The 2024 Players Championship got underway yesterday evening with two matches and here is the report by WST on the evening:

HIGGINS BATTLES PAST DING

John Higgins scored a hard fought 6-4 win over Ding Junhui to make the quarter-finals of Johnstone’s Paint Players Championship in Telford.

Higgins currently finds himself in 11^th position on the world rankings, with only the top eight after this week’s tournament making it to the lucrative Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker, which runs from March 4^th to 6^th.

Today’s victory was crucial for the Wizard of Wishaw and allows him to continue chasing Ding, who is now perilously exposed in eighth place.

The last time Higgins and Ding faced each other in Telford was the 2009 UK Championship final. On that occasion Ding prevailed 10-8, but Higgins had his revenge this evening and the Scot has now won their last three meetings.

Higgins crafted breaks of 102 and 68 on his way to finding himself locked level at 4-4 this evening. The final two frames saw him burst over the line with runs of 65 and 100. Next up he faces either Noppon Saengkham or Zhang Anda.

“It’s a brilliant win, because I’ve always struggled with Ding. He’s had my number in the last few years. It is good to get the better of him in the last couple of matches we have faced each other. I rate him so highly.”

John Higgins

Four-time World Champion

Higgins added: “I’ve had some nice memories in Telford and some sad too. I can remember beating Mark Williams to win the UK Championship and also losing to Ding. I’m still very proud that I am playing with the top boys and competing with them all.

“My game is getting better. At the start of the year there were a few things going wrong and I was fighting my technique. I think I seem to be on top of a good bit of it.”

One of the dominant forces of season so far, Judd Trump, sealed his progression with a comfortable 6-2 defeat of 16^th seed Chris Wakelin.

Trump tops this season’s one year list, which means he is number one seed for this elite 16-player event. The Ace in the Pack has already won four ranking titles at the English Open, Wuhan Open, Northern Ireland Open and the recent German Masters.

Wakelin, who narrowly earned his place in Telford this week, took the opener with a fine break of 120. Trump took the next two and led 2-1, before Wakelin claimed the fourth to head in for the mid-session all-square.

When play resumed the Englishman blitzed to four on the bounce, signing off with a break of 132 to emerge the victor. He now plays either Tom Ford or Ali Carter in the last eight.

REFRESHED TRUMP ON OPENING TELFORD WIN

I have not changed WST text but it’s indeed a 139, not a132, that Judd made to finish the match as Rob mentions in the above interview.

I only watched the Trump v Wakelin match to to the MSI. Neither played well in that first mini-session and the camera image wasn’t stable¹ which was very annoying and disappointing.

I didn’t turn to the other match. I was tired and I don’t enjoy watching John Higgins play, never did. For some reason, for all his skills, he bores me. And, I have to admit it, after what happened in 2010, I hate seeing him win.

1. At times it looked like the camera was mounted on a spring and the image was bouncing. Very annoying.
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The final of the 2024 Welsh Open will be played today over a best of 17 format and the line-up is one not many would have predicted, but ne i’m rather happy with. Indeed, Gary Wilson will face Martin O’Donnell in the battle for the Ray Reardon Trophy. Here are the reports by WST:

Afternoon session: Marin O’Donnell beat Elliot Slessor by 6-5

O’DONNELL INTO FINAL WITH SUPERB CENTURY

World number 76 Martin O’Donnell reached his first ranking event final by making a tremendous break of 126 in the deciding frame to beat Elliot Slessor 6-5 at the BetVictor Welsh Open.

A high-quality semi-final in Llandudno went down to the wire, and it was O’Donnell who finished the contest in style to set up a final clash with John Higgins or Gary Wilson on Sunday. Having knocked out World Champion Luca Brecel on Friday night, O’Donnell was able to keep his career-best run going and now has the chance to play for the Ray Reardon Trophy and £80,000 top prize.

It’s some shift in fortunes for a player who was relegated from the tour in 2022 and spent a season on the amateur scene, when he must have wondered whether he would ever return to the pro ranks. The Bedfordshire-based cueman regained his card via Q Tour in 2023 and is now playing the best snooker of a career which started in 2012. 

O’Donnell could continue the sequence of surprise winners of a title which has been captured by Jordan Brown, Joe Perry and Robert Milkins over the last three years. Victory would also vault O’Donnell into the top 16 of the one-year ranking list and earn him a place at next week’s Johnstone’s Paint Players Championship in Telford. 

Slessor, ranked 50th, was also aiming to reach his first ranking final, but has now lost all three of the semi-finals he has contested. The Gateshead potter made four breaks over 50 in the match, but admitted afterwards his safety was “embarrassing.”

After sharing the first two frames, O’Donnell took the lead with a break of 78. He led 52-0 in the fourth when he missed a tricky red to a top corner, and Slessor punished him with an 82 clearance. After the interval, a run of 61 helped O’Donnell regain the lead, and he had a clear chance in the sixth but ran out of position on 47, letting Slessor in for an excellent 55 for 3-3.    

O’Donnell came from 40-0 down to take the next with an 88, then got the better of frame eight for 5-3. Back came Slessor with 95 to close the gap, and he took the tenth with a break of 65 after his opponent had missed a routine black at 11-0. The decider began with a cagey bout of safety, resolved by an error from Slessor, leaving a red over a centre pocket, and that proved his last shot. 

“It feels amazing,” said O’Donnell. “You find out about yourself in those situations. Elliot put me under a lot of pressure from 5-3. So I’m really pleased with that break in the decider. It means everything to reach my first final. There have been some dark times in the last few years. My fiancée Anna and kids have picked me up and got me through those dark days.

“When you’re off tour you find out whether you have still got the stomach for it. It feels like a long way back, because the amateur game is very competitive, you are not guaranteed to get back on. I got a new cue which made a difference, and also got back with my coach Ian McCulloch who really helps me on the mental side. I worked on myself every day because I wanted to make sure my head was right for the time when I got back on the tour. 

“Anna has seen me crying my eyes out at night, not knowing what to do. I don’t want to be a player who can’t let the game go, but I have never felt as if I was finished with snooker. I still have business to take care of, and hopefully than will start tomorrow.” 

Slessor said: “I didn’t play well enough, I was useless for most of the game. My safety was shocking, embarrassing. You can’t give that many chances away against someone as good as him. I left a red over the pocket at the end, and Martin made a great break so he deserved to win. I have played some good stuff this week but it’s very disappointing to play like that in the semis. It’s absolutely sickening.”

I’m really pleased for Martin. It will be difficult but I’d love to see him win today. The way he picked himself up after being relegated, his openness about his struggles, the work he certainly put in to change his game… and now being in his first final as number 76 in his first year of a tour card. You have to admire that.

It’s interesting to read that he worked with Ian McCulloch. They come across as completely different personalities. I got to know Ian quite well in his last years on the tour. He’s quite the character … rough as sandpaper but we got along well. Ian, who turned pro in 1992, never won a title, his highest ranking was 16, but he was hard as nails at the table and, from what I heard from several sources, when playing exhibitions, he refused to be payed if he hadn’t made at least one century on the night. And he still owes me a few glasses of wine … eh Ian? Getting the man to open his wallet at the bar was about as hard as beating him at the table! 😂

Evening session: Gary Wilson beat John Higgins by 6-4

WILSON MAKES 147 AND BEATS HIGGINS

Gary Wilson is just one win away from a second ranking title in as many months, having beaten John Higgins 6-4 in a fantastic semi-final at the BetVictor Welsh Open. 

World number 16 Wilson won the BetVictor Scottish Open in December and now has the chance to land a third career ranking title, when he faces Martin O’Donnell over 17 frames on Sunday, with the Ray Reardon Trophy and £80,000 top prize on the line.

It was a dream night in Llandudno for the Wallsend cueman as he beat one of the all-time greats in Higgins, as well as making the fifth 147 of his career. Overall it was an outstanding performance from the 38-year-old as he made two centuries and four more breaks over 50, eventually getting over the line in the tenth frame after Higgins threatened a fight-back from 5-1 down. Wilson is through to his fifth ranking final, and if he captures the title he’ll become the only player other than Judd Trump and Ronnie O’Sullivan to win multiple ranking titles this season.

Higgins has shown consistent form this term, reaching four ranking semi-finals, but has come up short in each of those and is still waiting for his first ranking title since the 2021 Players Championship.

Wilson was an target for a 147 in the opening frame until he missed the penultimate red on 104, then made amends in the next with his marvellous maximum. He added an 82 in the next then dominated a scrappy fourth frame to lead 4-0. Higgins finally got going after the interval with a break of 93, before Wilson went 5-1 ahead with an 89.

In frame seven, Wilson looked to be cruising past the winning post until he missed a tricky thin cut on the black on 55, allowing Higgins to launch his recovery with a trademark 69 clearance. In the eighth, Wilson over-cut a risky red when he led 49-0, and again Higgins took advantage with 66 to close the gap. The Scot’s run of 78 turned up the heat, with the scoreline at 5-4.

But Wilson kept his composure, and executed a superb red to centre when he led 24-0 in frame ten, setting him up for a match-winning 73.

“It got a bit twitchy towards the end because I missed chances to kill it off,” admitted Wilson. “John is a such a class player and if you miss you know you might as well set the balls up for the next frame because he’s going to clear up. At 5-4 I knew I had to take a chance and not give him another sniff. When I potted the red to the middle, I knew that was my chance to win. I am feeling better about my game and more consistent. 

“Martin will be excited and he’ll want to enjoy the occasion tomorrow. I feel the same, it’s an opportunity to win a big trophy and I’ll be well up for it.”

Higgins added: “Gary was deadly for the first three and a half frames, I was just sitting there like a bystander, he played incredible and made a great 147. It’s a tough sport because I knew I was hitting the ball well and I showed that at the end when I came back. It was a great game to be involved in and Gary played superb. I was just enjoying it. In the last frame I went for a red to the green bag because, the way I was feeling, I thought I would get it, but I missed and he potted an unbelievable red to the middle. It has been a good week, hopefully I can have another run in Telford next week.”

Here is Gary’s 147, shared by Eurosport on their YouTube channel:

Yesterday results mean that neither the line-up nor the fixtures of the Players Championship – that starts tomorrow – are set yet. Martin needs to win today to be in it. Gary has already qualified. Those uncertainties are not helping the promotion of the event… that’s why WST published this yesterday :

TRUMP AND O’SULLIVAN FIXTURES CONFIRMED

Top seed Judd Trump will play on the opening night of the Johnstone’s Paint Players Championship in Telford on Monday evening, with Ronnie O’Sullivan to play on Tuesday night.

The second event of the 2024 Players Series runs from February 19-25 at the Telford International Centre, contested by the top 16 on the one-year rankings.

The full line-up is yet to be confirmed, as both Martin O’Donnell and Elliot Slessor can climb into the top 16 by winning the BetVictor Welsh Open, and one of them will be in the final in Llandudno on Sunday. If either of them win the title, they will knock Chris Wakelin out of the top 16.

If Wakelin remains in the field, he will face Trump at 7pm on Monday. If Slessor or O’Donnell qualify for Telford, then Trump’s opponent will be Zhou Yuelong.

O’Sullivan will play his first match on Tuesday at 7pm, against either Zhou Yuelong or Noppon Saengkham. 

The draw will be confirmed on Sunday night, with all fixtures to be confirmed on Monday.

No doubts, Chris Wakelin will be Gary Wilson’s biggest fan today!

Here are WST reports on the quarter-finals in Llandudno yesterday

Afternoon session

HIGGINS AND SLESSOR INTO SEMIS

John Higgins, seeking his first ranking title in three years, scored one of his best wins of the season as he beat Mark Allen 5-2 to reach the semi-finals of the BetVictor Welsh Open.

Elliot Slessor, looking to continue the recent sequence of surprise winners of this title by following Jordan Brown, Joe Perry and Robert Milkins, scored a 5-3 win over Dominic Dale to reach his third ranking semi-final. 

World number 12 Higgins outplayed an opponent ranked nine places higher as he continued his quest for a sixth Welsh Open title, and first ranking silverware since the 2021 Players Championship. The legendary Scot, age 48, has tried to add new impetus to his game this season, working with a sports psychologist for the first time and changing his cue. And his confidence seems high as he looks ahead to a meeting with Gary Wilson or close friend Anthony McGill in Llandudno on Saturday evening.

Allen trailed 63-23 in the opening frame when he missed the brown to a centre pocket, trying to gain position on the penultimate red, and Higgins punished him to take the lead, before making a superb 131 for 2-0. Allen battled back to 2-2, but Higgins dominated after the interval, compiling runs of 76 and 85 for 4-2. The Scot built a 60-0 lead in the fifth, and Allen’s chance to counter ended when he missed a risky red.

Higgins is into his 84th career ranking event semi-final and fourth of the season. He said: “Mark is one of the elite players, you have to play well to beat him, it’s a brilliant win for me.  I have changed my cue, I went back to the size I used about 25 years ago. That seems to be working right now. Hopefully things can come together because I have been knocking on the door for a while and it hasn’t opened yet. 

“I would love to play Anthony in the semi-finals because it would be a special occasion to play him, he’s a friend and a top young boy.  It’s great to see him back enjoying the game. He has been a bit down over the last year or two so I’m happy to see him get some big wins this week and get his confidence back. But he’s got a tough game with Gary. The crowds here have been packed all week and I’m sure it will be sold out at the weekend with a great atmosphere.”

Slessor’s previous semi-final appearances came at the 2017 Northern Ireland Open and 2021 British Open, and the 29-year-old from Gateshead will have the chance to reach his first final when he faces Luca Brecel or Martin O’Donnell on Saturday afternoon. Welshman Dale had hoped to become the first home winner of this title since Mark Williams in 1999, but the 52-year-old veteran made too many errors as his run came to an end.

Dale took the opening frame and had a clear chance for 2-0 but missed a routine black on 41. World number 50 Slessor punished him with a 54 clearance, before making a 128 to go ahead. In the fourth, Dale trailed 53-28 when he missed a red to top corner, and again that proved costly as he fell 3-1 behind. 

The next two were shared, then a fluked red in frame seven helped Dale close to 4-3. Two-time ranking event Dale had a chance to force a decider, but could only make 29, and Slessor replied with runs of 43 and 24 which proved enough.

Slessor said: “There were some tight frames, it was a battle. I’m delighted to win. I have been working with (coach) Chris Henry this season and my game has turned a corner.  My daughter had her fourth birthday today so it’s mixed emotions for me because I am not at home for that. I watched her open her presents this morning on Facetime. But she knows I am away for the right reasons. It would mean everything for me to get to the final and have my family there.“

Mark Allen may be ranked 9 places above John Higgins but yesterday afternoon he was poor and John played really well. Mark battled hard to restore parity at the interval, having trailed 0-2 but it was in vain. He simply didn’t play well enough on the day and, towards the end of the match looked thoroughly fed up. It’s hard to understand find a rational explanation but John Higgins nearly always seems to be inspired by the Welsh Open: he has won it a record five times, but the last of those five wins came in 2018, so it’s been a while…

Evening session

O’DONNELL STUNS WORLD CHAMPION BRECEL

Crucible king Luca Brecel fell victim to his bogey player as Martin O’Donnell scored a 5-3 victory to reach the semi-finals of the BetVictor Welsh Open.

O’Donnell had beaten Brecel in all three of their previous meetings, but tonight’s success was the biggest win of his career so far as he knocked out a player ranked 72 places higher to reach the second ranking event semi-final of his career – the only other one coming at the 2018 Shoot Out. On Saturday afternoon, world number 76 O’Donnell will meet Elliot Slessor, ranked 50th, with both men aiming to reach a first ranking final.  

The career of Bedfordshire-based O’Donnell was in danger of fizzling out when he was relegated from the tour in 2022. A year later, he managed to regain his place via the Q Tour, and since then he has enjoyed some fine results, notably reaching the quarter-finals of the BetVictor English Open and last 16 of the BetVictor Scottish Open – where he beat Brecel. This week’s run has guaranteed him £17,500, but after tonight’s performance he will only have eyes for the Ray Reardon Trophy.

The first six frames of a high quality contest were shared – O’Donnell making breaks of 88, 61 and 130 while Belgium’s Brecel knocked in 75, 75 and 76. In the seventh, Brecel had a chance to clear from 44-1 down, but ran out of position on the penultimate red. O’Donnell got the better of a safety exchange then converted an excellent pot on the red to a baulk corner, setting him up to go 4-3 ahead.

The Englishman led 63-33 in the eighth when he missed match-ball pink to a top corner, and he later rattled the last red in the jaws of a baulk pocket. Brecel’s attempted clearance ended when he missed a difficult black along the top cushion, and a brief tactical tussle was revolved when O’Donnell potted it from distance, his jubilation evident in his celebration.

It’s a deflating end to a promising week for Brecel, who reached his first ranking quarter-final of the season. He is now sure to miss next week’s Johnstone’s Paint Players Championship, while either O’Donnell or Slessor will earn a place in Telford if they win the final.

O’Donnell said: “On the last black, I built myself up for it, I knew I was one ball away from winning. I played it positively and cued it well. I’ve had good wins against Luca before but tonight was a bit different at a late stage of a tournament. I have felt confident all week, I’m scoring well and I wanted to attack the balls. Last season I wasn’t even on tour so I was a long way from this kind of thing. It’s not easy to get back on the tour, but I always believed I could get back to this level because I am older and wiser now. 

“This season I have tried not to make everything a pint of blood. I do try hard out there – sometimes too hard. I still try to play as if it means everything, but I am able to handle defeats better and move on. I have played a bit quicker too and that seems to be helping. Tomorrow will be another tough game but one of us will get through to Sunday.“

Meanwhile, Gary Wilson continued his bid for back-to-back BetVictor Home Nations titles as he trounced Anthony McGill 5-0. Wallsend’s Wilson triumphed in Scotland in December and is now through to his ninth ranking event semi-final. He dominated tonight’s contest with top breaks of 92, 71 and 76, to earn a meeting with John Higgins on Saturday evening. 

“I was prepared to battle tonight and make the most of every shot,” said world number 16 Wilson. “Sometimes if I’m struggling a bit I get embarrassed, and end up forcing the issue. So I just tried to forget the crowd was there. I have played for long enough to know that you can never really analyse your own game, you just have to try to feel confident and hope that it goes your way on the day. 

“I have tried to stick to what I’m doing, because it was working at the Scottish. That has helped me to just go out and play without any rubbish in my head, and to be a bit more consistent. In the past I would not be able to play certain shots, but I don’t feel that way any more. I still have improvements to make, but I’m going in the right direction.

“John Higgins is an absolute legend and I look forward to that challenge. I could crumble tomorrow, but even if I do I will come away from the week with some positives. And if I can take a big scalp, even better.” 

Luca wasn”t able to reproduce the form he showed in previous matches this week but that’s only a small part of the story. The “MOD” – “Minister Of Defense” – turned into a master of attack yesterday. Martin will never be a quick player but he certainly can be a very positive, attacking player, he showed that yesterday … and it paid off big time. It was actually a fantastic match to watch: great shots galore and played in great spirit as well.

I didn’t see a ball of the other matches. No comments then…

Day 4 at the Home Nations is always a very busy and interesting day as the field shrinks from 24 players to just 8. Yesterday was no different. Here is the report by WST:

BETVICTOR WELSH OPEN: DAY FOUR ROUND-UP

Veteran Dominic Dale remained on course to become the first home winner of the BetVictor Welsh Open this century as he beat Jak Jones 4-0 to reach the quarter-finals in Llandudno.

Love is in the air for the 52-year-old as his passion for snooker has been rekindled by the interest of new girlfriend Anne. And there could be no more romantic finish to the tournament than Dale lifting the trophy on Sunday, which would make him the first Welsh winner since Mark Williams in 1999.

A break of 89 helped two-time ranking event champion Dale to a comfortable victory over Jones, setting up a meeting with Elliot Slessor on Friday afternoon.

“I hadn’t practised much for the last five years, but then I met Anne last summer,” said Dale. “We met on a night out in Stroud – she is an artist and I love art so we are very compatible. She is French and knew nothing about snooker, but then she discovered her father loves it and watches on Eurosport. She has learned about the game and is really intrigued by it. Between the two of them, they wanted me to recommit and put more effort in. I am playing for three hours a day now and I’m having my best season for many years. I have been sending her pictures of Llandudno this week and I think she would love to come if I get further.

“To win another ranking title would be unthinkable for me, at my age. But to do it in the Welsh Open would be the icing on the cake. I’m not playing well enough to win it, but if I can find my best game it is possible.”

World number three Mark Allen, chasing a third title of the season, whitewashed Robbie Williams 4-0 with a top break of 110. The Northern Irishman said: “I have come here to win, it would be great to add another Home Nations title to my cabinet. I don’t feel happy with where my game is, but I am happy with my mental attitude. I am fighting for everything out there, choosing the correct shots and giving it my best.“

On Friday at 12pm, Allen faces a tremendous quarter-final with John Higgins, who triumphed 4-3 in an epic battle with Matthew Selt which lasted three hours and seven minutes. Scotland’s Higgins, who has a record five Welsh Open titles under his belt, came from 3-1 down to 3-3, then got the better of a 42-minute decider. Selt had a chance for victory but missed a tricky cut-back yellow to a baulk corner with the scores tied 41-41, and Higgins cleared to the blue to reach his 139th ranking event quarter-final.

Having won ten consecutive matches in this event, Robert Milkins saw his streak ended by a 4-0 reverse against Gary Wilson. Defending champion Milkins was out of sorts and managed a top break of just 21, as BetVictor Scottish Open champion Wilson continued his bid for back-to-back Home Nations titles. 

World Champion Luca Brecel made it to the last eight of a ranking event for the first time this season, beating Tom Ford 4-1 with a top run of 65. The Belgian’s next opponent will be Martin O’Donnell, who saw off Marco Fu 4-2. Slessor fired breaks of 129, 62, 88 and 77 as he beat Fan Zhengyi 4-3.

The above report covers mainly the last part of the day, the “last 16” round, but there were also 8 “last 32” matches played in the afternoon. As always, all detailed results are on snooker.org.

The first match on the TV table in the afternoon featured Dominic Dale and Stan Moody. Why this was the “main” match is beyond my understanding, or maybe not? Ok, Dominic is Welsh, but so is Jak Jones who was playing Hossein Vafaei on the next table and that should have been the main match by the “rules” WST applies in normal circumstances. It was also a far better and more interesting match but hey… Stan Moody has to be “promoted”, right? Jak Jones played really well to beat Hossein Vafaei and was duly praised by Ronnie in the studio. Stan Moody was pretty awful and I’m not sure that being put on the main table is helping him in any way, nor that it is improving his “image”.

Luca Brecel is back. I didn’t see the evening match, but he was outstanding and extremely entertaining in the afternoon.

Anthony Hamilton and Martin O’Donnell managed to seriously delay the the second match on “their” table. Well … they have a reputation to honour don’t they? It wasn’t helped by the fact that they had two re-racks in the first frame 😉. That being said their match featured a 50+ break in every frame bar one. It wasn’t a bad match, it was a match between two really good players, one who is naturally slow and one who has suffered from various physical ailments and injuries over the recent years.

I didn’t watch any of the evening action. I was feeling tired and, anyway, with the 2 hours time difference with the UK, I would never have managed to stay up until nearly 3 am which, in my time zone, was when the last match finished.

I quite like Dominic. Like most, I’d rather not have him singing 😇 but other than that he’s an interesting character. He has lots of diverse interests, is more cultivated than most of the snooker players and very pleasant as a person. He’s also extremely knowledgeable about the history of snooker and snooker equipment. I would be very happy if he managed to win this one. Unlikely, I know, but …