persia not only wants to boost snooker’s profile at home, but globally, and he is not impressed with how, he believes, the sport’s biggest name has talked down the sport which has made him a star.
After winning his first qualifier earlier in the week, Vafaei mentioned some past O’Sullivan comments, saying: ‘I think on TV they asked that of Ronnie O’Sullivan, and he said, ‘If I was in his situation I’d rather have another job’.
‘But no. I will never give up. I’m working hard for my people, to make them proud, make my country proud and I’m born to make history.’
Vafaei once again mentioned O’Sullivan’s comments after beating Lei, and asked whether they frustrate him. In response, he told Metro.co.uk: ‘Of course. A lot of things he says frustrates me. What kind of legend are you if you call people numpties?
‘I was and am still good friends with him, but I don’t like that. Maybe he likes it and gives him a good feeling but I think people should treat him like that as well. I treat him like he deserves.’
One of O’Sullivan’s more controversial comments in recent months came when he said he would not encourage children to play snooker, which John Higgins labelled a ‘disgrace’.
‘That was very bad words, very bad for our sport,’ said the Iranian when asked for his reaction to the six-time world champion’s controversial view. ‘Listen, he doesn’t need to remind us he’s won 20 major tournaments. I think someone who is beside him should remind him that he is Ronnie O’Sullivan.
‘To be honest, Ronnie O’Sullivan without his team, without the people who are around him, he wouldn’t be here at all. He wouldn’t be here at all.
‘He’s comparing himself with someone else. He’s comparing me with someone else. I don’t like that. We don’t have to compare ourselves to others. He’s saying you are poor, I am rich, I am Ronnie O’Sullivan. I don’t like that. I have money, my people in Iran have money, but we have to respect human beings as well.
‘I don’t want to get involved in that kind of conversation really. I like him a lot, I am his fan, I love what he does but sometimes he’s disrespectful, he’s not good for the game.
‘I think he should retire, to be honest with you. He should retire and then the younger generation make the game bigger.’
Vafaei believes O’Sullivan’s complaints about venues, events and how snooker is not as ‘sexy’ as sports like golf and tennis are unfounded and it should have been the Rocket taking the sport to greater levels, instead of talking it down.
‘I don’t see any improvement, he’s been 20 years on top of this sport and what has he done for us?’ Vafaei asked. ‘This is my biggest question: What has he done for us?
‘I am the younger generation, I want to see what he’s done for our sport. Where are the big companies?
‘In my opinion he should have his own private jet, but he’s coming and complaining about 10 or 15 grand. You’ve been in the situation to make the game bigger, why haven’t you done it? How many contacts you’ve had to bring car companies or Rolex to our sport to make the game bigger?’
Vafaei himself has aspirations to be the finest player in the game, and he plans on being a greater ambassador for the sport if he does reach those heights.
‘Absolutely. If I get to that position, if I can help any players I will help,’ he said. ‘I’m not a selfish person. There is plenty of food. If you get food I have food as well. If you get money, I get money as well. We should think like that.
‘He has to go and think why he doesn’t have the private jet or bigger house like a footballer. Now he’s still playing for 70 grand or 50 grand, or he’ll say he won’t play in things.
‘He wants to make our sport small, okay, it’s time to tell him: ‘Retire, man. Retire,’
I don’t really get it actually. I never heard Ronnie boasting about his money. I also can’t remember him comparing himself to others except about the way they play the game or their approach to the sport.
Ronnie never suggested that Hossein should not play, he said that himself would not want to be in his situation, most certainly because he knows that he would not cope with the stress of it.
As for what he said about kids … he actually never said that they should not play snooker, but that he wouldn’t advice any of them to take it as a profession and he explained why: most lower ranked players struggle badly financially because of the current prize money structure. He also called for that to change by at least giving them enough to cover their basic expenses. and, sorry Hossein, I’m a parent myself and I think he is 100% right. As much as I love snooker I would never want to see my children choose a profession from which they can’t make a decent living.
As for what Ronnie did for the sport, well, Hossein, maybe you are too young to remember what happened when the tobacco sponsoring stopped. The sport was hit big time, the number of events went down to 6-7 per season and … ask the like of David Hendon, or Clive Everton … for many years Ronnie kept the sport in the news and the spotlight almost single-handed. He has got highs and lows, said right and wrong things but don’t we all? But he did keep snooker on the map and in the media because of the way he played, and of who he is.. Without him, snooker could have gone the way billiards has… almost in oblivion. And you wouldn’t be here, about to play at the Crucible and criticising him…
Yesterday was the first of the final round of qualifiers and eight players booked their place at the Crucible: Scott Donaldson, Lyu Haotian, Stephen Maguire, Michael White, Thepchaiya Un-nooh, Jamie Jones, Ding Junhui and Ashley Hugill.
Ding Junhui avoided a shock defeat in the final qualifying round of the Betfred World Championship as he came from 7-4 down to beat David Lilley 10-7 and secure his place at the Crucible.
A loss of form has seen China’s Ding drop out of the world’s top 16 – he has not reached the final of a ranking event since landing his third UK Championship crown in 2019. But the 35-year-old remains a class act and will be among the names the top 16 seeds want to avoid when the draw for the first round proper is made on Thursday at 11am.
Asia’s greatest ever player, Ding is through to the Crucible for the 16th consecutive occasion. The last time he had to come through the qualifying rounds, in 2016, he enjoyed his best run, reaching the final before losing to Mark Selby.
Ding started today’s match with a break of 137, but Lilley – who was seeking a Crucible debut – then took control as he compiled runs of 61, 60, 68, 56, 85, 54, 64 and 71 to go 7-4 ahead. Switching the momentum, Ding won the last six consecutive frames with breaks of 59, 62, 76 and 56.
“At 7-4 down I felt I couldn’t pot a ball,” said 14-time ranking event winner Ding. “He was playing very well. When I got back to 7-7 he started making mistakes. I tried to play better safety to keep him off the table. I am playing much better now than I was before Christmas. It will take time, but I believe I can find my best form again.”
Another former UK Champion, Stephen Maguire, also booked his place in the last 32 with a hard fought 10-7 success over Zhou Yuelong. Glasgow’s Maguire trailed 3-1 in the early stages but recovered to win with a top run of 137.
“It was a dog fight from start to finish,” said six-time ranking event winner Maguire, now set for his 19th consecutive Crucible appearance. “I was gone. In the last frame, I was perfect in the balls three or four times and I kept seeing gravestones and skulls. It’s hard – snooker players understand what it’s like. You are out there trying not to lose, when you should just be trying to win. I would rather be in the top 16, back at home watching Judgement Day.”
Ashley Hugill earned a Crucible debut with a 10-7 win over Joe O’Connor and will become the 221st player to play at the famous venue. World number 77 Hugill, from York, made top breaks of 112 and 107 and secured the result in the 17th frame with a double the length of the table on the final black.
“I just kept telling myself that I’m not losing today,” said Hugill, who practises with Yan Bingtao and Zhao Xintong. “When I walk into the arena I will try to savour it and take it all in.”
Michael White will become the second amateur to play at the Crucible – after James Cahill in 2019 – thanks to a 10-8 victory over Jordan Brown. Welshman White, a two-time ranking event winner, dropped off the pro tour in 2020 but this run in Sheffield has guaranteed a new two-year tour card from the start of next season.
From 7-6 down, White won three frames in a row with breaks of 66, 71 and 87. Brown won frame 17 but his opponent clinched victory in the 18th with an excellent long pot on the final black.
“I thought I’d blown it because I missed so many chances in the last frame. That’s what the World Championship does to you,” said White, a quarter-finalist in Sheffield on his 2013 debut. “Jordan was the better player and I was fighting all day to stick with him. I crawled over the line in the end. It means so much to me. I have been working so hard and I feel I deserve this. I’ve had issues away from the table but that is behind me now and I have good people around me.”
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh came into the qualifying rounds uncertain of keeping his place on the tour, but has passed the test with flying colours and secured his Crucible spot with a 10-7 defeat of Matthew Selt.
Thailand’s Un-Nooh trailed 2-0 early in the match but hit back to win with top breaks of 92, 77, 145, 72, 65, 74, 101 and 116.
“I am so relieved, because I have never beaten Matthew before,” said former Shoot Out champion Un-Nooh, through to the final stages for the fourth time. “He played well and I can’t believe I performed that well. If I had lost my first match here I would have been off the tour so that was so important for me. I had to keep my self belief and fight for my family.”
Jamie Jones won the first seven frames against Tom Ford with a top run of 100 and eventually sealed victory 10-5. “The first to ten matches seem to suit my game more, I feel like I can impose myself,” said Welshman Jones, who reached the quarter-finals on his Crucible debut ten years ago. “I just made it tough for Tom all day today. I don’t feel nervous in this tournament, I get more nervous in the smaller events and I’m not sure why. I’d love to play Ronnie O’Sullivan at the Crucible.”
Scotland’s Scott Donaldson scored an emphatic 10-1 victory over Allan Taylor with a top break of 132 while China’s Lyu Haotian top scored with 81 in a 10-4 defeat of Dominic Dale.
Ashley Hugill was the last to qualify yesterday and someone not many pundits or fans fancied to make it … but I have him in my predictions. He’s a much improved player, and a very hard worker. Moving to Sheffield and training at Vic Snooker Academy has transformed him.
Ashley Hugill came through World Championship qualifying on Tuesday (Picture: Zhai Zheng)
Ashley Hugill will make his World Snooker Championship debut this month after coming through qualifying and he says it is down to ‘ridiculously hard work’ and a little confidence boost from Ronnie O’Sullivan.
The 27-year-old Yorkshireman is enjoying his best season to date thanks to his run to the Crucible, beating Dean Young, Martin Gould and Joe O’Connor at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
He has picked up memorable victories over the likes of Kyren Wilson, Jack Lisowski and Ali Carter this campaign, with the long hours of practice starting to really pay off.
Hugill has been described as the most improved player on tour and asked whether he would describe himself as such, he simply said: ‘Yeah.’
On what that improvement is down to, he explained: ‘Hard work, ridiculously hard work.
‘When I first started training in Sheffield I used to be in the Star Academy for 12 or 13 hours. I’d get there at 9am, play there all day till 9pm, clean the tables and leave at 10pm.
‘I did that for four days a week for two or three years. That was the most intense practice I did. That was from when I was about 20 till 23, 24. Seven hours a day does me now.’
Now based at the hugely successful Victoria’s Academy in Sheffield – home of the likes of Zhao Xintong, Yan Bingtao, Fan Zhengyi and Lyu Haotian – Hugill has moved from his York home to set up in the Steel City.
‘Three and a half years ago I moved to Sheffield,’ he said. ‘It needed to be done, I was commuting all the time. I’m a rubbish cook though, so it was a bit difficult having to do that for myself.
‘Victoria’s great. It’s not really the facilities, it’s the mindset and it’s the mentality and the feeling in the room.’
Some serious hours of practice are put in at Victoria’s Academy from all the players in attendance and Hugill says the hard work over the years gave him the knowledge that results would come.
‘I wouldn’t say it gave me confidence, but I knew I couldn’t keep doing that for years and years and not get something back from it,’ he said. ‘I knew I had to get something back from it.’
Hours and hours on the practice table get you so far, but there are intangibles that can move a player onto the next level and Ronnie O’Sullivan provided something of a boost for the Yorkshireman.
The Rocket beat Hugill at the European Masters earlier this season and had some kind words for his opponent.
‘A big shout out to Ashley Hugill,’ said O’Sullivan. ‘He’s 27, so not very young in snooker terms, but a very good player and still not very experienced in tour terms. He has a lot of good qualities, and I’m not one for giving out compliments unless they are deserved. The same as Wu Yize earlier in the week, he will be a world champion if he develops and gets good advice.
‘There is a right way and a wrong way to play a sport, and they both play snooker the right way. You might win, but if you do it in the wrong way you ain’t getting my eyeballs. It’s the way you do it, sometimes. You have good players, great players and exceptional players.
‘And even some exceptional players win tournaments but are not great to watch. And you get good players that don’t win so many events but I’d pay to watch them, because they play the game the right way.’
O’Sullivan has also been working with the players at Victoria’s Academy and Hugill has taken a lot from his comments and even going running with the Rocket.
‘That was a massive confidence boost actually,’ Hugill said of Ronnie’s comments. ‘I’ve watched that interview a few times and my family love watching it.
‘He’s been good to me actually, Ronnie. We went for a run together, I’m quite into running, so we did that and I’ve been trying to learn from him.’
However, what advice the six-time world champion gives to the younger players at Victoria’s, is an academy secret: ‘Oh, I can’t tell you that,’ said Hugill.
The Yorkshireman will be in the Crucible first round draw for the first time on Thursday at 11am.
Iran’s Hossein Vafaei proclaimed he was ‘born to make history’ after beating Simon Lichtenberg 6-0 at Betfred World Championship qualifying and moving within one match of becoming his country’s first Crucible competitor.
Earlier this season Vafaei became the first Iranian to lift ranking silverware with victory at the Shoot Out, where he defeated three-time Crucible king Mark Williams in the final.
The 27-year-old has reached Judgement Day on two previous occasions, but succumbed to defeats at the hands of Tom Ford in 2017 and Stephen Maguire in 2018.
This time he faces China’s Lei Peifan, who beat Alexander Ursenbacher 6-3 to also leave himself one win from a maiden Crucible appearance.
Vafaei swept aside Germany’s Lichtenberg with minimal fuss this morning. He composed breaks of 52, 63, 54 and 75 on his way to the whitewash win. Afterwards Vafaei admitted that despite his various issues with visas over the years, he remains steadfast in his bid to reach the top of the sport.
“I am trying my best. You don’t want to just be there. I’ve said before that whoever says they have been in my situation hasn’t,” said world number 18 Vafaei.
“One TV channel asked Ronnie O’Sullivan about me and he said that if he was in my situation he would rather another job. But no, I will never give up. I am working hard for my people to make them proud, make my country proud and I was born to make history.
“I can’t wait to get to that stage and qualify. I will try my best, as much as I can. I will work hard and I will fight until my last blood.”
Graeme Dott made the second 147 break of his career, 23 years after his first at the 1999 British Open, on his way to a 6-1 demolition of China’s Pang Junxu.
Scotland’s 2006 Crucible king has appeared at the Theatre of Dreams 20 times since his debut in 1997. However, he suffered Judgement Day defeats in 2020 and 2021. Dott will be aiming to rectify that against Jamie Clarke in the final round this year.
Clarke stormed through to the final round of qualifying with a 6-0 demolition of former semi-finalist Gary Wilson. The Welshman crafted runs of 119, 52, 58 and 68 during his win.
Ali Carter is through to Judgement Day after a hard fought 6-4 win over Gao Yang. The two-time Crucible finalist composed breaks of 82, 137, 53 and 54 during the win and now plays Matthew Stevens in the final round. Stevens earned his place with a 6-1 win over Sam Craigie.
Liam Highfield made a break of 98 in the deciding frame to beat James Cahill 6-5 and faces Yuan Sijun in the final round. Yuan scored a 6-1 win over three-time ranking event winner Ryan Day.
Welsh 20-year-old Jackson Page recorded a superb 6-3 win over Welsh Open champion Joe Perry to reach Judgement Day for the first time.
Page dropped off the tour after a first round exit at last season’s World Championship qualifying. However, he immediately regained his professional status at Q School and has a solid season in the aftermath. He now finds himself one win away from a Crucible debut.
Page plays David Grace in the final round, after the Yorkshireman defeated Xiao Guodong 6-4.
Yuan Sijun looked vulnerable at the start of the match but once he got going he was excellent. Ryan has never been the strongest player under pressure and it showed again yesterday. He looked extremely nervous and frustrated.
I didn’t watch the Page v Perry match, but to beat Perry, who recently won a ranking event, is no mean feat. There were big expectations on Page when he first came on the tour, and he hasn’t really fulfilled his potential just yet, but he seems to be coming to age. He said that he is motivated by Mark Williams’ achievements.
Gao Yang started badly and left himself too much to do once he found some form. He fought very hard. It’s a shame that he will be relegated.
As it stands, none of the players still in the competion can reach the top 64 by winning their last qualifying match. Of course, if they reach the Crucible they could add significantly more points to their tally. This means that Carrington and Tian, for instance, are not completely assured to stay on tour despite being currently inside the top 64.
Graeme Dott composed the second 147 break of his career during his Betfred World Championship qualifying clash with Pang Junxu in Sheffield.
The 2006 Crucible king made his perfect run in the sixth frame of a 6-1 win. Dott’s last 147 break came 23 years ago at the 1999 British Open.
The break puts him in line for a £10,000 maximum break bonus for the qualifying event. If it stands as the high break for the entire tournament, he will also receive an additional £15,000.
It is the 175th maximum break in snooker history and the fifth to be made at the World Championship Qualifiers.
Dott said: “It was fantastic. I don’t really make that many. Even in practice, I went through a spell when I first turned professional that I was making a lot when practising. I can’t remember the last time I had one though. It felt really good.
“It was actually nice just to get close. I know that sounds a bit silly, but I was just happy to get relatively close. Even if I got to one red and missed, at least I would have had a chance, because as I say I don’t get that many chances. When I potted the last red I was just trying not to bottle it, as everything was perfect.”
Olivier Marteel has been selected as the referee for this year’s Betfred World Championship final.
It will be the second time that the Belgian has taken charge of a Crucible final. He first oversaw snooker’s biggest match in 2015, when Stuart Bingham defeated Shaun Murphy 18-15 in a thrilling contest.
Marteel, 52, is one of the most experienced referees on the circuit, but away from the tour he has spent much of the last two years on the front line of the fight against coronavirus.
When the pandemic struck, Marteel put himself forward to move from his role in radiology and work as a triage nurse in a temporary A&E unit for Covid-19 in Veurne. It involved long hours of stifling heat, due to the cumbersome PPE which was required. However, Marteel immediately stepped up to the plate, with no questions asked.
Marteel said: “When I was asked to take on this role, I didn’t even have one second of doubt. Ever since I was a young child I wanted to work in medicine. I trained for three years and I have been working for 28 years. So when this came up, I jumped at it, even if there are some risks.”
“I’ve not done a lot of snooker in the last two years, but one thing I have done is a UK Championship final in Milton Keynes. Whenever I have been able to come over, I have felt privileged. It has been a good way to recharge my batteries. It helped me through some difficult times and allowed me to have some time for escapism.
“Two years ago, we were on the dark side. We didn’t know what to expect. Now that Covid has hopefully settled down a bit, things will be better. It will always stay in the world. However, I hope that now my role in snooker doesn’t have to be on the side, as it has been for two years. I hope we are back in business now and I will have more time for snooker.”
Marteel is fully aware of the pressures and responsibilities attached to officiating in snooker’s showpiece occasion, but takes great pride at being entrusted to take charge. Having already sampled the famous atmosphere generated in a World Championship final, he is brimming with excitement to be in the middle again this year.
“I really didn’t expect to have the world final. A lot of guys have worked very hard over the last two years and I haven’t been able to do what I wanted to do because of Covid. It came as a bit of a surprise, but it is a surprise I would like to have every year. I am thankful to the powers at be who decided it would be my final this year. Of course I’m looking forward to it. The Crucible will be full and the final will be an amazing atmosphere. I can’t wait for the reception.
“You have the best seat in the house as a referee. Whether it is qualifiers, ranking events or the world final. There is that pressure, because the whole world is looking at you. Yes, the 900 people in the Crucible are watching, but hundreds of millions are watching on the TV. However, they wouldn’t put you there if you couldn’t cope. It gives you a buzz. It makes you want to do your job even better, because it is a world final. I can’t wait.
“I remember the 2015 final very clearly, it could have gone the other way. It was an unbelievable match and one I will never forget. Hopefully the final this year will get to the same standard that I had seven years ago. It is a magical moment down at the table for such a special and important occasion. As a venue, the Crucible is unique. There is nowhere else that compares with it. Even talking about it now gives me goosebumps. Each time you arrive in Sheffield, it means so much and you get excited. To go back there every year is fantastic, hopefully I will be able to do it for a long time yet.”
David Gilbert warned prospective opponents that he will be someone to avoid in the draw if he reaches the Crucible, after beating Rory McLeod 6-1 to make the final round of Betfred World Championship qualifying in Sheffield.
Former World Championship semi-finalist Gilbert earned his maiden ranking silverware earlier in the season at the Championship League. However, since then he hasn’t been beyond the quarter-finals of a ranking event.
The Tamworth cueman’s last appearance on the circuit was a first round loss at the Welsh Open just under a month ago. He withdrew from the recent Gibraltar Open and lost in qualifying for the Turkish Masters. Despite being short on match practice, Gilbert believes his game is close to where he wants it to be.
Gilbert composed breaks of 91, 101 and 51 on his way to this afternoon’s win. Next up he faces Anthony Hamilton, who scored a 6-2 defeat of Elliot Slessor to reach Judgement Day.
Following this evening’s match Gilbert admitted that opening his new club, Potters Snooker and Pool in Swadlincote, has given him fresh motivation.
Gilbert said: “I’m 40 years old now, so I don’t love it all of the time. I find it hard sometimes to get up for it. I am somebody who has to put the work in and if I don’t do that I won’t be any good. Since I have had this club in Swadlincote, I am really enjoying it again. Of course I want to get to the Crucible, I don’t want to play that down. I am desperate to get there like any other player.
“I feel like I put something together in the first four frames. I felt like my game was pretty close. I just need matches. I’ve only got to win ten frames in the next round. It isn’t about looking pretty, it is about getting through. I feel like I’d be a qualifier that seeds want to avoid.”
Chris Wakelin is through to the final round for the third time in his career, after beating European Masters champion Fan Zhengyi 6-5.
Wakelin has a 100% Judgement Day record, having reached the Crucible last year and in 2018. He is yet to win a match at the Theatre of Dreams and will be keen to qualify and put that right this time around. He faces Jimmy Robertson up next, who beat Oliver Lines 6-4.
Tom Ford defeated Michael Holt 6-3 in a result which leaves the former Shoot Out winner on the verge of relegation from the circuit.
Ford plays Jamie Jones for a Crucible place, while Holt faces a likely trip to Q School in order to maintain his professional status.
“I’ll go to Q School. While I’m capable of playing at the level I can, it would be silly not to play. I have to contemplate the fact that I might not be on the tour next year if I don’t get through,” said Holt, who first turned professional in 1996.
“It is what it is. The world will keep spinning. It is disappointing, because I’ve put a lot of work in. I’ve not showed myself. I’m better than that and my level is better. That is sport though, if you lose then you go backwards. I will always keep playing though.”
Recent Turkish Masters runner-up Matthew Selt secured a late night 6-5 win over Germany’s Lukas Kleckers. The result books Selt a clash with Thepchaiya Un-Nooh with a Crucible spot on the line, while Kleckers loses his professional status.
Thailand’s Un-Nooh beat Jak Jones 6-5 to reach the final round and ensure he won’t be relegated from the tour. However, Kurt Maflin has lost his professional status after a 6-1 defeat to David Lilley.
Next up for Lilley is a meeting with 14-time ranking event winner Ding Junhui, who beat Tian Pengfei 6-4.
The Chinese superstar has been forced to qualify after suffering a surprise slump to 29th in the world rankings. However, the last time he had to qualify he went on to be runner-up to Mark Selby in the 2016 World Championship.
Here is Ding’s interview post-match:
Ding admits that players like Yan Bingtao and Zhao Xintong succeeding both motivates him to try harder and partially frees him from the pressure of expectations he had to cope with since he was 18.
The Wakelin v Fan match was interesting as it was a bit of a clash of styles. The Jimmy Robertson v Oli Lines match was also entertaining, full of twist, turns and comebacks.
The draw for the 2022 Betfred World Championship has been made, with defending champion Mark Selby opening his campaign against Jamie Jones.
Hossein Vafaei will become the first player from Iran to compete at the Crucible, thanks to a dramatic 10-9 victory over Lei Peifan in the final qualifying round of the Betfred World Championship.
David Gilbert, who reached the semi-finals in 2019, secured his return with an emphatic 10-3 victory over Anthony Hamilton. A top break of 100 helped Gilbert into the last 32.
Chris Wakelin recovered a 3-1 deficit to beat Jimmy Robertson 10-7 with a top break of 131. “The pressure here is in the first round to get your ranking points,” said Wakelin. “When I get to Judgement Day I feel it’s a bonus and I don’t feel pressure. My mindset is not to even care whether I win or lose. I just told myself that if I win I’m through to the Crucible, but if I lose – there are a lot worse things going on in the world and I’m privileged to be able to play this game.”
Ding Junhui avoided a shock defeat in the final qualifying round of the Betfred World Championship as he came from 7-4 down to beat David Lilley 10-7 and secure his place at the Crucible.
Another former UK Champion, Stephen Maguire, also booked his place in the last 32 with a hard fought 10-7 success over Zhou Yuelong. Glasgow’s Maguire trailed 3-1 in the early stages but recovered to win with a top run of 137.
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh came into the qualifying rounds uncertain of keeping his place on the tour, but has passed the test with flying colours and secured his Crucible spot with a 10-7 defeat of Matthew Selt.
Iran’s Hossein Vafaei proclaimed he was ‘born to make history’ after beating Simon Lichtenberg 6-0 at Betfred World Championship qualifying and moving within one match of becoming his country’s first Crucible competitor.
Graeme Dott composed the second 147 break of his career during his Betfred World Championship qualifying clash with Pang Junxu in Sheffield.
Olivier Marteel has been selected as the referee for this year’s Betfred World Championship final.
David Gilbert warned prospective opponents that he will be someone to avoid in the draw if he reaches the Crucible, after beating Rory McLeod 6-1 to make the final round of Betfred World Championship qualifying in Sheffield.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 