The 2024 UK Championship – Day 3

Monique Professional snooker, Professional snooker tournament

The third day at 2024 UK Championship again showed how good the players ranked outside the top 16 are nowadays. After three days, twelve matches, six of the seeded top 16 are out. Half of them then…

Here are the reports by WST:

Afternoon session

CRUCIBLE KING WILSON WHITEWASHES MAGUIRE

World Champion Kyren Wilson eased to a 6-0 win over Stephen Maguire to book his place in the last 16 of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship in York. 

The Warrior is hunting a second Triple Crown title, after achieving a lifetime’s ambition back in May with victory at the Crucible. Wilson overcame Jak Jones 18-14 in a fiercely contested title match at the Theatre of Dreams, to win a maiden World Championship title. He’s backed that up this season with victories at the inaugural Xi’an Grand Prix and the Northern Ireland Open, beating world number one Judd Trump in each final.

Wilson has enjoyed strong showings here in York, without quite managing to lift the famous trophy. His best run came back in 2021, when he defeated Ronnie O’Sullivan en route to the semi-finals. The Englishman then lost an epic contest against Luca Brecel. Next up for Wilson this week is a second round meeting with Chris Wakelin. 

Having negotiated the qualifying gauntlet, beating Elliot Slessor in a 6-5 thriller on Judgement Day, Scotland’s Maguire bows out at the first hurdle in York. Today’s disappointing defeat comes in the 20th anniversary year of the finest moment of his career, when he won the 2004 UK Championship. 

Both players struggled in what proved to be a fragmented afternoon of snooker. However, it was Wilson who fared the better in converting chances to frames. After controlling the opener, the Englishman battled hard to take the second in 37-minutes and lead 2-0. A run of 45 moved Wilson three ahead, before he added the fourth to lead 4-0 at the mid-session. 

When play resumed, Wilson moved up a gear and fired in runs of 71 and 86 to seal his comprehensive victory.

“It was surprsing. I went into the match expecting a tough battle. He is a real battler and for whatever reason it wasn’t happening,” said 32-year-old Wilson. “He is such a good player, it really shocked me and I’m sure he will be back as he’s too good not to.

“Myself and Judd want to do what guys like Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Williams and John Higgins have done over their long and illustrious careers. Hopefully we can try to compete with them and be the next names that everybody wants to tune in and watch. 

“I’ve dreamed of being a World Champion since I was six years old and I’ve made a very conscious effort to not only enjoy it but use it as a catapult to kickstart my career even more. It has given me that extra bit of confidence.”

On the other table, world number 15 Wakelin earned his place in the next round with a hard fought 6-4 win over former Indian Open champion Matthew Selt. 

Wakelin has enjoyed a landmark season so far, having broken into the elite top 16 in the world for the first time. He’s gunning to earn a Johnstone’s Paint Masters debut if he can remain there at the end of this week. 

The Rugby cueman top scored with 75 in a match he was relieved to emerge victorious from a testing match. 

Wakelin said: “It was a tough one. I was never in front and stole the ninth frame to go 5-4 in front. I feel for Matt, I don’t think he had much left towards the end. I knew if I could just hold myself together I could get over the line. He is very strong in the matchplay department so I really just wanted to shake his hand and get out of there. 

“When the game is over, I’m proud of what I’ve achieved getting in the top 16. I don’t think that defines me on the table though. It is all about what you do. The defending champion lost this week and a lot of the other top 16 players have. You can sit on that ranking all you like, but you still have to go out there and do the business.“

Stephen Maguire was his typical brutally honest self after the match, delivering a scathing verdict on his performance: rubbish. He was that indeed, but Kyren Wilson still had to stay focussed and win that match, which he hid. Kyren has, so far, been an exemplary World Champion. He’s representing his sport impeccably. He’s giving it his best in every match. He’s speaking well too. He’s humble in victory and honest in defeat.

Chris Wakelin is a player I’m appreciating more with every match he plays. Not so much his game itself, but his attitude. He’s come a long way from the dispirited player he was some years ago and one who looked unhealthy, physically and mentally.

Evening session

RESURGENT HITMAN ELIMINATES WILSON

Michael Holt reached the last 16 of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship for the first time in 25 years, scoring an emphatic 6-1 win over Welsh Open champion Gary Wilson in York. 

The Hitman’s professional career came under threat in 2022, when he fell off the circuit. During two years away from the World Snooker Tour he set about a career coaching amateur players. However, Holt’s performances on last season’s Q Tour ensured the 46-year-old regained his professional status. 

This week’s run is a landmark for the Nottingham cueman, who last made it to this stage of the UK Championship back in 1999 as a 22-year-old. After beating the likes of Tony Drago and Alan McManus, he was eventually defeated 9-6 by John Higgins in the quarter-finals. Victory this evening for Holt earns him a last 16 meeting with this year’s Crucible runner-up Jak Jones. 

Defeat for Wallsend’s Wilson marks a continuation of his struggles in the UK Championship. He’s only made the last 16 on one occasion in his entire career, back in 2019.

The opener this evening went the way of Holt, who compiled a break of 38 to steal on the black. A run of 72 from Wilson restored parity at 1-1, before Holt won the third and fourth frames, again on the black, to snatch a 3-1 lead at the mid-session interval. 

A run of 69 then moved Holt further ahead at 4-1. The sixth frame ventured into a stalemate situation when the reds gathered around the pink, which was over the top left corner. Holt was reluctant to accept a re-rack, leading 44-9, but eventually agreed to restart the frame. He steadied himself and fired in 95 to move 5-1 ahead and one from victory. A 50-minute seventh came down to the wire, but it was Holt who claimed it on the pink to ensure his progression. 

Holt said: “It is brilliant, obviously. I rode my luck towards the end of that match but I’ll take it and I’m in the next round. I always knew I could win, I never doubted that, but you are playing the best players in the world. You never know how games are going to pan out. You have to keep yourself in a good state of mind. 6-1 did flatter me, but I’m in the next round and I’m buzzing about it.

“My game is there, it really is. It has always been there. I just have to try and let it out. If I do that then I always have a chance. There were a few good bits in there. I have to be stronger than that in my next match, because I can’t be that lucky again. 

“To be in this arena is fantastic. I absolutely love it out there. It is an amazing tournament. I felt great and comfortable out there. Sometimes when you miss a few it can get a bit tough.“

On the other table, Jones came through a nerve shredding encounter with Luca Brecel to seal his progression 6-5. 

World number 17 Jones was the highest seed to come through the qualifying rounds. He defeated Ian Burns and Fan Zhengyi to seal his place in the final stages and is now seeking a return to the top 16 in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings and qualification for the Masters. The cut off comes at the end of this week. 

Defeat leaves Brecel in a perilous position. With his prize money for winning the 2023 World Championship coming off at the end of the season, he is currently projected to be in danger of losing his spot in the top 64 in the world. 

Despite Brecel leading 5-3, the match came down to a dramatic final frame, where the Belgian had the first opportunity. He broke down on 42 and a clutch contribution of 66 from Jones helped him over the line for a massive victory.

Jones said: “You always want to do well in the big tournaments and this is the second biggest in the tour. The arena is amazing. I felt good towards the end there. 

“Michael Holt is playing really well. To beat Gary Wilson 6-1 you must be doing something right. That is going to be a really tough game.“

That bit about Michael Holt making it to the last 16 for the first time in 22 years … that was a shock to the system for me! Where have all those years gone? How has this happened?1 Michael Holt is someone who has underachieved IMO. Often in the past, his temperament has let him down. He was getting angry at himself and seemingly losing his focus as a result. Or maybe it was his self-belief that deserted him? Anyway he looks much more “grounded” nowadays and it’s for the best.

The Jones v Brecel match wasn’t the highest quality but Jak won’t care. As for Luca, he’s paying the price for a full year and a bit of celebrating and enjoying himself. If he thought he could come back from that just as strong as he was, he’s now finding out that he can’t … Nobody can, no matter how talented they are. He’s probably been the most absent World Champion snooker ever had, certainly the most absent I can remember. Luca is outrageously talented, his game is highly entertaining and spectacular, but … TBH more often than not, I don’t enjoy watching him . I find him, as a player, quite infuriating.

  1. And then I remember that I will turn 70 in less than three weeks. Seriously? How has this happened???
    ↩︎

The 2024 UK Championship – Day 2

Monique Snooker

Here are the reports WST shared on day 2 at the 2024 UK Championship:

Afternoon session

PISTOL TURNS OVER PAGE

World number three Mark Allen dug deep to score a 6-4 win over Welsh qualifier Jackson Page and make the last 16 of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship in York. 

The Northern Irishman has fond memories of the Barbican, having been runner-up here in 2011 and 2018, before lifting the famous trophy in 2022. Allen faced Ding Junhui in the final two years ago and prevailed 10-7, despite trailing 6-1 at one stage.

He ended last season by becoming world number one for the first time in his career. However, that feat was short-lived and he has been overhauled by Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson to currently find himself ranked as world number three.

So far this term 11-time ranking event winner Allen hasn’t quite hit his usual lofty heights. After today’s game he admitted to being downbeat about his form, but he has kept his hopes alive and will now be able to look ahead to a last 16 meeting with either Wu Yize or Si Jiahui.

The first six frames of this afternoon’s match, which proved to be a fragmented encounter, were shared to leave Allen and Page locked together at 3-3.

Allen earned 40 points in fouls in the seventh, which he took after 34 minutes of play to lead 4-3. Breaks of 35 and 45 then helped Allen to move one from victory at 5-3.

A dramatic ninth swung both ways, before Page cleared the colours to steal on the black and make it 5-4. Page had opportunities to force a final frame but couldn’t take them. Eventually Allen deposited clutch shots on the green and brown to allow him to clear to the black and emerge victorious.

Allen said: “I’m not in a good place with my game. I’m just struggling with my snooker. It is probably in my nature, I always give 100 percent on every shot and nothing is coming easy to me at the moment.

“It is frustrating because I’m still doing the things which got me to world number one and I’m working hard. It isn’t coming very easy at the moment.

“I’m hoping one performance can turn it all around. I just feel I’m a million miles away from that performance. I think my experience got me the result today. I turned down a few balls that I didn’t fancy. That got me the win by waiting for that better opportunity. Jackson is a brilliant talent but he isn’t that experienced on the biggest stage so I just thought I would take advantage of that.”

On the other table, Ali Carter battled to a 6-4 win over Ryan Day to set up a last 16 clash with either Mark Selby or Jack Lisowski. 

Victory for world number 12 Carter keeps alive his hopes of qualifying for the lucractive Riyadh Season Snooker Championship. Only the top ten in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings at the end of this tournament will earn a place in Saudi Arabia next month.

Incredibly, today’s victory sees Carter make it into the last 16 of this tournament for the first time since a run to the semi-finals in 2012. He crafted runs of 75, 63 and 99 in the victory. 

Carter said: “I’ve had some good times here but mostly terrible. I was 8-4 up in the semi-finals against Shaun Murphy and lost 9-8. That went wrong. I haven’t had much success since then. It is sweet to get through today and know that I’m coming back later on in the week.

“A good run would do everything for my confidence. Wins have been hard to come by and I had to work for that there. I’m delighted to get through.”

Evening session

LISOWSKI BEATS SELBY IN PULSATING CLASH

Jack Lisowski prevailed 6-4 after a classic encounter with Mark Selby, to make the last 16 of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship in York.

It’s Lisowski’s first win over Selby in over four years. He last defeated the four-time World Champion in the semi-finals of the 2020 World Grand Prix.

This blockbuster first round match was made possible by a recent decline in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings from Lisowski, who currently resides in 21st position.

The six-time ranking event finalist defeated Malaysian number one Thor Chuan Leong and Women’s World Champion Bai Yulu to reach the final stages. He now faces six-time ranking event winner Ali Carter in the last 16.

Selby came flying out of the blocks to take charge in the early stages. A barrage of breaks saw the Leicester cueman fire in runs of 119, 59 and 136 to lead 3-0, having only conceded six points. The last frame before the interval saw Lisowski craft a run of 55, which helped him to stop the rot and gain a foothold at 3-1.

The tide appeared to have turned when play resumed, with further contributions of 63 and 100 from Lisowski restoring parity at 3-3. The relentless pace of the game continued in the next two frames, with Selby stringing together 61 to move ahead again and Lisowski replying with 70 in the eighth to make it 4-4.

Lisowski averaged just 15 seconds a shot during a break of 61 which saw him seize the initiative in the ninth. However, lengthy safety exchanges meant it took 31 minutes for him to win the frame and move 5-4 ahead. He went on to cross the line at the first time of asking and secure a significant 6-4 victory.

“I feel great. It is an amazing result, especially the way Mark was playing. He is one of the greatest players ever, so to beat him when he is playing like that is fantastic. Everything clicked for me tonight. My safety was good and my scoring was good.“

Jack Lisowski

World Number 21

Lisowski added: “It was a big frame to win before the interval to make it 3-1. I didn’t do too much wrong. He looked like a million dollars. I stuck in there and I feel good. I played solid tonight. I’m not known for my solid snooker but that was good.

“That is a great feeling. It is what you practise for. I haven’t had a great last two seasons so to start getting some results like that is good. It slowly builds up and there I am beating Selby on the main stage. I’ve done this before and got too excited. It is Carter next and that is going to be a very tough game. I have to find a way of keeping this up.”

With only four matches every day, WST reports are comprehensive and there is not much i can add.

If I’m honest the Allen v Page match was pretty awful. Given that he won, Mark Allen’s assessment of his game might sound excessively harsh but if the truth is to be said he didn’t play well at all. It was only a case of Jackson Page being even worse.

I didn’t have the opportunity to watch the evening matches but I certainly did not expect Jack to beat Selby especially having trailed 0-3. But he did and I’m happy. Nothing at all against Mark Selby, just that I like Jack’s game when he’s playing well but only too often in the past he lost from seemingly winning position. He’s been a very frustrating player to watch and support for most of his career. Yesterday offered a nice change to that pattern.

The 2024 UK Championship – Day 1

Monique Professional snooker, Professional snooker tournament

The first day at the 2024 UK Championship was marked by the early departure of the defending champion, Ronnie. He was beaten by Barry Hawkins (6-4) in the opening match of the tournament. The report on that match is available here.

Other than that …

In the same afternoon Shaun Murphy had to battle hard to overcome Zhao Xintong (WST report)

On the other table, Shaun Murphy progressed with a thrilling 6-5 win over returning former champion Zhao Xintong.

Murphy is aiming for a second UK crown, having first captured the title back in 2008. The Magician has shown strong form so far this season, without capturing silverware. He was runner-up at the Shanghai Masters and made the semi-finals at the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. He has recently started working with Peter Ebdon, in a bid to add a killer edge to his game.

Zhao claimed the title here in 2021 with an incredible victory, which culminated in a win over Luca Brecel in the final. His appearance in York this week comes off the back of an enforced 20 months away from the sport. His performances on the Q Tour this season saw him earn a place in qualifying as an amateur. Zhao came through four matches to secure progression to the final stages. 

A tightly contested opening frame this afternoon went the way of Murphy on the black. He then crafted runs of 98 and 76 to move 3-0 ahead. Zhao then rallied and took three on the bounce to restore parity at 3-3. 

From that moment there was never more than a frame between the pair, with blows being traded right the way down to a decider. Murphy controlled the final frame and secured victory. He now plays either Ding Junhui or Robert Milkins. 

Murphy said: “This is a guy who won here a few years ago, not a typical amateur. He was in the top 16 at the time of his suspension. He really put me under it. I should have been 4-0 up at the interval, but losing that frame gave him a foothold. From then it was anyone’s game. 

“I think I’ve gone a bit soft in the last few years. You forget that this is war. It is player vs player. There are no team mates or excuses. I have gone a little bit gentle. To have someone like Peter in my corner, he is someone who has been there and done it. He has felt those feelings and got through them.“

There was again some marked hostility against Zhao on social media during the match, and, yes, there IS an element of racism in those reactions. There are people out there who would gladly see Stephen Lee back, but not Zhao … Zhao didn’t fix any match, unlike Lee, never mind doing it at the Crucible. He didn’t sell his cue with no intend to deliver it, he didn’t break the conditions of his suspension. Zhao’s sins were that he didn’t grass on his mates and did bet on snooker. Regarding the first of those “sins” I already said what I think of it … given the strong – almost fraternal – bond that exists between the young Chinese players who grew up together, WST shouldn’t expect/ask such “betrayal” from them. I’m sure that if he was British a lot of “fans” would be much more understanding and forgiving. Jamie Jones was also done for not reporting an approach he became aware of, and actually got sympathy for it. I agree with WST that players should report approaches , when they are the ones being approached. When it’s about “grassing” on other players … I’m very uneasy with the whole concept.

In the evening, there were wins for Ding Junhui and David Gilbert (WST report)

DING OVERHAULS MILKINS IN THRILLER

Ding Junhui took the final three frames to edge out Robert Milkins 6-5 in a pulsating clash at the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship.

The Chinese superstar arrives in York, a place where he has enjoyed great success, full of confidence. Ding delighted his home fans in Nanjing at the recent International Championship to capture the trophy and win a 15th career ranking crown.

Ding is a three-time UK Champion, having last won the event in 2019. However, that tally could be higher considering he was a losing finalist in each of the last two years. He lost out to Mark Allen in the 2022 title match and Ronnie O’Sullivan 12 months ago.

Defeat will come as a bitter pill to swallow for Milkins, who bows out in a decider for the second year running. The Englishman was beaten 6-5 by O’Sullivan last year.

It was Milkins who took the opener this evening, crafting a fine run of 82 to lead 1-0. Breaks of 51 and 52 then saw Ding hit the front, before Milkins stole the fourth on the black to draw level at 2-2.

The next two frames were traded when play resumed. Milkins then fired in a sublime 130 to move 4-3 ahead. He was then one from victory after prevailing in a 45-minute eighth to lead 5-3.

From there Ding managed to find top gear. He composed contributions of 57, 135 and 63 in successive frames to take three on the bounce and come through a 6-5 victor. Next up for Ding is a mouth-watering last 16 meeting with Shaun Murphy.

“Winning is all that matters. Whether you are struggling or playing very good, you just have to win,” said 37-year-old Ding.

“I have confidence to compete in matches. Even when I’m just making 30 or 40 breaks and playing some good safety shots, I feel good. It is different to how I have felt at other times.

“I always like playing here at the Barbican Centre. I think I have had the most success in my career in this venue.”

On the other table, David Gilbert scored a 6-4 win over in-form Xiao Guodong to clinch his place in the last 16.

The Tamworth cueman made his second World Championship semi-final at the conclusion of last season with a magnificent Crucible run. However, he is currently finding his feet with a new cue after a recent change.

Wuhan Open champion Xiao came into today’s game full of optimism after a burst of form which has seen him earn a place in the top 16 for the first time. Today’s defeat means Xiao will immediately fall out of that elite tier and he will miss out on qualification for the Johnstone’s Paint Masters as a result.

Gilbert fired in breaks of 54, 53, 72, 98, 53 and 63 on his way to this evening’s victory. He will now face Barry Hawkins, who defeated defending champion Ronnie O’Sullivan earlier today.

Gilbert said: “It wasn’t great. It was patchy, but I felt good in areas. I can’t be too hard on myself because I’ve got this new cue. It is a brilliant cue, but I’m struggling with certain shots. They look awful to you guys, but I’ll get used to it and stick with it. I’m pleased with the win.”

I didn’t watch much of the evening session. I was a bit aggrieved by the outcome of the afternoon session and also quite tired. What I saw from Ding though was quite impressive. Ding clearly loves this event. As for Gilbert… having to qualify didn’t harm his game, quite the opposite. He scored very heavily. Just as well he’s “struggling” to adapt to his new cue … 😂

And regarding Ronnie … Vic Snooker Academy shared this picture of him discussing cues with Si Jiahui and Zhao Xintong yesterday evening. He doesn’t look too down 🙂

The 2024 UK Championship – Ronnie, the defending Champion bows out top Barry Hawkins in the opening match

Monique Professional snooker, Professional snooker tournament

Ronnie hadn’t lost in the first round at the UK Championship since 2010, but he lost today to Barry Hawkins by 6-4 , from 1-3 and 2-4 up. Ronnie has a great record over Barry but the last time Barry had beaten him was also in an high profile match. It was in the second round of the 2016 World Championship.

I wrote yesterday that I had little confidence in Ronnie winning today and, unfortunately, I was proven right. Ronnie’s long game has not been the best over recent times – it was never his strongest asset anyway – and, in this match, it cost him. He didn’t play badly by any means but … he wasn’t good enough against an in-form Barry who came into this match having already secured two wins in qualifiers and, with it useful ranking points. It’s not that Ronnie doesn’t care, or doesn’t want it badly enough. He recently started working with Lee Walker, Willo’s coach and close friend. He wouldn’t do that if he didn’t care. He looked really up for it in the short video he shared yesterday. The truth I’m afraid is that, at nearly 491 age, and with it decline, are catching up with him… And yes, I do feel sad about it, but that’s life. Nothing lasts forever and we have to accept it.

Here are the scores for today’s match:

And the report by WST

HAWK SOARS AS ROCKET DOWNED

Barry Hawkins scored his first win over Ronnie O’Sullivan in eight years, prevailing 6-4 and knocking out the defending champion at the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship in York. 

Hawkins has historically struggled against the record eight-time UK Champion. Today’s victory leaves him 18-3 behind in the head-to-head. He last beat O’Sullivan back in 2016, with a memorable 13-12 win at the Crucible.

The world number 16 had to run the gauntlet at qualifying to be here, having dropped out of the top 16 this season. Hawkins beat Alfie Burden in the last 80, before a Judgement Day win over Wang Yuchen earned him a slot at the Barbican.

The draw for the final stages provided a tough assignment for Hawkins, facing last year’s winner O’Sullivan. The 41-time ranking event winner lifted the famous trophy here in York 12 months ago, after a 10-7 defeat of Ding Junhui in the final. However, having appeared fleetingly on the circuit this season he is yet to hit top form.  

The early signs this afternoon appeared to show that the Rocket was starting to click into gear. Breaks of 128 and 114 helped him to move into a commanding 3-1 lead at the mid-session interval.

When play resumed they traded frames, before a pivotal seventh. O’Sullivan punched the table in frustration after a missed red. The Hawk pounced and went on to move within one at 4-3 after a break of 73.

That missed ball from O’Sullivan started a sequence of 320 unanswered points, which moved Hawkins to the verge of victory. He won the next two frames with breaks of 75 and 88 to lead 5-4. A run of 60 then helped him to take the tenth and wrap up a famous victory. He now awaits either Xiao Guodong or David Gilbert in the last 16.

“It wasn’t looking good at 4-2. Luckily Ronnie missed a red to the middle and that was maybe the turning point. I can understand everyone saying Ronnie was going to beat me. I’ve crumbled so many times against him in the past. I didn’t today. I’ve finally got one over him after eight years.”

Barry Hawkins

Four-time Ranking Event Winner

Hawkins added: “I felt good and I thought I was going to win the match. When I got the chances and felt strong. If I can take that forward into the next rounds then I will be dangerous. Sometimes that bottle just empties. When you are in the zone, you don’t feel like you are going to miss. 

“Everyone knows what he has done in the game. Every time you can get a win over him is great. I know he prepares really hard for these events. He looked sharp at the start of the match. It is easy to fall over and let him walk away with it. I’m pleased with how I stood up at the end.”

And here is Ronnie’s reaction to the defeat:

He was disappointed obviously but still positive

  1. He will be 49 in less than 2 weeks … ↩︎

Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry assess Ronnie’s form and motivation ahead of the UK Championship

Monique opinion, Professional snooker ,

Steve Davis

‘So be it’ – Ronnie O’Sullivan claim made as snooker legend gears up for UK Championship

Ronnie O’Sullivan is bidding to win a record-extending ninth UK Championship, with snooker legend Steve Davis admitting that different rules apply to the Rocket.

By Nick Murphy

Steve Davis has dismissed any doubts over Ronnie O’Sullivan’s drive and determination as he aims for a ninth UK Championship crown.

The Rocket has skipped several tournaments this season, including the Wuhan Open, the British Open and the Northern Ireland Open, all due to medical reasons. He’s since returned to the baize at the International Open and the Champion of Champions, ahead of his latest appearance at the Barbican.

Davis isn’t the slightest bit worried about O’Sullivan’s hunger as he looks to add another UK Championship trophy to his collection, two decades on from his first. And he’s suggested the Essex potter, who takes on Barry Hawkins in the first round in York, is in a league of his own when it comes to managing his tournament schedule.

“I think it’s worked well for Ronnie the last couple of years he’s been doing it,” Davis revealed in our UK Championship snooker preview, out now. “He doesn’t have anything to prove, so he doesn’t need to play in every event. There is a problem with getting enough ranking points so that he stays at the top end of the game.“

“I don’t think Ronnie would want to be in a situation where he has to qualify for the Crucible. He has to play in events to stay in the top 16 if that’s still a motivating force. But different rules apply to Ronnie, he’s absolutely paid his dues within the game,” reports the Express.

“It’s not that he doesn’t love the game. He’s been playing for so long and it’s incredible what he’s done, but if he doesn’t want to play in events because he’s got other things to do or that makes him stronger in the main events then so be it.“

Davis continued: “I think that’s great. The worst thing is if you’re playing events because you feel like you have to and you’re just going through the motions. That’s not the right mental state to be turning up in a tournament for, you’re unlikely to get the best out of yourself.“

Although the World Championship isn’t until well into 2025, the conversation inevitably shifts to O’Sullivan’s pursuit of an eighth snooker title. Davis doesn’t think that surpassing Stephen Hendry’s record is O’Sullivan’s primary driving force, despite how much he’d love to achieve the milestone.

“I do feel that he’d love to get an eighth, that would be something that would give him a buzz,” Davis concedes. “But in order to do that you’ve got to remain relevant and competitive. If it is the case that it’s the only thing on his mind, it would be difficult to play for the rest of the season.“

“It’s proof that he’s still entering tournaments that he still loves the game.”

Stephen Hendry

Stephen Hendry issues blunt Ronnie O’Sullivan verdict ahead of UK Championship defence

Stephen Hendry has given his verdict on Ronnie O’Sullivan’s chances of enjoying more Triple Crown glory as The Rocket prepares to begin his defence of the UK Championship

By Mark Whiley

Stephen Hendry insists it would be “stupid” to write off Ronnie O’Sullivan at the UK Championship.

By his own admission, The Rocket’s powers are on the wane and he has skipped several tournaments already this season, citing medical issues. However, it’s still less than year since O’Sullivan won eighth titles at the both the UK Championship and Masters, taking his overall Triple Crown tally to an incredible 23.

An eighth world title, which would see him go out on his own ahead of Hendry, continues to elude him and looks less likely as each year passes. However, Hendry argues that more major tournament success for O’Sullivan cannot be ruled out if he can get somewhere close to his brilliant best.

“On his day, when he plays his best, he’s still the best player in the world,” Hendry told Mirror Sport ahead of tournament, where he will be on punditry duty for BBC.

“But those unbelievable performances are becoming fewer and farther between. It would be stupid to write him off because if he plays at his best, he will do it [win the big tournaments]. But there’s no doubt it’s going to get harder the older he gets.

“You’ve got Judd Trump, who’s turning into a winning machine and Kyren Wilson is having an incredible season as world champion. There’s so many great players out there. If Ronnie plays his best, he probably still is the best player. But he doesn’t do it that often.”

With other interests in the game, Hendry, who retired for a second and final time earlier this year, feels O’Sullivan’s competitive juices have faded. The five-time UK champion added: “He’s always looked at other things beyond [competitive] snooker.”

“He’s got an academy in Saudi Arabia, he does a lot of exhibitions in China which makes him a lot of money. So maybe the competitive side is not as high up in his priorities as it used to be.

“It’s going to be interesting to see if he apples himself to tournaments likes the UK Championship, the Masters and the World Championship.”

Personally, I have no great expectations. I expected Xiao Guodong to cause Ronnie problems in the CoC and was proved right. That said Ronnie played better than I expected and Xiao went on to reach the final. So, maybe, that defeat isn’t as significant as I thought it was right after that match.

Barry Hawkins is a very, very solid match player but hasn’t a great record against Ronnie. We can only wait and… hope.

2024 UK Championship Qualifiers – “Judgement Day” 2 and Main Draw

Monique Snooker

Yesterday was the last of the 2024 UK Championship qualifying rounds and here are the report by WST:

RESURGENT ZHAO BOOKS YORK RETURN

Zhao Xintong will return to the scene of his greatest triumph at the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship, having beaten Ricky Walden 6-2 in the final qualifying round.

China’s 27-year-old Zhao has stormed through the qualifying phase in Leicester, winning four matches for the loss of just nine frames and making a tournament-high break of 146. He now heads to the York Barbican where he will face Shaun Murphy in a sizzling last 32 tie on Saturday afternoon. 

Zhao, who was UK Champion 2021 when he beat Luca Brecel in the final, fell 2-0 behind today as Walden started fast with breaks of 94 and 67. But the Cyclone then dominated with top runs of 69, 124 and 64 as he took six frames in a row.

“I have really missed this,” said Zhao, who has been away from the tour for the past 20 months, serving a ban for breaching betting rules. “Now I am back and I just want to enjoy the tournament and I will do my best. I love snooker and I needed to come back. I have been practising for the last two years so that feeling is still there. Shaun Murphy is a very good player, everyone knows he can pot anything.“

David Gilbert stormed to a 6-1 win over Julien Leclercq with a top break of 61 to earn a tie with Xiao Guodong. “I played terrible but kept nicking frames, Julien had a bad day,” admitted Gilbert, who has reached two Crucible semi-finals but never been beyond the last 16 of the UK Championship. “I love York but I’ve never had a run so I’ll have another go. Xiao has won about £6 million in the last few weeks so I don’t think he’s feeling pressure. I am miles away from my top form because I have barely played for a month. I’ve got a new cue from John Parris but I haven’t hit enough balls. Hopefully York will rekindle something for me.”

Matthew Selt scored an impressive 6-3 win over Zhou Yuelong, firing runs of 97, 88, 52, 65 and 65 to set up a match with Chris Wakelin. “York is my favourite venue, it’s such a big event,” said Selt, who reached the quarter-finals at the Barbican in 2015. “My scoring boots were on today. I got a bit nervous towards the end so I’m delighted to get through. I have played really well this season, I am very happy with the way I’m playing.

“I had a conversation with my coach Chris Henry yesterday and said it’s starting to wind me up because I look at my scoresheets and see I’m scoring more heavily than ever and my safety game is always there, but I’m not ranked where I feel I should be. Ultimately I am not winning enough matches and I need to work out why. If I feel comfortable I don’t fancy anyone beating me. The standard outside the top 20 now is astronomically high compared to what it was like a decade ago, it only takes one good week to get towards the top 16 and everyone in the top 50 is capable of that.“

Lei Peifan ensured that there will be at least seven Chinese players in the field as he beat Ben Woollaston 6-2 with top breaks of 129 and 131. He now meets Zhang Anda.

ROBERTSON SETS UP TRUMP CLASH IN YORK

Three-time winner Neil Robertson earned his place in the final stages of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship with a 6-2 defeat of Matthew Stevens, booking a massive last 32 tie against Judd Trump.

The televised stages at the York Barbican start on Saturday and Robertson and Trump will go head-to-head on Tuesday; two players with 53 ranking titles and ten Triple Crown victories between them. It’s a repeat of the epic 2020 UK final, which Robertson won 10-9, and last week’s Champion of Champions quarter-final which the Australian took 6-4. 

Robertson started the current season ranked 28th in the world, then broke back into the top 16 by winning the English Open in September. He has since slipped to 18th so had to face the qualifiers this week in Leicester, but having battled his way through two matches, he can look ahead to York and has also boosted his position in the Race to the Masters – though defeat to Trump could wreck his hopes of a spot at Alexandra Palace in January. 

Breaks of 136 and 125 helped him to a comfortable victory over Stevens. “There was a big frame tonight when I was 2-1 up, Matthew was unlucky when he missed a chance for 2-2, instead it was 3-1. I played well and I’m happy to get through,” said Robertson, who lifted the UK trophy in 2013, 2015 and 2020. 

“I have felt for a while that I needed to improve my safety. The game has changed a lot in the last couple of years. It’s less about thundering in long balls and scoring heavily, it’s more about denying your opponent scoring opportunities. Judd Trump said before our game last week that the key to the match was his safety, when a few years ago he would have been talking about an all-out attacking kind of game. Judd and Mark Allen have improved their safety so much, the rest of the tour are looking at that and thinking that is the best approach. 

“Beating Judd last week doesn’t give me any edge because he is very good at putting losses behind him. We’ve had so many great games and I really enjoy competing against him. The important thing is that I am playing well and I have won a title this season.“

China’s He Guoqiang, last season’s Rookie of the Year, edged out Yorkshire teenager Stan Moody 6-5 in an exciting battle to earn a tie with John Higgins. He led 4-1 with top breaks of 69, 73 and 70, then Moody fought back to 4-4 with a top run of 113. The next two were shared before He dominated the decider with breaks of 57 and 54 to secure his place as one of eight Chinese players in the field in York.

Robert Milkins top scored with 82 as he beat Xu Si 6-2. Milkins has had a patchy start to the season, reaching the last 32 of just one other ranking event, but now hopes to show the quality which has won him two ranking titles. “It has been a shocker of a season for me so far, I have lost a lot of close games,” said Milkins. “I’ve got a lot to make up on the other players in the rankings but maybe it will come. It’s hard work out there, it’s not coming naturally. I am playing a lot of shabby shots rather than my normal game. I have been on losing streaks before and it’s not easy to get out of. If I can get to a quarter or semi-final I’ll be happy.”

Michael Holt, who had two years away from the pro tour before regaining his card for this season, reached the last 32 of this event for the first time since 2015 by beating Liu Hongyu 6-2 with a top break of 85.  World number 98 Holt, who has won four qualifying matches, said: “I have battled all week, been a bit lucky at times but got there in the end. It will be a big day for me to play in an event like this because it was tough when I dropped off the tour and I’m proud of myself to get back here. I just want to take the shackles off because I’m a good player! I still have moments when I drive myself mad because I want to play like I can.“

And the draw for the “main venue” last 32 event has been made:

VICTORIAN PLUMBING UK CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW

Ronnie O’Sullivan will begin the defence of his Victorian Plumbing UK Championship title against Barry Hawkins on Saturday in York.

…

The draw for the last 32 pitched eight-time UK Champion O’Sullivan against Hawkins in a repeat of the 2013 Crucible final. The match will be on the opening afternoon at the York Barbican on Saturday at 1pm. On the other table, Shaun Murphy has a blockbuster clash with Zhao Xintong. 

World number one Judd Trump meet Neil Robertson in a repeat of the 2020 UK final. World Champion Kyren Wilson plays 2004 UK Champion Stephen Maguire, while Mark Selby is up against Jack Lisowski.

The full draw is:

Ronnie O’Sullivan v Barry Hawkins
Xiao Guodong v David Gilbert
Shaun Murphy v Zhao Xintong
Ding Junhui v Robert Milkins
Mark Selby v Jack Lisowski
Ali Carter v Ryan Day
Si Jiahui v Wu Yize
Mark Allen v Jackson Page
Judd Trump v Neil Robertson
John Higgins v He Guoqiang
Zhang Anda v Lei Peifan
Mark Williams v Stuart Bingham
Luca Brecel v Jak Jones
Gary Wilson v Michael Holt
Chris Wakelin v Matthew Selt
Kyren Wilson v Stephen Maguire

There are no easy draws in UK Championship and, all things considered, Barry Hawkins is not the worst draw Ronnie could have had. That said, the way this season has gone so far, I don’t have any expectations at all ahead of this event. We shall see but I’m not optimistic.

2024 UK Championship Qualifiers – “Judgment Day” 1

Monique Snooker

Eight players qualified yesterday for the last 32 round of the 2024 UK Championship. He re are the reports by WST on the two sessions that were played yesterday

Afternoon session

MAGUIRE WINS EPIC DECIDER TO REACH YORK

Stephen Maguire won a 59-minute deciding frame which he described as the toughest of his career to beat Elliot Slessor 6-5 and reach the final stages of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship. 

Maguire, who lifted the trophy in York 20 years ago, survived a marathon challenge in the final qualifying round in Leicester to get his name in the hat for the last 32 draw, which will take place on Thursday afternoon live during our Judgement Day production. 

The Glaswegian led Slessor 4-2 with top breaks of 134 and 85, then his opponent fought back with 78, 61 and 69 to lead 5-4. Maguire levelled with a 71 to set up a decider which developed into a tense tactical battle. It came down to the colours and Maguire capitalised on a safety error from Slessor to convert excellent pots on green, brown, blue and pink for victory.

“That was the toughest frame I was ever played,” said 43-year-old Maguire, who won the last of his six ranking titles in 2020. “If I had lost that frame I don’t know what I would have done – maybe given up. I was over the edge mentally.” Maguire also revealed that he is now working with former Scottish pro Chris Small and has regained his enthusiasm for practice.

Stuart Bingham was the first man to book his place in York as he beat Jimmy Robertson 6-0 with a top break of 79. Bingham is a former World and Masters champion but has never been beyond the semi-finals in York and needs the title to complete the Triple Crown set.

“I scored well before the interval, I feel I am going in the right direction with my game,” said Bingham, a semi-finalist at the Crucible last season. “It’s great to be going to York to feel the atmosphere. Just to get through these qualifiers is a feat because the players are so good.“

Jackson Page, a quarter-finalist at the recent International Championship, kept his momentum going as he reached the last 32 of this event for the first time thanks to a 6-2 victory over Hossein Vafaei, his top break 93. “I have had some results recently and I am feeling good at the table,” said Welsh 23-year-old Page. “I love playing in front of a crowd on the main table so I will enjoy York.” 

Crucible runner-up Jak Jones scored heavily in a 6-3 win over Fan Zhengyi, compiling runs of 64, 74, 59, 135, 72 and 101. Jones broke into the top 16 at the end of last season with his run to the world final, but has had a patchy start to the new campaign and dropped down to 17th. The Welshman will relish the chance to compete on the main stage again.

Evening session

LISOWSKI ENDS BAI RUN

Bai Yulu was denied a place in the final stages of the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship as her historic run in the qualifying rounds ended with a 6-1 defeat to Jack Lisowski.

In winning three matches to reach the last 48, China’s 21-year-old Bai became the first woman to get that far in a Triple Crown tournament, though her dream of reaching the televised phase in York came to an end. Lisowski goes through to the last 32 and will be in the draw on Thursday afternoon.

Bai, the World and UK Champion on the women’s tour, knocked out Farakh Ajaib, Jamie Jones and Scott Donaldson to get this far, making 15 breaks over 50 in that trio of wins. She was outplayed by world number 21 Lisowski, but has shown enough potential to raise excitement about her results and performances in upcoming tournaments. She will be back in action at the Shoot Out in Leicester on December 5th.

Lisowski took the first frame with a break of 79, then Bai had a chance to snatch the second from 69-0 down but missed the final blue. That proved a key moment as Lisowski went 2-0 up, and soon runs of 64 and 77 made it 4-0. Bai at least showed her break-building quality with a run of 59 to take frame five, before Lisowski fired runs of 85 and 66 to complete the scoreline.

Bai said: “I had a chance to take the second frame but I felt a bit nervous. I felt relaxed before the match, but once I was out there I felt tension. I have gained a lot of experience of these occasions this week, it gives me more confidence. I can see some weaknesses in my game which I will work on. I need to get more good results in order to influence more girls to play snooker.“

Lisowski added: “Bai had an incredible run and that storyline was in the back of my head so I had to keep my concentration tonight. If she had potted the blue and gone 1-1 it could have been different. My game is patchy, good and bad, but I am enjoying the game.“

China’s Wu Yize, runner-up in the English Open, booked his place in York with a 6-3 win over David Lilley, top scoring with 82, 61 and 51. Ryan Day saw off Sanderson Lam 6-2 with a top break of 82, joining fellow Welshmen Jak Jones and Jackson Page who made it through earlier in the day. 

Barry Hawkins battled to a 6-3 defeat of Wang Yuchen with top runs of 64, 111, 55 and 69. “It’s tough coming here to qualify but it feels great when you get through,” said Hawkins, whose best run in York came three years ago when he reached the semi-finals. “York is one of the best venues we play at and the atmosphere is always special, hopefully it will bring the best out of me.“

That’s a seriously dangerous set of qualifiers! The seeds who come cold in the last 32 in York will face a daunting task playing this lot. The less experienced player of the lot is Wu Yize, who is only just 21 years old but has already reached a ranking final this season… I expect some “upsets” at the start of next week in York.