Round 3 at the 2022 British Open starts this evening and we have lost quite a few of the top players already. You can follow all the results on snooker.org.

Four of the top 16 went out in round 1 (held-over matches): Ronnie, Shaun Murphy, Luca Brecel and Hossein Vafaei.

Here you will find more about Ronnie’s defeat to his Nemesis, Alexander Ursenbacher (again!).

Shaun Murphy lost in the most dramatic fashion: he was playing Gary Wilson – not an easy first round opponent – and had potted the last black in the deciding frame, only to see the white disappear in a middle pocket. That’s hard to take. Gary Wilson could hardly believe what he had just seen and here is his reaction as reported by WST:

World number 33 Wilson, who lost to Mark Williams in the final of this event last year, said: “I was the most surprised out of anybody, because I was sitting in my chair thinking I had lost. Shaun’s a lovely bloke and took it in great spirits. I’ve never actually won a game at this venue, and that was in my mind as he was he was clearing and up. Then all of a sudden, something stupid like that happens. I’m not sure whether he had a kick or just hit it a bit thick.

“I’m playing with a new cue and it didn’t feel great, it just felt heavy. I missed so many easy balls and played so many bad safeties, I just didn’t feel comfortable at all. I’m always hard on myself but I do try to look at positives as well.”

Mark Williams, the defending champion, had a rather easy win against young Andres Petrov from Estonia. H.E. Mr Viljar Lubi, the Ambassador of Estonia to the United Kingdom came to watch the match and support Andres. It’s a nice gesture and a lovely recognition of the sport of snooker, but I’m not sure it helped Andres who probably was already under a lot of pressure playing the defending champion on the main table.

Round 2 proved to be a stumbling block for many of the top seeds: we lost Anthony Mc Gill, David Gilbert, Stuart Bingham, Zhou Yuelong, John Higgins, Kyren Wilson, Joe Perry and Mark Williams.

Mark Williams, the defending champion was beaten by 4-1 by Ben Woollaston. Mark had been on a cruise just before this tournament.

Stephen Hendry was not impressed with Mark Williams performance and attitude as reported by Eurosport

Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry had little sympathy for Mark Williams after the Welshman was unceremoniously knocked out of the British Open by world No. 44 Ben Woollaston.

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Speaking on ITV Sport, Hendry said: “He [Williams] said after his first match he’s hardly been practising.

“YOU CAN’T WING IT.

“I know he won this tournament last year getting through matches but you’ve got to put the work in and he hasn’t done. I’m sure he’ll put the work in before the next big event.

“He was poor tonight.

Ben himself didn’t play fantastically well and, in general has not been playing great for quite some time. The same Eurosport article “explains” why …

Woollaston has been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome recently, and afterwards he spoke more about his ongoing battle to manage the condition.

“It has got better recently so I am trying to be positive,” the 35-year-old said. 

“On the good days I feel 60 or 70% of my usual self, but then I have days where I just completely crash.

“I can only practise for one or two hours a day and it’s hard to look after my kids when I’m at home. [Wife] Tatiana has been a massive support but it has been hard for her as well. 

“Some people never recover from this kind of illness but I am hopeful because in the last few months I have been better.

“I am doing my best in matches and I have managed to win a few this season. I have no expectations. Tonight’s win was one of my best in recent seasons and the short matches suit me better.”

I’m wishing Ben the best possible for the future.

John Higgins was beaten by Yuan SiJun in a deciding frame. He missed match ball and Yuan cleared to win. John was really aggrieved as reported by WST in this report:

‘Unforgiveable’ Defeat For Higgins

It was a bittersweet day for John Higgins at the Cazoo British Open as he became the second player in snooker history to reach the landmark of 900 career centuries, but suffered a cruel 4-3 defeat against Yuan Sijun.

Higgins led 64-8 in the deciding frame but missed match-ball red to a top corner and that proved a crucial error as China’s Yuan made 31 then played safe, before clearing the colours to snatch victory 66-64.

Livid Higgins was barely consoled by the fact that he has become with only player other than Ronnie O’Sullivan to cross the 900 mark. “It is a milestone but I would have much preferred it to have happened in a win,” said the Scot. “It is unforgivable how you can’t close it out like that in the last frame – just unforgivable. You can add this to the list of so many times when I have collapsed near the finishing line. It only gets worse as you get older.”

Yuan took the opening frame, then in the second Higgins was on course for a 147 until he missed the ninth black on 65, and his opponent cleared with 72 for 2-0. World number five Higgins took the next three, making a 132 in frame five. But Yuan took the next with a 72 and won the dramatic decider book his place in tonight’s third round draw.

Performance of the day came from Cazoo UK Champion Zhao Xintong as he compiled runs of 112, 128, 101 and 52 in a 4-1 defeat of Stuart Bingham. “I didn’t miss a shot in the first three frames,” said Zhao. “There is pressure on the main table but I enjoy that.”

Mark Selby, seeking his first title since the 2021 World Championship, knocked in breaks of 110, 74, 55 and 54 in a 4-1 defeat of Mark Joyce. Jordan Brown top scored with 112 in a 4-1 win against Ng On Yee.

Xiao Guodong beat Peter Lines 4-1 in a match between two players who were involved in a fiery altercation last season which result in Lines being fined by the WPBSA Disciplinary Committee. This time, China’s Xiao top scored with 119 as he eased into round three.

Graeme Dott’s 4-1 win over Anthony McGill was highlighted by a break of 110, while Lyu Haotian took the last frame on the colours to beat David Gilbert 4-3.

In the last session of the round, there were wins for Judd Trump, Ding Junhui, Mark Allen and Yan Bingtao. Here is WST report on that session:

Trump Stays On Course For Top Spot

Judd Trump eased to a 4-0 victory over Dean Young in the second round of the Cazoo British Open, and would finish the week on top of the world rankings if he wins the tournament.

Ronnie O’Sullivan’s first round exit has opened a window for Trump to take over as world number one, if he can land the £100,000 top prize in Milton Keynes. The Bristolian was in tremendous shape today as he whitewashed Young in just 61 minutes with breaks of 52, 84, 100 and 64.

“It would be nice to get to number one off the back of winning a tournament, that would give me an extra sense of achievement,” said 2019 World Champion Trump, who now meets Xu Si on Thursday afternoon. “Any time you get to number one is special. Every time I was among the balls today, my position was good, I was in control and making breaks.”

Trump played in the BetVictor World Mixed Doubles last weekend, alongside O’Sullivan, Neil Robertson and Mark Selby. Asked how he feels his game compares to those three fellow titans of the sport, he replied: “When I play my best, I feel no one’s game can live up to mine, but I’m sure the others would say the same. Selby is looking like he is back to his best. Snooker is in a healthy place.”

Ding Junhui, who has slipped to 34th in the rankings having not won a title since 2019, showed signs of a return to form in a 4-1 win over Joe Perry, highlighted by runs of 73, 66, 84 and 50. “I am trying hard and practising a lot,” said China’s Ding. “Snooker fans still love to see me win any tournament. I am still trying, I am not giving up. Family is more important now, but snooker is still my career.”

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Mark Allen came from 1-0 down to beat Li Hang 4-1, making a crucial 63 clearance in the second frame then firing runs of 133, 100 and 83 in the next three. Former Masters champion Yan Bingtao top scored with 92 in a 4-0 defeat of Andy Lee.

And about Judd Trump, unsurprisingly for me, he doesn’t like Ronnie’s idea about “helping” the women’s game.

Here are some quotes reported by Phil Haigh:

‘I am sure Ronnie has got enough money to give away that five per cent in total,’ Trump told The Sportsman. ‘It is a lot easier to say stuff and get a debate going. But he is more than welcome to do it himself.

‘If he has that strong an opinion about it, why doesn’t he go ahead and do it – and put his money where his mouth is? And then the rest can choose if they want to follow his example or not. He can start the fund or kitty.

‘Why doesn’t he hand over his whole prize money for a whole season, and give that to the women’s tour? We also already give 2.5 per cent of the prize money away to World Snooker – I’d almost rather they just gave that to the women’s game. 

‘If you added five per cent to the 2.5 per cent that is 7.5 per cent, and then tax on it all you are struggling to make a profit.’

It is fair to say that taking five per cent of prize money off the winners’ purses on the main tour would not impact the likes of O’Sullivan, Robertson and Trump who, regularly win titles, too badly. However, a five per cent cut in the overall prize fund on the main tour would be extremely unpopular with lower-ranked players.

Outside of the game’s elite, players are not earning vast sums of cash and in the bottom half of the world rankings, some are not making much profit at all, especially when expenses are taken into account.

My understanding is that Ronnie wanted 5% of the prize money fund to go the the women, but that does not necessarily mean 5% at each level. It’s obvious that this idea is only a viable option if the money is taken “at the top” and frankly, I would be happy with that. Making the whole system a bit less top heavy would be a good thing in my opinion.

Congratulations to Mink and Neil Robertson

2022 Mixed Doubles Champions

Here are the reports by WST:

Afternoon session

Robertson And Nutcharut Storm Into Final

Neil Robertson and Mink Nutcharut came from the bottom of the group into second place on Sunday afternoon to book a final meeting with Mark Selby and Rebecca Kenna at the BetVictor World Mixed Doubles.

Australia’s Robertson and Thailand’s Nutcharut scored a 4-0 victory over Judd Trump and Ng On Yee in their last group game, highlighted by a superb 74 clearance from Nutcharut in the third frame. That was exactly the result they wanted to keep alive their hopes of a final berth, but they still needed Selby and Kenna to beat Ronnie O’Sullivan and Reanne Evans in the last match of the group phase.

At 1-1, O’Sullivan and Evans needed just one of the last two frames to reach the final, setting up an exciting finish. But Selby’s breaks of 67 and 78 ensured that his duo won 3-1 and topped the group with three victories out of three.

Final Group Table

Mark Selby and Rebecca Kenna: 9 points
Neil Robertson and Mink Nutcharut: 6 points
Ronnie O’Sullivan and Reanne Evans: 5 points
Judd Trump and Ng On Yee: 4 points

Evening session

Robertson And Nutcharut Win Landmark Doubles Title

Neil Robertson and Mink Nutcharut beat Mark Selby and Rebecca Kenna 4-2 in the final of the new BetVictor World Mixed Doubles at the end of a tournament which showcased women’s snooker to a vast audience.

The first televised mixed doubles event for 30 years was live on ITV and many broadcasters around the globe, and will surely inspire women and girls to give snooker a try. All four women in the field – Nutcharut, Kenna, Reanne Evans and Ng On Yee – performed admirably and handled the pressure of playing on the main stage.

Robertson and Nutcharut started the day bottom of the group table, but scored a crucial 4-0 win over Judd Trump and On Yee in their last round-robin match. That game was highlighted by Nutcharut’s fantastic 74 clearance, which was the team’s highest break of the weekend, and the result proved just enough to earn them a final spot. Selby and Kenna were the only team to win all three group games, but they were outplayed in the final.

The title is another outstanding moment in a breakthrough year for 22-year-old Nutcharut, who won the Women’s World Championship for the first time in February, and started her rookie season on the sport’s professional tour in July. Last month, she beat Mitchell Mann in the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open qualifiers, her first win as a pro. Tonight’s prize of £30,000 is her biggest pay day so far.

Robertson was also thrilled to pick up silverware early in the campaign, adding to his trophy haul having won four titles last season. The world number four has not entered the Cazoo British Open which starts on Monday, but he’ll be back in action the following week at the Hong Kong Masters.

Selby made the perfect start to the final by putting his team ahead with a break 107. Robertson’s run of 69 helped level at 1-1, and his team got the better of a scrappy third frame to take the lead. After the interval, Robertson made a break of 67 as his team extended their advantage to 3-1.

Nutcharut fired in a long red early in frame six and made 24 to give her team the edge. They led 31-6 when a weak safety from Kenna let Robertson in for a run of 27 to secure the title.

“In some ways, Mink carried us through to the final because of her performance in our last group match,” said Robertson. “Then that filled me full of confidence tonight because I knew if I made a mistake then she could take her opportunities. I’m really proud of her and it’s an amazing feeling to win.

“I’m sure there are dads and mums out there now thinking of getting their daughters involved in cue sports. It needed something like this to give it that exposure. If you become one of the best women, this is the occasion you could play in. When I was a kid, all I wanted to do was play a match on TV against one of my heroes. Hopefully this can help give girls the same kind of dreams.”

Nutcharut said: “This is more exciting for me than winning the World Championship. It’s my first time playing with one of the top guys and my first time at a big tournament. It’s important for women’s snooker because so many people watched it in the venue and on television. It’s great experience for me and I want to keep improving.”

I really enjoyed the tournament and I honestly believe that this is the sort of event that really helps the development of the game. The format is interesting as it proved that even a bad performance on the first day can be retrieved.

The women showed some very good snooker. Mink was not at her best on Saturday, but her 74 clearance boosted her confidence and, from then on, she played really well. Neil trusted her and that was really good to see. On Yee was her reliable self but could probably benefit from being a bit more aggressive. Bex Kenna showed her tactical qualities. Mark Selby and Rebecca Kenna had practised together ahead of the event and I believe that it really helped them to reach the final. Well done both. It might well prove to be a confidence booster for Bex this season. Ronnie and Reanne of course played many times in exhibitions, but I’m not sure it helped them here. If anything, Reanne in particular went for a bit too much under the circumstances.

Here are more pictures, shared by WST on social media

It was an interesting and enjoyable first day in Milton Keynes, as the 2022 Mixed Doubles got underway.

Ronnie was poor in his first match. However he played much better in the evening and the commentators mentioned that they had been speaking to him between the two sessions and insisted that he is really up for the event.

Here are the reports by WST:

Afternoon session

Winning Starts For Trump / On Yee and Selby / Kenna

Judd Trump and Ng On Yee scored a 3-1 victory over Ronnie O’Sullivan and Reanne Evans in the opening match of the BetVictor World Mixed Doubles, than Mark Selby and Rebecca Kenna saw off Neil Robertson and Mink Nutcharut by the same scoreline.

The new event sees the world’s top four men and top four women competing as pairs in a team format. The group phase continues on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, then the top two teams in the group go through to Sunday night’s final.

After winning a tight opening frame, Trump made a break of 75 to put his team 2-0 ahead, then On Yee made a cool clearance from the last red to take the third frame and ensure victory. Evans impressed in frame four with a run of 62 to avoid the whitewash.

Hong Kong’s On Yee said: “I feel like the clearance in the third frame was really good. There was huge pressure but luckily I handled it well.”

Trump added: “We spoke briefly before the match about which order to go in and decided it would be me before for Ronnie to try and keep him quiet. That was our tactic, to try and keep him safe. I felt very confident in On Yee and it worked well.

“It’s an amazing showcase for the women’s game. It could have been difficult for them to play, as if they were playing with the weight of the world on their shoulders, but actually they settled into the swing of things a lot quicker than me and Ronnie did.

“I felt very confident when when the draw come out that we’d have a great chance. Ronnie and Reanne have been the favourites in so many people’s eyes, but I quietly felt we were very strong. And I believe that we have what it takes to go all the way.”

In the second match, Selby opened with a break of 134, then Robertson replied with a 64 for 1-1. A run of 64 from Selby helped his team regain the lead. In frame four, the English duo trailed 46-11, but some clever safety from Kenna helped set her partner up with a chance, and Selby took advantage with a 40 clearance.

Kenna said: “I’m pleased that I could put a few balls together. I know how difficult it is to get settled on these tables, they are just so fast. But when when the opportunities came, I went for my shots until I lost position.”

Selby added: “It’s huge spotlight, at least 30 years since we’ve had an event like this, especially to be on the main ITV channel with a primetime audience. So I said to Rebecca, just go out there, express yourself. Show everyone your personality go for your shots, because this is a massive platform for women snooker to try and promote it.”

Evening session

Selby And Kenna In Pole Position

Mark Selby and Rebecca Kenna beat Judd Trump and Ng On Yee 3-1 to top the group after the first day of the new BetVictor World Mixed Doubles in Milton Keynes.

Points gained after two matches each:

Mark Selby & Rebecca Kenna: 6
Judd Trump & Ng On Yee: 4
Ronnie O’Sullivan & Reanne Evans 4
Neil Robertson & Mink Nutcharut: 2

The top two teams after the third round of group matches on Sunday afternoon will go through to the final on Sunday evening.

Sunday’s play starts at 1pm with Neil Robertson and Mink Nutcharut against Judd Trump and Ng On Yee, followed by Ronnie O’Sullivan and Reanne Evans against Mark Selby and Rebecca Kenna.

English duo Selby and Kenna beat Robertson and Nutcharut 3-1 in the opening match during the afternoon session and scored another success by the same scoreline this evening against Trump and On Yee. They took the opening frame on the colours, then lost a 59-minute second frame which was resolved when Trump potted the final black.

Selby’s break of 68 gave his team a 2-1 lead and he made a 55 to take control of frame four. On Yee had a chance to clear but missed the penultimate red when trailing 59-47 and that proved the key moment.

After losing their opening match on Saturday afternoon, O’Sullivan and Evans bounced back in the evening session with a 3-1 success against Robertson and Nutcharut. They lost a 55-minute opening frame on the colours, then breaks of 111 and 68 from O’Sullivan put them 2-1 up and they secured victory in the fourth.

O’Sullivan said: “It has been good fun. You have to keep your concentration and try to support your partner, there’s a lot going on we are not used to. I don’t know whether to be quiet or whether I’m talking too much! We are feeding off each other. I am trying to get into the zone but also trying to do what feels right.”

Evans added: “You have to try and go out and enjoy it, and try to play to your own ability. Who wouldn’t want to be paired with Ronnie!”

The above video was shared on twitter by WST

The women generally gave a very good account of themselves. It was Mink who appeared to struggle a bit more with the pressure. Rebecca Kenna is probably the less fancied of the four but she has an excellent safety game and that proved to be a key element in their team success as she “earned” several opportunities for Mark Selby who then duly delivered.

Here are more images shared on social media by WST: