After the quarter-finals a majority of fans saw Neil Robertson as a huge favourite for the title. They certainly thought that he would reach the final, considering that he had beaten his opponent, Mark Selby, in the last seven matches they had played. At the MSI, Neil was 3-1 in front, seemingly cruising to victory. Mark Selby however had other ideas…

Here is the report by WST:

Selby Ends Losing Streak Against Robertson

Mark Selby reached his first final for 19 months, and ended a long series of defeats against Neil Robertson, with a 6-4 success in the semi-finals of the BetVictor English Open.

Another outstanding match in Brentwood featured three centuries and seven more breaks over 50, and it was Leicester’s Selby who came out on top to set up a final clash with Luca Brecel or Mark Allen on Sunday. First to nine frames will collect the Steve Davis Trophy and a top prize of £80,000.

Robertson had won seven consecutive meetings between these two former World Champions, a sequence stretching back two years. But Selby has now ended that hoodoo, and can look forward to his first final since he won his fourth Crucible crown in May 2021. The 39-year-old has confronted mental health challenges over the past year and had to contend with patchy form, but today showed his best qualities on the baize.

In the opening frame, Robertson made a break of 56 before running out of position. After a safety tussle, Selby converted an excellent long red to a baulk corner and cleared with 54. Robertson hit back with runs of 78, 78 and 141 to lad 3-1.

After the interval, world number three Selby gained momentum, taking three frames in a row with top breaks of 51 and 136, before Robertson bounced back with a 66 for 4-4. In frame nine, Robertson led 29-0 when he lost position in splitting the pack. A tactical exchange was resolved when Selby thumped in a fantastic do-or-die long red, setting him up for a break of 104 to regain the lead. And another marvellous long red from Selby at the start of the tenth initiated a match-winning 85.

“The last few times Neil has beaten me I have played ok, I just haven’t had enough chances to win the match. Today I took virtually every chance from 3-1 down,” said Selby, who has won 20 of his previous 30 ranking finals. “He is the best player in the world at the moment, the standard he is playing is phenomenal, so to beat him you have to be at the top of your game.

“From 3-1 to 3-3, Neil missed a couple, which is probably the first time he has missed a ball against me since the Romans were building the roads. Then from 4-4 I played well in the last two. I have been working hard and playing well in practice. That means nothing unless you are taking it out there to the match table. I have done that this season in patches and got to a few quarter and semi-finals.

“Whoever I play tomorrow, I’ll be out there fighting. Mark Allen has been the player of the season, Luca is a great talent and it’s good to see him in the later stages.

“The biggest challenge I have ever faced has been since January this year, probably for the rest of my life. It’s never going to go away, I need to stay on top of it. Snooker is only a game, as long as you have your health that’s the most important thing. I never realised that before, I would get really down on myself. Now I am getting better.”

Robertson, who has now lost three consecutive semi-finals in this season’s BetVictor Home Nations events, said: “I made a really good break to go 4-4 after sitting on the sidelines without a chance for a while. I went into the pack in the next frame at 29-0 and if that had come off I would have gone 5-4 ahead. In the last two frames I played good safety shots but he knocked in great long reds. I can’t be critical of myself, it’s not like the semi-final in Scotland (against Joe O’Connor) when I lost four or five frames where I was in control.

“Today I didn’t play any sloppy safety shots, both of us played some fantastic stuff. I have never played better then I have over the last few tournaments, you can see that with my scoring, winning frames in one visit. I take it as a great compliment that people are playing so well against me because they know they have to. I am enjoying the brand of snooker I am playing. I’m looking forward to the Christmas break and carrying that form into the Masters.”

It was indeed a quality match, and not one where Mark Selby becomes negative and excessively defensive. Going by his quotes above, his perspective on the game has changed. It shows at the table, and it’s for the better. I wish Mark the best in his quest for happiness and peace of mind. He has nothing to prove to anyone, and he doesn’t need to win every match of snooker “for his father” either. I’m certain that what his father would really want, above everything else, is to see his son happy.

The other semi-final also sprang a surprise as Luca Brecel beat Mark Allen by 6-2. Mark Allen sit pretty on top of the one year list, he’s been the player of the season so far, but he was outplayed for most of the match yesterday evening.

Here is the report by WST:

New Mindset Helps Brecel Reach Final

Luca Brecel reached his fourth ranking final within 13 months as he beat player of the season Mark Allen 6-2 in the semi-finals of the BetVictor English Open.

Belgium’s Brecel had described Allen as “unbeatable” before today’s clash, but he dominated from the start, winning the first five frames and closing out the result in frame eight. The 27-year-old will face Mark Selby in Brentwood on Sunday, with first to nine frames to win £80,000 and the Steve Davis Trophy.

Allen has already won the Northern Ireland Open and UK Championship this season but wasn’t able to finish 2022 on the high note of another final appearance. Instead, world number 11 Brecel will be playing in his sixth ranking final, and looking for his fourth title. In December last year he was runner-up in the UK Championship final, and since then he has won the BetVictor Scottish Open and BetVictor Championship League. A fourth ranking title would bring him level with Ali Carter and Ryan Day on the all-time list.

His natural talent has never been in question, and Brecel insists that he is adding a streak of determination to his armoury. He said: “Often when I lose it’s because of focus. I have a problem getting motivated sometimes. After I lost to Fraser Patrick in Scotland last month, I went home and spoke to my parents and I said something needs to change in my mindset. Everything else was good, but I knew I wasn’t giving it everything to win. I have done that this week and it has paid off.”

Brecel dominated the first two frames tonight with a top break of 61, his opponent scoring just 14 points. In frame three, Allen led 27-0 when he overcut a tricky red to a centre pocket. Brecel replied with 55 then laid a tough snooker behind the brown, and from the chance that followed he extended his lead to 3-0.

A run of 50 put Brecel in charge of frame four, and after getting the better of a safety exchange he added 71 to build his lead. After the interval, Brecel made it 5-0 with a break of 89, before Allen finally got a frame on the board with an 89 of his own. In the seventh, Allen made 63 before going in-off, but Brecel’s counter ended on just 8 when he missed a red to centre, allowing his opponent to close to 5-2.

In frame eight, Allen trailed 51-9 when he missed a difficult long red, saw it roll the length of the side cushion and into a baulk corner. But his hopes of  prolonging his fightback ended when he missed a tough black to a top corner, as Brecel added the points he needed.

“This is probably the happiest I have been in a long time in snooker,” said Brecel, who has his parents Carlo and Mirella with him this week. “The semis are so big because you really want to get to a final. If you lose in the semis it’s going to hurt for a while.

“At 5-0 I was relaxed, then he came back to 5-2, so then it was tricky. At 5-3 I would have panicked a little bit. But I had to keep calm, and luckily he missed the black after getting the fluke. If I win tomorrow it will be up there with my best achievements because I came here without that much confidence. Mark Selby has got more experience than me and he is a fantastic player, but when I’m feeling good I can beat anyone. I’ll need to play like I did tonight.”

Allen said: “The disappointing thing was my safety. I wasn’t finding the edges as I have been most of the season. I was leaving Luca easy starters. I hung in there to get to 5-2. But credit to Luca because he was much better than me tonight. I came here this week trying something different with my technique. I will think about it over Christmas, to work out whether I stick with it. I wanted to find something extra – even though I am doing well, I still want to do better.”

Luca is incredibly talented and, as strange as this may sound, I believe this is his undoing at times. His break-building is nowhere near as good as the other top players’ break-building. There is no reason why he can’t improve on that, he’s more than capable, but maybe he doesn’t feel the need/motivation to work on it because his potting is scarily good when he’s on form. It would however give him the weapons to beat the other top players when his potting is not at its best, which, inevitably, happens.

Absolutely anything can happen today. Selby could outfox Luca, Luca could out-pot Selby. And everything in between…

The crowds in Brentwood were treated to a fantastic day of snooker yesterday. The afternoon match on table 1 in particular, was absolute first class entertainment and of the highest quality.

Here is the report by WST:

Robertson To Meet Selby In Semis

Neil Robertson beat Mark Williams 5-3 in a sensational BetVictor English Open quarter-final which featured a maximum, four other centuries and three more breaks over 60.

One of the highest quality matches of 2022 featured a break of at least 67 in every frame. Williams scaled the highest peak with a fabulous 147 in frame four, but Robertson was near-flawless throughout as he progressed to a semi-final meeting at 1pm on Saturday, against Mark Selby who beat Ali Carter 5-3.

Australia’s Robertson is looking to win this title for a second consecutive year, having beaten John Higgins in last year’s final. Player of the Year in 2021/22, winning four titles, the 40-year-old is seeking his first silverware of the current campaign. Robertson is through to the 49th ranking event semi-final of his career and looks at the top of his game having made six centuries and 14 more breaks over 50 in his five matches so far this week in Brentwood.

Runs of 73, 97 and 100 gave the world number four a 3-0 lead today before Williams hit back with a maximum in frame four. After the interval, there was no dip in the standard as Robertson made a 102 to lead 4-1, before Williams compiled breaks of 67 and 123 to close to 4-3. Inevitably it finished with another century as Robertson sailed past the winning line with a 127.

“There were hardly any unforced errors, both of us were really clinical,” said 23-time ranking event winner Robertson. “I guess the only difference was that I had him in a bit more trouble with my safety to force the errors. It was a brilliant match and capped off by Mark’s 147. It was an amazing break, nearly perfect all the way.

“This will be my third semi-final in the Home Nations this season, and in the other two I have not given enough care to playing containing safeties, I have made it too easy for my opponent. Today my safety was a lot better. When I played Joe O’Connor in Scotland, I gave him five or six easy starters. He stood up to the pressure really well, but he should never have had those chances. I know what the recipe is now, for the rest of the season. If I can give safety that extra attention and care, to go along with the long potting and heavy scoring, hopefully I’ll see similar success to last season.”

In another high quality contest, Selby came from 3-2 down to win the last three frames against Carter and reach his first ranking event semi-final since the 2021 World Grand Prix. Leicester’s Selby hasn’t won a title since landing his fourth Crucible crown 19 months ago, and to win tomorrow he’ll need to end a spell of seven consecutive defeats against Robertson.

After sharing the first two frames, Carter made a break of 100 to lead 2-1. In frame four, he had a chance to double his lead, but crucially missed the penultimate red to a centre pocket when he trailed 40-50. Selby cleared to the green then laid a tough snooker, and Carter’s failure to escape made it 2-2 at the interval.

Local favourite Carter, from Chelmsford, regained the lead with a 77, then Selby hit back with a 127 for 3-3. In the seventh, Selby made 68 before running out of position, but his opponent then played a loose safety, handing world number three Selby the chance to edge 4-3 ahead. And when Carter’s attempted long red at the start of the eighth frame missed its target, that proved his last shot as Selby made a match-winning 73.

“It was scrappy before the interval, then we both played better. From 3-2 I picked up the pace and scored well,” said Selby after reaching his 56th ranking event semi-final. “I was lucky to beat Shaun Murphy last night, he missed a black when he had a chance to win 4-2, a shot he would only miss one time in 100.

“When I play Neil tomorrow I’ll just try my hardest and see what happens. He is a class act and has played brilliantly against me the last few times.”

This is Willo’s Maximum as shared by Eurosport on their YouTube channel:

It is really a wonderful break. And Willo seems to be trying to leave the arena before anyone could shake his hand 😂 … the rascal!

The evening session delivered two extremely one-sided matches.

This is the report by WST:

Bullet And Pistol Are Gunning For Glory

Luca Brecel enjoyed a surprise 5-1 thrashing of Judd Trump in the quarter-finals of the BetVictor English Open and remained on track to win a third ranking title within a year.

In the semi-finals on Saturday evening in Brentwood, Brecel will meet Mark Allen, a player he describes as “unbeatable”. Allen eased to a 5-0 whitewash against Ashley Hugill.

Brecel won the BetVictor Scottish Open last December, and followed up at the start of the current season by taking the trophy at the BetVictor Championship League, his third career ranking title. The 27-year-old Belgian is a mercurial talent who thrives on confidence, and has found a purple patch this week. Tonight’s result leaves Trump still looking for a first ranking semi-final of the season.

Brecel led 62-0 in the opener when he overcut a tricky black, but Trump’s reply reached just 17 before he missed the black himself, which cost him the frame. A 135 total clearance saw Brecel double his lead. Trump had an early scoring chance in the third but missed a tough pink to a baulk corner, and his opponent’s run of 53 helped make the scoreline 3-0.

Brecel added the fourth in two scoring visits, before Trump finally showed a packed arena what he can do with a superb 128. Frame six came down to a tactical battle on the last two reds, and Brecel trapped Trump in a tough snooker. From the chance that followed, world number 11 Brecel added the points he needed to book the tenth ranking event semi-final of his career.

“It’s amazing to beat Judd like that. I didn’t expect to win 5-1,” said Brecel. “From 4-0 I expected him to come back at me, that’s what top players do. Judd is an unbelievable player and he can easily win three frames in one visit. I kept calm and used my experience, I didn’t panic and kept playing the right shots.

“If I win tomorrow, it will be my fourth final in the last 12 months, so it has been a crazy year. I have had some great games with Mark Allen, He is the man in form, he’s unbeatable these days so it’s going to be tough.”

Allen, undoubtedly the player of the season so far having won the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open and UK Championship, had a comfortable path into the last four against Hugill, who was playing in his first ranking quarter-final.

Breaks of 62 and 61 gave Allen the opening frame. Hugill had a clear opportunity to level, but missed a difficult yellow with the rest when he led 64-41, and Allen punished him for 2-0. The Northern Irishman extended his advantage with a run of 109. In the fourth, Hugill was on 17 when he failed to pot the green to a baulk corner, and Allen dominated the rest of the frame for 4-0. Soon after the interval, the whitewash was completed by Allen’s break of 77.

“The second frame was really important because he looked quite composed at the start,” said world number five Allen. “If he had won that frame he would have settled and got rid of the nerves. From 2-0 I finished off the match really well.

“Luca has won the last couple of matches against me. He’s a player who thrives on the big occasion so he’ll be looking forward to this one table set up. By the time we go out, there will only be three players left in the tournament. I’m going out to try to enjoy the experience.”

The result ends Hugill’s hopes of a place in the World Grand Prix, and the line-up of 32 players for that event is now confirmed. 

I only watched the Brecel v Trump match. Luca is probably one of the most gifted players on tour. His natural ability is phenomenal. There is however a downside to this: he doesn’t really excel at accurate positional play or maybe he isn’t bothered? Anyway, this means that he is vulnerable when his long potting isn’t at his best. But when he is at his best he’s spectacular and very entertaining.

Judd Trump though clearly didn’t enjoy the experience.

Here after is WST the piece about the World Grand Prix line-up as linked above.

Race to the World Grand Prix 2023: English Open Updates

The race to qualify for next month’s World Grand Prix will be decided at the BetVictor English Open next week in Brentwood.

• View the draw and latest results from the English Open

The top 32 players on the one-year ranking list following the event will qualify for the World Grand Prix which is set to run from 16-22 January 2023 in Cheltenham.

Read more about the state of play heading to the English Open via the WSTwebsite.

As well as the qualifiers themselves, the draw for the World Grand Prix will also be determined by the finishing positions on the one-year ranking list as set out below.

Provisional WGP Draw (16/12):

Please note that this is strictly provisional and subject to event entries:

Mark Allen (1) v David Gilbert (32)

Lyu Haotian (17) v Joe O’Connor (16)

Judd Trump (9) v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (24)

Robert Milkins (25) v Zhou Yuelong (8)

—————————————-

Noppon Saengkham (28) v Gary Wilson (5)

Ronnie O’Sullivan (21) v Mark Williams (12)

Mark Selby (13) v Jamie Jones (20)

Ding Junhui (4) v Stuart Bingham (29)

—————————————-

Kyren Wilson (3) v Robbie Williams (30)

Shaun Murphy (14) v Ali Carter (19)

Sam Craigie (22) v Barry Hawkins (11)

Luca Brecel (6) v Anthony McGill (27)

—————————————-

Jack Lisowski (7) v Joe Perry (26)

Hossein Vafaei (23) v Tom Ford (10)

Xiao Guodong (18) v Neil Robertson (15)

Ricky Walden (31) v Ryan Day (2)

Players are marked in bold once their position can no longer change.

Actually the draw will change because whoever wins the Selby v Robertson match will overtake Mark Williams. This means that Ronnie will probably play Barry Hawkins in the first round of the 2023 World Grand Prix. Ronnie will need a strong run in that event and/or at the 2023 Welsh Open. He’s currently 5000 points behind Joe O’Connor who is 16h in the one year list and will remain in that position at the end of this event. Ronnie hasn’t entered the Shoot-out either.

The quarter-final line-up at the 2022 English Open is very high quality, with just one “surprise” name in it. Here are the reports by WST on the last 32 and last 16 rounds

December 14 – evening

Ding Misses Out On Allen Revenge

In a repeat of the UK Championship final, Mark Allen once again recovered from a slow start to beat Ding Junhui, this time by a 4-3 scoreline to reach the last 16 of the BetVictor English Open.

In York last month, Allen came from 6-1 down to see off Ding 10-7 and claim the UK title, and tonight he again proved a tough nut to crack as he won the last three frames with a trio of breaks over 80. Seeking his third title of the season and playing with a high level of consistency, Allen now meets Zhao Xintong or John Astley in round four in Brentwood.

A scrappy opening frame went Ding’s way and he made a 124 in the second for 2-0. The next two were shared then Allen compiled a run of 86 to close to 3-2. The Northern Irishman enjoyed a huge slice of luck at the start of frame six when, attempting safety, he fluked a red which set him up for a break of 94 for 3-3.

The key moment of the decider came when Ding, trailing 18-0, failed to make contact with a red when playing a thin safety, and caught the red on the way back up the table, leaving his opponent an inviting opportunity. Allen took full advantage with a match-winning 113.

“I wasn’t feeling well today – I had a headache and spent most of the day in a dark room, and at 3-1 my back was against the wall,” said world number five Allen. “The game brings different challenges and I enjoyed that tonight against a very good player. Because I have lost weight this year, I am not as tired in those situations and I get around the table better. Mentally I am in a very good place and most tournaments are won and lost on what happens between the ears.”

John Higgins enjoyed a tremendous fight back from 3-1 down to beat Robert Milkins 4-3. Breaks of 86, 56 and 62 gave Higgins the last three frames as he reached the last 16 of a ranking event for the first time this season. The result keeps alive Higgins’ hopes of qualifying for the World Grand Prix; he must reach the final this week to climb into the top 32 of the one year list and earn a place in Cheltenham next month.

Judd Trump top scored with 118 in a 4-0 win over Fraser Patrick, setting up a repeat of his BetVictor Scottish Open quarter-final against Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. Yuan Sijun had been among the chasing pack in the World Grand Prix race but he is now out of the running as he lost 4-1 to in-form Un-Nooh, who knocked in breaks of 125 and 122.

Mark Selby, looking to end a spell of 19 months without a title, top scored with 102 in a 4-1 defeat of Wu Yize. Neil Robertson beat Elliot Slessor 4-0 with a top run of 88 while British Open champion Ryan Day made a 70 in the decider to beat Ricky Walden 4-3, a result which leaves Walden uncertain of his World Grand Prix place as he’s currently in 31st position.

Seventh seed Kyren Wilson became the first player ranked among the world’s top 13 to be knocked out as he lost 4-1 to Jamie Jones, who made breaks of 73 and 102.

December 15, afternoon

Glittering Gould Floors Rocket

Martin Gould scored his first ever win over Ronnie O’Sullivan, knocking out the home favourite by a 4-1 scoreline to reach the last 16 of the BetVictor English Open.

O’Sullivan has won two invitation events this season – the Champion of Champions and Hong Kong Masters – but his wait for a first ranking title of the campaign goes on. World number 43 Gould rose to the occasion in Brentwood to beat O’Sullivan for the first time in seven meetings, and will face Ashley Hugill in round four tonight.

Londoner Gould trailed 67-7 in the opening frame but hit back to snatch it by clearing from last red to black, and a run of 60 in the second doubled his lead. O’Sullivan pulled one back with a 78, but couldn’t build momentum, and Gould made further breaks of 57 and 61 in taking the last two frames.

“It’s very early in the tournament but to beat Ronnie is a great scalp,” said Gould. “I have to build on that, not go out signing and dancing, I have to stay in tournament mode and be ready for the game tonight. Snooker is a weird game, you can be flying off your nut for six months, and then you turn up for one event and you forget which end of the cue to use. Beating Ronnie means nothing if I go out and play like a balloon tonight.”

Hugill reached the last 16 of a ranking event for the fourth time in his career with a 4-2 victory over Pang Junxu and will appear in his first quarter-final if he can beat Gould.  Ali Carter scored an impressive 4-2 victory over Jack Lisowski, making breaks of 97, 59, 60 and 53, while three-time Crucible king Mark Williams whitewashed Matthew Selt 4-0 with runs of 79, 55, 71 and 73.

John Astley scored a surprise 4-0 win over Zhao Xintong to reach the last 16 of a ranking event for the first time since the 2018 Welsh Open. That ends Zhao’s hopes of a place in the World Grand Prix, while Astley could still earn a spot if he reaches the semi-finals.

Barry Hawkins saw off Marco Fu 4-2 with top breaks of 89, 127 and 50, while Shaun Murphy top scored with 105 as he beat Anthony McGill by the same scoreline.

More on Ronnie’s defeat at the hands of Matin Gould here

John Astley’s win over Zhao is not that big a surprise considering that Zhao was unwell from the very start of the event. He had lost his voice and was coughing a lot. My guess is that he might well have withdrawn if he hadn’t been chasing a spot in the World Grand Prix. According to Andres Petrov he looked very sick already in his first match.

December 15 evening

Huge Break-Through For Grafter Ashley

Ashley Hugill is renowned as one of the hardest working players on the tour, and is now reaping rewards as a 4-1 victory over Martin Gould earned him a quarter-final place at the BetVictor English Open.

York’s Hugill first turned pro in 2017 and can now look forward to his first appearance in the last eight of a ranking event. He will face Mark Allen at 7pm on Friday in Brentwood. Gould knocked out Ronnie O’Sullivan earlier in the day but couldn’t build on that success in the evening session.

Friday’s quarter-finals
12pm: Neil Robertson v Mark Williams
Not before 2pm: Ali Carter v Mark Selby
7pm: Judd Trump v Luca Brecel
7pm: Mark Allen v Ashley Hugill

Hugill won the WSF Open, the biggest title in amateur snooker, in 2020 and qualified for the Crucible for the first time last season. The 28-year-old has now achieved another career milestone, and that’s a result of many hours of hard graft, on and off the table. He even recently completed a marathon on his own, running 13 miles into the Peak District and then back to his Sheffield home.

“I’m definitely one of the hardest workers on the tour, not just in practice, but keeping fit, eating right and going to bed early. Hopefully that will get me somewhere,” said Hugill, who made breaks of 101, 65 and 64 tonight. “I might not be as talented as many other players on the tour but I work really hard and try to do as many things right as I can.

“I’m just happy to play well when I needed to tonight, that shows I’m moving in the right direction. We played on table four tonight which I have played all my matches on this week, so that was a nice advantage. I made a century in the first frame so Martin was on the back foot straight away.

“I don’t really get intimidated, I just try to enjoy the game and take it in. I’ll just focus on myself tomorrow, try to limit my mistakes and make sure I enjoy it. I work with Ian McCulloch and he always says the most important thing is to enjoy it because you never know when it’s going to be your last game.”

Allen remained on target for a third ranking title of the season as he beat John Astley 4-1 with a top break of 100. “I didn’t have my best stuff tonight,” insisted Allen, winner of the Northern Ireland Open and UK Championship. “I switched off mentally at 2-0, so I’ll have to go back to the room tonight and think about what I was doing and how to put it right.

“I’ve potentially got three very tough matches, I’m just happy that I keep putting myself in these positions and if I do that then I know I’ll win more. I want to finish this year off the right way and hopefully enjoy Christmas with another trophy under my belt. After the Scottish Open I spent a lot of time on my own on the practice table and I feel I’m in a better place now with my technique. ”

Judd Trump will reach a ranking event semi-final for the first time this season if he can beat Luca Brecel. Trump beat Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 4-2 with a top run of 72. Brecel top scored with 94 in a 4-2 win over Jamie Jones.

Mark Selby edged out Shaun Murphy 4-3 thanks to a break of 53 in the decider. Selby now takes on Ali Carter, who followed up a last 32 win over Jack Lisowski by beating John Higgins 4-2 with a tremendous performance.

Higgins scored just one point in the first three frames as breaks of 86, 70 and 136 put Carter 3-0 ahead, and the Englishman later sealed victory in frame six with a 142 total clearance, the new front-runner for the £5,000 high break prize. That result ends Higgins’ hopes of qualifying for the World Grand Prix as he remains well outside the top 32 of the one-year ranking list. Hugill can still earn a place by reaching the final.

Defending champion Neil Robertson compiled runs of 59, 96, 59 and 75 in a 4-2 defeat of Ryan Day and now faces a block-buster battle with Mark Williams, who beat Barry Hawkins 4-2 with breaks of 130, 84, 53 and 91.

Martin Gould’s defeat to Ashley Hugill may be a big surprise at first glance but having read his interview by Hector Nunns, it’ was definitely to be expected. Martin had to play two matches in the same day, one in the afternoon, one in the evening. If his knee injury prevents him to practice for more than 1 hour and a half, the second match was always going to be very difficult. Ashley played very well obviously and, to his own admission, playing on table 4 suited him. Martin said nothing after the match, unsurprisingly. There is this “culture” in the sport, and in the UK, that one shouldn’t “make excuses”. Maybe because I’m from a different background, I would never have seen it as an “excuse” if Martin had spoken about his knee issue. Actually, as a fan, I prefer a transparent approach by the players, rather than leaving the door open to speculations.

It was another disappointing run for Ronnie in the last ranking event of this year. He was beaten by Martin Gould this afternoon, by 4-1. Here are the scores:

Martin had never beaten Ronnie in a ranking event before but he did beat him today, and very convincingly too.

Ronnie should have won the first frame but missed frame ball and Martin stole it. That very much set the scene for the rest of the match.

Martin played really well and Ronnie was poor. Ronnie never looked at ease or confident. It probably isn’t a big surprise. He has not been at his best since the World Championship last season, the tennis elbow hasn’t helped and to his own admission he has found it difficult to find the motivation to practise properly for most events. Yesterday, learning that he would play Martin today, Ronnie’s reaction was “I’m in trouble”: he knows how good Martin is when he plays well and he knew where is own game currently is.

Martin was very positive, made very few mistakes and scored well. He totally deserved the win.

This is the report by WST:

Glittering Gould Floors Rocket

Martin Gould scored his first ever win over Ronnie O’Sullivan, knocking out the home favourite by a 4-1 scoreline to reach the last 16 of the BetVictor English Open.

O’Sullivan has won two invitation events this season – the Champion of Champions and Hong Kong Masters – but his wait for a first ranking title of the campaign goes on. World number 43 Gould rose to the occasion in Brentwood to beat O’Sullivan for the first time in seven meetings, and will face Ashley Hugill in round four tonight.

Londoner Gould trailed 67-7 in the opening frame but hit back to snatch it by clearing from last red to black, and a run of 60 in the second doubled his lead. O’Sullivan pulled one back with a 78, but couldn’t build momentum, and Gould made further breaks of 57 and 61 in taking the last two frames.

“It’s very early in the tournament but to beat Ronnie is a great scalp,” said Gould. “I have to build on that, not go out signing and dancing, I have to stay in tournament mode and be ready for the game tonight. Snooker is a weird game, you can be flying off your nut for six months, and then you turn up for one event and you forget which end of the cue to use. Beating Ronnie means nothing if I go out and play like a balloon tonight.”

Ronnie was interviewed after the defeat and said he “gutted” to be out of the tournament. This at least is a positive because if he does care he will probably practice over the holiday break, especially as the Masters is coming as well.

As things stand he is safe for the 2023 World Grand Prix but will need results there and/or at the 2023 Welsh Open to secure his place in the 2023 Players Championship.

After the match Ronnie has been speaking to Hector Nunns

Ronnie O’Sullivan Heads For A Break In Dubai After Shock English Open Defeat

World No1 Ronnie O’Sullivan suffered a shock second-round English Open defeat on home Essex soil in his last match of the year on Thursday. 

The Rocket crashed and burned against Londoner Martin Gould at the Brentwood Centre as the world No43 claimed a stunning 4-1 victory. 

It was the first time Gould, 41, had ever beaten the reigning and record seven-time world champion in a major ranking tournament.

And after seeing out the week as a TV pundit O’Sullivan, 47, is ready to pack away his cue and head off on a 10-day sunshine break to the Middle East. 

It was also a last meeting with his documentary film crew – grabbing some final shots of a low after the highs with the much-anticipated movie set for release next year. 

O’Sullivan said: “I will celebrate Christmas sitting in Dubai, getting some sun, chilling out, going to the gym and doing a bit of running. 

“I don’t normally go away but it’s a warm-weather break for me this year. I have been invited out there and I’ll be there for 10 days.  

“And I’ll be back in time for the Masters in January. It’s a family that have invited me but I can’t mention no names I’ll get in trouble, I think I had to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement! 

“The documentary crew were here again today for the last time at a tournament, that is all coming to an end – a last couple of bits. 

“It is all getting wrapped up and I have spent a lot of time with them over the past year. It has been fun. 

“There was the big high of the seventh world title, and today I have lost in the last 32 of the English Open.

“When it comes out I am sure there will be a theme, story or narrative and that will explain my relationship with the game.  

“The times that everyone else thinks are highs for me are not always my highs – and the times like today they might think are lows are not always my lows. 

“One of the things I think will come out of it is that it is not all about winning and losing, but being happy with yourself and in your life.  

“I am in a very good place at the moment, and when I am not – I know how to get back there. And I would be happy with eight good weeks in the next 10 years if it meant big titles. 

“Martin did all right today – he played well. Streaky bacon, that should be his new name – streaky Gould. He can be hot or mildly hot…like Nando’s, I suppose. 

“But I feel okay about today, great really – I enjoyed the game, I’m out of the snooker and so it’s back into the pundit’s box here. Essex isn’t getting rid of me that easily just yet!”

There are a few interesting bits in there. Maybe the most surprising for me has been to realise that the Netflix documentary was still work in progress and that it has apparently taken a lot of Ronnie’s time since the last World Championship. That may well have contributed to his lack of form.

The whole “secret” about Dubai probably just means that Ronnie doesn’t want to disclose his whereabouts in order to get some peace and quiet.

And, please, please Hector … give it a rest with the “shock-thing”. Ronnie is World Champion and world number one, but he hasn’t played well since he got the tennis elbow injury and “Gouldy” is a ranking event winner. There is no shock.

The 2022 English Open round of 64 was completed yesterday in Brentwood. None of the top 16 players were beaten at this stage. There were still some surprises as David Gilbert, Jimmy Robertson and Hossein Vafaei exited the tournament.

Here are the reports by WST:

December 13 (afternoon/evening)

Higgins Steps Up World Grand Prix Bid

John Higgins progressed to the last 32 of the BetVictor English Open with a 4-1 victory over Mark King, and needs four more wins to earn a spot in next month’s World Grand Prix.

A poor start to the season left Higgins in 75th place on the one-year ranking list going into this week’s event in Brentwood. The four-time World Champion must reach the final, worth £35,000, to move into the top 32 and secure a place in January’s World Grand Prix, the first of three events in the Players Series.

The Scot fired breaks of 85 and 103 in taking a 3-0 lead over King, who was playing on home turf in Essex. King at least gave his fans something to cheer in frame four when he recovered a 62-10 deficit to make an excellent 55 clearance. But Higgins ended any chance of a fight back with a run of 74 in frame five.

“I could tell Mark was a bit edgy because he had a lot of friends and family here,” said Higgins, who will reach the last 16 of a ranking event for the first time this season if he can beat Robert Milkins on Wednesday evening. “He’ll be disappointed because he let me off the hook a few times. In the last frame I potted a good red and made a nice break.

“I would love to take the chance to get into the World Grand Prix but it will be very difficult. The game is not as easy as some of the boys make it look. If I don’t make it, then I don’t deserve to be there, I will only have myself to blame. It’s the form players that deserve to be there.

“In the last few days I have been practising with Anthony McGill, he has been hitting the ball like a dream so I’m just trying to feed off him, I have been losing a few fivers to him but it has sharpened me up.”

BetVictor Scottish Open champion Gary Wilson saw his hot streak end with a 4-2 reverse against against Martin Gould. Wilson made breaks of 51, 68, 81 and 54 yet only won two frames against Gould, who fired runs of 82, 118 and 128.

Mark Allen, player of the season so far with the Northern Ireland Open and UK Championship trophies under his belt, saw off Dylan Emery 4-1. The Pistol opened with a break of 135 then followed up with a 141 total clearance, the joint-highest break of the tournament so far. Two more runs of 55 helped Allen take the two further frames he needed. The world number five now meets Ding Junhui in a repeat of last month’s UK Championship final, which Allen won 10-7.

“You have to make the most of it while you are in good form,” Allen told Eurosport. “The first couple of frames today were as good as I have played all season. I want to be a winner of multiple titles every season, not just a flash in the pan. But you can’t play well all of the time, you need a B game as well.”

Kyren Wilson top scored with 83 in a 4-0 defeat of Ben Woollaston while Ali Carter, from nearby Chelmsford, saw off Chen Zifan by the same scoreline.

Scott Donaldson made a 128 in a 4-2 success against Mark Davis. British Open champion Ryan Day made a tremendous 57 clearance in the decider to beat Hammad Miah 4-3.

December 14 (morning/afternoon)

O’Sullivan Beats ‘Mr Bean’ To Reach Round Three

Ronnie O’Sullivan compared charismatic Dechawat Poomjaeng to Mr Bean after beating the smiling Thai 4-2 in an entertaining second round match at the BetVictor English Open.

Once described by Stephen Maguire as “not quite the full shilling”, Poomjaeng had been much missed on the tour during a five year absence, but regained his place via Asia-Oceania Q School in August and reminded a packed crowd in Brentwood of his captivating antics around the table. The lowest ranked player on the circuit, at 130, threatened an upset when he led the world number one 2-0, but O’Sullivan recovered to take four frames in a row and set up a last 32 meeting with Martin Gould on Thursday at 1pm.

After losing the opening frame, O’Sullivan made an excellent 49 clearance in the second to force a repotted black. That led to a succession of outlandish shots on the black from both players, before Poomjaeng potted it for 2-0. But World Champion O’Sullivan responded to the challenge by winning the next four frames with breaks of 61, 69, 104 and 76.

“I thought there was no point trying to play straight forward snooker, let’s just have a laugh,” said O’Sullivan. “I went for some doubles and trebles, some of them went in, crazy things can happen when you go for it. He’s like a Mr Bean type character, he pulls these funny faces and his mannerisms – he should go into comedy, he’s such a character.  I was enjoying just going for my shots and trying to make something happen.”

Looking ahead to his next match against Gould, O’Sullivan added:  “He’s a fantastic player, amazing. It’s good to see him back to form and I’ll have to play a lot better to win because he looks like he’s on fire.”

World number nine Zhao Xintong, who needs to reach at least the quarter-finals this week to climb into the top 32 of the one-year ranking list and earn a place in the World Grand Prix, took a step towards that goal with a 4-0 win over Andres Petrov. Zhao has lost his voice due to illness, but let his cue do the talking with breaks of 70, 83, 51 and 135.

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, a semi-finalist at the recent BetVictor Scottish Open, is also looking to secure his World Grand Prix spot and is now up to 28th. He made a 122 in a 4-1 win over Tian Pengfei.

Jack Lisowski needed just 51 minutes to beat Stuart Carrington 4-0, knocking in breaks of 83, 111, 63 and 61. Marco Fu top scored with 75 in a 4-1 win over Peter Lines, while Matthew Selt came from 3-1 down to edge out Louis Heathcote 4-3, making an 87 in the decider.

Barry Hawkins compiled runs of 126 and 101 in a 4-2 defeat of Muhammad Asif, while Shaun Murphy also had two centuries, 119 and 127, as he beat Sam Craigie 4-1.

The world’s top 13 players are still in the line-up, going into the last 32.

Andres Petrov came on twitter later saying that his opponent Zhao looked so unwell that it somehow put him off. His main concern was that he wouldn’t watch to catch that because he intends to go and visit his family over Christmas.

More on Ronnie’s match can be found here

Ronnie came from 2-0 down to beat Dechawat Poomjaeng in round 2 of the 2022 English Open. It was a very entertaining match. Both players were laughing a lot and things got crazy at times.

Here is the report by WST:

O’Sullivan Beats ‘Mr Bean’ To Reach Round Three

Ronnie O’Sullivan compared charismatic Dechawat Poomjaeng to Mr Bean after beating the smiling Thai 4-2 in an entertaining second round match at the BetVictor English Open.

Once described by Stephen Maguire as “not quite the full shilling”, Poomjaeng had been much missed on the tour during a five year absence, but regained his place via Asia-Oceania Q School in August and reminded a packed crowd in Brentwood of his captivating antics around the table. The lowest ranked player on the circuit, at 130, threatened an upset when he led the world number one 2-0, but O’Sullivan recovered to take four frames in a row and set up a last 32 meeting with Martin Gould on Thursday at 1pm.

After losing the opening frame, O’Sullivan made an excellent 49 clearance in the second to force a repotted black. That led to a succession of outlandish shots on the black from both players, before Poomjaeng potted it for 2-0. But World Champion O’Sullivan responded to the challenge by winning the next four frames with breaks of 61, 69, 104 and 76.

“I thought there was no point trying to play straight forward snooker, let’s just have a laugh,” said O’Sullivan. “I went for some doubles and trebles, some of them went in, crazy things can happen when you go for it. He’s like a Mr Bean type character, he pulls these funny faces and his mannerisms – he should go into comedy, he’s such a character.  I was enjoying just going for my shots and trying to make something happen.”

Looking ahead to his next match against Gould, O’Sullivan added:  “He’s a fantastic player, amazing. It’s good to see him back to form and I’ll have to play a lot better to win because he looks like he’s on fire.”

Those are the scores:

For all the crazy stuff Ronnie played well. The clearance he made to force a re-spotted black in frame 2 was quite something.

Eurosport shared a few videos on their YouTube channel:

The re-spotted black chaos

The last minutes of frame five

The ES post-match interview:

And the WST interview on their YouTube Channel:

Enjoy… 😂😎

Away from the awful news that made the headlines yesterday, there was a lot of action on the table too, including most of the held-over matches. Most of the top 16 went through albeit not always easily. The only notable exception was Stuart Bingham who was convincinly beaten 4-1 by Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.

Here are the reports by WST:

Morning and afternoon sessions

Big Guns Fire On Day One In Brentwood

Judd Trump came through a tough battle against Jackson Page by a 4-3 scoreline on the opening day of the BetVictor English Open, while Neil Robertson, John Higgins, Mark Selby and Shaun Murphy also booked places in round two in Brentwood.

Page, ranked 65th, had a chance in the deciding frame to knock out Trump, but couldn’t take it and the world number two went through to the last 64 to face Craig Steadman on Tuesday afternoon.

It was a crucial bounce back for Bristol’s Trump as he suffered a painful 5-4 defeat against Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in the quarter-finals of the recent BetVictor Scottish Open. The 33-year-old is aiming to finish 2022 on a high having not won a title since the Turkish Masters in March.

Breaks of 69 and 60 put Trump 2-0 ahead, then Page fought back to 2-2. Frame five came down to the colours and Page got the snooker he needed on the blue, but then missed a double on the pink to a centre pocket and Trump potted it to regain the lead.

A run of 78 from Page made it 3-3, and the 21-year-old Welshman had first opportunity in the decider, but made only 28 before running out of position. Trump made 21 before losing position himself, but he got the better of a safety battle and added 45 for victory.

“I didn’t want to be going home today,” said Trump. “It could have been easier because at 2-0, Jackson butchered a shot but incredibly he got away with it, and after that the match changed. He made a mess of certain shots today but overall he has improved massively and he looks a tournament winner to me.”

Looking back on that match against Un-Nooh, Trump added: “I was so disappointed afterwards because I had chances in the last frame and didn’t take them. I have got used to taking chances under pressure so it was really tough to take.”

Robertson made a tremendous start to the defence of his title, beating Andrew Pagett 4-0 in 61 minutes with breaks of 110, 122, 67 and 88.

Higgins top scored with 74 in a 4-0 win over Gerard Greene. Four-time Crucible king Higgins must reach the final this week to get into the top 32 of the one-year ranking list and qualify for the World Grand Prix.

Murphy’s 4-2 win over Anthony Hamilton, highlighted by runs of 69, 51, 71, 78 and 111, was all the more impressive given that he had to travel though the night from his Dublin base. His Sunday evening flight was cancelled due to bad weather, so he had to return home, drive his car to catch a 2.15am ferry to Holyhead, then drive to Brentwood through snow and ice. “I can’t have slept more than two hours,” said Murphy. “It was a relief just to get to the venue and I’m delighted to play well and win.”

On a morning of heavy snow, Selby managed to freeze out Noppon Saengkham in the deciding frame, making a break of 128 to win 4-3. “I felt like the table was outside!” joked the four-time World Champion. “I was blowing my hands every other shot. Hopefully by my next match it will have warmed up.”

Selby now meets fellow Leicester cueman Joe O’Connor, who was runner-up in Edinburgh eight days ago. He added: “I was chuffed to bits for Joe. I texted him before the final to say good luck and enjoy it. He beat some great players to reach the final. I play him in practice and he can play to that level so it didn’t surprise me that much.”

Amateur Callum Beresford scored a surprise 4-1 win over Ryan Thomerson with a top break of 67. Zhao Xintong saw off Allan Taylor 4-2 while Luca Brecel made a 101 in the last frame to beat Mark Joyce 4-3.

Evening session

Rocket: Sky Is The Limit For Mertens

Home favourite Ronnie O’Sullivan thrilled a capacity crowd at the BetVictor English Open in Brentwood with a 4-3 win over Ben Mertens, a player he describes as “a great cueist.”

Competing in the first ever ranking event in his home county of Essex, O’Sullivan was in danger of a shock exit when he was hauled back from 3-0 to 3-3, but he came through the decider to book a last 64 clash with charismatic Dechawat Poomjaeng on Wednesday. The Rocket is seeking his third title of the season having won the Champion of Champions and Hong Kong Masters.

Belgium’s 18-year-old Mertens, the European Under-21 Champion, could have taken the opening frame but missed the final yellow when he led 53-51 and his opponent went 1-0 up. World number one O’Sullivan then doubled his lead with a run of 81. Mertens could have cleared from 51-0 down in the third but failed to convert a straight-forward blue on 54 and soon found himself 3-0 behind.

The teenager’s fight back started with a break of 65, and he got the better of a scrappy fifth frame to close to 3-2, before making an excellent 73 to set up the decider. O’Sullivan scored 42 then missed a risky plant, and Mertens had a chance to counter, but made only 12 before losing position. World Champion O’Sullivan soon wrapped it up with a break of 63, but had some comforting words for Mertens.

“He’s a great cueist, he hits the ball well and I like his game,” 47-year-old O’Sullivan told Eurosport. “He’s young and he’s going to be around for a long time. The sky’s the limit. He has a snooker brain, he sees the shot and plays it. I want to see more players like that.”

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh beat Stuart Bingham 4-1, a vital result for the Thai as he had been ‘on the bubble’ in the race to qualify for the World Grand Prix, and the extra £3,000 lifts him a few places inside the top 32. . ..

Ricky Walden also improved his chances of a place in Cheltenham with a 4-0 success against Liam Highfield.

UK Champion Mark Allen beat Mitchell Mann 4-1 with a top break of 63, while Kyren Wilson saw off Reanne Evans 4-0 with runs of 55, 60 and 83.

World number seven Wilson said: “It was nice to start with a comfortable win. My form has been very good for the last few events and I’m enjoying it. I had a 147 in an exhibition over the weekend which was a nice confidence boost.”

British Open champion Ryan Day made a 126 in a 4-2 defeat of Asjad Iqbal.

Here is some more about Ronnie’s match…

Those are the scores:

It was freezing cold in the arena because the heating system wasn’t working and it probably impacted all players and the playing conditions. It showed in this match and in other matches as well.

Here is the last frame:

It was an entertaining match and I think that Ronnie enjoyed it. He’s always happy to face a young talent. Ben certainly did despite the defeat if his reaction on Facebook is anything to go by.

Here some images of the venue …