With only four matches played yesterday, WST reporting on the QFs is comprehensive.
Afternoon session
PANG ENDS ROBERTSON’S HOME NATIONS DREAM
Pang Junxu fired a century in the deciding frame as he ended Neil Robertson’s bid to become the first player to win all four Home Nations titles with a 5-4 success in the quarter-finals of the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open.
World number 27 Pang, one of seven Chinese players inside the world’s top 32, is into the semi-finals of a ranking event for the third time in his career. His best run came at the 2023 WST Classic when he reached the final before losing to Mark Selby, and the 24-year-old hopes to go one further this time in Belfast. He will face Kyren Wilson on Saturday afternoon.
Robertson had hoped to complete the set of Home Nations trophies, having previously worn the English, Scottish and Welsh crowns, but he’ll have to wait for another year. His lead at the top of the BetVictor Series rankings, with a £150,000 bonus up for grabs at the end of the series, is also now sure to be slashed.
Pang got the better of a fragmented opening frame, then Robertson, playing his 82nd ranking quarter-final, levelled with a break of 105. In the third, Pang looked set to clear from 46-0 down until he missed a routine pot on the final green on 52, allowing his opponent to go ahead. Pang squared the tie with a run of 87 then Robertson’s 85 made it 3-2.
An over-cut red to a center pocket on 19 cost Robertson in frame six as Pang responded with 51 to draw level again. Pang had a clear scoring chance in the seventh but made just 16 before running out of position and missing a difficult red to a baulk corner, and Robertson’s 52 was enough for 4-3.
Australia’s Robertson had his match-winning chance in the eighth but was unlucky to lose position on 40 when he went into the pack. Pang took it with an 85 then finished in style with a 129 total clearance.
“I’m very happy to have won,” said Pang, who was named Rookie of the Year after his debut season in 2021. “Being able to seize the opportunity and clear the table in the deciding frame feels really great. I tried not to overthink and just focused on playing, capitalising on Neil’s mistakes. I generally don’t get influenced by the crowd – once I’m immersed in the game, there’s no pressure, and I feel quite comfortable with that. I believe I have a good chance to progress to the next round, and reducing my errors would be ideal. If I can minimize mistakes, I should be able to go even further.
“The mistakes mainly come from positional play and potting. When I don’t position the ball well, it increases the difficulty of my next shot, which leads to more errors. Neil also made quite a few mistakes today, and I managed to take advantage.“
World Champion Wilson extended his winning run over Mark Williams after an impressive 5-1 defeat of the three-time Crucible king.
The Warrior’s incredible head-to-head record against Williams now stands at 7-0 in his favour after today’s victory. Tomorrow sees Wilson bidding for a maiden Northern Ireland Open final appearance. He made the semis in the inaugural year back in 2016, but hasn’t been beyond the last 16 in Belfast since.
Wilson was in clinical form this afternoon and crafted breaks of 72, 135 and 67 on his way to victory.
“It’s a game that I enjoy playing. He is in the Class of 92 and an all-time great. You know you have to always play well. Anything below par and he is going to walk all over you. It makes my job quite simple. Maybe the way Mark plays is so relaxed that it makes me relaxed. I just go out there and try to enjoy it,” said seven-time ranking event winner Wilson.
“When I look back on my career and these legends have gone and retired, they will be the landmark. You will look at how you got on against them. To have a record like that against them is very flattering.
“Pang is a really solid player. He had a good win over Neil Robertson. I know him from Ding Junhui’s Snooker Academy in Sheffield and he is a very heavy practiser. He puts many hours in and is very solid. I will have to play as well as I have done today to beat him.”
Evening session
TOP TRUMP THRASHES MURPHY
Judd Trump continued his hunt for a record extending fifth BetVictor Northern Ireland Open title, after demolishing 2005 World Champion Shaun Murphy 5-1 at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.
World number one Trump has shown incredible consistency levels in 2024, having made at least the quarter-finals of every event he’s entered. He’s also racked up over £1.5 million in prize money for the calendar year.
Today’s ruthless win was the Bristolian’s sixth straight defeat of Murphy. He now progresses to the semi-finals, where he will take on Elliot Slessor tomorrow night.
The opening frame this evening looked to be going the way of Murphy when he crafted a run of 62. However, Trump clawed his way back into the frame and a break of 35 eventually saw him steal by just a single point on the black.
The second did go to Murphy, after a run of 66, but it was Trump who took the next to regain the lead at 2-1. That acted as a catalyst for the 29-time ranking event winner to charge to the line. Further runs of 128 and 125 helped him to make it four on the bounce and a 5-1 triumph.
“I played pretty well from start to finish. I didn’t do much wrong, other than the last frame. By then it was pretty much done and dusted. I’m pleased with how I’ve played in all four games so far,” said 35-year-old Trump.
“I’d put how I’m playing down to hard work, consistency and self belief. Whether I win or have a tough loss, I treat it the same. I go back and work hard. The next tournament is completely different and I just try to win again.
“Shaun said some nice words at the end about how well I’m playing and how consistent I’ve been. It is nice to get recognition from your peers. You know it doesn’t come lightly if they say it.
“The crowd here are a bit more boisterous. When I can feel the excitement and energy in the crowd I want to play better. This is a place I love coming to.”
Slessor made it through to his fourth ranking semi-final, after a 5-1 defeat of Louis Heathcote, who was appearing in his maiden quarter-final.
The Gateshead cueman made the last four here in Belfast back in 2017. On that occasion he bowed out against eventual winner Mark Williams. Slessor will be hoping to go one better this time and he’s undaunted by the prospect of facing Trump.
Slessor said: “I’ve got a decent record against top 16 players. I’m not frightened of playing them. If he gives me a hiding it won’t be the first time I’ve had one and it won’t be the last time. All the pressure is on him. Everybody expects Judd to win, because he wins most of the things he enters. There will be a very small percentage of people thinking I can win, but I’ve beaten him before. I’ll try my best and see where it gets me.”
There is not much to add regarding the action at the table.
The Robertson v Pang match was interesting. Pang looked very solid mentally. The way he finished the match was impressive. Kyren Wilson never looked like losing his QF match. Mark Williams was far from his best. At 49 years of age, it’s extraordinary that he still gets regularly to the business end of tournaments but the consistency isn’t what it used to be. It’s only normal but not necessarily easy to accept, although I believe that Mark is the type of character who is able to cope with this acceptance phase1.
Trump’s dominance over Murphy is unsurprising. Shaun always plays an open game, he is always bound to leave opportunities to his opponents and Judd WILL convert those chances more often than not. They say you should play the table not your opponent, but I strongly believe that getting to know your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses is something that a player needs doing in order to adapt best to the circumstances of a match. Judd played well indeed, except in the last frame as he honestly admitted, but he was facing someone whose game really suits him. He didn’t have to “earn” his chances, most were offered to him quite liberally. Judd also played some nice exhibition stuff after the frames were won. This was duly appreciated by the crowd.
I didn’t watch anything of the other evening match. If I have to be honest … I’m no fan of Slessor either as a player or as a person. Now, to be fair to him, he was quite young when I was around the tour. He’s almost certainly matured and changed but back then he was quite moody and prone to mini tantrums.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 