Month: October 2025

The 2025 Northern Ireland Open – Day 4

Monique Professional snooker tournament, Snooker

Here are the reports shared by WST about what happened in Belfast yesterday:

Afternoon session

BetVictor Northern Ireland Open Day Four Afternoon

Jack Lisowski is working with renowned coach Chris Henry for the first time and that seems to be paying off already as he beat Mark Selby 4-2 to reach the last 16 of the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open in Belfast. 

Lisowski will now meet Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in a mouth-watering tie on Thursday between two of the fastest players in the sport. In today’s battle with Selby, Lisowski lost the opening frame on the final black but then fired breaks of 61, 103 and 51 to lead 3-1. Selby pulled one back with a 65 before Lisowski settled the result with a 65 in frame six.

World number 29 Lisowski’s father sadly passed away in March and he told TNT Sports today: “I didn’t have a lot of fight in me for the first few months. When I played a month after my dad died, in every frame I felt so emotional. I wish I had taken longer off, but I kept going. It doesn’t get easier, but I am getting used to it.“

Asked about his work with Henry, Lisowski added: “It is quite different for me, it has given me things to work on. Chris is helping me to understand the science of the white ball and the way you strike it, how side throws the ball in different ways. I didn’t know that before, I didn’t have a clue. That has been cool to learn, it took a while to get into my brain but it will give me a bit more solidity when I am struggling, because my good game is really good but my bad game is a weakness. It was a great win today. I know if I practise hard and strike the cue ball well I have always got a a chance.” 

Shaun Murphy, British Open champion and Xi’an Grand Prix finalist, notched another win with a 4-2 success against Elliot Slessor. The key moment of the tie came in the second frame when Slessor, leading 1-0 and on a break of 55, missed a short range red to a top corner. Murphy cleared with 68 then went 3-1 up with 81 and 82, and later finished the job with a 60 in frame six.

“It was a tough game, Elliot is a player I have a lot of respect for and I think it’s only matter of time before wins come his way,” said Murphy. “He had the advantage early on but I managed to get myself into the game and take my chances. 

“I am chasing my own goals, I have some personal goals I am after. I am working very hard in between matches and there is plenty left in the tank. It’s a long time since I played in the one-table set up here, it has not been a happy hunting ground for me. I can’t wait to try to go further in the tournament, it’s one of my favourite venues and crowds and I hope I can do them justice.“

Un-Nooh top scored with 94 in a 4-1 defeat of Mark Davis while He Guoqiang got the better of a Chinese derby with Wu Yize, winning 4-2 with top runs of 67, 64, 77 and 120.

World number 17 Si Jiahui, the highest ranked player yet to win a ranking title, stormed to a 4-0 win over Stephen Maguire with top breaks of 69, 64 and 55. Gary Wilson top scored with 79 in a 4-2 win over Martin O’Donnell.

Evening session

BetVictor Northern Ireland Open Day Four Evening

Home stars continued to shine at the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open in Belfast as Mark Allen beat Ben Woollaston 4-3 while fellow Antrim cueman Jordan Brown saw off Ashley Hugill 4-0 to reach the last 16.

Allen now faces a huge clash with Cork’s Aaron Hill on Thursday afternoon, then Brown will meet form-player Shaun Murphy at 7pm on what promises to be a sensational day of snooker at the Waterfront Hall. 

Having won the BetVictor English Open last month, Allen is unbeaten in the Home Nations Series this season and has now won seven consecutive matches in deciding frames in those events. The world number eight looked in danger tonight at 2-1 down but then made breaks of 135 and 100 to lead 3-2. Woollaston recovered to 3-3 and had first chance in the decider but missed an attempted plant on a red to a top corner. Once again Allen remained calm under pressure and a break of 57 helped him to the winning line.

“I’m very grateful for the support I get here and it’s nice that we are giving them something back this week,” said Allen, who won this title in 2021 and 2022. “I don’t do things the easy way, I would love to see what it’s like to win 4-0! But I always feel comfortable in deciders and fancy my chances.”

Looking ahead to his meeting with practice partner Hill, he added: “Aaron is a great kid and is showing in matches now what I have seen in practice for a few years. His confidence is high and he is destined for great things.”

Brown beat World Champion Zhao Xintong 4-0 in the opening round and built on that with another whitewash over Hugill, capped by runs of 73 and 94. Down in 64th place in the projected end of season rankings, Brown is in danger of tour relegation at the end of this season, but his run in this event is a vital boost and he is into the last 16 of a ranking event for the first time since the 2023 International Championship.

“It’s nice to play somewhere near the way I can, especially as the crowd has been amazing this week,” he said. “To walk into the arena alongside Mark Allen was very special. Before we went out, we said to each other ‘it’s not going to be quiet tonight!’ These are memories that I won’t forget. There haven’t been many good times for me over the last couple of seasons and at times I have questioned my future. I have had to reflect on things like winning the Welsh Open and beating Neil Robertson here two years ago to give myself a lift. Hopefully I can put on a show tomorrow.” 

World number two Kyren Wilson earned a 4-1 success over Ryan Day with top runs of 135 and 93. China’s Zhou Yuelong, runner-up to Allen in Brentwood last month, enjoyed a 4-2 victory over David Grace with top breaks of 64, 73 and 59. Jimmy Robertson came from 3-0 down to 3-3 only for his opponent Ali Carter to make a tremendous 135 total clearance in the deciding frame to win 4-3.

All the detailed results are available on snooker.org

I haven’t much to add, almost all the matches went the way I expected them to go, which isn’t always the way I wish them to go of course.

The 2025 Northern Ireland Open – Day 3

Monique Professional snooker, Professional snooker tournament

Hereafter, you will find the reports about what happened yesterday in Belfast, as shared by WST. They are comprehensive enough and I don’t have much to add really.

All the detailed results are available on snooker.org

Afternoon session

BetVictor Northern Ireland Open Day Three Afternoon

Ali Carter gained revenge for two defeats to Stan Moody earlier in the season, beating the teenager 4-3 to reach the last 32 of the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open in Belfast.

Carter felt Moody might be “very annoyed” at the result as the up-and-coming prodigy had chances to win in the last two frames but couldn’t take them. World number 19 Carter, who had lost to Moody at both the British Open and Xi’an Grand Prix, goes through the next round and will meet Jimmy Robertson on Wednesday night. 

Six-time ranking event winner Carter started the season strongly by reaching the final of the invitational Shanghai Masters and the quarter-finals of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, though he would need a deep run in one of upcoming events to get back into the top 16 in time for the Johnstone’s Paint Masters cut-off.

Moody, age 19, went 2-0 up before Carter hit back with breaks of 137 and 100 for 2-2. A run of 72 gave Moody frame five and he had a match-winning opportunity in the sixth but overcut a red to a centre pocket when he trailed 30-40, allowing Carter to make it 3-3. In the decider, Carter made 43 before playing safe then Moody’s counter reached 42 when he was left with a tough long blue to a baulk corner with one red left. He went for it full-blooded but missed the target and that proved his last shot. 

“It was experience which got me over the line,” said Carter. “I did make two centuries and also had a couple of pack splits which could have gone better, otherwise I could have won 4-2. I haven’t practised at all since I got back from China, apart from one exhibition. That’s no excuse but I have had a very important family matter which has been in the background for 18 months, thankfully it is all dealt with now. I have no expectations here, I will just turn up tomorrow night and give it a go and see what happens.

“It’s hard to say how far anyone can go but Stan has got the competitive instinct and he has the nonchalance that he belongs there playing against the top boys on the big stage. He’ll be gutted not to win that match and probably very annoyed, as I would have been at his age.”  

Defending champion Kyren Wilson narrowly escaped a first round exit as he edged out Oliver Lines 4-3. Wilson, who beat Judd Trump 9-3 in the final here last year, is yet to reach the semi-finals of a ranking event so far this season and is determined to go deep this week. 

He went 2-1 up today with a break of 133 but Lines then took the next two to lead 3-2. World number two Wilson made a 61 for 3-3 then led 42-0 in the decider when he missed a tricky thin cut on a red to a top corner. Lines had a chance to clear, but on 29 with one red left he failed to convert an awkward green to a baulk corner, playing with the long rest. A relieved Wilson took advantage to set up a last 32 tie with Ryan Day. 

“It was a very difficult first round match, Oliver has been in good form this season,” said 2024 World Champion Wilson. “His all-round game was strong today and he made it tough for me. I’m proud of the way I dug in from 3-2 down. 

“In the last frame when he had the chance to clear up, he still had work to do with the last red next to the yellow. When he missed the green I was like a greyhound out of my chair. It would have sucked to go out on the first round because this is a fantastic venue with big crowds.” 

Luca Brecel, the 2023 World Champion, is down in 83rd place on this season’s rankings and he suffered a 4-1 defeat against Stephen Maguire, who compiled breaks of 75 and 63. Si Jiahui saw off Cheung Ka Wai 4-0 while 53-year-old Mark Davis top scored with 118 in a 4-1 defeat of Zhang Anda. Ryan Day saw off Matthew Selt 4-2 with a top break of 77.

Evening session

BetVictor Northern Ireland Open Day Three Evening

Tom Ford’s season has literally suffered a sledgehammer blow, but he battled through the pain of a shoulder injury tonight to beat Chris Wakelin 4-1 and reach the last 16 of the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open. 

Last summer, Ford was working at a building in Loughborough where he is hoping to open a snooker club. “I was trying to knock a wall down with a sledgehammer,” he explains. “Just a normal thing for a snooker player to do! But I thought I could do it myself rather than hire workmen to do it, obviously that was the wrong thing to do. Soon afterwards I had pain in my left shoulder and it turned out I had torn the rotator cuff.

“That’s why my results have been so bad. I had physiotherapy to start with. There is an option of a cortisone injection but that has a risk of infection so I have decided not to have that for now. I am taking some tablets to reduce the inflammation but it’s still very uncomfortable when I’m playing. I have had scans and it seems to be healing nicely but it will take time. Hopefully by next month I’ll be back to normal.

“I had to pull out of the British Open because I just couldn’t get down on the shot. I feel a sharp stabbing pain and it goes up my neck as well. I have not been practising at all, so when I play the table just looks huge. I expected nothing tonight, I knew I could lose 4-0 without scoring a point. Any pot over six foot I have got no chance. So it is great to get a win on the board.” 

Ford managed breaks of 75 and 78 as he got the better of Wakelin to set up a last 16 clash with China’s Yuan Sijun, who beat Long Zehuang 4-2. 

Ireland’s Aaron Hill took another big scalp as he beat Barry Hawkins 4-3. After being hauled back from 3-1 to 3-3, 23-year-old Hill made a superb break of 92 in the decider. He will now meet either his close friend and practice partner Mark Allen or Ben Woollaston. 

“I was nervous in the last frame because I had a chance to win 4-1, then when I missed that Barry came back,” said Hill. “I was delighted to take my chance in the decider. As you get more experience you learn how to use those nerves and to stay in the moment. Barry is one of the greats and such a tough player to beat. When I look around in an arena like that and see the players I have watched my whole life, to win a deciding frame in one visit is a dream come true for me. If I do play Mark next that would be a great occasion for both of us.”

John Higgins was another 4-3 winner, coming through a tough battle against Pang Junxu. Four-time Crucible king Higgins came from 2-0 down to lead 3-2 with a top break of 126 then Pang made a 137 for 3-3. The decider was in the balance until Higgins made a vital break of 45 to earn a tie with Stephen Maguire or Si Jiahui.

World number one Judd Trump was far below his best but he beat Jackson Page 4-2 with a top break of 53 and now meets Gary Wilson or Martin O’Donnell on Thursday.

Neither Judd nor Jackson played well in that match. When Jackson first appeared on the pro scene, as Mark Williams “protégé”, much was expected from him. It didn’t really happen. I’m not criticising Jackson here, he’s not responsible for the expectations other people may have about him. He’s a good player, of course he is. He wouldn’t be on tour if he wasn’t. He can score very heavily. Last season, during the World Championship qualifiers, he became the first player to make two 147 in a match. But he has room for improvement, notably in his safety game and, also, he can be inconsistent.

The 2025 Northern Ireland Open – Day 2

Monique Snooker

Here are the reports by WST on what happened on day 2 at the Waterfront, in Belfast:

Afternoon session

BetVictor Northern Ireland Open Day Two Afternoon

Aaron Hill continued to build his reputation as one of snooker’s best up-and-coming players as he fired two centuries in a 4-1 win over Lei Peifan to reach the last 32 of the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open in Belfast.

Cork’s 23-year-old Hill has had a fine start to the season, notably reaching the quarter-finals of the English Open and the last 16 of two other events. He has also made the first two 147s of his career within the past five weeks. And today’s superb display, highlighted by breaks of 84, 109, 54 and 134, kept up his hopes of another deep run and set up a clash with Barry Hawkins on Tuesday night.

“It’s great to get off to a good start in my home event,” said world number 47 Hill. “From 1-0 down it was more or less a perfect performance. It was a great crowd and a lot of my family and friends were here, they made a lot of noise, clapping nearly every shot. I’m delighted to give them something back.

“It has been a long time coming but I am getting consistent results now and I believe I can be doing this week in, week out. Experience is massive in this game and I have five years behind me. I am getting closer to where I want to be. Times are good now and snooker is in the best place now it has ever been.“

Hill is working with former pro Fergal O’Brien and cites that as a key factor behind his improvement. He said: “It’s unreal working with Fergal, he has been there and done it all. Whatever question I ask him, he always has the answer. He tells me to focus on everything in my control, and not worry about anything out of my control. That’s really important when you are out there because you have to stay in the moment.”

And asked about his brace of 147s, he added: “It was such a great buzz. I had always dreamed of making one on the tour. I have got a lot of recognition from other players, asking me ‘no 147s this week’? That’s a good feeling. Hopefully I can make another one here in Belfast.” 

Shaun Murphy, arguably the form player on the tour having won the British Open and finished runner-up at the Xi’an Grand Prix, saw off David Lilley 4-0 with a top run of 115. He said: “I have played well all season, earlier in this season I had to keep the faith and I felt it would come good at some stage. I feel like when I get chances then nine times out of ten I will take them. I’m just trying to enjoy this while is lasts.”

Elliot Slessor made an 87 in the decider to beat Fan Zhengyi 4-3 while Hawkins saw off Zak Surety 4-0 with a top break of 74. BetVictor English Open runner-up Zhou Yuelong beat Dylan Emery 4-2 with a best run of 86.

Evening session

BetVictor Northern Ireland Open Day Two Evening

Mark Allen admitted that he gets more nervous playing in the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open than he does at any other tournament, but he came through that pressure to beat Robert Milkins 4-3 with a tremendous break in the deciding frame.

The home favourite, who lifted the Alex Higgins Trophy in 2021 and 2022, is into the last 32 and will face Ben Woollaston on Wednesday. With Jordan Brown and Aaron Hill also into the next round, there will be plenty for the Belfast fans to cheer about over the coming days at the Waterfront Hall. 

World number eight Allen won the BetVictor English Open last month and is the front-runner for the £150,000 bonus which goes to the leading player across the four-event series. He was pushed all the way tonight by Milkins, who is in danger of tour relegation this season, but 12-time ranking event winner Allen finished strongly. 

Milkins led 2-1 with breaks of 70 and 98 before Allen came from 62-11 down to steal the fourth with a vital 52 clearance. Frame five went to Milkins, then Allen responded with a break of 104 for 3-3. In the decider, Milkins had first chance but made just 14 before narrowly missing a tricky red to a centre pocket. His opponent seized the moment with a run of 113.

“It was nice to finish the match off well because I was getting a lot of support and they didn’t have much to cheer about until the end,” said Antrim’s Allen. “I can take that confidence through to the next round.   

“I feel more nervous here than I do in any other event including the World Championship. I try to do breathing exercises and relax before I go out there, but as soon as you get into the arena it hits you. I was edgy at the start and made some errors, I only settled down when I made the clearance to go 2-2. It’s mad because I have won here twice so I shouldn’t be feeling as bad as I do, but it just shows what it means to me. If I went out feeling flat I would be more worried, but I don’t ever feel like that here.”

Asked about the BetVictor bonus, he added: “I’ll think about it when we get to the Welsh Open and see what I need to do. I just need to keep winning matches and if I can win this event it would create some daylight. But there’s a long way to go.” 

Gary Wilson beat Chang Bingyu 4-3 in a dramatic finish just after midnight. Chang came from 3-0 down to 3-3 but twice missed match-ball final brown in the decider when he led by 17 points, first to a baulk corner and then a short range pot to a top corner. Wilson capitalised on the second miss to pot the last four balls. 

“From 3-0 it all went a bit silly,” said Wilson. “I missed a few, everything went awkward, he got the run of the ball and it felt like it was going to be one of those nights. In the end he played the brown right-handed (Chang is left-handed) and maybe he should have played it with the rest. He clearly twitched it a bit. Thankfully I held myself together to pot the last few balls because they weren’t easy.”

Martin O’Donnell’s cue went missing en route from London to Belfast and he was reunited with it just minutes before his match with Jak Jones. But O’Donnell still managed to come from 3-1 down to win a marathon three-and-a-half hour battle 4-3 with a top break of 103.

Jimmy Robertson enjoyed a 4-2 success against Stuart Bingham while Thepchaiya Un-Nooh recovered a 2-0 deficit to beat Joe O’Connor 4-3 with runs of 65, 74, 64 and 66.

As usual all the detailed results are available on snooker.org

Some more on is the 4-3 win by Theppy over Joe O’Connor. It was a close, hard fought match. Joe won the fist two low scoring frames. Then Theppy “woke up”: breaks of 65, 74 and 64 put him in the lead by 2-3. Joe responded with a 118 break to restore parity, only for Theppy to take the decider aided by a break of 66.

Stuart Bingham, the 18th seed, was the highest ranked player who lost yesterday. Despite scoring 2 of the 3 breaks over 50 scored during their match, he was beaten 4-2 by Jimmy Robertson as mentioned above.

…

The 2025 Northern Ireland Open – Day 1

Monique Professional snooker, Professional snooker tournament

Here are the reports by WST on the snooker in Belfast yesterday:

Afternoon session

BetVictor Northern Ireland Open Day One Afternoon

Local hero Jordan Brown channeled the energy of his home crowd in a sensational 4-0 victory over World Champion Zhao Xintong on the opening day of the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open in Belfast.

…

Brown won the Welsh Open in 2021 and climbed as high as 22nd in the world, but a poor run of results in recent seasons has left him in danger of relegation from the pro tour as he lies 64th in the projected end-of-season list. In that context, today’s result is one of the best of his career and he’s into the last 32 of a ranking event for the first time in 20 months. The popular 38-year-old from Antrim will meet Ashley Hugill next at the Waterfront Hall. 

Crucible king Zhao has been suffering from illness and looked out of sorts today. Brown took a scrappy opening frame then won the second on the colours, then took the next two with the highest breaks of the match, 48 and 51.

“It was fantastic out there, I absolutely loved it out and I want to thank everyone for their support. This is a special place to play,” said Brown. “I haven’t given them much to shout about recently. I beat Neil Robertson here two years ago and I had to try to bring back those memories today and produce something similar. When you play Zhao you have to go for your shots. I kept him cold, especially in the first couple of frames. 

“It has been very difficult over the last couple of seasons. It’s just confidence, I am a confidence player and when that goes, everything goes. I have been working with Fergal O’Brien on the mental side and trying to get things right again. If I play like that again there’s no reason why I can’t go further. I’ll have a pint of Guinness tonight, or maybe two! You have to celebrate moments like this with family and friends.”

Mark Selby is yet to reach the final of a ranking event this season but started strongly here with a 4-1 win over Ian Burns, highlighted by a break of 129 in the second frame. 

“I actually love coming here, even though my record over the years has not been good,” said Selby. “I’ve only experienced the one-table set-up once here (in 2018 when he lost 6-5 to Ronnie O’Sullivan in the semi-finals) and the atmosphere was great. But just the layout of the arena, how it’s tiered, it’s definitely up there as one of the best on tour for sure.”

Amateur Hugill scored a 4-2 success against Noppon Saengkham. Chris Wakelin, runner-up here two years ago, saw off Lan Yuhao 4-1 with a top break of 85, while China’s Wu Yize edged out Scott Donaldson 4-3. Ben Woollaston enjoyed a 4-2 victory over Hossein Vafaei while Pang Junxu beat Robbie Williams 4-1.

Evening session

BetVictor Northern Ireland Open Day One Evening

Judd Trump remains optimistic that he will end his ten-month title drought as a 4-2 victory over Anthony McGill put him into the last 32 of the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open, a tournament he has won four times since 2018.

…

Usually a prolific winner of titles, Trump hasn’t lifted a trophy since the UK Championship last December. Though he retains his position at the top of the official Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings, on this season’s list he is down in 34th spot and must get into the top 32 before Christmas to earn a place in the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong in February.

Handed a tricky opening tie against British Open runner-up McGill, Trump came through the test to book a meeting with Jackson Page. After losing the opening frame, Trump hit back to take three in a row with breaks of 62, 68 and 67. He had a clear chance to win 4-1 but missed the final green to a baulk corner and his opponent capitalised to take frame five on the black. McGill also led 36-1 in the sixth, but Trump saved his best until last with an excellent 82 clearance. 

“As soon as I saw it was Anthony I knew I would have to be on top of my game and sometimes that helps,” said Trump. “I wasn’t at my best tonight but it was a pretty solid performance. He had chances to go 3-3 and in the end I made a good break to finish it. 

“It’s just a matter of time before I have a deep run. You have to patient, there are so many great players out there. If I was getting smashed 5-0 or 5-1 in every tournament I’d be worried, but it’s just the odd decider in most of the events and hopefully that will turn around.“

Asked about his position on the one-year rankings he said: “Hong Kong is the one I definitely want to be in. If I don’t make the other two (in the Players Series) I’d only have myself to blame. If that happens then maybe it’s the break I need and it would be a different avenue into the World Championship. I’m just concentrating on trying to have some good events, keeping positive no matter what happens.” 

Trump won this event thee times in a row from 2018 to 2020 and lifted the Alex Higgins Trophy again in 2023, naming Belfast’s Waterfront Hall as one of his top three venues on the circuit. He added: “The people are so friendly here and everyone is excited to play in this event. I had some unbelievable finals against Ronnie.” 

John Higgins looked sharp in a 4-0 win over Louis Heathcote, firing runs of 84, 95 and 61. Page beat Steven Hallworth 4-0 with a top break of 73, while China’s He Guoqiang top scored with 99 in a 4-2 win over David Gilbert. Jack Lisowski earned a huge last-32 clash with Mark Selby by beating Haris Tahir 4-0 in just 47 minutes with a top break of 112.

All the detailed results are available on snooker.org

WST mentions that Zhao Xintong has been suffering from illness, without being more specific. I’m not the kind of fan who believes that we “have a right to know”. We don’t, it’s a private matter, but I wonder if that illness is just some kind of viral/microbial infection that will almost certainly go away after a few days, or if is something more “long lasting” like glandular fever for instance. If it were to be the latter, it would explain a lot about Zhao’s miserable season so far.

I don’t have much to add.

Just one thing that isn’t snooker related. I wish that Scott Donaldson would get a short(er) haircut. I do understand that hair loss isn’t an easy thing to accept and to deal with, and I’m sorry for Scott who is only 31, a young age to go through that kind of thing, but IMO the longer haircut he is sporting right now doesn’t make things look better, on the contrary, it makes him look unkempt.

The 2025 Scottish Open Qualifiers – Day 4

Monique Professional snooker, Professional snooker tournament

Here is the (short) report by WST on what happened on the fourth and last day of the 2025 Scottish Open Qualifiers:

BetVictor Scottish Open Qualifiers Day Four

Liam Pullen scored a 4-0 whitewash win over Daniel Wells to earn his place in the final stages of the BetVictor Scottish Open. 

The 20-year-old Yorkshireman is in a rich vein of form, having made a maiden quarter-final at the recent Xi’an Grand Prix, where today’s opponent Wells was a beaten semi-finalist. 

Breaks of 72, 50 and 72 helped Pullen to a comfortable win today. He now progresses to the final stages, which take place in Edinburgh from Monday December 15th. 

Quickfire Thai Thepchaiya Un-Nooh scored a 4-1 win over compatriot Chatchapong Nasa. He averaged just 17.1 seconds a shot in a win where he top scored with a stunning run of 144.

Robbie Williams beat Women’s World Champion Bai Yulu 4-0, while Poland’s Antoni Kowalski qualified with a 4-2 win over David Lilley.

As always, all the detailed results are available on snooker.org

And, as always, a lot of interesting results have been “overlooked” by the guy or gall in charge of reporting for WST.

  • Luca Brecel didn’t show up, giving Steven Hallworth the first win of the day. No explanation has been given so far. Steven won’t care and his fans didn’t complain too much … 😉.
  • Chang Bingyu whitewashed Xu Si in style: he produced a break over 50 in every frame.
  • As mentioned by WST Robbie Williams whitewashed Bai Yulu. What they didn’t mention is that Bai actually scored the only break over 50 in that match…
  • Ishpreet Sing Chada beat Dylan Emery by 4-3 in a quite extraordinary match. Dylan lead by 3-0. He had scored breaks of 73, 67 and 70 by that point, and had another 58 break in frame 4, a frame he lost by 60-58. Ishpreet also got a 58 break in that pivotal frame, and then went on to win the three remaining frames without any big break. Dylan may have felt that he was the better player out there, he was certainly the heaviest scorer but a big break wins you only one frame…
  • Antoni Kowalski beat David Lilley by 4-2, with break of 64, 66 and 52, as mentioned by WST. This is a very good result for Antoni because David is the kind of hard match player who usually causes problems to the young ones who are not used to that type of match.
  • Wang Yuchen also got a good result: he beat the experienced Ricky Walden by 4-3. Ricky made two centuries in that match, 112 and 113, in frames 3 and 6. All the other frames were closely contested. Wang’s only break of note was a 67 in frame 5.
  • Stan Mood and He Guoqiang won the two last matches on the day, both by 4-1. He’s opponent was Alex Ursenbacher who had a 81 break in the only frame he won but other than scored only 25 points in the four frames he lost.

…

The 2025 Scottish Open Qualifiers – Day 3

Monique Snooker

This is the report by WST on day 3 at the 2025 Scottish Open Qualifiers

BetVictor Scottish Open Qualifiers Day Three

Women’s World Champion Bai Yulu scored a fine 4-0 win over India’s Kreishh Gurbaxani to make it to the second stage of BetVictor Scottish Open qualifying. 

Victory sees China’s Bai rack up her third match win of the current campaign. She now faces Robbie Williams for a place in the final stages, having top scored with a run of 81 in today’s decisive frame. 

Liam Pullen continued his good form with a 4-1 defeat of Farakh Ajaib. Yorkshire’s Pullen made the first quarter-final of his professional career at the last week’s Xi’an Grand Prix. There were no signs of jet lag today, as he fired in breaks of 54 and 82 en route to the win. Next up is Xi’an Grand Prix semi-finalist Daniel Wells.

Swiss number one Alexander Ursenbacher was a 4-1 victor against Hungary’s Bulcsu Revesz and now plays He Guoqiang.

As usual, this report only covers a fraction of yesterday’s action but you will find all the results on snooker.org.

It was a good day for the Hong Kong players as both Wang Yuchen and Cheung Ka Wai progressed. Wang had an easy task against Jonas Luz who scored only 17 points all match. I’m not sure it makes actual sense to give a tour card right away to players like Jonas who come from an area where snooker isn’t very developed yet. They stand no chance in the cut-throat competition on tour. It would be much better if they were offered a year of free scholarship in the UK and a spot on the Q-Tour before accessing the main tour. Of course, it would come at a cost. It’s called investing into the future.