Ronnie booked his place in the quarter-finals at the Crucible this afternoon with a 13-7 win over Ryan Day.

Here are the scores of that match:

This is the report by WST. Ronnie explains why he felt the need to change his technic and turned to Nic Barrow for help.

Ronnie O’Sullivan, at ease with his technique and competing with enthusiasm, reached a record-extending 22nd Crucible quarter-final by rounding off a 13-7 success against Ryan Day in the second round of the Cazoo World Championship.

Looking relaxed and confident, O’Sullivan even engaged in a friendly exchange with a woman in the crowd who was clapping eagerly during the 17th frame. “She got a bit excited, maybe she had never been to a snooker match before!” he later joked. “I said she should calm down a bit. But then I felt a bit bad, I didn’t want her to think I was telling her off.”

O’Sullivan has dropped just eight frames in the tournament so far and will meet Stuart Bingham or Jack Lisowski on Tuesday and Wednesday. He needs three more wins to land an eighth world title, which would put him one ahead of Stephen Hendry. The world’s number one has already won five trophies this season and his prize money tally for 2023/24 is now £1,265,500.

MOST CRUCIBLE QUARTER-FINALS

ROCKET EXTENDS RECORD

Ronnie O’Sullivan 22
Stephen Hendry 19
John Higgins 17
Steve Davis 15
Jimmy White 15

Working with coach Nic Barrow, O’Sullivan is, for once, content with his game in matches and practice. “It feels like I want to play,” he told BBC. “It feels like I want to get my cue out of the case. I’m not scared of the table, not scared of the balls. I’m scared of some other things but not that, which is the most important thing. When you’re confident in your ability to do something when you get the chance, then you feel alright.

“It’s early days for me, trying this new way of playing, a different style of cueing. It’s been hard work for two years. I decided I couldn’t continue playing like that. I had to make some changes and it’s the body and the mind trying to catch up with each other. I’ve got some of it right, I’m just trying to work out the puzzle at the moment. I’ve had a bit of excitement for the last couple of weeks, getting through the ball better. There were some good bits there today. When I find this game hard my life gets harder.  When I find it easy, life becomes a pleasant place again.” 

O’Sullivan led 10-6 after two sessions, having made breaks of 123, 84, 83, 51, 92, 82, 65, 89, 56 and 96. The opening frame of today’s concluding session came down to a battle on the yellow and Day, leading 57-35, got an unwanted double kiss attempting safety, handing his opponent an opening to make a fine clearance to extend his lead.

A run of 85 brought him to the brink of victory, and though Day pulled one back, O’Sullivan finished the job in frame 20 with 67 and 53.

Day said: “I created lots of chances, but I struggled to settle all game. I missed too many balls and you can’t do that no matter who you play. If I’d managed to settle I could have given him more of a game and put him under pressure. I wasn’t able to do that.“

Here are some images shared by WST

There is also an interesting article by Phil Haigh about Ronnie’s struggles with anxiety over the last two years, despite all his successes

Ronnie O’Sullivan speaks out on anxiety struggles: ‘For two years I’ve held it down’

Phil Haigh

Ronnie O’Sullivan says his issues with his own game have led to him taking medication for anxiety, but is finally feeling better after two years ‘in the doldrums.’

The Rocket is into the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship after seeing off Jackson Page and Ryan Day in the opening two rounds.

He is looking to end an already brilliant season in style by adding the world title to five other big events he has picked up over the campaign.

The 48-year-old has cut a frustrated figure over the season, despite his immense success, but is looking and sounding generally more positive in Sheffield.

After beating Page in round one the Rocket suggested he is going to push on into his 50s and see how many more world titles he can win, sounding a lot more buoyant than recent months.

O’Sullivan spoke about working with a new coach ahead of the Crucible this year and he certainly has a bit more pep in his step after two years of not feeling at his best and struggling with anxiety over his game to the point he had to take medication for it.

‘I’ve had such a long time in the doldrums,’ O’Sullivan told the BBC after beating Day 13-7. ‘For two years I’ve held it down, I’ve not really mentioned anything but it’s been really challenging.

I’ve had to take medication for the anxiety and all that sort of stuff, even in small tournaments, even when I’m not playing. That’s how bad the game can make me feel at times.

‘I didn’t want to do that anymore. I’ve just had a bit of excitement for the last couple of weeks, getting through the ball a little bit better. Then you come down crashing to earth. I was out there last night and it started to wander a bit. It was like, can we fix it? Can we get it back on track? There were some good bits there today.’

‘I’m just getting a bit more optimism a bit more belief that I can sustain it. It’s no good being able to do it for one match or one tournament you’ve got to try and sustain it for a few months, even a year. I played great for three years once, never had a bad day, so it can happen, you just have to get everything right.’

O’Sullivan has often tried to play down how much he is affected by the sport he sits atop of, but admits it is almost impossible to separate his emotions from how his game feels.

‘When I find this game hard my life gets harder. When I find this game easy it comes good to me, life becomes a pleasant place again,’ he said. 

‘I’ve tried to disassociate from it, it’s not easy, I’ve tried to not let the sport identify me, but it’s hard. I’ve probably accepted it’s never going to happen. 

‘I’ve just tried to minimise the bad performances or what I consider bad feelings out there when I’m playing. If I’m cueing well and lose I’m in a great place because I’m looking forward to the next one. When you’re winning and not looking forward to playing, it’s like, where do I go from here? It’s not a good place to be.’

Here are some videos shared by Eurosport on their YouTube Channel

Only one match finished yesterday: Stephen Maguire beat Shaun Murphy by 13-9 to book his place in the quarter-finals of the 2024 World Snooker Championship.

Here is the report by WST:

MAGUIRE FIRES PAST MURPHY TO MAKE QUARTERS

Stephen Maguire defeated old rival Shaun Murphy 13-9 to make the quarter-finals of the Cazoo World Championship at the Crucible Theatre. 

The pair have been engaged in a heated rivalry which extends back three decades. This was the 24th meeting between Maguire and Murphy, with victory for the former taking the head-to-head record dead level at 12-12. 

The win for Maguire means he has now beaten Murphy in their last four meetings. Their previous clash came at the 2022 World Championship, when the Scot prevailed 10-8 in the first round. 

They contested a fiery first two sessions, which saw both players in demonstrable moods around the table, celebrating frame clinching moments. After Maguire deposited the final pink of the second session to end 10-6 up, he hammered the table and clenched his fist with delight. 

When play got back underway this morning, a break of 68 from Maguire extended his lead to 11-6. Murphy claimed the next and had looked good to pull within three in the 19th, but an unexpected missed red on 43 let his opponent in. Maguire pounced with 73 to move one from the win at 12-7.

The Magician kept himself alive with two on the bounce. However, it was Maguire who forced his way over the line in style with a sublime 127, the first century of the match. It puts Maguire through to his eighth Crucible quarter-final, where he will meet David Gilbert. 

“There’s a lot of pressure out there. The crowd get involved and they are that close. You end up getting involved. A wee bit of emotion, or actually a big bit of emotion, got out. It must mean a lot, because if it didn’t then there would be no emotion like that. That’s what every player does when they go to the dressing room. They go nuts. They normally hold it in the arena. I let it slip a little bit there.” 

Stephen Maguire

2004 UK Champion

Maguire added: “He looked like he was comfortable in that session so I was starting to get geared up for a comeback and a close finish. Once I got my chance, I finished pretty well there. 

“Me and Dave (Gilbert) get on and we’ve grown up with each other for the best part of 30 years. He is a great player. He’s not had a great season by his standards. I’m probably the same, so we are coming into a good game at the right time.

“The quarter-finals are the pressure matches. I’ve won a couple and lost a couple. It is a match you don’t want to lose in because that arena changes and it does become the best in the world with the one table.”

Murphy said: “I just wasn’t good enough throughout the match. It was typical of my season really. There were some glimpses of some good stuff but far too many self-inflicted mistakes to challenge Stephen. I thought he played really well and he was very solid. I wish him all the best for the rest of the tournament.”

MAGUIRE REFLECTS ON ROUND TWO WIN

I can’t really comment as I didn’t see anything of this match past the first session.

In other unrelated news Ronnie’s latest autobiography was shortlisted for The Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book Awards Autobiography of the Year as reported by WST. You can still vote … if you so wish.

Ronnie O’Sullivan’s ‘Unbreakable’ is on the shortlist for The Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book Awards Autobiography of the Year, in association with The Sunday Times.

A public vote will open on 5th May. Votes can be placed here: www.sportsbookawards.com/vote

Written with Tom Fordyce and published in 2023, Unbreakable is an insight into O’Sullivan’s life and extraordinary career. The seven-time World Champion looks back on his landmark 2022 Crucible triumph and reflects on many highs and lows from his three decades at the top of his sport. 

Now in its 22nd Year, the Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book Awards highlight the outstanding sports books of the previous calendar year to showcase their merits and to enhance their reputation and profile.

The shortlist is:

Broadly Speaking, Stuart Broad 
Carl Frampton: My Autobiography
Kammy, Chris Kamara 
The Extra Mile, Kevin Sinfield
Unbreakable, Ronnie O’Sullivan 
Unique – A Memoir, Dame Kelly Holmes 
Who am I?, Danny Cipriani 
Winning the Fight, Maggie Alphonsi 

Two of the round 2 matches (Last 16) finished yesterday. Here are the reports by WST:

Judd Trump 13-7 Tom Ford

TRUMP STAYS PATIENT TO REACH LAST EIGHT

Judd Trump insisted that he does not feel extra pressure at snooker’s biggest tournament after strolling past Tom Ford 13-7 to reach his tenth quarter-final at the Cazoo World Championship.

Trump has 28 ranking titles to his name – only Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry and John Higgins have won more – but has conquered the Crucible only once, in 2019. Over the next ten days, the 34-year-old has the chance to become only the seventh player to lift the famous trophy more than once in Sheffield. His next opponent will be Jak Jones or Si Jiahui on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

“I don’t put too much pressure on myself here, I try to relax and enjoy it,” said Trump. “I have the same attitude and will to win that I do at any other tournament. For some other players, winning here means the absolute world, nothing else matters and they forget to enjoy it, but it’s not the same for me.”

As for the match against Ford, Trump added: “I was average. We both struggled. I had to stay patient when my positional play wasn’t good. It’s hard to play your best when you are not being pushed. But I enjoyed being out there.”  

Trump, winner of five ranking titles already this season, led 11-5 after the first two sessions, making breaks of 67, 52, 69, 107, 67, 59 and 50. The early exchanges might have been closer if Ford had not missed a red on the verge of a 3-2 lead, which proved a turning point as he fell 6-2 behind.

The Leicester cueman took the opening frame today with a break of 76, then Trump replied with a 107, his second century of the tournament and 78th of the season. Ford pulled one more back before Bristol’s Trump sealed the result with an 84 in frame 20.

Asked about his next opponent, Trump said: “Si is always improving and has been tipped as a future World Champion. He’s similar to me when I was younger because he needs more experience in his shot selection. I have played Jak a few times and he has played some unbelievable stuff against me, plus he seems to love this venue.“

Ford said: “You can get away with one bad session here, but not two. I tried everything, but it didn’t work. I don’t think Judd played that well, I just gave him so many chances.” 

Ford didn’t play well at all and Trump, not being pushed, wasn’t at his best either. He didn’t need to. That made for a rather uninteresting match. The writing was on the wall right from session one. Ford started well, it was 2-2 at the first MSI. Then Ford missed one ball as he looked good to go 3-2 up and lost the frame. That miss appeared to play on his mind and it changed the course of the session and of the whole match.

Jak Jones 13-9 Si Jiahui

JONES BEATS SI TO SET UP TRUMP QUARTER-FINAL

Jak Jones became the first player in 25 years to reach the quarter-finals on his first two Crucible appearances as he beat Si Jiahui 13-9 in the second round of the Cazoo World Championship.

Having seen an 8-3 lead almost evaporate when his advantage was slashed to 9-8, Jones came good at the business end to get the better of Si in a tense finish. The 30-year-old Welshman will face Judd Trump over 25 frames on Tuesday and Wednesday.

World number 44 Jones reached the last eight on his debut last year and now becomes the first player get that far in his first two trips to Sheffield since Matthew Stevens in 1998 and 1999. He is clearly suited to this event and the longer matches, as he has not reached the quarter-finals of any other tournaments over the past two seasons. 

World number two Trump will start strong favourite, and has won four of their five previous meetings, though Jones did score an impressive 6-5 win in the 2018 China Open. 

The opening frame today lasted 58 minutes and came down to the colours. China’s Si, a semi-finalist on his debut here last year, got the snooker he needed on the green and later got the better of an exchange on the blue, then potted the last three balls to close the gap to 9-8. Jones made an excellent 44 clearance in the 18th to restore his two-frame cushion, then the next two were shared to leave the score at 11-9 at the interval.

A break of 78 extended Jones’ advantage to 12-9. In frame 22, he led 42-0 when he missed a tricky red with the rest to a top corner. Si battled his way back into the frame and it came down to a long battle on the colours, resolved when Jones slotted the brown into a centre pocket and added blue and pink for victory.

“It’s a relief because it was a shocking match and I’m not sure how I won,” admitted Jones. “I was lucky to be 6-2 up because I won four black ball frames in the first session. I have got a couple of days now to spend time on the practice table, trying to get something together so I am ready to challenge Judd.

“Judd and Ronnie are the best two players at the moment so it can’t get any tougher for me. Everyone expects those two to meet in the semi-finals. He is much more used to the big occasion than me, but I’ve got nothing to lose.”

It was a terrible match but a quite fascinating one at the same time. Si showed tremendous resilience despite struggling badly with his game. He didn’t have the run of the balls either. Jak Jones is a bit of an oddity. He’s a young player but plays like an “old-timer”. He too is extremely resilient, very solid mentally. At times yesterday I was thinking : “No way this guy is only 30… he’s a time capsule out of the 70th-80th“. And that’s no criticism, quite the opposite under the circumstances.

Only one match finished yesterday as David Gilbert beat Robert Milkins by 13-4 to reach the QFs.

Here is the report by WST:

David Gilbert scored 421 points without reply as he thrashed an injured Robert Milkins 13-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the Cazoo World Championship. 

Milkins predicted before the match that it was a “50-50 game” but it turned out to be a one-sided contest as Gilbert, riding on a new wave of enthusiasm for snooker, made two centuries and six more breaks over 50 in a superb display. From the end of frame 13 to the conclusion of the match, he compiled 421 points without Milkins troubling the scoreboard – the fourth highest sequence of unanswered points in Crucible history, albeit well short of John Higgins’ record of 485

Tamworth’s 42-year-old Gilbert is through to his second Crucible quarter-final and first since 2019 when he reached the semis before a narrow 17-16 defeat against Higgins. The world number 31 will face Stephen Maguire or Shaun Murphy on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

Throughout his career, Gilbert has had spells of falling out of love with snooker and losing appetite for practice. He has not reached a ranking event semi-final since winning the 2021 Championship League, but in the past four weeks he has worked hard on his game and fitness and is now enjoying the rewards.

During the second session this morning, Gilbert moved from 5-3 ahead to 12-4, compiling breaks of  67, 83, 136 and 123. Milkins’ chances were hampered by pain in the trapezius muscle of his left shoulder, and he struggled to cue correctly throughout the day. During the 12th frame, frustrated by the match slipping away, he threw his cue to the Crucible floor. When they returned for the evening session, the match was over within 17 minutes as Gilbert dominated frame 17

Milkins said: “It was just emotion coming out when I threw my cue. It wasn’t that bad, I didn’t javelin it into the crowd or do an Eric Cantona! I have done it loads of times, there’s a certain way of dropping the cue where the tip doesn’t come off. It can be good to let your emotions out – Stephen Maguire does it and it can turn his game around.

“This morning I was at Tesco at 6am, buying ibuprofen. I get this pain once or twice a year and usually it goes away with the tablets, but this time it has hurt all day. I couldn’t get down on the shot. It was frustrating that I couldn’t have a good crack at the match. But I don’t want to make excuses because Dave played really well and if he keeps that up he could go far. I have been lazy this season and it has caught up with me now, my game is a million miles off.“

Gilbert said: “I’m feeling confident and it’s nice to know I can still play a bit. It feels fantastic when the white is doing what you want it to do, and I have also been winning scrappy frames, which is important. Some people might be surprised because I have been shocking for so long, but I have been working hard and timed it right for this event. When I got to the semis here in 2019 I realised you have to spend your time wisely, make sure you rest in between sessions and eat properly, so the fitness work has helped and I have time to smash the gym before Tuesday.”

Asked about his next opponent, Gilbert added: “I have known them both since we were kids. Back then, Stephen was the one I most admired, even more than the likes of Shaun and Mark Selby. He has had a great career but I’m amazed he hasn’t won this one. Shaun is one of the few players I will watch if it’s on – the way he hits the ball. They both attack and go for their shots which you have to do here. You have to play to win, you can’t fudge over the line.”

…

I didn’t watch this particular match so can’t comment on the action. One thing though that I want to say is that Robert Milkins isn’t a bad person. I’ve got to know him a bit during the SWSA days. He’s a very instinctive sort of man who sometimes does things that he later regrets but his heart is in the right place and he will be the first to admit it when he’s been wrong. Life hasn’t always been kind on him either. People shouldn’t judge him too harshly.

On another note … about conditions … Barry Pinches on Facebook was rejoicing about the fact that this year the pockets are tight and don’t accept the balls too easily, only for Tom Ford telling him that it’s nothing to do with the pockets. According to Tom it’s freezing cold in the arena and that has an impact on the way the cushions react, including in the immediate vicinity of the pockets, and that is – in his views – why the pockets appear to be tighter.

In other important news, please read this piece by the always excellent David Caulfield

Shaun Murphy is asking some very important questions here and he summarises the Crucible dilemma very well: a lot of players and fans, especially the older ones and the British ones, have a strong sentimental bond with the Crucible but it’s the smallest venue hosting snooker biggest event. It worked in the past, even in a not so distant past but no more. One of the reasons for that is that snooker in the UK is in decline, while it’s growing elsewhere. the UK centric approach isn’t right anymore. Shaun also wonder why Barry Hearn – officially retired – appears to still be the figurehead of snooker. My answer to that is … because the reality is that Matchroom is the majority shareholder of the sport, and, although Eddie Hearn is supposed to be the boss, he has little interest in snooker, unlike Barry who hasn’t really stepped down and can’t let go of it.

Ronnie has won his opening match at this year World Championship, beating Jackson Page comprehensively by 10-1. Here are the scores of that match:

And the reports by WST …

First session – 24 April 2024

A dominant session of snooker saw Ronnie O’Sullivan begin his bid for a record eighth Cazoo World Championship crown by moving to the verge of victory in his first round clash with Jackson Page, leading 8-1

It’s been a sparkling season for O’Sullivan, who has already won the UK Championship and the Masters. That means victory here at the Theatre of Dreams would see him win all three Triple Crown events in a single campaign for the first time in his career.

The Rocket equalled Stephen Hendry’s record of seven Crucible crowns by winning the 2022 World Championship. His first attempt to eclipse the Scot ended at the quarter-finals last year, when he bowed out at the hands of eventual winner Luca Brecel.

By contrast, Page has been battling for his tour survival this season. However, a run to the semi-finals of the World Open ended any concerns of relegation from the circuit. The Welshman came through a final frame decider at World Championship qualifying, beating Noppon Saengkham 10-9 to secure his place at the Crucible.

When play got underway this afternoon it was 41-time ranking event winner O’Sullivan who grasped an immediate stranglehold on proceedings. Breaks of 54, 56 and 81 helped him to a 4-0 advantage at the mid-session.

Following the break, a run of 122 ensured O’Sullivan has now made a century at the Crucible for 30 consecutive years. After falling 6-0 behind, Page showcased his considerable talent with a break of 142 to get a frame on the board. However, the last two of the session went the way of O’Sullivan who requires just two more frames for victory.

They return tomorrow afternoon at 1pm to play to a conclusion.

Second session – 25 April 2024

O’SULLIVAN STARTS STRONGLY IN QUEST FOR EIGHTH TITLE

Making his 32nd consecutive appearance at the Crucible, Ronnie O’Sullivan cruised to a 10-1 victory over Jackson Page in the first round of the Cazoo World Championship as he began his bid to win a record eighth title.

Reunited with former coach Nic Barrow, O’Sullivan – for once – admitted he is happy with his cueing and is playing as well in practice as he has for several years. Having lifted the trophy in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 and 2022, the 48-year-old would go one ahead of Stephen Hendry’s tally of seven titles if he takes the top prize. Through to the last 16 at the Crucible for a remarkable 28th time, O’Sullivan will now face Ryan Day on Sunday and Monday.

The world number one has enjoyed a superb season, winning five titles, and victory in Sheffield would make him only the fourth player – after Steve Davis, Hendry and Mark Williams – to land all three Triple Crown events in the same season.

O’Sullivan told the BBC: “I played well and cued well. I’m mentally hard, I’m tough. I’ll be honest, I have played terrible for two years, I know I’ve won but that’s what I do, I win. I know how to win. That’s something I’ve been blessed with. I haven’t really cued smoothly, which is frustrating, but I’ve just started working with Nic Barrow, my coach who knows my game inside out. He worked a lot with Frank Adamson who’s not with us anymore, but was an amazing coach. I’ve decided I can’t really coach myself anymore, but I’ve felt pretty much as good the last couple of weeks on the practice table as I have the last six or seven years.

“I don’t lie when I say I’m not playing well, I know a lot of people think I am but I’m not a liar, I think most people know that by now. I say what I feel and I don’t care if I leave myself vulnerable. I have the confidence to back it up, I know the ability is there. It’s just about finding the right formula. I’m still going at 48. What is possible in this game? How long can you keep going for? Can I win a World Championship at 50? Who knows? I’m probably the only player that’s able to do that so let’s see.

“I’ve had the greatest career of any snooker player. How many people can say they’ve been the best or most successful at their job ever? I should pat myself on the back because I’m always pretty hard on myself. But the reality is no one’s achieved what I’ve achieved on the table statistically. If I’d had my head straight for 30 years I could have won ten or 21 world titles, who knows? But it’s great to find out, let’s see what can happen. The main thing for me is to enjoy the game.“

Breaks of 54, 52, 81, 122, 66 and 53 helped O’Sullivan build an 8-1 lead in Wednesday’s first session. He made a 79 in the opening frame today, before wrapping up the match in frame 11.

Page said: “I was like a rabbit in the headlights at the start of the match. Apart from making a century when I was 6-0 down, I was poor. My safety wasn’t good and I wasn’t getting chances. It’s tough playing Ronnie because you know you can’t miss. I usually enjoy playing against the top players – maybe next time I’ll be more used to it.“

Here are the images shared by WST

And some videos shared on YouTube by Eurosport

Ronnie wasn’t at his absolute best, but he played solid snooker, he didn’t take any liberties and, more important than everything else, he enjoyed it. He’ll play Ryan Day next. Happy days!

Results came thick and fast yesterday as the end of the first round is near. Indeed only two first round matches are still unfinished whilst two second round matches will start today. Also there will be no morning session today as the tables will be recovered which means that the four players whose first round match is still underway will face conditions that may be significantly different from what they experienced during their first session.

Here are WST reports on the matches that finished yesterday

Kyren Wilson 10-1 Dominic Dale

WILSON TIPPED FOR TITLE AFTER CRUSHING DALE

Kyren Wilson scored the biggest first round win at the Cazoo World Championship in three years, beating Dominic Dale 10-1 before being tipped as a title contender by his opponent.

With the most emphatic first round Crucible scoreline since Mark Selby beat Kurt Maflin 10-1 in 2021, Wilson played the best snooker of this year’s Championship so far as he strolled into a second round tie with Joe O’Connor. World number 12 Wilson made a century and eight more breaks over 50 as he reached the last 16 for the ninth consecutive year. Runner-up in 2020, the Kettering cueman has appeared in the semi-finals on two other occasions.

Dale said: “Kyren’s game is in wonderful shape, I witnessed it from my chair and his focus and attention to detail never wavered. He is a contender for the title because he’s playing fantastic snooker.”

Wilson is yet to reach a ranking final this season, but looked in fine fettle as he ratted in breaks of 52, 75, 123, 96, 50, 77 and 73 in taking an 8-1 lead in the first session. He made a 65 in the opening frame this morning to extend his lead. In frame 11 he was on target for a 147 which would have made him the first player to score Crucible maximums in back-to-back years, but the last few reds were awkwardly placed and he missed the 12th on 88.

“It was strange coming back at 8-1 but I tried to keep doing all the right things in terms of what time I got up this morning and making sure I practised before the session,” said 32-year-old Wilson, who won the last of his five ranking titles at the 2022 European Masters. “I scored heavily throughout the match and that is an asset for me. Even though I haven’t had the results I wanted this season, my scoring stats are still good (only Judd Trump has made more centuries).

“Some players are suited to the Crucible environment and I would like to think I’m in that mould. If I continue like that then someone will have to play very well to stop me. Joe O’Connor will be a very tough test, I wasn’t that surprised when he beat Mark Selby because I know how good he is. He is also well suited to the Crucible, he has an all-round game and doesn’t get fazed easily.”

At 52, Dale was the oldest player to compete at the Crucible since Steve Davis in 2010. Determined to enjoy the occasion and an extra few minutes on the famous stage, before the session started the charismatic Welshman took the microphone from MC Rob Walker to address the crowd, and spoke German phrases to a group of fans from Vienna he had met in his hotel. 

“I just feel lucky to have played here again at my age,” said Dale. “Who knows whether I will get back here? I hope so, I’ll be trying next season. I hadn’t played here for ten years and I was battling the occasion because it’s so different to other venues. I never settled into the match, even when I made a century in the fourth frame. I was a fish out of water and Kyren annihilated me. In a way I would rather lose 10-1 than 10-9 on the black, because I was never in it.” 

I can’t comment as i didn’t watch any of it.

Jack Lisowski 10-9 Ding Junhui

LISOWSKI BEATS DING IN CRUCIBLE THRILLER

Ding Junhui became the seventh seed to lose in the first round of the Cazoo World Championship as Jack Lisowski scored a dramatic 10-9 victory to reach the last 16 for the fourth year in a row. 

Lisowski is appearing at the Theatre of Dreams as a qualifier for the first time since 2018, after a disappointing season saw him drop out of the world’s top 16.

The supremely talented Gloucester cueman has admitted to taking his focus away from the baize in recent months to enjoy himself. However, he believes that has been a necessary step to reinvigorate his enthusiasm for the sport.

Today’s clash with Ding had looked to be slipping away from Lisowski when he was dragged into a deciding frame. The 32-year-old spurned a blue to middle when leading 9-7 and Ding pounced to pull within one. The Chinese number one followed that up with a stunning 131 in the 18th to make it 9-9.

The final frame saw Lisowski fire in two stunning long range reds to power his way to victory. The first saw him gain a foothold with a run of 38, which was ended after he snookered himself behind a red. He retained his composure from that setback to crack in another red from distance and blast over the line with a further run of 46.

It was another thrilling climax for a drama laden opening round at the Crucible, which has now already seen four deciding frames.

Defeat for Ding means he has exited the World Championship in the first round in each of the last four years. The 14-time ranking event winner has only won four matches at the Crucible since making the semi-finals in 2017.

Lisowski will be relieved to have converted his winning position this morning. He came into the session 5-4 up and crafted breaks of 52, 63 and 72 on the way to his 9-7 lead. After wrapping up a pulsating victory, Lisowski can now look forward to a second round clash with 2015 World Champion Stuart Bingham.

“It was an amazing game. He is such a great player. I had to be so on it just to stick with him. To finish it off the way I did was a very special feeling. It proves a lot to myself that my game is in great shape and that I can do it when it really matters.”

Jack Lisowski

Six-time Ranking Event Finalist

Lisowski added: “The blue was a tough shot. If I lost, I would probably have looked back on it and thought it was my chance. I made sure it wasn’t like that and took my chances in the last frame. I think I really stepped up. 

“It is the way I play. If I get negative and keep playing safeties, it isn’t going to work against anyone. It is tough to do, but I hit two really sweet long shots in the last frame. I played some good positional shots as well and it was a fantastic feeling making the breaks. 

“Stuart is the first player I ever beat on TV and the first player I ever beat here. I have good memories against him, but he is a fantastic player and a former World Champion. I am going to have to keep up the good stuff and he is going to make it really tough for me. It is the World Championship, I’m enjoying my snooker and being here. I’m really looking forward to the match.”

This was indeed a fantastic match played in great spirit by two attacking players giving it all. It was fast, attacking, high quality, very entertaining and enthralling. Thank you Jack and Ding.

Ryan Day 10-8 Barry Hawkins

CRUCIBLE RECORD EQUALLED AS HAWK FALLS

Ryan Day came from 8-5 down to beat Barry Hawkins 10-8 in the opening round of the Cazoo World Championship, a result which means that the record for the most seeded players falling at the first hurdle has been equalled.

Back in 1980, eight seeds lost their opening match, and that tally was matched in 1992, 2012 and now in 2024. And the record could yet be broken, with John Higgins just 5-4 ahead of Jamie Jones overnight, while Ronnie O’Sullivan leads Jackson Page 8-1. Defeat for either Higgins or O’Sullivan would bring the total of top-16 ranked players knocked out to nine. 

If world number one O’Sullivan gets through, he will meet Welshman Day, who is into the last 16 for the sixth time in his career. The 44-year-old hadn’t won a match at the Crucible since 2014, but finished strongly tonight as world number 15 Hawkins lost his way. Day has rarely played at his best since winning the British Open at the start of last season, but showed his battling qualities in a 10-9 win over Scott Donaldson in the final qualifying round, and again to knock out 2012 finalist Hawkins.

Momentum shift was the theme of the contest as Day took four frames in a row to lead 5-2, Hawkins won six on the spin to go 8-5 ahead, only for Day to win the last five. For Londoner Hawkins, it’s a painful end to a season which began so brightly with victory at the European Masters.

Hawkins took the first four frames today with top breaks of 92, 50 and 59 to lead 8-5. After the interval, Day hit back with 78 and 62 to close to 8-7. In frame 16, Hawkins led 33-15 when he ran out of position, and he later made a safety error which gifted Day the chance to make 68 to square the tie.

In a dramatic finish to frame 17, Hawkins trailed 39-37 when he failed to pot the final green to a top corner, then both players missed the same ball to the same pocket again. Eventually, Day converted a tremendous long pot with deep screw, gaining position on the brown which allowed him to clear for 9-8.  Early in the 18th, trailing 15-0, Hawkins played another weak safety, and Day’s mid-range red set him up for a match-winning 61.

“It has been a long time since I won a match here,” said three-time quarter-finalist Day, who is working with coach Chris Henry. “At 8-5 I wasn’t in the game, but the interval changed things. I think so many seeds have gone out because the standard is so good all the way through the top 50 and this was probably the strongest set of qualifiers ever, even though Neil Robertson didn’t make it. 

“If I play Ronnie next it will be a mountain to climb. I’ll go home for a couple of days now and hopefully be ready for it. His longevity is off the charts – to see how well he is playing at 48 gives me hope that I have a few more years left. My job will be just to focus on what I can control. I can’t wait to have a crack at him.“

Hawkins said: “I made too many mistakes, we both missed a lot of easy balls. I had the momentum at 8-5 but then lost confidence, and fair play to Ryan because he stood up. It’s a frustrating way for the season to end. The qualifiers are sharp and not scared of anything – most of them are good enough to be in the top 16.”

Ryan Day is a fantastic player. I have seen him play in exhibitions and he’s absolutely mesmerising to watch when in full flow. It’s the mental side of the game he’s often been struggling with and Chris Henry is probably the best coach a player like him can wish for.

Mark Allen 10-6 Robbie Williams

ALLEN RELIEVED TO JUMP FIRST HURDLE

Mark Allen, the highest ranked player in the field yet to win the title, fended off a late rally from Robbie Williams to win 10-6 in the first round of the Cazoo World Championship.

World number three Allen has been a prolific winner on the tour over the past two years and is on target to take over as world number one at the end of this season. By his own high standards, the Northern Irishman’s record at the Crucible is disappointing – his run to the semi-finals last year, where he lost narrowly 17-15 to Mark Selby, was only his second appearance in the one table set up. 

Allen is fiercely determined to lift snooker’s most famous trophy – which would complete the Triple Crown as he has already won the UK Championship and the Masters. Making his 18th consecutive appearance at the Crucible, he is through to the second round for the 13th time and will face Jamie Jones or John Higgins next.

The 38-year-old, who has won three titles this season, was far from his best against Williams but did enough to avoid becoming the eighth seeded player to fall at the first hurdle. Breaks of 70 and 80 helped him build a 7-2 lead in Tuesday’s first session. World number 45 Williams, the lowest ranked player in the field, took the first frame today with a run of 77 and added the next for 7-4. 

Allen took frame 12 then won a 49-minute 13th on the colours. After the interval, Williams continued to battle, making breaks of 53 and 86 to close to 9-6. But Allen eventually got the job done in the 16th with his highest break of the match, 114.

“You have to get this first match out of the way before you can settle into the tournament,” said the Pistol. “I played well yesterday and felt in control. My safety was good and I was getting the better of those battles. But today I made some mistakes and took my foot off the gas at 9-4. When it went 9-6 it was ‘game on’ because Robbie has beaten me 4-0 before. I had to switch back on and it was good to make a century to finish the match. 

“I have been winning a lot of matches this season though I am not as confident as I want to be in my own game. Last year I got to the semi-finals and ran Mark Selby close despite being nowhere near my best. So I know I just have to hang in there and get the most out of my bad sessions.

“I would love to play John Higgins next because it would be great to be out there against one of the all time greats. I have played him five times already this season and I always enjoy it.“

I can’t comment on this match as I saw nothing of it …

As for Ronnie, he played his first session yesterday and is currently 8-1 up on Jackson Page. Ronnie played well but not outstandingly well. He didn’t need to. Jackson may have won just one frame but he won it in style with a wonderful 142, the highest break of the match so far. The match isn’t won yet, but it would take something really extraordinary¹ for Ronnie to lose it as Jackson need to win the second session by 9-1 or better…

There were some very interesting announcements during Barry Hearn customary² press conference

1. and unfortunate… ↩︎
2. Barry Hearn used to give a press conference, mainly about “announcements” every year on the first Thursday at the Crucible. It was the same this year. Theoretically he’s retired but from what we see and hear when it comes to snooker, actually, he’s still the boss ↩︎