John Higgins, determined to regain his place among the world’s top 16, scored one of his best wins of recent years as he beat Shaun Murphy 4-2 in the second round of the Unibet British Open.
After an unbroken sequence of 29 years among the top 16, an all-time record, Higgins dropped out last weekend, overtaken by English Open champion Neil Robertson. But the legendary Scot has no intention of slipping further down, and his ambition over the upcoming events is to make sure of a place at the Masters in January.
The 49-year-old took a 3-0 lead today with top breaks of 74 and 56. Murphy pulled two back with 57 and 84, before Higgins wrapped up the result in frame six with an 82.
“It’s a massive scalp for me,” said Higgins, who now meets close friend Graeme Dott in the last 32 at 1pm on Thursday. “The last couple of times against Shaun, he has outplayed me. It’s important for me to beat one of the top guys, and I’m pleased with the way I closed the match out. My new cue seems to have given me a new lease of life.
“The players in the top 16 deserve to be in there because they are winning tournaments, and I have not done that. It gives me something to aim for, to get back in there in time for the Masters. I’ve played there for 30 consecutive years and I wouldn’t want that run to end.“
World Champion Kyren Wilson saw off Ben Woollaston 4-1 with top breaks of 114 and 92. “It was a mixed bag, I scored heavily at times but also missed a few easy balls,” said Wilson. “Winning a title early in the season (the Xi’an Grand Prix) has taken pressure off me but I want to win more. I’m not at my best, I haven’t put in as much preparation as usual because I’m trying to balance family life with practice. But I still feel I can compete for the trophy.”
Zhang Anda enjoyed a 4-1 success against Hossein Vafaei, while Oliver Lines made a crucial 23 in the deciding frame to beat Ka Wai Cheung 4-3. Ben Mertens top scored with 85 in a 4-1 win over Hammad Miah.
Stan Moody reached the last 16 of a ranking event for the second time in his career with a superb 4-3 victory over world number 12 Zhang Anda in round three of the Unibet British Open.
Teenage talent Moody, playing his second season on the tour, will reach his first quarter-final if he can beat Oliver Lines or Sunny Akani in Cheltenham on Thursday evening.
Yorkshire’s 18-year-old Moody turned pro last year with high expectations after an outstanding junior career, and has shown his potential in patches. Tonight’s performance in Zhang was perhaps his best so far as he made breaks of 69, 55, 68, 60 and a crucial 47 in the decider.
“It’s my best win on tour,” said Moody. “My all round game is getting better, I am working on my safety game. My debut season was very difficult, but this season I have changed a lot of things both on and off the table and hopefully I’ll get the results. I’ll just play the balls tomorrow and have some fun.“
English Open champion Neil Robertson suffered a surprise 4-3 reverse against Rory Thor. From 3-1 down, Malaysia’s Thor took the next two frames with a top break of 90, then got the better of a scrappy decider.
Mark Selby pulled out a 41 clearance in the deciding frame to beat Yuan Sijun 4-3 on the final black, while Crucible finalist Jak Jones top scored with 109 in a 4-1 win over Iulian Boiko. David Gilbert came from 3-1 down to beat Ashley Carty 4-3, while Stephen Maguire edged out Stuart Bingham by the same scoreline.
I haven’t much to add really. I don’t like this event for a number of reasons. Never did. The schedule is very difficult for me. The last “yesterday” match actually finished today past 3 am in my time zone. Needless to say … I didn’t watch it. In fact, I didn’t watch any of the “evening session”. The ITV coverage might be excellent but it’s not available to me. I watch on discovery+ and I am grateful to, at least, have that option, but it’s not the same thing.
In the afternoon, I watched Sunny Akani vs Antoni Kowalski and Ben Mertens v Hammad Miah. Sunny won all the “closer” frames, which is to be expected. Younger players are often excellent potters but they still have to learn how to win the more tactical frames. Ben Mertens outplayed Hammad Miah in all departments for most of the match. I was happy with the outcome of both matches. I like Sunny, who I met in person several times, as a person and as a player.
I find nothing “exciting” about the random draw in each round. The draw isn’t even made in public, and can’t be watched online either. It’s just WST coming up at some point with the “next round draw” on their website.
Ukranian teenager Iulian Boiko scored what he described as the best win of his career so far, beating Si Jiahui 4-1 in the second round of the Unibet British Open.
Flamboyant cueman Boiko, who turned 19 the day before this event in Cheltenham started, is not currently on the pro tour but earns invites to certain events as one of the leading players in the Q School rankings. And he has taken advantage this time, beating Farakh Ajaib in the qualifying round then knocking out world number 13 Si to set up a last-32 tie with Jak Jones or Alfie Burden.
“It’s my biggest win on the pro tour because I really rate Si,” said Boiko, whose top break today was 78. “I’m really happy with result. I have had a few tournaments recently so I feel sharp. My schedule is busy because I can play in amateur and pro events. But I much prefer the pro tour because the atmosphere and the venues are great, and I bring my best game.“
English Open champion Neil Robertson maintained his momentum with a 4-1 win over Chris Totten, making breaks of 100, 99, 86 and 53. Looking back on his success in Brentwood, his 24th ranking title and first for two years, the Thunder said: “A victory after a tough time is always far sweeter. When you are winning regularly you can take it for granted. This one was really special. My wife and kids have seen me struggling over the last years because they were used to me winning before.
“My son Alexander would come back from school and a teacher had asked him why his dad was not winning any more. So it can impact your kids, they go through it as well. That was actually a chance for me to be a good example to him, by saying that you have to be patient and keep working hard and wait for things to turn around. As a dad, and as a sportsman who tries to inspire people watching on TV, that’s the influence you can have on the younger generation. Last week, he was with me from the quarter-finals with two of his friends and they were all enjoying it.”
World number three Mark Allen fired runs of 102 and 101 as he beat Aaron Hill 4-1. Thepchaiya Un-Nooh got the better of a Thai derby against Noppon Saengkham by a 4-0 scoreline.
Chris Wakelin top scored with 99 as he earned a 4-2 win over English Open runner-up Wu Yize, while Stan Moody enjoyed an impressive 4-0 victory over Michael Holt.
Resurgent Luca Brecel believes he is playing well enough to win more titles and he reached round three of the Unibet British Open with a 4-2 defeat of Tian Pengfei.
World Champion in 2023, Brecel has struggled for results in ranking events over the past 16 months, and currently lies 58th on the provisional end of season list. But the 29-year-old Belgian has regained his enthusiasm for practice and is also working hard on his fitness with regular cycling.
Breaks of 54 and 65 helped him build a 3-1 lead tonight, then Tian made a 133 to win frame and was unlucky not to make it 3-3 as he potted the final black in frame six, only for the cue ball to roll the length of the table and drop into a baulk corner.
“I’m playing the best I have ever played in practice, and in matches I am making progress,” said Brecel, who now meets Anton Kazakov or Liam Davies. “Everything is sharp and I am in a good space. I am looking forward to this season more than ever. There are a couple of things to improve and I have not been used to winning a lot of games in a row, but I feel I am playing well enough to win the tournament.
“I have lost around ten kilos so I am feeling fit off the table. Cycling is great because I love being outdoors, it’s good for my body and mind. I used to look at rankings but not any more, I don’t even know where I am. It doesn’t matter because the way I am playing, I am never going to be really low. People keep busy with rankings. Did they really believe that Neil Robertson was never going to come back? If you are good, then you will always be good.“
Judd Trump is still waiting for his 1,000th career century, stuck on 999, but he’ll have another chance on Thursday as he beat Ryan Day 4-2 with a top break of 80. Trump will now face Mark Davis, who first played in this tournament in 1992. Veteran Davis scored a 4-2 success against Xiao Guodong.
Crucible runner-up Jak Jones saw off Alfie Burden 4-0, while 2015 World Champion Stuart Bingham beat Bulcsu Revesz 4-0 with a top run of 84.
Regarding what Neil Robertson said, I really wonder what kind of teacher would ask such a question to a kid. Really? What are they expecting to get for an answer? Or was it petty revenge against a child who regularly “boast” about his father, who he admires and loves?
Iulian Boiko played really well, did not take unduly risks but did not go into his shell either. Really good stuff.
Wu Yize on the other hand didn’t play well. It never “clicked” for him yesterday. That was maybe to be expected after his huge efforts in the final in Sunday, especially as it was all in vain eventually. It must have taken a lot out of him.
Marco Fu played good stuff to beat Ma Hailong. Ma himself didn’t play badly. Between them they had five breaks over 50, including one century each. It’s great to see Marco playing well again and it might be important for the future of snooker in Hong Kong.
Stuart Bingham is another player who seems to be coming back to form. He scored heavily in whitewashing Bulcsù Révész. The third frame was a bit special: Bulcsù scored a break of 51, only for Stuart to steal it with an 84.
Chinese 20-year-old Wu Yize is through to the first ranking event final of his career after a blistering 6-0 defeat of India’s Ishpreet Singh Chadha at the BetVictor English Open.
Wu has long been regarded as one of the World Snooker Tour’s brightest young talents. He enjoyed a superb maiden season on the circuit in 21/22, earning the Rookie of the Year award.
He went on a brilliant run to the final stages of the World Championship in 2023, winning three matches to qualify for the Crucible. Wu defeated Chris Wakelin on Judgement Day to secure his ticket to the Theatre of Dreams, where he lost to Neil Robertson. This evening sees Wakelin take on Robertson in the second semi-final.
Last season saw Wu make the first ranking event semi-final of his career. Having beat the likes of Marco Fu and Stephen Maguire to make the last four, he lost out to Judd Trump. Wu has already had his revenge this week, beating 2019 World Champion Trump in the quarters.
Wu becomes China’s 14th ranking event finalist, while defeat for Singh Chadha ends what has been a brilliant run for the Mumbai cueman. His maiden semi-final appearance sees him become India’s first player to reach the last four of a ranking event since 2013.
Singh Chadha scored a late night 6-5 win over Mark Selby and the hangover from his heroics appeared prominently, as he struggled to settle. He had his share of chances, but was unable to capitalise as Wu ruthlessly punished him to reach the final in a whitewash win, composing breaks of 56 and 73 along the way.
“I’m feeling great now. There was quite a bit of pressure in this match for me and this is a very good result. It is great making it to this point, but I’m now competing for the title,” said former World Under-21 Champion Wu.
“My opponent probably felt a lot of pressure today and couldn’t perform to his usual level. It definitely took up a lot of his energy winning last night. I regularly practise with him and I think he’s a very good player.
“It would be a new beginning to win the title. This is my fourth year as a professional, I won’t put too much pressure on myself. I’m eager to win, but I’ll maintain a calm mindset. Winning a title would bring a new sense of responsibility.”
Singh Chadha said: “I’m a little bit sad that I couldn’t play up to the standards. I’m disappointed for the crowd and feel bad for that as everyone bought their tickets. I was probably overwhelmed by yesterday. I tried to relax my mind but I had too many thoughts.
“I am so happy with myself, even though I lost 6-0 today. I don’t even care about that as I know I am going to be stronger next time I get to the business end of a tournament.”
Neil Robertson thrashed Chris Wakelin 6-1 to make the final of a ranking event for the first time in over two years, at the BetVictor English Open in Brentwood.
The Australian last appeared in a ranking title match at the 2022 Tour Championship, where he beat John Higgins 10-9 in an epic contest. In the following years Robertson has struggled to produce his best snooker and has slipped to 26th in the world.
However, tomorrow marks an opportunity for him to return to the world’s elite tier and dislodge Higgins, who has occupied the world’s top 16 since 1995. A win for Robertson would see him move to 15th in the world and knock Higgins down to 17th.
Robertson has been showing signs of a return to his best after a run to the quarter-finals of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters and wins over the likes of Shaun Murphy and Barry Hawkins this week.
Melbourne’s Robertson now faces China’s Wu Yize tomorrow over the best of 17 frames with the Steve Davis Trophy and a top prize of £100,000 on the line.
The pair first met at the 2023 World Championship, where Robertson stormed to a 10-3 win. However, they’ve met twice since, with each player registering a win.
The first frame this evening went the way of Robertson on the black and he then fired in 92 in the second to move 2-0 ahead. Wakelin reduced his arrears with a break of 82 in the third, but it was Robertson who took the fourth to lead 3-1 at the mid-session.
When play resumed it was the Thunder from Down Under who coasted to victory, winning the next three on the bounce to reach 37th ranking event final of his career.
“It’s been quite a while. It doesn’t feel like two years since I’ve been in a final. There’s been a lot of hard work and I set out to have some good targets this year. I’ve changed my day-to-day routine and been super focussed every day. That has been key,” said 23-time ranking event winner Robertson.
“I am back to my best and better. I’ve added a new arsenal to my game with the safety. I’ve really developed a lot the last couple of months. I’ve been working really hard.
“I said after I played Wu in the World Championship that he would have a mega future ahead. That has proved to be the case. He made a semi-final last season and has had some really good wins this week. It is really nice to have an overseas final between Australia and China.”
I only watched the afternoon match. Wu Yize played really well and very positively. He never backed away from difficult shots, but hewas never reckless or adventurous either, he played the right shots. His father was sat in the crowd and looked under more pressure than his son on the floor. After the match, Wu was interviewed, in Chinese, on the floor. I can’t remember such a thing happening before, certainly not in Home Nations event but it a very good move by WST. Ishpreet Singh Chadah never really got going, never totally settled. His positive attitude in defeat is to be admired. He has a lot of self-belief, and why not? He has tremendous ability.
The outcome of the second match doesn’t surprise me, although I didn’t expect the score to be so “severe”. The Thunder is back and striking! He has to be favourite today, if only on experience, but I want to hope for a good match, a match where both players can showcase their talent and abilities.
Ishpreet Singh Chadha became India’s first ranking event quarter-finalist in 11 years after a 4-3 win He Guoqiang at the BetVictor English Open in Essex.
Today’s win sees Singh Chadha become the first Indian since Pankaj Advani and Aditya Mehta to make a ranking quarter-final. The duo faced each other in the 2013 Indian Open quarter-finals, when Mehta prevailed 4-3.
Defeat for He ends a tremendous week, which has seen him defeat the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stephen Maguire.
Breaks of 59, 73, and 52 helped Singh Chadha to a momentous win this afternoon and earned him a quarter-final showdown with four-time World Champion Mark Selby, who defeated Si Jiahui 4-3.
“I wouldn’t say I have surprised myself this week, but I’m close to playing the way I should have done in the first season. It takes time to adjust to the tour. I handled the pressure so well and I’m delighted with myself,” said 28-year-old Singh Chadha.
“I am going to play my game in the quarter-finals. I won’t be frightened or intimidated by anything. We Indians aren’t afraid of anyone. I’m just going to play my game, hope for the best and see what happens. He is one of my favourite players, but that is just off the table, on the table it is a different game.”
World number one Judd Trump prevailed 4-2 against former European Masters winner Fan Zhengyi to set up a last eight meeting with Wu Yize, who beat Ben Woollaston 4-2.
Trump last faced Wu at the recent Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, when he prevailed and went on to scoop the £500,000 top prize. However, it required a fightback from 4-0 down to beat Wu 5-4. Trump admits that he was looking for routes home during the interval of that match.
Trump said: “I was 4-0 down and ended up looking for flights at 4-0 down in the interval. You can check my history if you want! It is just funny how snooker goes having won that event and got to the quarters here.”
World number three Mark Allen prevailed in an marathon encounter with John Higgins 4-3 to make the quarter-finals of the BetVictor English Open in Brentwood.
Higgins captured a piece of snooker history by becoming the sport’s second player to register 1000 career centuries, but it was Allen who prevailed in a gruelling final frame.
It was Northern Irishman Allen who took an early 2-0 lead, having crafted a break of exactly 100 in the opener. Scotland’s four-time World Champion Higgins cut his arrears in half with 108 in the third, but it was Allen who took the fourth to go 3-1 up.
The landmark moment for Higgins came in the fifth with a break of 108 to reach 1000 centuries, he then made 65 in the next to force a tense decider.
A 50-minute frame saw lengthy safety exchanges where no balls were potted. With Allen leading, Higgins had his chance to steal the win, but he spurned a pink off the spot and the Antrim cueman got himself over the line. He now faces a quarter-final with Chris Wakelin, who came through 4-3 against Pang Junxu.
“I’m just delighted to win a tight one against John. Normally when I beat him it is a one-sided game so it is nice to finally get on the right side of a close one against him for a change,” said former UK and Masters champion Allen.
“I wanted John to have his moment when he did it and enjoy that 1000th century. We were just about to start the next frame and I went to congratulate him on my own. He said to me he was glad to have done it against someone like me. That means a lot coming from John. I actually said to him at the end it was a shame he had to be on the losing side after creating a piece of history. What a guy John Higgins is. He thoroughly deserves that.“
Australia’s Neil Robertson continued his resurgence with a 4-1 defeat of Ross Muir to make the quarter-finals. The 2010 World Champion has slumped to 26th in the rankings but is showing signs of returning to his best. He now faces Barry Hawkins, who scored a fine 4-2 win over World Champion Kyren Wilson.
I don’t have much to add to this. I’m very impressed with Ishpreet Singh Chadha. I hope that, unlike Pankaj Advani and Aditya Mehta, he will settle well in the UK and does not become too homesick. India is very different from the UK, of course, in every aspect … the climate, the food, the social life.
BETVICTOR ENGLISH OPEN WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ROUNDUP
A deluge at Paris Airport recently destroyed John Higgins’ cue, but armed with a new replacement he extended his quest for a maiden BetVictor English Open title today after a 4-1 win over David Gilbert in Brentwood.
The Scot’s cue was left in an irreparable condition after the protective casing housing it was flooded whilst flying home from the recent Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters.
That left Higgins despondent, but he is hoping now that his new cue can provide an impetus for him in the coming months, as he battles to remain in the world’s top 16. The 31-time ranking event winner currently finds himself in 16th position.
Today’s win sets up a last 16 meeting with either world number three Mark Allen or Lyu Haotian.
“When I was coming back from Saudi Arabia, my cue got ruined. During the three-hour stopover between Paris and Edinburgh there were monsoon levels of rain and my ski tube must have been sitting on the tarmac,” explained four-time World Champion Higgins.
“When I got back to Edinburgh it was soaking wet, but I just left it in the hall as normal. I went to Portugal on holiday and before I left I went to check my cue. The water had actually seeped inside and the cue is ruined. I’m playing with a new cue.
“It was soul destroying. I really liked it and when I opened the case up it was like a banana. The wood was all warped. As I was away to Portugal the next day, I just decided to go and have a good holiday and come back to see what happens.
“It is maybe a blessing, as I’ve gone back to the measurements I was playing with two or three years ago. I was going shorter and shorter and that maybe wasn’t suiting my game. It has given me a new lease of life. It is maybe a bit better”
Kyren Wilson prevailed 4-1 against Anthony McGill in a repeat of their classic Crucible semi-final from 2020 to make the last 16.
The pair contested an epic last four meeting at the World Championship, where a fluke eventually helped Wilson win 17-16 following one of the most dramatic final frames in snooker history. The frame score in the decider was 103-83.
Wilson went on to lose that final against Ronnie O’Sullivan, but a victory over Jak Jones earlier this year made him World Champion for the first time.
Today’s match was a more straightforward win for the Warrior, who crafted breaks of 84 and 80 this afternoon. He now plays either Barry Hawkins or Xu Si.
Wilson said: “To Anthony’s credit, he was one of the first ones who came up to me in Xi’an and congratulated me on becoming World Champion and said he thought I’d be a really good ambassador for the sport. That just shows the class of him, especially after what happened in that semi-final.
“People forget how good that game was. We were toe to toe the whole way through. Despite the fact there was no crowd we created so much drama. Whenever we draw each other it is something which always springs to mind.”
World number one Judd Trump extended his incredible winning streak this season after a 4-1 win over Matthew Selt.
The Ace in the Pack has picked up silverware at the Shanghai Masters and the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. Having also been runner-up to Wilson at the Xi’an Grand Prix, Trump has now won 17 of 18 games this season. He now plays Fan Zhengyi, who beat Oliver Lines 4-1.
Essex cueman Ali Carter lost out 4-2 on home soil against China’s Wu Yize, while Mark Selby was a 4-0 victor against fellow Leicester potter Joe O’Connor.
Neil Robertson continued his bid to return to the summit of the sport with a 4-1 defeat of Shaun Murphy at the BetVictor English Open.
The 2010 World Champion endured one of his worst seasons as a professional in 23/24 and as a result has dropped down to a current position of 26th in the world rankings. However, he has recently stated that he feels back to his best and is ready to contend for silverware once more.
Murphy also struggled last season, but has shown signs that his best form his returning in recent months. He went on a brilliant run to the Shanghai Masters final, but was denied the title by Judd Trump. Murphy also made the semis at the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, where he again lost out to Trump.
Australia’s Robertson crafted breaks of 50, 57 and 71 on his way to winning this evening and now faces a last 16 meeting with Scotland’s Ross Muir.
“The most pleasing side was the safety aspect of my game. I’ve got a lot of pride back in my safety and the duels that come with it. Trying to force chances and put players in trouble,” said 23-time ranking event winner Robertson.
“Last year I wasn’t in the best place and it didn’t allow me to confront the issue of my form head on. I talked a good game and tried to be positive, but I wasn’t looking forward to the matches and the travelling. This year it is a different mindset where I can’t wait to play.”
World number three Mark Allen defeated Lyu Haotian 4-2 to set up a huge clash with John Higgins in the last 16.
Allen and Higgins last met at the Crucible earlier this year, when Scotland’s Higgins conjured a classic clearance in the decider to deny the Northern Irishman 13-12.
In this evening’s match Allen made breaks of 71, 56, 52, 75 and 70 to secure the win and was delighted with his performance.
“I played pretty well there. I made one mistake in frame two, but other than that I didn’t really put a foot wrong,” said 38-year-old Allen.
“Lyu is a very good player. I have a good record against him, but he will still have fancied the job. He has won matches to get this far and will have fancied beating me. That shows you the strength of the tour now.”
China’s He Guoqiang, who defeated Ronnie O’Sullivan yesterday, continued to impress with a 4-1 win over Stephen Maguire. Next up he faces India’s Ishpreet Singh Chadha, who defeated Iranian number one Hossein Vafaei 4-2.
Once again, with the exception of the match between Hossein Vafaei and Ishpreet Singh Chadah, only matches featuring at least one British player are reported on by WST.
Si Jiahui beat Jiang Jun in a very hard fought match. Jiang Jun is only 19 and in his second year as a professional. Going by his results over the last year and a half, he’s progressing and longer formats suit him best. He reached round 4 at the 2024 World Championship qualifiers.
Pang Junxu beat Luca Brecel by 4-3. Luca lead 3-2 and had scored break of 84 and 85 to get that far. Pang however found something extra and denied him: he finished the job with breaks of 112 and 85.
Wu Yize win over Ali Carter is mentioned in the above report but not the manner of it. Ali Carter lead 2-1 although Wu had won the first frame with a break of 66, whilst Ali himself had scored a break of 61. Then Wu regained the lead: he went 3-2 up with two centuries ( 123 & 126). The last frame was won on a score of 66-63 in favour of Wu despite the fact that it was Ali who scored a break of 61 in defeat.
As for Ishpreet Singh Chadah , he’s definitely one to watch this season.
Ronnie O’Sullivan blasts his game as ‘absolutely useless’ after shock English Open defeat
Phil Haigh
Ronnie O’Sullivan fell at his first hurdle in Brentwood (Picture: Getty Images)
Ronnie O’Sullivan described his performance as ‘useless’ and ’embarrassing’ as he was beaten 4-2 by He Guoqiang at the English Open on Tuesday night.
It was the Rocket’s first match of the event and it got off to a disastrous start as the Chinese won the first three frames, with breaks of 78 and 77 along the way.
O’Sullivan won the next two but He got over the line with another half-century to keep up his 100 per cent winning record over the Rocket, with two victories from two meetings.
As he has been doing this season so far, O’Sullivan played a lot of shots left-handed and when asked about his choice to do so, he told The Sun: ‘I’m absolutely useless, that’s why.
‘Forget about the Worlds. I’m not even bothered to be honest with you, if I’m going to play rubbish I might as well play left handed.
‘Play left-handed and enjoy it, but be useless, or play right-handed, be useless and not enjoy it.’
The 48-year-old has not had a bad start to the season by most players’ standards, with a semi-final at the Shanghai Masters and quarter-final run at the Saudi Arabia Masters, but he is far from happy with his game.
O’Sullivan is cutting a frustrated figure at the table (Picture: Getty Images)
Despite winning five events last season, the seven-time world champion feels like his career is coming to an end with decline setting in.
‘I haven’t got long, I’m not going to deny it, I’m not playing well enough, there’s no point in even worrying about it. I’ve just accepted it now which is quite a nice place to be really,’ he said.
‘I’m awful, it’s embarrassing. I miss so many balls. I can’t get away from it, poor, but there’s nothing I can do about it.’
Of course, that’s coming right after a painful defeat but it confirms what I suspected: despite his claims that he’s “accepted it”, he’s deeply unhappy about the state of his game and sees no “solution” to his problems. The only “solution” would actually to come to terms with the natural decline that affects him, and I hope that he turns to Steve Peters for help. He won’t get better unless he can find some inner peace.
Ben Woollaston extended his winning record over Mark Williams after a fine 4-1 defeat of the three-time World Champion at the BetVictor English Open in Brentwood.
Leicester’s Woollaston has now won six of his nine career meetings with Williams. The world number 52 is aiming to climb the rankings again after a difficult few years.
Former Welsh Open finalist Woollaston has recently suffered with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which has impacted his ability to practise and compete at the highest level. However, the condition has eased in recent times and allowed him to regain confidence in his game.
Williams was unable to bounce straight back from a gut-wrenching defeat at the recent Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, where he lost the most lucrative deciding frame in the history of the sport. A 10-9 defeat to Judd Trump meant he had to settle for £200,000 rather than the £500,000 top prize.
With the score at 3-1 in this afternoon’s clash, Woollaston crafted a break of 70 to get over the line and set up a last 32 meeting with Zak Surety.
“I think I’m just a little unorthodox and I think I’m good tactically. I pot a lot of good balls. I maybe don’t score as heavily as Mark but I think we match up well,” said 37-year-old Woollaston.
“I have expectation now that I believe I can win matches. Before, I was coming to tournaments and just hoping to feel well. It is a different pressure now because I have a bit of adrenaline that I didn’t have before.”
World number three Mark Allen survived a real battle with China’s Long Zehuang to secure a 4-3 victory and a place in the last 32.
Having taken the first two frames, Allen then found himself one away from defeat at 3-2 down. However, a break of 67 forced a decider, which he won to progress. Allen now faces Lyu Haotian.
Allen said: “I have to say I was very impressed with him. He’s had some good results already. He played some really good stuff in that match and I don’t feel like I did much wrong from the 2-0 up to the verge of going out.
“I felt I played alright. I think that is the first match this season I haven’t made a century so that is disappointing, but overall I’m good.”
Matthew Selt made the 200th and 201st centuries of his career whilst defeating Ricky Walden 4-3. He now faces Judd Trump in the last 32.
Neil Robertson came through with a 4-1 win to set up a blockbuster last 32 showdown with Shaun Murphy, while Ross Muir secured a fine 4-3 win over Gary Wilson.
China’s He Guoqiang stated he was in dreamland after stunning Ronnie O’Sullivan for the second time this season, winning 4-2 at the BetVictor English Open in Brentwood.
He scored an upset 3-0 win over the Rocket at the season opening BetVictor Championship League. That came off the back of a 23/24 campaign which saw him burst into the top 64 and be named Rookie of the Year.
Despite O’Sullivan’s clear frustration at his performances so far this season, he has still featured regularly at the business end of events without amassing silverware.
Today’s defeat is his first in a round before the quarter-finals of a knock out tournament so far in the campaign. The seven-time World Champion bowed out in the semis of the Xi’an Grand Prix and Shanghai Masters, while was a losing quarter-finalist in the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters.
He fired in breaks of 78, 77 and 50 on his way to this evening’s victory. Next up is a last 32 meeting with 2004 UK Champion Stephen Maguire.
“It feels brilliant to beat him again. It is an unreal feeling and like I am dreaming. I didn’t expect at all to win again,” said 24-year-old He.
“I think the key is to perform my best and to play my own game. I just needed to get rid of the fear attached to playing a top player like Ronnie. There were so many spectators here, all supporting him. It didn’t allow me to think of anything other than my own performance.
“The best thing I have learned over past few months is how to play against top players and get rid of fear and emotion of facing them. That is the most improved part of my game.”
Scotland’s four-time World Champion John Higgins secured a vital 4-1 win over Andrew Higginson. Next up he faces David Gilbert.
The Glaswegian is currently ranked 16th in the rankings. His time in the world’s top 16 remains unbroken since 1995, but Higgins’ place in that elite group now hangs in the balance. Despite victory today he remains downbeat about the state of his game.
Higgins said: “I’m struggling to get going. I’ve not got the desire at the moment. That is just the way I’m feeling after a performance like that. You just have to try and take the positives. I need to get back to working. It shows and you can’t get away with it when you don’t put the work in.”
Welshman Jamie Jones was a 4-0 whitewash victor against China’s Zhou Yuelong, while Scotland’s Anthony McGill defeated China’s Xiao Guodong 4-2. Jones now plays Ross Muir and McGill faces World Champion Kyren Wilson.
Here are the scores for Ronnie’s match:
And videos shared on YouTube by WST and Eurosport:
Ronnie elected to play most shots left handed. It may make him happier but he’s not as good left-handed than he is right-handed for sure. He missed too many gettable balls, especially early in the match. Also, he doesn’t quite have the as much cue power left-handed as he has right-handed. Having said that He was brilliant. He decided to play very positively and attack right from the start of the match and it paid off. He’s a very, very good player with a solid temperament. He certainly deserved the win yesterday and I can see him go deep in the tournament.
I didn’t see much from the action yesterday as power cuts in my village spoiled it quite a bit. What is obvious looking at the results is that those first matches are banana skins for the top 32 who come cold into the last 64 and face players who have already played one or two matches, and secured ranking points and money. This system of tiered qualifiers is much better for the young players and the rookies than the brutal “random” straight knock-out draw system. They are at least guaranteed that their first match will not be against a top player and will be a really “winnable” one. Yes, they need to win more matches to get to the titles, but they actually benefit from playing more matches, against various opponents, as they need to gain experience to develop.
After a day hiatus, the 2024 English Open resumed yesterday and the top 32 ranked players entered the fray. There were a few held-over matches as well. From this round on it’s a straight “classical” knock-out.
Ali Carter took flight on the table, before stating he intends to literally take to the Essex skies this afternoon following a 4-0 whitewash win over Ian Burns at the BetVictor English Open in Brentwood.
As well as being a six-time ranking event winner, Carter is a fully qualified pilot and said he was keen to take advantage of the favourable flying conditions after this morning’s quickfire win.
The Captain needed just 74 minutes to dispatch Burns, top scoring with 78 in the third. Next up Carter faces either Essex rival Stuart Bingham or Wu Yize.
Carter said: “It’s lovely only being half an hour down the road. I’m going to go flying this afternoon with my mate who is a pilot. The weather has been great so it will be nice to get airborne. We are going to go to Clacton, parking up and getting a bag of chips then fly home.
“Me and Stuart have known each other since we were kids when we used to practise against each other. It would be another tough match. I’m in the next round and he has it all to do to get to me.“
Hungary’s 17-year-old prodigy Bulcsu Revesz scored an impressive 4-2 win over Yuan Sijun to make the third round. He now faces former UK Champion Stephen Maguire.
David Gilbert won the last two frames to defeat Michael Holt 4-3, while Ricky Walden whitewashed former Women’s World Champion Mink Nutcharut 4-0.
World number one Judd Trump got the defence of his BetVictor English Open crown underway with a fiercely contested 4-3 win over China’s Liu Hongyu.
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The Ace in the Pack captured the title here in Brentwood 12 months ago, when he defeated Zhang Anda 9-7 in an absorbing final. That started a sequence of three back-to-back tournament wins with further titles coming at the Wuhan Open and the Northern Ireland Open in the following weeks.
Trump is once again in red hot form this season, he picked up silverware at the Shanghai Masters and sealed a thrilling triumph in the inaugural Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. Victory in Riyadh came courtesy of a 10-9 final win over Mark Williams, which saw Trump secure a massive £500,000 pay cheque.
The Bristolian had led 3-1 when he embarked on a 147 attempt in the fifth. However, he left a cut back black short on 65. Liu punished that mistake with a brilliant clearance of 68 to remain in contention. Liu forced a decider, but a break of 57 saw Trump over the line.
“It was a massive event in Saudi and I’ve already had a brilliant start to the season. It is difficult to keep doing it, but I have showed up here this week. I think it is the best thing for me to keep going while I have the momentum and hopefully I can improve as the tournament goes on,” said 35-year-old Trump.
“The decider in Saudi was the biggest frame I’ve ever played and probably the biggest Mark has ever played. Not many finals come down to deciders these days and to come down to the last black makes it even more special. It is a frame I’ve watched back quite a few times already. Every time I watch it inspires me to keep practising.”
World Champion Kyren Wilson scored a 4-1 win over David Grace to secure his place in the last 32.
The Warrior has enjoyed a strong start to his campaign as Crucible king, having picked up silverware at the inaugural Xi’an Grand Prix. He top scored with a fine 108 in today’s match and now faces either Anthony McGill or Xiao Guodong.
Wilson said: “Every now and then I have to remind myself I’m World Champion. It is a pinch me feeling. I’ve dreamed of it since I was six years old. It is something that does scare me. It was an unbelievable feeling I will never be able to replicate, but I can still get a high of winning events like I did in Xi’an. That is still the focus.”
Shaun Murphy blitzed to a 4-1 win over Jamie Clarke in impressive fashion. The Magician conjured runs of 72, 115 and 124 on his way to victory this evening. He now faces a potential blockbuster clash with Neil Robertson, who plays Jackson Page in the last 64.
Stuart Bingham lost out on home soil in a 4-3 defeat to China’s Wu Yize, who now progresses to face Essex cueman Ali Carter.
Four-time World Champion Mark Selby beat Aaron Hill 4-2, while home favourite Zak Surety scored a shock 4-0 win over Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham.
Although those reports have more “flesh” than what we were served in the earlier rounds, they still mainly focus on the British players results. Whilst the World Champion Kyren Wilson and the World Number one Judd Trump obviously fully deserve the spotlights, it doesn’t explain or justify why only one match won by an Asian player features in these reports. Yet, other than Wu Yize’s victory there were wins for Xiao Guodong, Zhang Anda, Fan Zhengyi (who beat top 16 Ryan Day) , Si Jiahui, Pang Junxu and Ishpreet Singh Chadha who got the better of Jak Jones, the World number 13, and finalist in Sheffield last May.
Ishpreet Singh Chadha is a more than decent player and someone who is unlikely to succumb to nerves. Mind you, before turning professional as a snooker player he was a professional gamer…
Also missing is Oliver Lines win over World number 13, Rob Milkins, but yeah, that was a latish finish.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 