Redcafe Snooker

[Bertie Wooster]

Liam Davies beat Artemijs Zizins 4-3 in the Euro U21's semi final. He now faces Poland's Antoni Kowalski in the final.

Davies reached the final of the recent Q Tour play offs. Kowalski had lost in the semi finals. So one of them is going to quickly get over that disappointment and book a main Tour place. The other is going to have a second agonizing defeat inside a week.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Liam Davies beat Artemijs Zizins 4-3 in the Euro U21's semi final. He now faces Poland's Antoni Kowalski in the final.

Davies reached the final of the recent Q Tour play offs. Kowalski had lost in the semi finals. So one of them is going to quickly get over that disappointment and book a main Tour place. The other is going to have a second agonizing defeat inside a week.

He's only gone and done it!

Liam Davies has just beaten Kowalski in the final 5-3, to win the Euro U21's and earn a 2 year tour card.

 

[ChrisNelson]

Brilliant news!!

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Brilliant news!!

Yes, delighted for him. He looked absolutely ecstatic, as of course he would be.

That's all four of the youngsters I was rooting for that's got on the tour in the last couple of years. Moody (2nd year) and Davies will definitely be on it next season. The young Belgians, Mertens and Leclercq, face a tough fight and if they want to avoid Q School they'll probably have to do well at the World Championship Qualifiers (which Jack Lisowksi and Neil Robertson are likely to be in as well!)

 

[ChrisNelson]

There are only two more ranking events before Sheffield and Robbo currently sits inside the top 16. Also one of his main rivals for a seeding spot, Tom Ford has lost in the last 64 of the World Open. Robbo plays this morning UK time.

Lisowski along didn't even qualify for China so he's almost certainly consigned to the Qualifiers. #12 Gary Wilson didn't qualify either and Hossein Vaffaei could be one to watch coming up on the rails.

Edit: Zhang Anda also out so the bottom few places will be shifting about quite a bit now.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

One of those mornings were all the results that I had any preferences for all went wrong!

But they were only milder preferences. Main interest in today's games are the upcoming ones - where I'm especially hoping for wins for Judd, Robertson and Page.

 

[LawCharltonBest]

One of those mornings were all the results that I had any preferences for all went wrong!

But they were only milder preferences. Main interest in today's games are the upcoming ones - where I'm especially hoping for wins for Judd, Robertson and Page.

Robertson is incredibly irritating. And he's a ginger denier

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Robertson is incredibly irritating. And he's a ginger denier

I like Robertson.

He's a fascinating player to watch - can be very attacking and a great break builder, can also start second guessing himself and become defensive at times and then it's interesting watching him be aware of that and try to speed up again.

He's also had it very tough mostly being the only Australasian on the tour, and with no tournaments there so he hardly ever gets home. All the other players have others from same or similar area and tournaments based in their country / continent.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Watching the European U21's, and now the main European competition for all ages, I've liked what I've seen from Latvia's Artemijs Zizins.

Fortunately, Liam Davies managed to beat him in the SF of the U21's on his way to winning it, but I like the way Zizins seems to plays - aggressive player and good potter. He's on YouTube now, in his final group game of the European competition. He's already won the first two so is through to the knockout rounds.

 

[ChrisNelson]

Vafaei defeats Ronnie in the last 16 of the World Open which will disappoint the home crowd as Ding could await in the quarter-finals and Ronnie v Ding for a Chinese crowd would have been epic.

Trump v K. Wilson appears to be the pick of the ties in the quarter-finals so far.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

To complete the QF line up:

Trump v K. Wilson
Slessor v Page

Junhui v Vafaei
N. Robertson v Hawkins

Personally, I'd love a Trump - Robertson final. But would also be happy to see Jackson Page reach it. In the bottom section, definitely want to see Robertson make it through.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Another impressive performance from Jackson Page today, and he's now into the semi final awaiting the winner of Trump and Wilson.

 

[ChrisNelson]

Jackson is doing very well, it's just a shame he's Welsh.

Trump has soundly beaten Wilson and will play him next.

I like Slessor so slightly disappointed he didn't put up more of a fight.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

So that's the semi finals sorted:

Trump v Page
N. Robertson v Ding Junhui

Happy with anyone but Ding winning it. Generally prefer Trump, but it would be a much bigger win for Page and a more important one for Robertson as it would get him back into the Top 16 (he'll be out of it, otherwise, when his points for winning the 2022 Tour Championship come off).

I'm also following the European Championship (plenty of matches on YouTube), the winner of which gets a 2 year tour card.

They're into the QF's, which start pretty much now:

Robin Hull v Florian Nuissle
Iulian Boiko v Robbie McGuigan
Brian Cini v Paul Deaville
Ryan Davies v Craig Steadman

I'd be happy to see any of Boiko, Nuissle, Deaville, Davies, McGuigan (in that order) make it. I've enjoyed what I've seen of Artemijs Zizins as well, but unfortunately he got knocked out in the last 16.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Following on from my last post, brilliant 71 clearance from Boiko to steal the first frame from Robbie McGuigan on the black. It's on YouTube and should be a good standard game (for two teenage amateurs).

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Following on from my last post, brilliant 71 clearance from Boiko to steal the first frame from Robbie McGuigan on the black. It's on YouTube and should be a good standard game (for two teenage amateurs).

Boiko hasn't played great since that fantastic first frame clearance, but just as it looked like he was going out he's produced another quality clearance of 69 to steal the 6th frame on the black as well and it's going to a final frame decider at 3-3. Very enjoyable game.

EDIT: McGuigan won 4-3. Deserved, as he looked stronger with Boiko mostly hanging on in there.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Robbie McGuigan has just qualified for the tour after winning the European Championship - beating the experienced Craig Steadman 5-4 in the final.

He's the 19 year old Northern Irishman who is / was the step son of Mark Allen. He beat Iulian Boiko and Florian Nuissle in the QF and SF, both of whom I'd have preferred to see qualify. But I was hoping he'd beat 41 year old Steadman and glad for him that he's got onto the tour.

 

[T00lsh3d]

Robbie McGuigan has just qualified for the tour after winning the European Championship - beating the experienced Craig Steadman 5-4 in the final.

He's the 19 year old Northern Irishman who is / was the step son of Mark Allen. He beat Iulian Boiko and Florian Nuissle in the QF and SF, both of whom I'd have preferred to see qualify. But I was hoping he'd beat 41 year old Steadman and glad for him that he's got onto the tour.

Where are you watching these matches?

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Where are you watching these matches?

They've been live on YouTube. I did mention that in a few of the posts in case anyone else wanted to follow them as well.

That's it now though for that run. There's been three consecutive tournaments, all from Sarajevo. The first was for the Q Tour play offs, then there was the Euro U21's and the European Championships. All one after another. It's been a good way of seeing some of the younger amateur players - some completely new to me, others that have been around for a while now even though they're still young (like Davies, Boiko, McGuigan..)

 

[T00lsh3d]

They've been live on YouTube. I did mention that in a few of the posts in case anyone else wanted to follow them as well.

That's it now though for that run. There's been three consecutive tournaments, all from Sarajevo. The first was for the Q Tour play offs, then there was the Euro U21's and the European Championships. All one after another. It's been a good way of seeing some of the younger amateur players - some completely new to me, others that have been around for a while now even though they're still young (like Davies, Boiko, McGuigan..)

Sound. I used to watch loads of snooker when I played the game a bit more but it fell out of favour to rugby and NBA.
Be nice to see some some youngsters coming through though….seems to have been the same players dominating for about 10-15 years now

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Sound. I used to watch loads of snooker when I played the game a bit more but it fell out of favour to rugby and NBA.
Be nice to see some some youngsters coming through though….seems to have been the same players dominating for about 10-15 years now

In keeping with the likely future of the sport (sadly), most of the youngsters coming through that look like they'll have a realistic chance of winning things are Chinese.

Two of those - Zhao Xintong and Yan Bingtao - were already winning some tournaments and into the top 16, but they were amongst the group of Chinese players banned for match fixing.

As regards non-Asian youngsters, the most likely ones in the last decade have probably been Luca Brecel and Jackson Page. Luca's now in his late 20's, so isn't a 'youngster', though in snooker terms that's still pretty young. And is obviously the reigning World Champion. Jackson Page is early 20's and has been highly rated but has under performed - though he got to this latest tournaments SF so that's finally something.

There's some teenagers around the circuit at the moment that I was hoping would do well - a couple of Belgians, Mertens and Leclercq, and 17 year old Stan Moody. But they've not really done anything so far and face a fight to stay on the tour.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

I find the Mixed Doubles tournament a tough watch.

It feels far more like it should be an Exhibition tournament rather than an official part of the Snooker season. I know it's part of it because it's main raison d'être is to come up with a format that gives mainstream exposure to the female players where they can't just all get knocked out early like they normally do.

But it's more like a Pro-Am tournament - and the format also brings down the top male players quality as well so there's almost surprise when you get a good break, whereas in normal tournament there's so many nowadays. It's meant to be there as an advert for the female players, but ends up not really reflecting well on the standard of all (despite the commentators PR attempts).

 

[sallycinnamin]

Ronnie 10-2 vs Carter yesterday in the brown cutting the mustard!
Showing that scintillating stuff so close to the World Championship must look ominous for the rest.

 

[Pexbo]

Ronnie 10-2 vs Carter yesterday in the brown cutting the mustard!
Showing that scintillating stuff so close to the World Championship must look ominous for the rest.

Impossible not to enjoy Ronnie pasting Carter.

 

[ChrisNelson]

Ronnie concedes seven frames in a row to lose 10-5 to Williams.

I can’t imagine he’s lost that many frames consecutively many times, if ever.

 

[WR]

Ronnie concedes seven frames in a row to lose 10-5 to Williams.

I can’t imagine he’s lost that many frames consecutively many times, if ever.

Didn’t he lose the same amount or similar to Brecel in the last WC?

He was absolutely missing on purpose at 9-5, he wanted out of there

 

[ChrisNelson]

Didn’t he lose the same amount or similar to Brecel in the last WC?

He was absolutely missing on purpose at 9-5, he wanted out of there

It was a train wreck from Ronnie!

His interview was surprisingly OK, expected the usual Ronnie bingo of poor venue, not bothered about snooker anymore, it’s always the same old guys etc etc…

 

[Bondi77]

Great to see Williams win.
He is a genuinely funny guy as well unlike the majority of ex sports stars that get jobs on TV after they finish sporting careers.

 

[ChrisNelson]

World Championship Qualifiers begin today.

Amongst the names waiting in Round 3 are Lisowski, Walden, McGill, Neil Robertson, Maguire, Bingham, Vafaei, Gilbert, Perry and Day.

Plenty of other strong contenders enter even before that.

It's frightening the standard of player being forced to qualify these days - ten years ago you could predict it quite easily, who would be the top 16 and who would qualify.

The 16 who go straight to the Crucible are Brecel, Milkins, Carter, Murphy, Selby, K. Wilson, Higgins, Allen, Trump, Ford, Anda, Williams, Ding, G. Wilson, Hawkins and O'Sullivan.

Already looking ahead potential Second Round ties include Selby v Wilson and Higgins v Allen.

Pleased for Milkins and Ford in particular, two players who I've seen a few times, always graft away without the glamour of the top players but probably never thought they would be seeded at Sheffield, but I suppose Milkins has made enough of a breakthrough over the last couple of years to be considered an elite player.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Still can't believe Neil Robertson is having to qualify! It's been likely for a good few months now, but prior to this season I'd never have expected it.

As a Jack Lisowski fan I'm gutted he's dropped out of the top 16 and is having to qualify, but I'm a lot less surprised by it. He's done really well to remain in the top 16 for so long without ever winning a tournament, but that couldn't last. It was obvious he was going to drop out at some point if he carried on failing to win anything.

As regards the first days qualifiers, it was a good effort from young Liam Davies to convincingly beat main tour player Ryan Thomerson 10-3. I don't think he'll get past Jimmy Robertson in the next round but at least he's already guaranteed a place on the tour next season regardless.

That's not the case for the young Belgians, Mertens and Leclercq, who could do with some wins in the qualifiers. Both got a good enough chance in round 2, but don't fancy their chances in round 3 where they'd come up against Si Juahui (last years SF's) and Joe O' Connor respectively. Very tough opponents.

There's some interesting potential round 4 matches, should the top players come through: Neil Robertson v Jamie Jones, Jack Lisowski v Matthew Stevens, Hossein Vafaei v Sam Craigie, Ricky Walden v Thai Un Nooh, Jackson Page v Noppon Saengkham, Stuart Bingham v Elliot Slessor, Joe O' Connor v Matt Selt...

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Stan Moody 4-3 up after the first session this morning but what a tough watch and poor standard it was - as evidenced by only getting through 7 of the 9 frames.

It felt like watching the Mixed Doubles again, but without the saving grace of the top male players at least producing the occasional good break. This was just poor throughout.

I'm hoping he plays better tonight. Might not have to and still scrape through tonight, but whoever wins is going to have to play a whole lot better in the 2nd round if they're to have any chance.

 

[ChrisNelson]

Starting to get interesting in Sheffield.

Jimmy White will have to wait another year to become World Champion he's been battered, albeit by a very good player in Liu Hongyu.

Jimmy Robertson, a strong player himself advances after thrashing Liam Davies.

Ian Burns, a player I like and follow is through after beating Mark Joyce.

Ronnie's giantkiller from a few years ago, James Cahill remains in the competition.

Stuart Carrington beats Liam Highfield 10-9 and Lukas Kleckers wins 10-9 against Allan Taylor on the final black.

Ken Doherty is currently leading Marco Fu 2-0 and Martin O'Donnell - a player you would want to avoid at the Crucible - has taken the opening frame against Ma Hailong.

The big names enter in the next round.

 

[Bondi77]

Robertson will be a good bet to make the semis...quality player.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Great effort from Ben Mertens - coming back from 8-3 down to beat Rod the Plod Lawler 10-9 to keep alive his hopes of staying on the tour. The comeback included a century in the penultimate frame and then a fine clearance of 68 in the final frame having been 40 odd points behind (funny when he got to the colours - they were all on spots, but the black was on the browns, the brown on the pinks, and the pinks on the black!)

He now faces a very tough 3rd round game though in last years semi finalist, Si Juahui.

Very impressed with Jack Lisowski today in his 10-4 3rd round win - including 4 centuries. He now faces Matthew Stevens at Judgement Day.

And another great effort from Jenson Kendrick - following up his win over Ben Woolaston by comfortably beating Jordan Brown and is now through to Judgement Day - needing to win to stay on the tour.

 

[ChrisNelson]

Great effort from Ben Mertens - coming back from 8-3 down to beat Rod the Plod Lawler 10-9 to keep alive his hopes of staying on the tour. The comeback included a century in the penultimate frame and then a fine clearance of 68 in the final frame having been 40 odd points behind (funny when he got to the colours - they were all on spots, but the black was on the browns, the brown on the pinks, and the pinks on the black!)

He now faces a very tough 3rd round game though in last years semi finalist, Si Juahui.

Very impressed with Jack Lisowski today in his 10-4 3rd round win - including 4 centuries. He now faces Matthew Stevens at Judgement Day.

And another great effort from Jenson Kendrick - following up his win over Ben Woolaston by comfortably beating Jordan Brown and is now through to Judgement Day - needing to win to stay on the tour.

Did you see any of the Wakelin v Klekkers match? There was a contender for the worst, most drawn out frame in snooker history!

Wakelin celebrated his 100th career century by getting over the line in the end but it was a real war of attrition.

Bingham got through by the skin of his teeth against Carrington and disappointed to see Slessor and Michael White get knocked out over the weekend.

James Cahill humbled 10-0 by Zhou Yeulong.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

I think I must have missed that Wakelin - Kleckers frame as I was flicking between matches that session. My main interest was on the Michael White game, and that wasn't one of the televised matches! It looked good for him at 4-0 up but a shame he lost - at least winning his first match guaranteed his place in the top 64.

Flicked between Neil Robertson (who looked good after an edgy start - Surety threw away that second frame!) and the Ben Mertens match. He's currently in 4th place on the one year list, but could really do with one more win to guarantee himself a place. He's kept himself in it at 5-4 down to Si Juahui, but it's going to be a big ask for him tonight otherwise it's going to be fingers very much crossed that he doesn't end up back at Q School.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

F***!

Could cry with frustration and disappointment for Ben Mertens - can only imagine how he's feeling!

Did so well to get 9-7 up - had a lead of 40 in the next, and in the penultimate was 68-0 up and missed frame ball. Then did get to stage of Si Juahui needing a snooker so had one foot into the final round of qualifiers - only to lose the frame and then the decider.

So agonisingly close to retaining his place on the tour for a couple more years, and be one game away from The Crucible. Now he's got to hope he doesn't end up at Q School.

I do overinvest in sport, I know, but this one really hurt. Two more years on the tour potentially lost from that moment when he had Si Juahui needing a snooker. Such an awful way to lose such a huge match.

EDIT: Looking at the situation for the top 4 on the one year list, Ben's currently in the 4th and last position as I knew. The problem is, there's 4 people outside the top 64 still left in the qualifiers and if any of them win enough to get into the top 64, then David Lilley drops out and he then overtakes Mertens in 4th position.

For 3 of them, getting into the top 64 would mean they'd have to probably reach the QF's which seems unlikely. However the talented He Guoqiang would just need to beat Dominic Dale in the last qualifier - which is likely - and then win his 1st round match at The Crucible against the seed, which depends on the draw how likely that is. So it all likely comes down to needing him not to win two more matches and then Ben's agonising loss at least wouldn't have cost him his tour place. Fingers crossed.

 

[The Cat]

Hope my buddy Ryan Day makes it. Lovely bloke.

 

[Pexbo]

Big day today!

 

[ChrisNelson]

Big day today!

And tomorrow!

He Guoqiang is talented but to be fair his only really good runs this season have been this qualifying competition and the British Open.

For me the biggest fairytale would be the lowest ranked player remaining, Jiang Jun (prov. 111) making it to Sheffield. He lost nine successive matches earlier this season and it's a miracle he's even got this far. He pushed Luca hard in the Welsh Open Qualifiers and he's only 18. He faces Hossein Vafaei tomorrow, a player who we expect to see regularly at the Crucible so it would be a massive surprise if the Chinese player won.

There are so many matches in there that are impossible to call and Neil Robertson has ended up with as tough an opponent as he could have got with Jamie Jones.

As I've said in previous posts, I do think the final lineup in qualifying gets stronger every year which is strange because the standard of the game in general doesn't really reflect that.

I am however happy that Rob Milkins and Tom Ford are seeded this year, on the periphery of the top 16 for so many years and regular late runs in tournaments but never considered part of the elite.

Seeing Ding back in there is strange and he probably has his run to the final in York to thank for it.