There was double disappointment for Neil Robertson on Thursday afternoon at the Unibet British Open as he narrowly missed out on a 1,000th career century and lost 4-1 to Shaun Murphy.
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Robertson is on the verge of becoming the fourth player, after Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump and John Higgins, to cross the 1,000 tons milestone, but for now remains stuck on 999. Murphy goes through to the last 16 in Cheltenham and will face Trump or Martin O’Donnell on Thursday night.
Breaks of 86 and 50 helped put Murphy 2-0 ahead then Robertson replied with a run of 100. Murphy pinched frame four on the colours, then in the fifth Robertson was on course for his 1,000th century until he missed the last red to a top corner on 66. The frame came down to a respotted black and Murphy slotted it into a centre pocket.
Mark Williams edged out Mark Allen 4-3 to set up a tie with Lei Peifan. Defending champion Mark Selby saw a 3-0 lead slip away against Joe O’Connor, but Selby eventually prevailed 4-3.
Ali Carter top scored with 86 in a 4-0 win over Iulian Boiko. Ben Mertens reached the last 16 of a knockout ranking event for the second time in his career with a 4-0 success over Robbie McGuigan, and the Belgian will now meet John Higgins. Wuhan Open king Xiao Guodong edged out Zhang Anda 4-3 with a run of 62 in the decider.
Louis Heathcote equalled the best ranking event run of his career with a 4-2 defeat of Liam Davies to reach the quarter-finals of the Unibet British Open, and paid tribute to his new mentor Anthony Hamilton.
World number 88 Heathcote is into the last eight of a ranking event for the third time and will meet John Higgins on Friday evening. The Leicester cueman has fresh enthusiasm this season as he is working with highly-respected former pro Hamilton who called time on his 34-year career at the end of last season.
“He’s an absolute legend, I love spending time with him,” said 28-year-old Heathcote. “Last season I started practising with him because I felt I was always losing to those type of experienced players so I wanted to learn something from playing with him. I knew it was going to be torture, but I wanted to learn how to beat him. I absolutely loved it, he made me feel great and gave me advice and praise. When he lost in Q School, I gave it two days then I messaged him and asked if he would work with me.
“I am buzzing to be back in a quarter-final. I put a lot of work in over the summer and kept that going into the season, and the results are validating that work.”
Higgins enjoyed a 4-1 victory over Ben Mertens with a top break of 76.
It was some day for Shaun Murphy as he beat Neil Robertson 4-1 and world number one Judd Trump 4-3 to earn a quarter-final tie with Mitchell Mann. He took a 3-1 lead over Trump with a top break of 131, then his opponent fought back to 3-3 before Murphy finished in style with a 123.
“I must be in a very small club of players who have beaten Neil and Judd on the same day,” said Murphy, who recently dropped out of the world’s top 16 for the first time in 19 years, but has already regained his place among the elite. “In a way it made my job easy today because I knew I needed to play at my best
“I wasn’t aware of my run in the top 16 until I was out and it was all over social media. I am very proud of that run although it makes me very old as in my head I am still 25!“
Mann continued his fine run with a 4-2 win over Barry Hawkins and he’s into the third ranking quarter-final of his career.
Defending champion Mark Selby sailed into the quarter-finals by beating Chang Bingyu 4-0 in just 58 minutes with top breaks of 93, 78 and 70. He now faces an intriguing clash with Mark Williams, who saw off Lei Peifan 4-1 with a top run of 123.
Teenager Stan Moody continued to underline his potential as he beat Ali Carter 4-3 with top breaks of 86 and 69. His next opponent is Anthony McGill, who saw off Xiao Guodong 4-2 with top runs of 105 and 87.
At times I really wonder why some players enter those competitions, especially as the entry fees are not insignificant. For instance, currently competing in Dubai is Mohamed Al Joker. He’s 52. He’s a former pro … he’s been on tour for one season in 1996/97, his highest competitive break is 114 and his highest pro ranking was 388. Surely he can’t seriously hope to get back on the main tour and to be able to compete with the current pros? But maybe the money isn’t an issue and he just sees it as an opportunity to play in a proper tournament, under pro conditions and, possibly, to reconnect with a few former “colleagues”? Why not, indeed …
Mitchell Mann overcame a broken down car and being docked a frame to beat Gao Yang 4-3 and reach the last 32 of the Unibet British Open in Cheltenham.
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Mann will be back at the table to face Antoni Kowalski in the third round on Wednesday night, and at least will have a much less stressful journey to the baize. The 33-year-old set out from Birmingham to drive to Cheltenham at 8am this morning, but just 20 minutes later saw a ‘flat tyre’ warning light on his dashboard.
“Within a minute I was on the hard shoulder and had no spare type, I was completely stranded,” said the world number 91. “Luckily my friends Tom and Jack, who are greenkeepers at the golf club where I have my practice table, answered my call and they came to pick me up. One of them drove me to Cheltenham and the other waited with my car for the RAC. I should have driven down last night, it’s a lesson learned. I have no idea where my car is now!“
Arriving ten minutes late, Mann started the match 1-0 down, but battled back for victory, taking a tense deciding frame by clearing from the last red.
Judd Trump recovered from a slow start to beat tour rookie Leone Crowley 4-1. Ireland’s Crowley won the opening frame and had a chance in the second but missed a tricky final yellow. World number one Trump stole the frame to gain a foothold then took the last three with a top break of 100.
Mark Allen made it nine wins in a row as he beat Bulcsu Revesz 4-1 with a top break of 69. Allen won the BetVictor English Open last week and is into the third round here and a tie with Mark Williams at 1pm on Thursday. Shaun Murphy saw off Scott Donaldson 4-1 with a top run of 80 and will meet Neil Robertson in another huge last 32 clash.
Defending champion Mark Selby top scored with 115 in a 4-3 win over Liu Hongyu, while Cheung Ka Wai made an 83 in the decider to beat Matthew Stevens 4-3.
John Higgins took a huge scalp in round three of the Unibet British Open as he beat World Champion Zhao Xintong 4-2 to reach the last 16.
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Four-time Crucible king Higgins admitted that he was “really struggling for motivation” at last month’s Wuhan Open but looks to have regained his hunger this week in Cheltenham. After edging past Mark Davis and Jack Lisowski by 4-3 scorelines, tonight was Higgins’ best performance of the week as breaks of 76, 82 and 55 helped him outplay Zhao. Scotland’s Higgins will now face Ben Mertens or Robbie McGuigan on Thursday evening.
Barry Hawkins recovered deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 to beat Jak Jones 4-3, finishing superbly with an 88 in the decider. “I was cueing terribly at the start of the match and felt jaded,” said Hawkins, who was runner-up in the UK Championship and German Masters last season. “It was a late start for me, usually at 9pm I’m tucked up in bed with a cup of tea and the TV on, then I’m snoring by 10pm!
“It was only in the last frame that I switched on and made a really good break, so I’m delighted to still be in the tournament. I have been consistent for a while. When I get to this stage of tournaments I need to push on and try to win more, rather than relaxing.”
Liam Davies kept the best run of his pro career going with a 4-2 defeat of David Lilley, highlighted by breaks of 123, 59 and 63. The 19-year-old Welshman’s only previous appearance in the last 16 of a ranking event came at the 2023 Shoot Out.
Anthony McGill top scored with 91 in a 4-1 defeat of Oliver Lines. Mitchell Mann, who almost failed to make it to Cheltenham at all as his car broke down on the way to the venue this morning, is into the last 16 of a ranking event for the fifth time in his career after beating Antoni Kowalski 4-2 with a top break of 101. Louis Heathcote stormed to a 4-0 whitewash of Zak Surety, his top run 105.
Two close matches finished past midnight local time and aren’t mentioned in the above report:
Stan Moody beat Ian Burns by 4-2 in a close match. Most frames were hard-fought. The highest break of the match was only a 70 by Burns. Moody came out the winner with a match high break of 66.
Chang Bingyu beat Noppon Saengkham by 4-3. The match too was hardfought, close and rather low scoring.
Stan Moody scored the best win of his career so far with a 4-2 victory over Kyren Wilson to reach the last 32 of the Unibet British Open in Cheltenham.
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Promising 19-year-old Moody has had a strong start to the season, highlighted by a run to the quarter-finals of the Wuhan Open when he knocked out Barry Hawkins and Ding Junhui. And tonight’s success is another step forward on the English teenager’s journey as he looks to establish himself as a contender for titles.
A break of 132 helped Moody build a 3-1 lead, and although 2024 World Champion Wilson pulled one back with an 82 in frame five, the underdog clinched the result with an excellent 44 clearance in the sixth.
“It’s definitely my best win on tour,” said world number 55 Moody, who now faces Ian Burns on Wednesday night. “Beating Ding in China was very good but this tops it, on ITV in front of a big crowd in Cheltenham. I tried to stay as calm as I could towards the end and managed to get over the line. I felt comfortable out there, I am getting more used to playing on the TV table.”
Pick of the third round ties will see four-time Crucible king John Higgins go head to head with current World Champion Zhao Xintong at 7pm on Wednesday. Higgins enjoyed a narrow 4-3 success for the second round in a row, as he came from 3-1 down to beat Mark Davis on Monday and today edged out local favourite Jack Lisowski.
Leading 3-2, Lisowski failed to take several chances to close out the match in frame six, allowing Higgins to pinch it on the colours before winning the decider with a superb 132.
Higgins said: “The century in the last frame was my only real highlight of the match. I brought Jack down to my level because he was timing the ball well but then he must have seen all the balls I was missing and it played havoc with his head. I am so lucky to still be in the tournament, I really need to improve. Jack looked amazing when he went 3-2 up but then he missed a few in frame six.
“I know I have not put the effort into practice and you get what you deserve – I should have gone out in the first round. But the last frame today did give me some confidence. Last week Mark Allen was behind in so many matches and ended up winning it so it can happen. My fighting qualities are still there.”
China’s Zhao beat Stuart Bingham 4-1 with top breaks of 127 and 133, becoming the first player to reach 20 centuries so far this season.
Bai Yulu just missed out on becoming the first woman to beat a top 16 player in a ranking event as she lost 4-3 to Zhang Anda. Three consecutive centuries, 101, 130 and 125, put Zhang 3-1 up before Bai recovered to 3-3 only to lose the decider.
Robbie McGuigan scored one of his best wins, beating He Guoqiang 4-3, taking the decider on the final black. Mark Williams enjoyed a 4-3 win over Sanderson Lam while Iulian Boiko top scored with 101 in a 4-2 victory over Sam Craigie.
Gary Wilson made a tournament high 144 but was beaten 4-1 by Anthony McGill. Neil Robertson took his career tally of centuries to 998 as a break of 100 helped him beat Xu Si 4-1.
Not mentioned in the above report is the excellent 4-2 win by Antoni Kowalski over the vastly experienced Robert Milkins in a match that featured a break over 50 in 5 out of the 6 frames they played. Antoni scored the highest break of the match, a 109.
Stan Moody is really developing well. In general, I’m not a fan of “bigging” very young players too much. Sometimes it creates expectations that are “too heavy” for their young shoulders and their still immature personality. It can destroy them. I have seen it happen years ago with Rodion Judins. When that happens it’s very sad, it’s not fair and it’s not helping the sport either.
The 2025 British Open started yesterday and I must confess that I struggled to feel involved and interested. Also, I expected this event to have a “random draw” after each round. I doesn’t appear to be the case this year.
Addendum/corrigendum… according to the commentators it will be random from round 3 on.
The only match I watches was Zhao Xintong v Ashleigh Hugill. Ashleigh is never an easy opponent and when you watch him play you wonder how he hasn’t done better in the game. It was no different yesterday.
Top seeds thrived on day one of the Unibet British Open in Cheltenham as all eight current or former World Champions in action scored victories to reach the last 64.
Judd Trump produced the best performance of the day, beating Aaron Hill 4-0 in just 53 minutes with top breaks of 103, 101 and 60. “I felt it was a tough draw, I knew I had to raise my game,” said the world number one, chasing his first title of 2025. “I have felt good this season, the results just haven’t quite come. Games like the one tonight give you a boost. I have scored well in most matches, my opponents have just potted some brilliant balls at the winning line and not given me a chance.”
Looking ahead to his next fixture against tour rookie Leone Crowley on Wednesday, Trump added: “There are a few new players coming through, from Ireland, China and mainland Europe. Snooker is in a good place in terms of talent coming through, it’s exciting.”
Defending champion Mark Selby eased to a 4-1 win over David Grace, while Neil Robertson top scored with 104 in a 4-0 defeat of Alfie Davies.
Last year’s runner-up John Higgins came from 3-1 down to beat his bogey player Mark Davis 4-3. He now faces Jack Lisowski on Tuesday afternoon in arguably the pick of the second round ties.
Current World Champion Zhao Xintong was pushed all the way by amateur Ashley Hugill but eventually came through 4-3, top scoring with 88 and 101. Shaun Murphy saw off Ross Muir 4-1 with a top break of 71.
Kyren Wilson made a 141, an early target for the £5,000 high break prize, during a 4-1 win over Chris Wakelin. Mark Williams closed with a 127 as he enjoyed a 4-2 success against Si Jiahui.
The action at the Centaur Arena runs until Sunday.
Mark Allen scored his first ranking event victory for 19 months, beating Zhou Yuelong 9-8 to claim the title at the BetVictor English Open in Brentwood.
In a week of fightback victories for Allen, the shoe was on the other foot this evening. The Northern Irishman led 7-3, before being pegged back to trail 8-7. However, he showed his typical tenacity and grit to claim the final two frames and emerge victorious.
Allen’s heroics in previous rounds saw him defeat Ding Junhui 4-3 from 3-0 down in the last 16, Elliot Slessor 5-4 from 4-0 down in the quarters and Jak Jones 6-5 from 5-3 down in the semis.
It’s the 12th ranking event victory in Allen’s career, in what was his 20th appearance in a ranking final. He now draws level with Shaun Murphy in 10th position on the all-time event winner’s list.
The Pistol had failed to register since the 2024 Players Championship last February. That saw him slip down the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings to tenth spot, having briefly occupied the summit last year. However, the £100,000 top prize now moves him up to seventh position.
It immediately puts Allen top of the BetVictor Home Nations Bonus standings. Whoever accumulates the most prize money across the four events will scoop a bumper £150,000 payout.
Defeat will come as a bitter pill to swallow for Zhou, after his huge efforts to regain the lead this evening. The Chinese cueman will have to wait for that elusive first ranking crown.
Zhou has now lost all four of his ranking final appearances, having suffered previous defeats at the 2020 European Masters and the 2020 Shoot Out. He was also runner-up to Allen at the 2023 Northern Ireland Open.
The first session ended with Allen holding a hefty 6-2 cushion. When play got underway in the evening, it was clear both players realised the importance of a strong start. A cagey 45-minute opener eventually went the way of Zhou, who reduced his arrears.
Allen then extended his advantage, but consecutive frames from Zhou ensured he trailed by just two frames at 7-5 heading into the mid-session interval.
When they returned Allen looked set to be moving one frame for victory before missing a red to the left middle on 60. Zhou stepped up with a gutsy 72 to steal on the black and make it 7-6.
Breaks of 60 and 53 then helped Zhou make it five on the bounce and move one away from a momentous victory at 8-7.
A remarkable 16th frame looked to be going to Allen when he compiled a run of 71, but an in off gave Zhou an opportunity. He got the required foul points to stand a chance of winning on the green, but Allen eventually forced a decider.
It was Allen who fired in a crucial break of 61 and he emerged victorious. Following final frame wins for Neil Robertson at the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters and Xiao Guodong at the Wuhan Open, it is the first time ever that three consecutive ranking events have come down to deciders.
“It means a lot. To win any tournament these days is good. To do it the way I’ve done this week too, coming from behind a lot,” said 39-year-old Allen.
“I was absolutely shattered. I think adrenaline got me through that first session and tonight I was really tired. It is no excuse for some of the balls I missed, but I was feeling it. At 8-7 I felt something and realised it was my chance to find a bit of form. I’m going to sleep well tonight.
“I think the least you can ask for from any player is application. So many guys would have given up in some of the positions I was in this week. I think other people know now that I am never beat. That is worth a frame itself sometimes.
“I want to win as many different tournaments as I can. The Welsh Open is the only Home Nations event I haven’t won. Then the World Championship. Those are the two that stand out for me that are missing on my CV.”
Zhou said: “Of course it will give me confidence. Mark was very good in the first session. He was 6-2 up and I think I just wanted to give him some trouble this evening. I’m very happy I managed to get 8-7 up. It is a good experience and I will learn from it.”
We have to admire both finalists. Zhou showed tremendous courage. Many would have been dispirited after that first session that left him trailing by 6-2. Not him. He fought, he gave it his all and not only did he come back, he even got ahead. And then Mark showed similar courage and willpower. It took “character” to fight and win those last two frames, after losing five on the bounce. Had Zhou won, he would have totally deserved it just as Mark totally deserves his victory. You often read “It’s a shame there had to be a loser” and it’s not always meaningful, but it certainly is true about this final. Zhou’s positive words in defeat say a lot about him as a person. I hope he wins a “proper” full ranking final soon. He deserves it.
Zhou Yuelong is through to the fourth ranking final of his career, where he will be seeking a breakthrough title, after defeating Mark Selby 6-3 in the last four of the BetVictor English Open in Brentwood.
Zhou’s first ranking final came at the 2020 European Masters, where he was whitewashed 9-0 by Neil Robertson. He then lost out against Michael Holt in the Shoot Out final and last competed in a title match three years ago at the 2022 Northern Ireland Open. On that occasion Zhou lost 9-4 at the hands of Mark Allen.
The Chinese cueman could have an opportunity for revenge tomorrow, with Allen contesting the second semi-final against Jak Jones. The title match will be played over the best of 17 frames, with a top prize of £100,000 and the Steve Davis Trophy on the line.
A disappointing campaign last season, where Zhou failed to go beyond the last 16 of any event, saw him drop to 32nd in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings. However, after teaming up with coach Steve Feeney earlier this year, he appears to be trending towards regaining his best form. Victory tomorrow would propel Zhou to 24th position in the rankings.
Defeat for 24-time ranking event winner Selby means he will have to continue his wait for a 25th title triumph. He now heads for Cheltenham for next week’s British Open, where he will be the defending champion.
The first two frames this afternoon went the way of Zhou, before he claimed a 59-minute third to lead 3-0. A tight last frame before the mid-session went to Selby, who potted a tricky cut back black from the jaws to complete a clearance of 71 to steal and make it 3-1.
When play resumed Selby had the chance to close the gap further, but left a tricky final red over the pocket and Zhou pounced to make it 4-1.
The sixth went the way of four-time World Champion Selby, but 60 in the seventh from Zhou put him one away from victory. Although Selby pulled back within two, it was to be in vain with Zhou running out a 6-3 victor.
“It is a huge confidence boost for me. I’ve gone three years without getting to a final and I played very badly last season. This season is just getting underway and it is a fantastic start. I just want to stay calm tomorrow and enjoy the game,” said 27-year-old Zhou.
“Until you shake hands you never know who will win. When you play Mark Selby you know he is very dangerous and has a strong mind and heart. You need to play with 100% focus to win.
“In this sport you need to be very strong mentally. When you are in the chair after missing a ball you need positive thoughts. This is a very big change for me this season.
“If I win tomorrow I will be very proud of myself. The first time, going from zero to one is tough. It isn’t easy, but I will give my best and hopefully I can do it.”
Mark Allen came back from the brink once more, recovering from 5-3 down to beak Jak Jones 6-5 and make the final of the BetVictor English Open in Brentwood.
The typically tenacious Northern Irishman has enjoyed a week of comeback victories. He rallied from 3-0 down to beat Ding 4-3 in the last 16 and 4-0 down to defeat Elliot Slessor 5-4 in the quarters.
Victory sees Allen progress to a ranking final for the 20th time in his career. The Pistol will be aiming for his 12th ranking crown tomorrow when he goes up against Zhou Yuelong, who is bidding for his first.
They will do battle over 17 frames with a top prize of £100,000 on the line, as well as the Steve Davis trophy. It is a repeat of the 2022 Northern Ireland Open final, when Allen prevailed 9-4.
This evening’s defeat for Jones means he will have to wait a little longer for his first ever ranking title. His only previous appearance in a final came at the 2024 World Championship, where he lost out to Kyren Wilson in snooker’s biggest match.
The opening stages this evening were dominated by Jones, who crafted breaks of 92, 84 and 61 on his way to leading 3-1 at the mid-session interval.
When play resumed, Allen rallied with contributions of 102 and 62 to restore parity at 3-3. Jones refused to wilt and claimed two on the bounce to move 5-3 ahead and one frame from a second ranking final.
However, it was at that moment Allen turned on the style. Consecutive runs of 68, 67 and 82 saw him take three on the bounce and earn a 6-5 triumph. For the second consecutive evening Allen left the arena with the clock beyond midnight, but generously stopped to sign autographs and take selfies with the fans who remained inside the Brentwood Centre to witness his dramatic late night victory.
Allen said: “It was a strange one because trailing 3-1 at the interval I hadn’t done much wrong. I actually joked to Chris Henry that I was in a great position at the break because I’d actually won a frame this time!
“I scored a lot better there and that was the best I’ve played all week. I will obviously need to improve in the final because Zhou has been playing some really good stuff himself.
“I felt for a long time that he was the next big thing from China after Ding, but it never really materialised. It is good to see him back because I think he is the most complete Chinese player after Ding. He’s got a good safety game and he is very measured. I’d like to see him do well, just not tomorrow!
“There’s a few events in my career I still want to win and the English Open is one of them, the Welsh Open is another and obviously the World Championship. I’d love to win tomorrow and make it three out of the four Home Nations events.”
I don’t have much to add …
I was just past 3 am this morning here in Greece when the second semi-final finished. I was fast asleep. I saw nothing from the Allen v Jones match.
The Zhou v Selby match had only finished around 8 pm “local time” for me, and had lasted for nearly five hours “elapse time” … for just 9 frames. Even taking the interval into account, that’s more than half an hour per frame on average. Every frame except the fifth had a break over 50, so it’s not like it was “ultra scrappy” either. It was a strange match actually. Despite losing the match by 6-3, Mark Selby scored more points than Zhou, 524 to 511, and with an average shot time of 28.6 seconds he was the fastest player … Zhou’s average shot time was 33.8 seconds.
I must admit that after that match, I wasn’t feeling like watching more snooker in the evening. Instead I went out with the hubby for a glass of wine … or two … at “Alisachni” the “open air” bar on the main square in my village. 😊
Zhou Yuelong staged a superb fightback to overcome 2023 World Champion Luca Brecel 5-4 and earn his place in the last four of the BetVictor English Open in Brentwood.
The three-time ranking event runner-up hasn’t made it this far in an event since the 2023 Scottish Open. However, having recently started working with coach Steve Feeney, Zhou appears to be back to his best.
Zhou’s struggles in recent times have seen him drop to 32nd in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings. He failed to go beyond the last 16 in a ranking event last season. In a welcome return to the business end of a tournament, the Chinese cueist will now play either Mark Selby for a place in the final.
Brecel was competing in the final stages of a ranking event for the first time this season. The Belgian revealed earlier this week that he has been struggling with an undiagnosed illness this season, which was his reason for missing the first few events.
He will need time to hit top gear, but despite this he looked to be in command this afternoon when he raced 4-2 ahead.
Breaks of 81 and 75 helped Brecel to the verge of victory, before Zhao fired in runs of 94 and 113 to force a decider. The final frame lasted 52 minutes, before Brecel eventually left Zhou a routine black to the yellow pocket and handed him a place in the last four.
Zhou said: “I know Luca is a very aggressive player, so I had prepared myself with more patience, focusing on tactical exchanges and waiting for his mistakes. When I was 4-2 down, I managed to make the most of my chances and force a decider.
“It’s been almost two years since I last reached this stage of a ranking event. When you win matches, your confidence grows. However, last season my performance was very poor and I never really found my game. The season has just started, so I’m very happy to have found some form early.
“Working with Steve Feeney has helped me a lot, especially mentally. Sometimes I don’t believe in myself enough, or I’m not sure about my decisions. Having someone with so much experience and success by my side makes a big difference. He sees my weaknesses, both in personality and in how I think about the game. He gives me positive ideas.”
Selby earned his progression with a stunning 131 in the decider to overcome Welshman Jackson Page 5-4.
Victory for the Jester from Leicester sees him earn a 67th ranking event semi-final slot. He’s just two games away from capturing a 25th career ranking crown.
Jak Jones admitted that the birth of his son Harry earlier this year has provided a renewed source of inspiration, after he ended the fairytale run of Aaron Hill with a 5-2 victory.
Jones now progresses to the semi-finals for the first time since making the World Championship final in 2024, when he was denied the sport’s biggest prize by Kyren Wilson. Although Hill’s week has come to an end, he can reflect on making the first ever 147 of his career en route to a third quarter-final.
Jones said: “Last season I wasn’t in a good place mentally at all. This season I feel like a completely different person and my life is good. I feel happier when I’m playing and I’m more focussed. I feel that I’m playing well and I’m confident.
“My son was born seven months ago. That has had a massive impact on me. I feel a different person and it has changed my life. Me, my wife and my son are really happy now. It gives you a different perspective on life and I’m practising happier and feel more motivated.“
Next up for Jones is a showdown with Mark Allen, who once again came back from the brink, this time beating Elliot Slessor 5-4 from 4-0 down. That follows yesterday’s win over Ding Junhui, where he trailed 3-0 before winning 4-3.
With only four matches played yesterday, the report by WST covers them all. I only watched in the afternoon, and followed Zhou v Luca. It was a good, hard fought match that featured five breaks over 751. There were no “Luca antics” and even if there had been, I doubt that it would have affected Zhou2. The crowd in Brentwood seemed to duly enjoy it. They have been very good all week, both in numbers and in the way they have supported all players no matter their nationality.
Zhou had three breaks over 95 including the only century of the match, a 113. ↩︎
Luca probably knew that too which may well be the reason there weren’t any… ↩︎
