Judd Trump landed his fourth title of an already sparkling season, beating Si Jiahui 10-5 to win the BetVictor German Masters at the Tempodrom in Berlin.
The Ace in the Pack has now won the German Masters a record three times, moving him ahead of Mark Williams and Ali Carter, who have both won the event twice.
Trump defeated Neil Robertson here at the Tempodrom in the 2020 final and beat Jack Lisowski in Milton Keynes back in 2021, when the tournament was displaced due to the pandemic.
Englishman Trump now has 27 career ranking titles to his name, with this evening’s victory moving him just one behind Steve Davis on 28 and four shy of John Higgins on 31.
Trump’s performance this week has seen him storm to an early triumph in the BetVictor Series, for which he pockets a £150,000 bonus. That is in addition to the £80,000 he earns for claiming the title this week. This is all with an event to spare ahead of this month’s BetVictor Welsh Open.
Talented Chinese 21-year-old Si can reflect on a week which has seen him reach his maiden ranking event final, having already reached the semi-finals of last season’s World Championship. Si is the 13th player from mainland China to reach a ranking final.
The afternoon’s session saw Trump establish a 5-3 lead. When play got underway this evening, both players treated the 2,000 strong crowd to a scintillating standard.
It was Si who took the first with a sublime 123 to close the gap to a single frame, before consecutive century contributions of 113 and 108 from Trump saw him regain a stranglehold on proceedings at 7-4. He then made it three on the bounce with 74 in the 12th to move 8-4 ahead at the mid-session.
When play resumed, Si pulled another back to stay in contention at 7-5. However, his resistance wouldn’t last long and runs of 66 and 81 saw Trump over the line for yet another title and secured him the Brandon Parker Trophy.
“It is a special event to me. I think the crowd make it that extra bit special. It is certainly one of the best arenas on the tour. It is an event I look forward to coming to and it seems to bring out the best in me.”
Judd Trump
Three-time German Masters Champion
“It was a tough challenge, because you never know what he is going to do next. You are always on the edge of your seat. He takes on absolutely everything. It can be a little bit tricky and you are never able to really settle. I produced my best snooker when I needed to and I didn’t miss much in the second session,” added 34-year-old Trump.
“I think he is very promising. The form he showed in the World Championship and this event, he is certainly the most talented player out there and the most likely to get to the top of the game. Shot selection is the key for him, the same as when I was young. As soon as he realises that and knuckles down he will challenge for a lot of titles.
“After the last couple of seasons, where I haven’t been winning four, five or six titles, people have been very quick to point that out. It is nice to do it again this season. Maybe hearing what some people say off the table pushes me to the level where I am able to produce it week in and week out. I have always been very dedicated. When you come to venues like this it just ignites something.”
Si said: “I had an incredible run to the final. After all my opponent was Judd, he is an amazing player and I have a lot to learn from him. I enjoyed this week.
“The German crowd is very passionate which is fantastic. This is a brilliant venue. It was very enjoyable.”
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Congratulations Judd Trump
Photo shared by WST on their website.
I was “Team Si” but I can’t be too disappointed. Judd Trump played brilliant snooker and spoke very well after his win. Si is only young, he is still learning and he will be back stronger.
Judd praised the fans, and the venue. Rightly so. Continental Europe deserves more events. There is a huge fan base there, and players as well. We have other venues that could be suitable for events too.
I can only speak for Belgium but here goes. In Antwerp, the Lotto Arena is huge. It can accommodate 10-12 tables easily, with seats on three sides. PTCs were played there in the past. In 2013, the 3-cushions World Championship was played in that arena. They got sponsored by Antwerp’s diamond industry. If a “niche” sport like 3-cushions can get such a sponsor, why doesn’t snooker manage it? Of course 3-cushions is our traditional billiard game in Belgium and we have history BUT the current snooker World Champion is Belgian, and we have a couple of brilliant youngsters in Julien and Ben. So? In Brussels, we have circular arena with huge capacity: Forêt National (pictured below), and a smaller one, a bit similar to Goffs, the “Cirque Royal”.
I have said this before, I’ll say it again, if snooker has real ambitions to become a major sport it has to break the “UK Centric” mentality and invest outside the UK and China. Continental Europe should be the first target. Fans there are hungry and we have promising young players. Bulcsú Révész from Hungary has just won the WSF junior event last week … just saying.
Today, in Berlin, the 2024 German Masters Final will be contested between Judd Trump and Si Jiahui. Most fans were expecting a Judd Trump v Kyren Wilson final but Si had other ideas … I reckon that many of us had forgotten how well he played at the Crucible last year… yesterday he reminded us how good he is when on song!
Chinese 21-year-old Si Jiahui reached the first ranking event final of his career, beating Kyren Wilson 6-3 in the last four of the BetVictor German Masters in Berlin.
The talented cueist showcased his considerable ability on the sport’s biggest stage last year, reaching the World Championship semi-finals. Si had looked set to appear in the final, before surrendering a 14-5 lead to lose 17-15 against eventual champion Luca Brecel.
This week Si has beaten Mark Joyce, Alfie Davies, Yuan Sijun, Ryan Day and now Wilson en route to his maiden title match. He will face either Judd Trump or Sam Craigie over the best of 19 frames tomorrow, with a top prize of £80,000 and the Brandon Parker Trophy on the line.
If Si wins, he will move into the top 16 on the one-year list and earn a place in the upcoming Players Championship, despite having missed out on qualification for the World Grand Prix.
Wilson was victorious here in Berlin back in 2019 and has enjoyed a fine record in Germany, having won three of his five ranking titles in the country. Despite scoring an impressive 5-0 whitewash win over Fan Zhengyi yesterday and looking good to beat Neil Robertson 5-3 in the last 16, he falls short of a place in the final.
A break of 97 gave Wilson the opener this afternoon, before he added the second to establish a 2-0 advantage. However, it was at that point Si embarked on a five-frame blitz to establish a stranglehold on proceedings. Breaks of 54, 138, 90 and 55 helped him to move one from the win at 5-2.
The pace of play altered significantly and Wilson claimed a 38-minute eighth frame to remain in contention. However, it was Si who won a 39-minute ninth to get himself over the line and into the final.
“You can say I’m quite simple minded, because I have not thought about making it to another semi-final much since the run at the Crucible last year. I just focus on each shot without thinking about how many tables are featured in the arena. If I play well, I will make progress and if I lose I will have no regrets. It doesn’t matter who I am playing, it’s not going to change my shot selections.”
Si Jiahui
2023 World Championship Semi-Finalist
Si added: “I feel like I’ve got used to this venue very well, so even at 2-0 down I didn’t feel much pressure. I just relaxed out there because I know Kyren is a top professional. My form picked up and I managed to stay in a good mindset to close it out.
“This match was very like the World Championship. The audience has been so passionate and it is a massive crowd. It made me concentrate more.”
Judd Trump is through to his fourth BetVictor German Masters final, after defeating Sam Craigie 6-2 at the Tempodrom in Berlin.
The Ace in the Pack will face Chinese 21-year-old star Si Jiahui in the title match on Sunday, with the Brandon Parker Trophy and a top prize of £80,000 on the line.
Trump is flying high this week, having already secured the £150,000 BetVictor Series bonus with an event to spare ahead of the BetVictor Welsh Open.
An incredible display of consistency, which saw him win the BetVictor English and Northern Ireland Opens, as well as being runner-up at the BetVictor European Masters, has seen Trump win the series for a record extending third time.
Craigie exits the event having reached a ranking semi-final for the first time in his career. The Wallsend cueman scored a landmark 5-1 win over defending Ali Carter in the last eight, but today’s result sees him fall short of the final.
The first two frames this evening were shared, before an hard fought third went the way of Trump, after Craigie crucially went in off on the green. The Bristolian then added the fourth frame to head in for the mid-session 3-1 in front.
When play resumed, Trump pressed home his advantage with a break of 68 to take the fifth. Craigie hit back with 71 in the sixth to make it 4-2. However, Trump made contributions of 75 and 79 in consecutive frames to get himself over the line and into the final.
“There are bigger money events out there, but here it is a feeling that money can’t buy when you walk out there in the semi-final stage. It is a tournament that I always enjoy coming to. I look forward to it and try to get to the latter stages and experience that one-table atmosphere. It lived up to the expectations.”
Judd Trump
2019 World Champion
Trump added: “It is strange for me playing someone that young (Si Jiahui). I’ve come full circle. I was playing John Higgins in the world final at that age. I’m the one to be shot at now. He is a tremendous talent. The way he plays the game is amazing for Chinese snooker. He is very attacking, goes for his shots and is exciting to watch.”
TRUMP PREVIEWS SI CLASH
It’s interesting that both finalist mention the atmosphere and the passion of the crowd. Si compared the atmosphere he experienced yesterday to the World Championship, where he had experienced the one table setup at the Crucible last season. Judd claimed that it gave him a feeling no money can buy. Neal Foulds had said, ahead of the tournament, that the Tempodrom is a very special venue, with a terrific atmosphere when there is just one table, and the only place he’s been to that could replace the Crucible… maybe … only maybe, the seed is planted that the Crucible – a rather inadequate venue by nowadays standard – is not irreplaceable.
Image shared by WST on their website.
As for today’s final … given his experience and CV, Judd Trump has to be favourite … but I will be “Team Si”
Judd Trump put on a clinical display to beat old rival John Higgins 5-2 and make the semi-finals of the BetVictor German Masters in Berlin.
Victory sees Bristolian Trump defeat Higgins for the third time in a row, extending his head-to-head advantage over the Scot to 17-14.
Trump dished out two heartbreaking defeats to Higgins in their previous two meetings this season. He rallied from 3-0 down to win 6-5 at the BetVictor European Masters and came from 5-2 behind to beat Higgins 6-5 at the BetVictor English Open.
The pair have clashed on the sport’s grandest stages on a number of occasions. Higgins defeated Trump in the 2011 World Championship final and roles were reversed in the 2019 Crucible title match. However, today’s match was the pair’s first ever meeting at Berlin’s iconic Tempodrom.
Coming into the match, 2020 and 2022 German Masters winner Trump had the knowledge that he had already secured the bumper £150,000 payout for topping the BetVictor Series standings. He’s already lifted silverware at the English Open and the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open.
It was Trump who got out of the traps first this afternoon, making 71 to take the opener. However, breaks of 83 and 53 from Higgins helped him to establish a 2-1 advantage. Trump hit back with 78 in the fourth and ensured they went in for the mid-session level at 2-2.
Higgins led 53-0 in the fifth, but a brilliant clearance of 68 helped Trump to steal and take the lead. The next saw Higgins miss a straightforward red to the top left and Trump ruthlessly punished to move 4-2 ahead and one from victory. He wasted little time getting over the line, securing a 5-2 win and a semi-final with either Ali Carter or Sam Craigie.
“For the first five or ten years, he was always just getting over the line. Now I am able to do the same. Just at the important times, to pot the crucial balls. Today John missed an easy ball to go 3-3 and that was the difference.”
Judd Trump
26-time Ranking Event Winner
Trump added: “For me, he is still a good benchmark. We are meeting now where his level has probably just dropped slightly and mine has risen. Every time I play him I can still see he is up for it. I know it is going to be a fight. Along with Ronnie he is the benchmark. If I can beat that type of player I know I’m doing well.
“The venue comes into its own when you get down to that semi-final. This isn’t the biggest prize money tournament, but the atmosphere is probably second to none. It is right up there with the Masters in London and one I always want to get back to.”
Chinese 21-year-old Si Jiahui thrashed Welshman Ryan Day 5-1 to make just the second ranking semi-final of his fledgling career.
Si stunned the world back in May, reaching his maiden semi-final at the Crucible. His dominated his last four clash with Luca Brecel at the World Championship, but eventually succumbed to a 17-15 defeat.
Today saw Si put on a clinical display, firing in runs of 52, 96, 72, 75 and 73 to blitz to the impressive victory. He now faces either Kyren Wilson or Fan Zhengyi in the last four.
Sam Craigie will appear in the semi-final of a ranking event for the first time in his career, after scoring a landmark 5-1 win over defending champion Ali Carter at the BetVictor German Masters in Berlin.
The 30-year-old from Wallsend first became professional back in 2011, but bowed out in his two previous quarter-final appearances at the 2019 China Open and the 2022 UK Championship. Tomorrow he will step out in the single table setup at the iconic Tempodrom to take on Judd Trump.
In recent months Craigie has started working with coach Chris Henry and Rapid Transformational Therapist Ross Turner and has credited them with a turnaround in his mentality, which has led to achieving this evening’s momentous victory.
Carter’s title defence ends two wins short of a second straight trip to the final. Last year he lifted the Brandon Parker Trophy after a magnificent 10-3 defeat of Tom Ford in the title match. He has enjoyed a tremendous 12 months since then, reaching further finals at the Players Championship, Wuhan Open and the Masters.
Craigie blitzed to a 4-0 advantage this evening, hammering home breaks of 71, 65, 50 and 103 to get there. Carter crafted a typically gutsy 90 in the fifth to stay in contention. However, his resistance was to be short lived.
The sixth frame saw Craigie deposit the first ten reds with blacks as he chased a maximum break to win in style. However, he was unlucky to then pot two reds at once and deny himself the 147 chance. In the end his run finished on 89 as he secured the 5-1 victory.
“I stayed in the zone, just focussing on me. That is about it, trying to blank everything out and focus on my game. People have said it for years and years since I was young, that I have all the talent in the world. I just didn’t believe it. Every tournament I changed my cue action. In the last two months I haven’t changed my cue action. I’ve been able to enjoy playing.”
Sam Craigie
World Number 50
On the other table, 2019 German Masters winner Kyren Wilson reached his first semi-final of the season by demolishing Fan Zhengyi 5-0.
Wilson captured the title here at the Tempodrom five years ago when he scored a thrilling 9-7 win over David Gilbert. The Warrior enjoys competing in Germany, having claimed three of his five ranking event wins in the country.
This evening’s encounter saw Wilson make breaks of 125, 69, 51 and 55 on his way to victory. Next up he faces World Championship semi-finalist Si Jiahui in the last four.
I can’t really comment on the afternoon matches. I was marking the scores for snooker.org and there were three events underway simultaneously… I ended up up watching nothing properly … except live scores . In the evening, Kyren played extremely well and Fan was really poor. Fan started the match with a brilliant pot but that’s as good as it went for the lad who looked very downbeat and frustrated towards the end.
I’m looking forward to the Wilson v Si clash today. History is firmly in favour of Kyren: he’s won all their previous encounters bar one … Si’s only victory at the Shootout. Si though is a different animal now. If both play as well as they did in the tournament so far, it should be a treat!
Having not seen Sam Craigie in action in recent time, I have no idea how, or even if, he can give Judd Trump problems. I just hope we get to see a match, not an execution…
…
Follow the links above to see the picture galleries on WST site.
Bulcsú Révész has won the 2024 WSF Junior Championship, held in Golem, Albania, to become the first snooker professional from Hungary. Bulcsú is only just 17 years old, he was born on January 1, 2007.
Congratulations Bulcsú!
Bulcsú beat Gong Chenzhi by 5-3 in the Final, and also scored the highest break of the tournament, a 130, in frame 3 of that final match. Some feat!
The event had a truly international field: 77 players from 23 different nationalities! Remarkably, Gong Chenzhi was the only player from China in the field. Also worth noting that, although the UK and Ireland accounted for nearly 40% of the field, and many Brits seem to think that they have the best amateurs, only one of their players, Oliver Sykes, reached the semi-finals. The fourth semi-finalist was a young lad from Pakistan, Hamza Ilyas. This shows that there are many excellent young players outside the UK, rarely seen or spoken about. Here is one more big reason for WST/WPBSA to seriously try to “break” the UK centric nature of the current organisation of the sport … if they have real ambitions to develop snooker world wide that is…
… I can only suppose that someone, a regular on this blog, is dancing and celebrating ! 😊
Bulcsu Revesz defeated Gong Chenzhi 5-3 in the final of the WSF Junior Championship to secure his status as Hungary’s first ever main tour professional.
Revesz becomes the fifth winner of the WSF Junior Championship, following Stan Moody’s victory last year in Sydney, Australia, and makes history for Hungarian snooker by becoming the first player from the country to earn a World Snooker Tour card.
He won the opening frame of the contest with a break of 60 before winning back-to-back frames, featuring a stunning 130 clearance, to move 3-1 ahead at the mid-session interval.
Gong battled back and drew level at 3-3 by taking a dramatic sixth frame on the black. The Hungarian held his nerve, however, to take the final two frames of the contest to win the WSF Junior title and earn a two-year World Snooker Tour card as a result.
Both players headed into the title match in fine form having dropped just four frames apiece in the knockout stages so far. The two had met in the group stages, however, in a match that saw Revesz win 3-1.
The Hungarian got off to a flying start with a break of 60 to take the opening frame and looked in command in frame two as he opened up a 44 point advantage. However, Gong was unphased and fired in a half-century of his own to level the game at 1-1.
A stunning break of 130, the highest of the tournament, followed from Revesz and he doubled his advantage by taking frame to lead 3-1 at the mid-session interval.
Gong took the first after the break to reduce the deficit before levelling the score in dramatic fashion in a seemingly pivotal sixth frame which came down to the colours.
Revesz was just a mid-range pink away from moving 4-2 ahead, but missed the pot and Gong calmly knocked in the two remaining balls to instead restore parity at 3-3.
The Hungarian refused the let the the disappointment of the previous frame effect him, however, as he took a hard-fought seventh frame to move one away from the title.
The drama reached its peak in frame eight as it once again went down to the colours, but this time Revesz made no mistake as potted the final few balls to secure victory before turning to the crowd with his arms aloft in delight.
Post-match Bulcsu reflected: “It’s just amazing, I didn’t expect anything before the tournament but I felt like I was getting better and better and before the final I just knew I was going to win.
“I missed the pink to go 4-2 up and so at 3-3 I was on the floor. I don’t know how, but I won the seventh frame and then I was back in the saddle again.
“I think I am going to have so many messages because every Hungarian player was supporting meet which is a brilliant feeling. I hope everyone is so happy and I hope this can inspire more players in Hungary. I have enjoyed playing since the age of eight and I still love it.
“To stay on tour after the first two years is my first goal. To be in the top 64 I will have to play even better than I have this week, but I know I can do it. I am looking forward to it.”
DAY THREE ROUNDUP: HIGGINS AND ALLEN SET FOR CLASH
John Higgins will face Mark Allen in a mouth-watering last 16 clash at the BetVictor German Masters, after both players secured third round wins at the Tempodrom on Wednesday.
Higgins ensured his progression with a strong performance to beat China’s Zhou Yuelong 5-3. He looked in good touch this afternoon and composed breaks of 89 and 97 during the win.
The Glaswegian is gunning for a first piece of silverware in nearly three years, having claimed the most recent of his 31 ranking titles at the 2021 Players Championship. However, he has been runner-up in five finals during the intervening years.
After today’s match Higgins admitted he has been seeking a return to the mentality which has made him a four-time World Champion and one of the greatest of all-time.
“I am trying to work out what I did earlier on in my career. I think the word is that I was maybe more stubborn. I’m trying to get back to that and give myself a chance of winning. I can be too honest sometimes and tell people how I’m feeling. You can’t afford to in this game. You have to be totally focussed on your own game and not give an inch out there.”
John Higgins
Four-time World Champion
Higgins added: “Mark is one of the strongest players in the game now. Mentally and on the table, he puts everything into it. That is something you can learn from, to give everything to compete with these guys. That is what I will try and do going forward.”
Allen booked his progression with an edgy, but hard fought, 5-2 win over Joe O’Connor.
The first four frames this afternoon lasted nearly two hours, as they headed to the mid-session level at 2-2. When play resumed, Allen found his form and took three on the bounce to secure victory.
The Northern Irishman has already won two trophies this season, with victories at the Champion of Champions and the BetVictor Shoot Out. He heads into his encounter with Higgins knowing he won an epic contest at the Masters in their most recent meeting 6-5.
Only Higgins and Allen remain in contention to stop Judd Trump winning the £150,000 BetVictor Series bonus with an event to spare, ahead of the upcoming BetVictor Welsh Open.
Trump came through with a 5-2 defeat of Matthew Selt. The Ace in the Pack fired in breaks of 66, 97, 118 and 73 secure victory this evening. Trump now plays quickfire Thai Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.
Defending champion Ali Carter is through to the last 16 after beating China’s Pang Junxu 5-2. He will face Zak Surety, who will appear in the last 16 of a ranking event for the first time. Surety scored a 5-2 win over Elliot Slessor.
Belgian 20-year-old Julian Leclercq booked his last 16 slot with an impressive 5-1 win over former Welsh Open champion Jordan Brown. He faces Ryan Day, who beat current Welsh Open champion Robert Milkins 5-1.
So, here goes. Xu Si earned his spot in the last 16 with a hard fought 5-4 win over Graeme Dott who is never easy to beat. There were rather comfortable wins for Yuan Sijun and Si Jiahui, but Fan Zhengyi really had to earn his place in the last 32. He beat Ben Mertens by 5-3 in a very high quality and entertaining match. All the frames, except the first two, were close and fiercely contested. They had five breaks over 50 between them, but actually, what impressed me the most, was the quality of the safeties those two young lads produced.
Neil Robertson vowed to get back to his ‘brutal’ best and resume ‘burying opponents’ after a 5-0 demolition of Jimmy Robertson at the BetVictor German Masters in Berlin.
The Australian is in the midst of one of his worst ever seasons, having not been beyond the last 32 of any ranking event and suffered four first round exits so far.
Despite being currently ranked seventh in the world, Robertson is projected to lose his place in the top eight and miss out on the upcoming Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker. He is also on course to fall out of the top 16 and require a trip to the qualifying rounds for the World Championship.
However, 23-time ranking event winner Robertson has been putting in all the hours to ensure a return to form. Having won five in a row during his 5-1 first round win over Sanderson Lam, he has now won ten frames on the bounce.
Robertson crafted breaks of 87, 78, 135 and 86 during this morning’s victory and he now plays close friend Joe Perry, who beat Xing Zihao 5-1.
“I need to get back to being brutal and burying opponents into the ground. There are no happy, smiley handshakes anymore. I want the worst for my opponent on the table. Away from it fine, but on the table I want them to suffer.”
Neil Robertson
2010 World Champion
Robertson added: “I’m just really focussed on getting the best out of my performances and doing the best that I can do. That is super hard work, eating well, sleeping well, diet and physical exercise. There is absolutely no stone which is going to be unturned from now until the rest of the season.”
RUTHLESS ROBERTSON
Judd Trump continued his quest to scoop the £150,000 BetVictor Bonus with an event to spare, beating Matthew Stevens 5-3.
The player who accumulates the most money over the series earns the bumper payout, with only the BetVictor Welsh Open to go after this week.
Trump has already won two BetVictor Series events so far this season at the English Open and the Northern Ireland Open to establish a big lead. Only Barry Hawkins, John Higgins and Mark Allen remain in the hunt to catch him.
“I’ve got the incentive of trying to do well and put the series to bed in this tournament. I’m still in and hopefully I can improve in the next game,” said 2019 World Champion Trump.
“I’ve probably already scored more points than anyone has ever won it with before, so I would be incredibly unlucky not to win it from this position. I managed to pip Neil Robertson in the last event a couple of years ago. I don’t want that to happen to me. I’ve been very consistent in the series and I hope I can do the same here.”
Allen sealed his progression with a 5-2 win over Louis Heathcote. The Northern Irishman needs to win the title to remain in the hunt for the BetVictor Series bonus.
Chinese rookie He Guoqiang scored a shock 5-1 win over three-time World Champion Mark Williams. He crafted contributions of 121, 64 and 102 in the last three frames to secure a famous victory.
Defending champion Ali Carter eased through by a 5-1 scoreline against Peng Yisong and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh edged past Zhang Anda 5-4.
Again no reporting on the evening session matches.
The heartbreak I mention in the title of this post happened during that session and it’s a shame really that it’s not even mentioned on WST website: Marco Fu forfeited his match against Alfie Davies at 3-1 down. It was very obvious that Marco was struggling after the first frame and it later transpired that the reason for his withdrawal was health related: he was suffering from double vision and felt unable to continue. Eyes issues have completely derailed Marco’s career in recent years and it’s really worrying and sad to see. He still can play at the highest level when he is ok. That WST doesn’t even mention it, never mind wishing Marco well, is a shame really. Marco has been an impeccable professional since 1998 and a great ambassador for snooker in Hong Kong.
In the evening session, Mark Allen defeated Louis Heathcote (5-2) in a slow going and rather forgettable match, Jordan Brown beat David Gilbert (5-2), Julien Leclercq, from 2-1 and 3-2 down, beat Ken Doherty, by 5-3 with breaks of 81, 67 and 51. Joe Perry completely dominated young Xing Zihao as he beat him by 5-1 with breaks of 75, 103 and 65 in the first three frames.
Ali Carter edged past Welshman Michael White 5-4 to begin the defence of his BetVictor German Masters title in Berlin.
The Captain was crowned German Masters champion for a second time last year, when he thrashed Tom Ford 10-3 in the final here at the Tempodrom.
Since then, Carter has gone on to reap the rewards of returning to snooker’s top table. The Essex cueman was recently runner-up to Ronnie O’Sullivan at the Masters and also made the final of the Wuhan Open earlier this season, when he lost to Judd Trump.
Now world number 11 Carter is hunting for a place in the top eight of the rankings. He has this week, the Welsh Open and the Players Championship to earn his place in the inaugural Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker.
With Carter leading this afternoon’s encounter 3-2, he moved to the verge of victory with a break of 89 to go 4-2 ahead. However, 2015 Indian Open champion White showed his resolve to take the next two on the bounce, including a run of 85 to force a decider.
A tense final frame saw both players have opportunities, but after 25 minutes it was Carter who got himself over the line and book his place in the second round against Peng Yisong.
“I was pleased to dig in and get the win. It was a tough match and I knew it would be. I was delighted to come through in the end,” said five-time ranking event winner Carter.
“I’ve had three big finals since winning here last year in Yushan, at the Masters and the Players Championship last season. I’m in the Players Championship again this season and hopefully the Tour Championship. It is all good and the spin offs do happen from winning.
‘Everyone is chasing down a place in Riyadh now. That is going to be a big event and great event to be involved in. Hopefully I’ll pick up enough points to take my place.”
Indian tour rookie Ishpreet Singh Chadha scored the biggest win of his career so far, beating World Champion Luca Brecel 5-2.
Singh Chadha earned his place on the professional circuit through Asia/Oceania Q School at the start of the season. He has acquitted himself well so far, scoring wins over the likes of Anthony McGill and Stuart Bingham, but tonight’s victory is undoubtedly his biggest yet.
He made contributions of 78, 88, 53 and 70 during the tie. Singh Chadha’s performance now earns him a second round encounter with China’s Liu Hongyu.
“I am buzzing right now, over the moon. To beat Luca in such a nice arena is an absolutely superb feeling.”
Ishpreet Singh Chadha
Indian Number One
Singh Chadha added: “I feel I am getting there, little by little. I had a good feeling before the match and I really hit some form. I went back to India recently and felt very refreshed by that. I was very confident ahead of the game.
“This is the best venue until now I’ve played in. It is just amazing and the crowd makes you want to play well.”
Triple Crown winner Shaun Murphy let a 3-0 lead slip to bow out 5-3 at the hands of Xu Si. World number 59 Xu crafted breaks of 70, 53 and 131 whilst taking five on the bounce to turn the tie on its head and earn a clash with Andrew Higginson in the next round.
Marco Fu put on a quickfire display to brush aside four-time World Champion Mark Selby 5-1.
The Hong Kong cueman averaged just 16 seconds a shot on his way to victory. Fu fired in breaks of 60, 76 and 98 during the win and now faces Alfie Davies.
FU REFLECTS ON SELBY ROUT
Marco plays a lot better since he plays faster.I can relate to that. My eyesight also changed for the worse in recent years (I’m much older than Marco) and usually when I try to really focus on an object it’s not working. I’m better t trust what I see at first sight…
This is one strange report… no word whatsoever about the “main” evening match. Judd Trump demolished the “local” boy, Lukas Kleckers by 5-0 on the main table. It was hard to watch. Lukas is a far better players than what he showed yesterday. The occasion got to him, he didn’t start well and that only made it worse. Judd himself didn’t play particularly well but he didn’t need to.
No mention either of Julien Leclercq 5- 2win over Barry Pinches. Barry Pinches isn’t on the main tour anymore but he’s a wile old fox and he still can play. That match featured a break over 60 in every frame bar one.
Nothing about the hard battle Mark Allen faced: he needed to win the last two frames to beat “Quid” in a match that went the distance.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 