Snooker News – 22 January 2025

Monique Snooker

Here are the snooker planet news of the day

Matthew Selt has won the 2025 Invitational CLS Group 5 (report by WST)

SELT SOARS TO WIN GROUP

Matthew Selt whitewashed world number one Judd Trump 3-0 in the Group Five final to earn his place in the Winners’ Group of the BetVictor Championship League Invitational in Leicester. 

Results / Tables and fixtures1

Former Indian Open champion Selt produced a hugely impressive display to brush aside table topper Trump in the final. Breaks of 102, 102 and 95 saw him clinch victory in a rapid 35 minutes. 

Trump had finished first in the group after amassing five wins from six. He was a 3-2 victor over Joe O’Connor in the semi-finals, while third placed Selt beat the record breaking Jak Jones 3-1. 

Jones made history by beating Selt’s record for most ever centuries in a professional tournament, which was previously 24. He’s now made 26 in this year’s Championship League Invitational. 

Trump, Jones, O’Connor, and Tom Ford advance to Group Six, where they will join David Gilbert, Jack Lisowski, and Noppon Saengkham. The action resumes tomorrow, Wednesday, 22nd January, as all seven players compete for a coveted spot in the Winners’ Group.

Oh God!!!2

Meanwhile in Morocco, the 2025 Junior and Women‘s WSF Championships are nearing their conclusion.

The Women are at the semi-finals stage and the line-up is the one you would have expected from the start considereing that Reanne Evans hasn’t entered the event. It will be Mink Nutcharut vs Rebecca Kenna followed by Bai YuLu vs On Yee Ng.

The Women Challenge cup event is also at the semi-finals stage and it’s interesting because three out of four of the players still competing are from Morocco. The fourth one is from Poland. No British player in sight. Morocco is not an Islamist state but it is a country where Islam is the main faith. Seeing young women competing in a big international sports competition, and getting to the latter stages, may inspire more girls to take on sports, and in general, to see themselves as worthy persons, equal to boys. I have to say that I have watched women snooker involving Moroccan girls in the past and I was quite surprised by what was going on in the associated chat. Or rather by what was NOT going on. Unlike what so often happens when Brit males follow a women’s game online, the Moroccan men commentating on the chat were praising the good shots, supporting of the girls and encouraging their efforts, and this, despite the fact that the level was not very high, particularly if compared to what we see on television in the pro game.

The Juniors are at the quarter-finals stage. At the time of writing, the QF matches have just started. They feature 8 players from 8 different nations: England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Poland, Hong-Kong and China.

  1. As usual I replaced the original links with those to the same information on snooker.org. The latter will stay valid over time. ↩︎
  2. Just joking… ↩︎

Snooker News – 21 January 2025

Monique Media, News, Professional snooker, Tour News , , ,

There is plenty of snooker being played at the moment but today’s post will be about some news about our beloved sport and its future.

BBC SPORT AND WORLD SNOOKER TOUR EXTEND BROADCAST AGREEMENT TO 2032

BBC Sport and World Snooker Tour are thrilled to announce an extension to their broadcast agreement to 2032. The new deal is a five-year extension to the current agreement, ensuring that the Triple Crown remains free-to-air for many millions of snooker fans across the UK.
 
BBC Sport will continue to provide comprehensive live TV and iPlayer coverage of snooker’s three most prestigious tournaments, the World Championship, UK Championship and the Masters. 
 
The Masters, currently taking place at Alexandra Palace, is followed by the World Championship in Sheffield in April and the UK Championship in York in November. Last year, BBC Sport’s coverage of the Triple Crown events had 33.9 million streams across BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website and over 16 million tuning in on TV. 
 
Alex Kay-Jelski, Director of BBC Sport said: “Snooker has been a cornerstone of BBC Sport programming since 1969, and extending our partnership with World Snooker until 2032 is fantastic news for the audience. It ensures the drama, intensity and excitement of the Triple Crown events remains free-to-air and we look forward to many more years of iconic sporting moments.” 

WST Chairman, Steve Dawson said: “For more than 50 years we have had an outstanding relationship with BBC and their coverage of the Triple Crown is a fundamental part of those three events. So many millions of fans love watching snooker on BBC and it has always been vital to us to keep the biggest tournaments free to air.”
 
WST Chief Commercial officer Peter Wright said: “The broadcast figures are extremely strong this week at the Masters which highlights the enduring appeal of snooker and the drama it produces year after year. We look forward to many more years working alongside the BBC, delivering world class sport to a vast audience.”
 
World Champion Kyren Wilson added: “I grew up watching all of the biggest tournaments on the BBC so it’s fantastic to see this deal extended until at least 2032. It’s so important for young people getting into snooker, like my own children, that the Triple Crown events are available to watch free to air, as this will help us to grow the sport. The BBC do an amazing job in the way they broadcast snooker and long may that continue. I have also really enjoyed working for the commentary team myself and finding out how the production works behind the scenes.” 

…

The news triggered massive positive reactions from the fans … the UK fans mainly. There were immediate speculations that this news would “help” keeping the World Championship at the Crucible.

Me, personally … I have mixed feelings about it. The BBC coverage is always excellent, no question about that aspect. They do a sterling job. But… I’m from mainland Europe. For many us the BBC isn’t “free on air”, many of us have to rely on an alternative provider or a vpn to access the BBC stream … but that’s not the main point. The main problem for me is that it will certainly mean that the World Championship will continue to be played exclusively in the UK, be it at the Crucible or elsewhere. I have already expressed my feelings about this situation: the WORLD championship should not stay confined in the UK, it should go around the world. The UK-centric nature of the sport has to be “broken” for it to really grow as a global sport. The WSF junior championship is currently under way. There are a lot of young aspiring snooker players, from all around the world playing in that comp. As it is now, most of them would be forced to live as expats in the UK, with all the challenges that this situation brings: social isolation away from family, language barrier and, at times in nowadays’s Britain, nonsensical hostility1. It’s simply no fair and it is counterproductive IF really WST/WPBSA have ambitions to make snooker global.

SPORTSBET.IO BECOMES NEW TITLE PARTNER OF SNOOKER’S PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP, TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP AND CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS

Sportsbet.io Becomes New Title Partner of Snooker’s Players Championship, Tour Championship and Champion of Champions

 January 15, 2024 – Three celebrated events on snooker’s global tour, renowned for their elite fields, will welcome Sportsbet.io as their new title partner for the next two years. The Sportsbet.io Players Championship will run from March 17-23, 2025, at Telford International Centre, followed by the Sportsbet.io Tour Championship from March 31 to April 6 at Manchester Central and then the Sportsbet.io Champion of Champions from November 10-16 in Bolton.

 All three events will be screened live by ITV and will receive extensive global television and online coverage from a range of international broadcasters.

 Sportsbet.io, a leading crypto sportsbook and casino, Official Regional Partner of LALIGA, Official Betting Partner of English football team, Hull City and a Club Partner of Premier League team Newcastle United, now joins forces with WST and Matchroom for the first time. Sportsbet.io is part of Yolo Group, known for bringing next-level innovation to the worlds of gaming, fintech and blockchain.

 The Sportsbet.io Players Championship is the second event in the 2025 Players Series. Only the top 16 on this season’s one-year ranking list will earn a place in the field in Telford. Mark Allen won the trophy last season, and as it stands he could be defending the title in a field including the likes of world number one Judd Trump, World Champion Kyren Wilson, Ding Junhui, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, Shaun Murphy, Mark Williams, John Higgins and many more top stars.

 Then for the climax of the series, the Sportsbet.io Tour Championship at a fantastic venue in the heart of Manchester, only the top 12 earn a spot in the draw.

 The Sportsbet.io Champion of Champions, ever present on the calendar since 2013, brings together 16 winners of tournaments over the previous 12 months. Mark Williams took the title in 2024, coming through a superb field which included the likes of Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson and Ronnie O’Sullivan.

 Peter Wright, Chief Commercial Officer for WST, said: “We are excited to team up with Yolo Group as they are known for their inventive approach to the digital world which is going to be an ever-changing landscape in years to come. They have a range of fabulous snooker events to help build the Sportsbet.io brand. The Players Series events are only for the best players on the one-year rankings so it rewards the players in form with places in these prestigious tournaments. Fans will pack the arenas in both Telford and Manchester and we look forward to working with the Yolo team over these events.”

 Emily Frazer, CEO of Matchroom Multi Sport, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Sportsbet.io as the title sponsor for the Champion of Champions, alongside the Players and Tour Championship. The Champion of Champions is a standout event on the snooker calendar, renowned for its elite line-up and global reach. Partnering with Sportsbet.io, a brand synonymous with innovation and excellence, ensures these tournaments will continue to thrive as world-class spectacles. We’re excited to work together in showcasing the very best of snooker to fans across the globe.”

 Shane Anderson – Director of Partnerships, Content, Brand of Yolo Entertainment, said: “At Yolo Group, we’re passionate about pushing boundaries and creating unforgettable experiences, which is why partnering with three of snooker’s most prestigious tournaments is such an exciting opportunity for us. The Players Championship, Tour Championship, and Champion of Champions embody excellence, just as Sportsbet.io strives to innovate and elevate the worlds of sportsbook and blockchain. We’re thrilled to bring this partnership to life and connect with snooker fans around the globe.”

About Sportsbet.io

Founded in 2016 as part of Yolo Group, Sportsbet.io is the leading crypto sportsbook. Sportsbet.iohas redefined the online betting space by combining cutting-edge technology, with cryptocurrency expertise and a passion for offering its players with the ultimate fun, fast and fair gaming experience.

Official Regional Partner of LALIGA, Official Betting Partner of English football team, Hull City and a Club Partner of Premier League team Newcastle United, Sportsbet.io provides an expansive range of betting action across all major sports and eSports, offering players more than 1M pre-match events per year and comprehensive in-play content.

As the first crypto sportsbook to introduce a cash out function, Sportsbet.io is recognised as a leader in both online sports betting and within the crypto community.

In December 2023, a lucky Sportsbet.io won the biggest ever online slots jackpot while playing on the site, turning a $50 spin into a prize of more than $42 million.

Sportsbet.io prides itself on its secure and trustworthy betting service, with withdrawal times of less than 90 seconds,  among the fastest in the industry.

For more information about Sportsbet.io, please visit https://sportsbet.io

About Matchroom

Matchroom is a world-leading sports promotion company specialising in creating and delivering unforgettable live events across a range of sports, including snooker, pool, darts, and boxing. With over four decades of experience, Matchroom produces events watched by millions of fans worldwide, combining top-tier competition with unrivalled entertainment value. Through global partnerships, innovative broadcasting, and digital engagement, Matchroom is committed to driving the growth and visibility of its sports on the international stage.

I have also, many times, made my feeling known about snooker being in bed with the betting industry. Those feelings haven’t changed2. These ones are looking forward to “connect with snooker fans around the globe“. Yeah… all three events are held in the UK, and shown on ITV, only available in the UK. Other broadcasters may relay it but there is no certainly, and it will almost certainly come at a price. I used to be only able to watch it on Matchroom.live . That wasn’t free and, anyway, it’s gone.

  1. I have been loudly criticised, while sitting in a bus, for speaking French with my husband … just imagine that here on Santorini island we would ask British tourists to speak Greek at all times when in a public space, even for a private conversation within the family. They would feel outraged surely? ↩︎
  2. During the some 35 years I had a job in IT, I lost three colleagues to suicide. One was incurably ill and in huge pain, the other two, men, took their own life over betting debts. Both left behind a partner and young children who then had to cope with the betting debts on top of dealing with their sorrows. The betting industry should be VERY strongly regulated and they should not be allowed ANY form of advertising. ↩︎

Shaun Murphy is the 2025 Masters Champion

Monique Interview, Professional snooker, Professional snooker tournament

Congratulations Shaun Murphy!

Here is the report by shared by WST

MARVELLOUS MURPHY RULES THE PALACE

Shaun Murphy won his first Triple Crown title for a decade with a tremendous 10-7 victory over Kyren Wilson in the final of the Johnstone’s Paint Masters at Alexandra Palace.

Wilson threatened a fight-back when he came from 8-4 down to 8-7, but Murphy retained his composure and took the last two frames with a brace of excellent breaks. Across the match he made four centuries and four more runs over 50.

Age 42, Murphy admits he feared his time of winning the sport’s biggest titles had passed, but he has regained that self-belief and played his best snooker this week in London. Having won the World Championship in 2005, UK Championship in 2008 and Masters in 2015, he now has four Triple Crown victories to his name.

His reward includes the £350,000 top prize, the biggest pay-day of his 27-year career, but far more important to Murphy is the glory of lifting the Paul Hunter Trophy on the 50th birthday of this historic event. He becomes only the 12th player to win the Masters on multiple occasions. 

The Englishman was outstanding throughout the tournament, conceding just eight frames in three matches to reach the final, and making a total of seven centuries including his marvellous 147 during the semi-finals. For a player who relies so much on confidence, it was a week when his game clicked and he made potting balls look as easy as shelling peas.

World number seven Murphy will hope to continue that momentum into the rest of the season, as he remains in danger of dropping out of the top 16 and having to qualify for the Crucible. But one thing is for sure – he’ll be back at Alexandra Palace next year as number one seed. 

Wilson had hoped to win the Masters for the first time but has now lost two finals as he was also runner-up to Mark Allen in 2018. Having conquered the Crucible last May he is enjoying a fine season as World Champion, winning the Xi’an Grand Prix and BetVictor Northern Ireland Open, but the 33-year-old from Kettering will be devastated not to bring his best today on a huge occasion. 

Trailing 6-2 after the first session, Wilson took the opening frame tonight with breaks of 48 and 44 to narrow the gap. Murphy responded with a 125, his third century of the match, before Wilson’s 95 made it 7-4.  The key moment of the crucial 12th frame came when Wilson, among the balls leading 14-9, missed a tricky black to a centre pocket, gifting Murphy the opportunity to make 66 to lead 8-4 at the interval.

Murphy scored just one point in the next three frames as Wilson battled back, scoring top breaks of 78 and 65 as he closed to 8-7. Early in frame 16, Wilson went full-blooded for a tough long red and missed the target, scattering reds and leaving Murphy the table to make 55 which proved enough to leave him two up with three to play.  And he sealed the result in style with a break of 100 to wrap up a ninth win over Wilson in 12 meetings and win his first title since the 2023 Championship League.

“It’s totally unbelievable, I’m in shock,” said Murphy. “I genuinely thought that my days of competing for these Triple Crown events had gone. There were too many bad losses, you start seeing demons in the pockets. The loss in the world final in 2015 really hurt me, and the one in 2021 also took it out of me. 

“I’ve been working with Peter Ebdon and that’s what has saved me because I was in a spiral of negativity. The first thing he wanted to do was restore my belief that I can actually do this. Three events in and we are winners. I came here having worked very hard on my game, in a really good frame of mind. To make the 147 yesterday completed a lifetime ambition. And now to be here with the trophy, it’s one of the best days of my life.

“Peter and I have worked on the mental side. Everyone knows how tough he was. I felt I had gone a bit soft and he agreed. That’s what we have worked on, to be more steely, more granite, to give them nothing and to play my attacking game when I get the chance.

“This reignites my hopes of winning the World Championship again. I have proved to myself I can still win these big ones, so I’ll go to the Crucible knowing I can do it.

“From 8-4 tonight I expected Kyren to come for me because it’s not in a World Champion’s DNA to give up. I wouldn’t have liked to go 8-8 because it was getting twitchy.”

Wilson said: “I gave Shaun too much of a head start. Perhaps there was a bit of fatigue after a late finish last night. Shaun used his experience. I’m proud that I managed to dig in deep. I still fancied it at 6-2 and 8-4. If the long red had gone in at 8-7 the balls were mine to clear up. I’m not a player who is going to play dolly shots, I went all-out and got aggressive. My game is in fantastic shape, being World Champion has inspired me and I’d like to think there are many more trophies to come. I’ll be in Berlin next trying to win that one.“

It’s a shame for Kyren that he had a “bad session” in the final. Every player has them once in a while, they are human, but when it happens in a major final it’s really unfortunate, for the player and for the fans who probably prefer to watch a close battle, not to mention his kids who were around wearing little waistcoats similar to the one their father had been wearing in his previous matches. But Kyren showed what a fighter he is and he should be proud of himself, and of the way he represents his sport as a World Champion

Clearly, working with Peter Ebdon has helped Shaun. I believe that no matter how hard Ebdon could try, he would never be able to get Shaun “grinding” for hours. Hopefully he sticks to snooker and refrains from planting silly ideas in Shaun’s mind …

The 2025 Masters – Day 7

Monique Professional snooker tournament, Snooker

It was semi-finals day in Ally Pally yesterday. All the polls, all the pundits and commentators were giving Judd Trump as a massive favourite for the title. Kyren Wilson had other ideas … he’s the reigning World Champion after all and he’s wearing his crown with pride. Kyren will face Shaun Murphy. The Magician had brought his magic wand to the arena and conjured a 147 to the delight of the fans. Both men were awesome, albeit in different ways. We should have a fantastic final!

Here are the reports shared by WST:

MURPHY MAKES 147 AND REACHES FINAL

Shaun Murphy raised the roof at Alexandra Palace with a 6-3 victory over Mark Allen, making a 147 on his way to the final of the Johnstone’s Paint Masters.

Murphy is into the final in London for the third time, having lost to Neil Robertson in 2012 and won his sole Masters title in 2015. The 42-year-old will meet Judd Trump or Kyren Wilson over 19 frames on Sunday, with the Paul Hunter Trophy and £350,000 top prize at stake. World number seven Murphy will be aiming for his fourth Triple Crown success, having landed the World Championship in 2005 and the UK Championship in 2008.

After a slow start against Allen, losing the first two frames, he played fantastic snooker to win six of the next seven, undoubtedly highlighted by his historic 147 in frame six as he became only the fifth player in the 50-year history of the Masters to make a maximum.  

Murphy has come close to silverware already this season, notably losing to Trump in both the final of the Shanghai Masters and the semi-finals of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. He will be fiercely determined to go all the way tomorrow and become the 12th player to win the Masters on multiple occasions.

Allen dominated the first two frames then Murphy took the third – without either player making a break over 50. Early in frame four, Murphy crunched in a long red to set up a break of 83 for 2-2. After the interval, Murphy made a 54 in taking frame five to go ahead, before lighting up the arena with his marvellous 147.

Having lost four frames in a row, Allen needed a foothold, and he got it in the seventh, coming from 30-0 down to make a 54 clearance, though his heart skipped a beat when he rolled the final brown along a baulk cushion and it stopped in the jaws of the pocket before toppling in. But Murphy quickly regained the initiative as a run of 72 made it 5-3.

Frame nine lasted 33 minutes as Allen missed chances to close the gap, and the Northern Irishman eventually made a safety error on the final green which let Murphy in to clear the table and reach his tenth Triple Crown final.

“The 147 was an incredible moment, one of the highlights of my snooker life since I was eight years old,” said Murphy. “I had always wanted to make a maximum in a Triple Crown event and had never really come close until the other day. This time I was thinking ‘don’t mess it up again!’ The roar when the last black went in was the loudest I have ever heard in a snooker arena. The crowds this week have been unbelievable. 

“It was a great match played in a great spirit and I’m thrilled to be in the final. Mark is such a tough player to beat, he’s by far a stronger tactical player than me so I knew I had to shake it up a bit and go for my shots. I had a bit of luck at the right time especially in the last frame.

“To face either the World Champion or world number one in the final – that’s how it should be at the Masters. To win the trophy again would be a dream because the last ten years for me has been a barren spell in terms of Triple Crowns. Certain other players are in these finals all the time, for me it’s more of an occasion. There’s no point coming this far without winning.”

Allen, who won this event in 2018, said: “Once Shaun got to 73 on the 147 I was cheering him on because it’s a very special thing to do, in front of this crowd. He held himself together really well. I was disappointed not to play my best, especially not to make it 5-4 because that would have been ‘game on’. There were just too many loose shots.” 

WILSON REACHES FINAL AND ENDS TRUMP’S SLAM DREAM

Kyren Wilson scored a superb 6-3 victory over Judd Trump in the semi-finals of the Johnstone’s Paint Masters, ending Trump’s hopes of winning all four major titles in a single season.

Wilson stormed back from 3-2 down to take the last four frames, making a break over 70 in each of those, to set up a final with Shaun Murphy on Sunday at Alexandra Palace with the Paul Hunter Trophy and £350,000 top prize at stake. Having lost his only previous final against Mark Allen in 2018, this is Wilson’s chance to win his first Masters title and add that honour to his World Champion status. 

Trump, having won the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters and the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship, was on a mission to become the first player to capture all four majors in a single campaign, but made uncharacteristic errors tonight. The world number one misses out on a third Masters final having won the title in 2019 and 2023.

The Bristolian has now lost three of four huge clashes with Wilson this season, having finished runner-up in the finals of the Xi’an Grand Prix and BetVictor Northern Ireland Open, though Trump did get the better of their UK semi-final meeting in York.

Wilson took the opening frame with a break of 61, then recovered a 37-0 deficit to snatch the second with an 89 clearance. The Kettering cueman had a golden chance for 3-0 but lost position from black to red on 44, then had to watch as Trump made 85 for 2-1. In the fourth, Wilson trailed 52-27 when he missed a tricky pot on the third last red, and Trump capitalised again to square the tie.

Wilson was just two pots from taking frame five when he missed the yellow with the long rest, leading by 23 points. Trump laid a series of snookers and gained 43 penalty points, before sealing the frame with a superb long pot on the blue. Back came Wilson with a run of 76 for 3-3, then he took advantage of Trump’s miss on a risky thin-cut black in the seventh to make 88 and edge ahead.

World number two Wilson kept his momentum going with a run of 85 for 5-3. And when Trump missed the pink to corner on 14 in frame nine, Wilson wrapped it up in style with a 106.

“From 3-3 it seemed to go into the blink of an eye to 6-3,” said 33-year-old Wilson. “I got into a rhythm and decided to be as positive as possible because you have to take your chances against Judd. I’m really pleased with the way I finished the match off. I’m looking forward to the challenge of the final.

“I want this title on my CV. I am a very different person and player compared to how I was in my first final here in 2018. I’ve got a lot of confidence going into this one. I have had a fantastic season already and I’m proud of the way I have managed to handle myself as World Champion.“

“Every match here could be a final so I go into every game with that kind of mindset and I feel I have already won three finals. Before the break-off tonight, Judd and I said to each other how great the atmosphere was. That was incredible tonight. I wish there were more tournaments like this because it’s so inspiring, it’s a privilege to play here.“

Trump said: “From 3-2 I didn’t play well. I played some loose safeties. Then at 3-3 I took on a risky black, if that had gone in it was 4-3 to me. I missed some easy balls which I didn’t miss in my first two matches. That threw me a bit and I didn’t get much fluency. Kyren played ok, I gave it to him a little bit. He scored more heavily than me and that was the main difference. I’ll dust myself off and try to win the next tournament.“

This is the last frame of the Kyren v Judd match, shared by ES on YouTube

Here is Shaun’s impeccable 147, shared by WST

Meanwhile in Morocco, the WSF championships, juniors and women, are under way. There is also a Q-Tour event played in the Middle-East. You can follow them here.

The 2025 Masters – Day 6

Monique Professional snooker tournament, Snooker

Day 6 at Ally Pally saw the conclusion of the quarter-finals round. Here is what happened, as reported by WST:

Afternoon match: Judd Trump 6-3 Ding Junhui

WONDERFUL TRUMP SMASHES PRIZE MONEY RECORD

Judd Trump came from 3-1 down to beat Ding Junhui 6-3 and reach the semi-finals of the Johnstone’s Paint Masters, a result which means he has set a new record for prize money in a single season, with four months of the 2024/25 campaign still to come.  

Clearly the man to beat at the biggest tournaments, world number one Trump has already won the Shanghai Masters, Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters and Victorian Plumbing UK Championship this season, and by reaching the last four at Alexandra Palace he is guaranteed £75,000 which brings his total to £1,295,200. That surpasses the previous record of £1,265,500, set last season by Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Motivated by glory rather than money, Trump’s focus is firmly on winning the title this week in London and then his attention may turn to the World Championship as he continues his quest to become the first player to win all four majors in a single season. That would bring his prize money tally for the campaign past the £2 million mark.

Having played the best snooker of the tournament so far in the last five frames today, he will relish his next match against Kyren Wilson or Luca Brecel on Saturday night. The 35-year-old is two wins away from a third Masters crown having lifted the trophy in 2019 and 2023; only O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry have won more.  

China’s Ding, the 2011 champion, started strongly with breaks of 70 and 74 to lead 2-0. Trump hit back with a run of 75 in the third and he was on 48 in frame four when he missed an awkward red to a top corner, Ding capitalising with a 72 clearance for 3-1. 

After the interval the high scoring continued as Trump’s 97 reduced his deficit. In the sixth, Ding had a golden scoring chance but on 35 he missed a short range red, playing with the rest. Trump made 53 and later trapped his opponent in a snooker on the last red, then potted it along the top cushion to square the match at 3-3. That proved the turning point as the Englishman raced through the last three frames with  125, 62 and 75 to reach the last four for the seventh time.

“Ding didn’t do much wrong apart from the red he missed in the sixth frame, after that I played really well,” said 2019 World Champion Trump. “I always believe I’m going to win, even if I’m 5-1 down. You need that kind of confidence to win these tournaments. The standard this week so far has been exceptional, there have been some spectacular performances. It’s pleasing for snooker that the players can put on a show like this, it’s in safe hands. 

“I’m on track for my best season although I won six events in a season (in 2019/20) which was special. The magnitude of the tournaments I have won this time makes it more special, and also the standard I have been able to produce.“

Ding said: “I started well but missed some shots and Judd got more confidence. After that he made a lot of big breaks. The red in the sixth frame was careless, I was thinking about position and missed the pot. It’s going to happen sometimes. Judd always takes his chances.“

Evening match: Kyren Wilson 6-4 Luca Brecel

WILSON STAYS ON TRACK FOR FIRST MASTERS CROWN

Kyren Wilson overcame an ankle injury to beat Luca Brecel 6-4 in a thrilling finish, reaching the semi-finals of the Johnstone’s Paint Masters and keeping alive his dream of lifting the Paul Hunter Trophy for the first time.

The World Champion will take on world number one Judd Trump in a showpiece semi-final on Saturday night at Alexandra Palace. This will be their fourth meeting of the season – Wilson winning the finals of the Xi’an Grand Prix and BetVictor Northern Ireland Open, then Trump took revenge in the semi-finals of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship. They also met in the last four of the Masters in 2018, Wilson coming from 5-2 down to win 6-5. 

On that occasion the Kettering cueman lost to Mark Allen in the final, and he will be determined to go one step further this time and complete the second leg of the Triple Crown. 

Wilson slept awkwardly on Wednesday night and woke up with pain in his ankle which left him struggling to walk. The injury has since improved and he was given permission to wear trainers during tonight’s match, though the pain hindered his performance. 

“I rate that as one of the best wins of my career,” said the world number two. “Not because of my performance, but because of what I had to deal with. I couldn’t put weight on the ankle or stand how I usually would, which was frustrating. But I saw it as a challenge and something I had never had to deal with before, and it was a test for me to see how I could handle it. I would play here on one leg so there was no danger of me pulling out.” 

Wilson’s breaks of 71 and 67 put him 2-0 up, then Brecel took the third with a run of 96 and had first chance in the fourth but missed a tricky black on 15 and had to watch his opponent make 64 to lead 3-1 at the interval. Back came Brecel with an 84 in frame five, before Wilson’s 78 made it 4-2. The Englishman led 25-4 in frame seven when he failed to pot a red with the rest, handing Belgium’s Brecel the opportunity to make 83 to halve the gap. 

A cracking long red set Wilson up for a break of 55 in frame eight to lead 5-3. He glimpsed the winning line in the ninth but missed a tough pink, trying to screw back for the yellow when he led 44-41, and Brecel kept his hopes alive by clearing the colours. Both players passed up chances in the tenth, which lasted 42 minutes and came down to a tense battle on the final pink. Brecel eventually misjudged a safety, and Wilson drilled the mid-range pink into a top corner. 

“I really enjoyed the game, though it was nervy towards the end,” Wilson added. “I was so pleased to see the pink drop. I’m really looking forward to playing Judd, we will both be up for it and hopefully bring the best out of each other. It’s an awesome feeling to be a part of the rivalry with him because he has been by far the best player in the world over the last few years. He inspires me to work hard to become a better player myself.“

What can I say? As so often, Ding lost despite being the strongest player at the start of the match, and going into the MSI with a lead. One of the pundits – it was Alan Mc Manus if I remember correctly – predicted that if Judd went on to win the first frame after the MSI, he would win the match. We have seen this pattern with Ding far too many times for me wanting it to remember it. Ding is a marvellous player to watch when he plays well but, too often he allows a small setback to derail him, and, of course, Judd Trump WILL take advantage if offered a chance. He’s very strong mentally and his will to win is phenomenal.

As for the evening match, I will only say this: Luca is a phenomenal talent who, as a player, doesn’t to justice to the gift he’s been blessed with. I don’t like to watch him. I like to watch his game, but I don’t like to watch his matches as I find him infuriatingly careless or presumptuous more often than not.

The 2025 Masters – Day 5

Monique Professional snooker, Professional snooker tournament

The first two quarter-finals match were played yesterday at the 2025 Masters in Alexandra Palace.

Here are the reports shared by WST:

MURPHY INTO SEMIS BUT MISSES 147 CHANCE

Shaun Murphy stormed into the semi-finals of the Johnstone’s Paint Masters with a 6-2 victory over Neil Robertson, but passed up the chance to make his first 147 in a Triple Crown event.

Murphy came so close to the perfect finish to a tremendous match, as in the eighth and final frame he potted 15 reds with blacks, chasing the ninth maximum of his career and first in a major. But in potting the 15th black he left himself behind the blue, snookered on the yellow, and the chance was gone.

“It was just a terrible mistake to leave the cue ball behind the blue,” he said. “Almost anywhere on the table except there would have been fine. It was such a good chance. At the start of the season, making a 147 in a Triple Crown event was one of my goals. To get so close, I’m gutted.” 

Still, that was the only blemish on an outstanding performance from the 2005 World and 2015 Masters champion as he booked a semi-final with Mark Allen or Mark Selby on Saturday afternoon. 

World number seven Murphy hasn’t won a title since the 2023 Championship League but has come close this season, notably reaching the final of the Shanghai Masters and semi-finals of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. The 42-year-old is now into a seventh Masters semi-final with his sights set on the £350,000 top prize.

Robertson had first chance in the opening frame but ran out of position on 35 and Murphy punished him with a superb 90 clearance. A break of 79 helped Robertson level but Murphy dominated the next two with 49 and 67 for 3-1. 

In frame five, Robertson was on 66 with five reds left when he was unlucky to lose position when splitting the cluster, and he later mid-cued attempting safety, which handed Murphy the chance to clear with 66 for 4-1. World number 20 Robertson hit back with 108, but a missed pink to centre early in frame seven proved costly as Murphy took advantage with 82 for 5-2. And his 147 attempt ended on 120 but still Murphy received a huge ovation from the Alexandra Palace crowd.

Murphy added: “I was very strong in all departments today. I must give Neil credit because when you play someone of his class, you have to play really well to stand a chance, so I was in the right frame of mind. I remember as an 11-year-old going to the Masters at Wembley Conference Centre, I said to my friend “do you think I’ll ever get to play here?” Ally Pally is better, it’s a dream come true to walk down those stairs.

“My game has been going in the right direction, something good is coming for me, whether it’s this week or next week or next month. As long as I am here I am dangerous.“

Australia’s Robertson, a late replacement in the field when Ronnie O’Sullivan pulled out, said: “Both of us played fantastic out there. When two of us are playing that well, small margins can make the difference. I missed the pink to middle at 4-2, that’s all I can think of in terms of unforced errors. I just take my hat off to Shaun for how good he was. I felt as if I could go all the way and win the event. It was a real shame for everyone watching that Shaun didn’t make the 147. Even if he had left himself a shot with the rest on the yellow, he is so good with the rest you would fancy him potting it.“

It was indeed an excellent match, very entertaining and played in great spirit. I enjoyed it as, I’m sure, did the lucky fans who were sat in the arena for that session.

I’m not sure the same can’t be said about the evening match… It certainly was high quality; some of the safety battles were incredible, but it was close to one thirty in the morning at my place when it finished and I was probably far too tired to be able to appreciate that kind of snooker. Anyway, here is the report shared by WST:

SAFETY ACE ALLEN OUTSMARTS SELBY

Mark Allen showed his tactical intelligence as he won a succession of close frames to beat Mark Selby 6-2 and reach the semi-finals of the Johnstone’s Paint Masters. 

In recent seasons Allen has developed into one of the best all-round competitors in the sport and he showed that at Alexandra Palace on Thursday evening as he outfoxed Selby to reach the last four of this event for the fifth time. The Northern Irishman will face Shaun Murphy on Saturday afternoon and is just two wins away from becoming a multiple Masters champion having first lifted the trophy in 2018.

The pair had met three times before in this event and all three had gone to a deciding frame, Selby winning the first two before Allen gained revenge last year. This time, the scoreline was emphatic in Allen’s favour, though Selby failed to take opportunities to make it much closer and the three-time winner has not reached the semi-finals since 2014.

“Mark is probably the best player of all time when it comes to safety,” said Allen, winner of the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship four weeks ago. “But that’s probably the first time I feel I have dictated play against him. Especially on the safety side – I felt I was better than him, aside from the few bits of luck I had. That’s a real positive for me to take forward.“

World number four Allen took a 2-1 lead with breaks of 81 and 104, sandwiching an 88 from Selby in frame two. In frame four, which lasted 58 minutes, Selby led 71-8 but couldn’t finish the job and Allen battled back, eventually snatching it by clearing from the last red. It was a similar story in the fifth as Allen out-maneuvered his opponent in an exchange on the last red and took advantage for 4-1.

Frame six ended with 11 minutes of cat-and-mouse on the final black, resolved when Selby went for a cross double and was unlucky to leave the black over a top corner for Allen to extend his lead. Selby pulled one back with a run of 80, but Allen made a 59 in frame eight and eventually got over the line by converting a thin snick on the final yellow to a centre pocket and adding the points he needed.

“The fourth frame was the big one because I had no right to win it, the way the balls were sitting,” added 38-year-old Allen. “I am much happier with my game than I was a few months ago. There is still room for improvement and I slipped into a few bad habits tonight. But in general there is a lot of good stuff and I’m feeling upbeat. I am buzzing for the semi-final, the atmosphere gets better every round.” 

Selby said: “If I had won the fourth frame for 2-2 I was right in the match. After that I felt I was chasing the game. Mark won all of the close frames. A few times I thought he had stuck balls over the hole but they finished safe. But he took his chances better than I did.“

The fourth frame was indeed crucial.

Somehow this match reminded me of the match of the 2013 semi-final that Mark Selby won, beating Graeme Dott by 6-5, well past midnight1. It was a safety masterclass by Selby, but it wasn’t pretty and that’s a serious understatement. Ally Pally is a rather isolated place and it was snowing heavily. All around the arena, people started getting up and leaving mid-frame. They had enough of it. It was cold and damp in the venue. Many feared that they would be blocked in their cars by the snow. Others didn’t want to risk missing the bus, the next one might never come, again because of the snow. The media stood put. After the match, Graeme was incensed. “Surely he can’t enjoy playing this way, can he?” was his assessment of his opponent game. When the last press interview was over, we discovered that the venue had been locked with us inside. It was dark and cold everywhere. We had to find the security guy on night duty to be able to leave… And then I started trudging in the snow, through the blizzard … with all my heavy photo equipment. Ahead of me was a deserted park. I wasn’t afraid … surely even hooligans wouldn’t stay out in this weather, he?2 But what about stray dogs? I was freezing and it wasn’t a pretty prospect. Eventually I was saved by Tryggvi Erlingsson who was on his way to his hotel, in his car, and spotted me on the side of the road… I’m eternally grateful! I still caught the mother of colds that night though…

  1. Yesterday’s match wasn’t that bad to be fair, but as it slowly unfolded it triggered memories… ↩︎
  2. I’m not easily scared anyway … ↩︎

The 2025 Masters – Day 4

Monique Professional snooker, Professional snooker tournament

Here are the reports shared by WST on day 4 at Ally Pally, the last day of the 2025 Masters first round.

WILSON COMES THROUGH TOUGH ZHANG TEST

World Champion Kyren Wilson won his first match at the Johnstone’s Paint Masters for three years, beating tough opponent Zhang Anda by a 6-4 scoreline to reach the quarter-finals.  

A hard-fought contest was in the balance at 4-4, but China’s Zhang crucially missed chances in the last two frames, allowing Wilson to get to the finish line and end a losing streak at Alexandra Palace, having been knocked out in the first round by Stuart Bingham in 2023 and Judd Trump in 2024.

The Crucible king is into the quarter-finals for the fifth time and is aiming for his maiden Masters title, having come close in 2018 when he lost 10-7 in the final to Mark Allen. 

“It was a great match to be involved in,” said world number two Wilson. “At 4-4 I had to hang in there and stay positive. I was really impressed with Zhang’s long potting, he was floating them in from everywhere. Playing as World Champion this season has given me the confidence to see those matches out. I know I have a target on my back this year so I didn’t want to go out of this one early again. 

“A lot has changed for me since I was in the final here seven years ago. I have gone on to bigger and better things, achieving the dream of becoming World Champion. But there is still a lot of unfinished business.” 

The opening frame came down to a safety battle on the colours, resolved when Wilson converted a tricky pot on the green to a centre pocket and cleared for 1-0. Zhang levelled with a break of 85, before Wilson regained the lead. In frame four, Zhang led 64-0 when he ran out of position, and his opponent punished him with an excellent 69 clearance for 3-1. 

Wilson failed to score a point in the next two as Zhang compiled breaks of 65 and 83 to square the tie at 3-3.  A break of 69 from Wilson restored his lead, only for Zhang to respond again with a 141 total clearance, his first Masters century and the new target for the £15,000 high break prize.

In frame nine, Wilson led 52-0 when he missed the blue to a baulk corner, and Zhang had the balls at his mercy but his counter ended on 26 when he failed to pot the black off its spot. And Zhang had another clear opportunity in the tenth, only to miss a red to top corner when he led 15-13. The frame came down to the last three reds, and a superb pot to a centre pocket from Wilson set him up for a match-winning 38.

Kettering’s Wilson was wearing a unique waistcoat designed by 12-year-old schoolgirl Serena, the winner of a competition run by Johnstone’s Paint, STEM Learning and WST. The project challenged children age 11-14 to design a waistcoat, using a theme connected to the science curriculum and also including Johnstone’s Paint colour of the year, Acai Berry. Wilson himself was one of the judging panel and picked the winner from over 20 entries, then met Serena on the eve of the tournament to receive the waistcoat.

He added: “I feel like it was a brave thing to do! It’s great for the sport and the sponsors and fantastic for the children who made the designs.“

BRECEL COMPLETES STELLAR LAST-EIGHT LINE-UP

Luca Brecel showed flashes of brilliance in a 6-3 win over debutant Chris Wakelin at the Johnstone’s Paint Masters as he joined a quarter-final line-up which includes six former winners of the event plus the last two World Champions.

Brecel will meet current Crucible king Kyren Wilson on Friday evening at Alexandra Palace, after showdowns between Shaun Murphy and Neil Robertson, Mark Selby and Mark Allen, then Judd Trump and Ding Junhui. The eight players left chasing the Paul Hunter Trophy have 31 Triple Crown titles between them.

Since his victory in Sheffield 20 months ago, Brecel has not won another individual title, but he showed improved form before Christmas with runs to the quarter-finals of the BetVictor Scottish Open then the final of the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship. Tonight’s display was far from perfect but he reminded fans of his genius with several extraordinary pots, notably a brown in the opening frame which Stephen Hendry, commentating for BBC, described as “one of the best shots I have ever seen.”

The Belgian ace doubled his tally of wins at the Masters, having previously only registered a single victory in his four previous appearances in London.

He said afterwards: “I think the next ten years could be my best. I am still very young and I have a good mindset to perform.”

Wakelin led 47-27 in the opening frame when he missed a tricky red with the rest, and Brecel’s 36 clearance included that thunderbolt brown, played at pace along the baulk cushion. Wakelin levelled with a run of 69 and had chances in frame three but couldn’t take them, and Brecel eventually converted excellent long pots on the pink and black. World number eight Brecel’s run of 89 made it 3-1 and he led 43-0 in frame five when he underhit an awkward red to a centre pocket, letting Wakelin in for a run of 67 to halve the gap.

Brecel dominated the sixth for 4-2, before his opponent emerged successfully from a safety exchange on the green in the seventh. Frame eight also came down to the green, Wakelin potting it but then missing the brown when he looked set for 4-4. Brecel rifled in tremendous long pots on brown, blue and pink for 5-3. Wakelin’s night ended when he touched a ball with the rest as he tried to move it into position for a scoring chance in frame nine, handing Brecel the table for a closing 73.

“There were a few misses but apart from that I felt good,” added 29-year-old Brecel. “It’s tough to settle in this arena, I played some good and bad frames but the most important thing was to get the win. I’m not yet 100% confident but I feel I’m getting better and really looking forward to the rest of the season.

“This tournament is so hard, because of the crowd and the history of the Masters. To win it you have to play really well, and don’t bottle it.”

Brecel is planning to take on the Ironman triathlon in 2028 and is training for that challenge. He said: “The feeling you get from running and cycling is amazing, you feel like a different person. People who don’t play sport under-estimate the benefits of it. I feel much lighter and I can go for longer when the matches get long and tough. It’s good mentally, for example tomorrow I will have a day off so I will go for a run which fills up the day and takes your mind off snooker.“

Wakelin has climbed into the top 16 for the first time this season and relished his first appearance at the sport’s biggest invitation event, though admitted that his focus has not been on preparation in recent weeks as he became a father for the first time last month.  

He said: “I absolutely loved it out there, walking into the arena is a moment I will never forget. I didn’t play well, but the last few weeks have been very hectic and the last thing on my mind has been practising for this event. I tried my best. Given it was my first time out there I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I felt comfortable.”

The main thing on Chris mind is of course his baby girl. She was born nine weeks prematurely and is still in hospital. Chris said that she’s doing well but, of course, she is still fragile and still needs special care. A match, even at the Masters, is nowhere near as important as the little one’s health and well being. Chris did extremely well under the circumstances. I wish Chris family the very best.

The above reports are comprehensive. I don’t have much to add.

Kyren, once again, is representing his sport in the best possible way and proves himself to be a really worthy World Champion on and off the table.

Zhang himself played really well and got a lot of praise from Hendry… well, maybe, Hendry still has vivid memories of the scare Zhang gave him at the Crucible in 2010. Back then, Hendry only won his opening match against Zhang by 10-9. At the time Zhang was only 18 and in his first season as a pro. Nobody expected him to push the seven times World Champion this hard. If I remember correctly Hendry had to win the last three frames.

Luca Brecel was his spectacular self. He can be infuriating at times because, given his humongous talent, he should win much more, but when on song he’s box office: daring, unconventional and extremely entertaining.