2024 British Open Snooker recap - Neil Robertson loses after Mark Selby wins epic on final black against Yuan Sijun
By Matt Jones
Updated 26/09/2024 at 12:33 GMT+1
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World champion Kyren Wilson is among the headline acts at the British Open on Wednesday. Wilson will take on Welshman Duane Jones in Cheltenham before a titanic encounter between former Crucible winners Shaun Murphy and John Higgins. English Open victor Neil Robertson will feature in the evening session, as will exciting teenagers Iulian Boiko and Stan Moody. Judd Trump returns on Thursday.
‘I got one’ - Robertson jokes with crowd after fluking red against Wu in English Open final
Video credit: TNT Sports
that's us done for tonight
Thanks for your company. Join us again tomorrow at 12.30pm BST.
AROUND THE TABLES
Zhang Anda 3-4 Stan Moody
Stuart Bingham 1-0 Stephen Maguire
Elliot Slessor 0-2 Xu Si
Dave Gilbert 1-0 Ashley Carty
MARK SELBY BEATS YUAN SIJUN 4-3 ON THE FINAL BLACK!
How does he do it?! He found a way, of course he did. He's not what he was, hopefully yet, but he's still him. Poor old Yuan just couldn't hold it down.
SELBY 3-3 Sijun (46-45)
Yuan is a tremendous talent, but he's a little work to do on his matchplay. Mark has to get from brown to blue, near the side rail ... and he does, beautifully. He's going to win! What a turnaround! This game!
SELBY 3-3 Sijun (32-45)
This is not over! A dreadful shot from Yuan, cannoning blue, leaves Mark the table! The clear-up won't be easy, but he'd expect to sort it! Yuan, what have you done?1
SELBY 3-3 Sijun (18-45)
Mark escapes a snooker, of course he does, but when he goes at one to right corner with the rest he gets really close ... but not close enough ... but Yuan deices to ignore two reds and play off the cushion and he leaves one ... but Mark sinks the pot but butchers it, hitting himself in aggravation ... but he keeps the break going ... but then plays a terrific safety. This is not over.
SELBY 3-3 Sijun (10-45)
Now then! Yuan knucks home a starter, chips in the pink that's next to right-middle ... and lands on nowt. He's almost there, but he's not there.
SELBY 3-3 Sijun (10-38)
Ah. He cues right across a pink; there are four reds left, only one in open table ... which Mark attacks with a double. The ball, though won't play ball, swirling aroud the plughole and leaping out.
SELBY 3-3 Sijun (10-38)
He's in the balls now, but as I type that he goes back to baulk, I've no idea why. The poor old white is doing miles, and Yuan is making this harder than it needs to be – and it's already hard – because he's taking low-value colours. But if he keeps potting, he wins.
SELBY 3-3 Sijun (10-14)
Now then. Yuan forces a longun down right corner, sinks a cut-back black, a red and a brown, and this is a chance.
SELBY 3-3 Sijun (10-1)
Left one to right corner, Mark knucks home, but a yellow with white near blue spot isn't what he wanted for himself next. That means end of break, but he's soon back in again, a nice red to middle returning him to the yellow. And he can't send it down, so we're back playing safety and the tension ups further.
SELBY 3-3 Sijun (0-1)
A handshake and off we go. Who doesn't love a decider? "I always wanted to be aggressive," says Stephen of his experience. "So I always felt positive because I was gooing to be aggressive in ma shot-choice." Being Stephen Hendry also probably helped. Yuan finds a starter but nothing more.
AROUND THE TABLES
Zhang Anda 3-3 Stan Moody
Stuart Bingham 0-0 Stephen Maguire
Elliot Slessor 0-1 Xu Si
SELBY 3-3 Sijun
Excellent. Yuan looks confident now, certainly more so than before; a 129 will do that for you. Decider coming up!
SELBY 3-2 Sijun (0-69)
Yuan works his way thorugh the balls and, for the first time tonight, looks like he's enjoying himself.
SELBY 3-2 Sijun (0-42)
Yuan grows into this break and looks good to force a decider. Assuming that happens, I'm not sure I could back either man to see out a chance, but I'm looking forward to the tension.
SELBY 3-2 Sijun (0-14)
Yuan has a go at a shot-to-nothing and misses, forcing Mark to play a container up to the business end ... and has he left one? He has. Yuan drains it, then adds a long black, and there are points to be had here.
SELBY 3-2 Sijun (0-0)
It's a tactical start to frame six. We could be here some time.
AROUND THE TABLES
Zhang Anda 2-3 Stan Moody
Haris Tahir 2-4 Lyu Haotian
SELBY 3-2 Sijun
He cannot, missing to the yellow bag, but he'll take the lead and he'll take that.
SELBY 2-2 Sijun (77-0)
Mark needed this. He's not been fluent tonight, but he's found his best run when it's got tight. Can he make it a ton?
SELBY 2-2 Sijun (48-0)
There are a few reds in slkightly awkward positions, but you'd expect mark to get at as many of them as he needs – and it isn't many.
SELBY 2-2 Sijun (32-0)
Dearie me. Mark misses to right corner, but insists the table ran off because he doesn't want us to think he spurned that chance. And well! Yuan butchers an even easier ball, and I'm not sure Selbz'll give him another life in this one. Surely he won't...?
SELBY 2-2 Sijun (21-0)
Mark gets in with one coaxed along black cush, and after a bit of chasing, he gets himself into decent position. And of course, as I type, he runs into trouble, hampering himself with a red to such extent he can't strike at the black. So it's back to baulk, and neither of these are there with the scoring – the biggest break wass Yuan's 70-summat at the end of frame three.
AROUND THE TABLES
Jak Jones 4-1 Iulian Boiko
Zhang Anda 2-3 Stan Moody
Haris Tahir 2-2 Lyu Haotian
SELBY 2-2 Sijun
Down goes the blue and Yuan levels us up.
SELBY 2-1 Sijun (49-68)
It's not easy, this green, and potting it means a taxing brown; he manages, but the brown is now tricky too, and this is where he runs out of steam, unable to get it down. Yuan only needs the one ball and he nicks it nicely into the green bag ... only to snooker himself, landing behind the black! He hits nicely enough, so Mark returns to the table needing one four-pointer.
SELBY 2-1 Sijun (46-64)
But he breaks down 27 in front with 35 left. Work to do, especially as he's now snookered, pink blocking red. He hits via swerve, but then cannons the aforementioned colour and that could well cost him a frame that should've been his. He looks very poorly and rightly so, that was an entirely avoidable error, but as i type, Mark's black-to-yellow leaves him a nasty thin cut ... and he plays it beautifully, check-side kiling the white and leaving him on the green.
SELBY 2-1 Sijun (36-57)
Mark misses another mid-distancer and Yuan gets back in when he might've played safe; good for him. He's nearly there.
SELBY 2-1 Sijun (36-48)
A testing cut-back along the side lands right in the heart of the pocket and, though, Yuan doesn't look much happier, he's playing much better. Of course, as I type, he leaves himself a harder ball than was necessary, a mid-distance red to right corner, but he sinks it nicely. Thing is, one can only chase for so long, can not one, and he's forced to play safe after running out of position. Whoever wins the ensuing safety exchange will probably take the frame.
SELBY 2-1 Sijun (36-28)
Well he certainly looks more composed, and enough balls are all open – he just needs to plot the correct route through them, without missing.
SELBY 2-1 Sijun (36-1)
But Mark's pack-crack doesnt work out, so he's forced to play safe, then when he misses at his next visit, Yuan sinks a starter. Is he feeling better about life now?
SELBY 2-1 Sijun (28-0)
Nice starter form Mark - albeit off a very poor Yuan break-off - clipping to right corner. The black passes to both corners too, so expect points.
AROUND THE TABLES
Jak Jones 2-1 Iulian Boiko
Zhang Anda 2-1 Stan Moody
Haris Tahir 1-2 Lyu Haotian
SELBY 2-1 Sijun
Yup, Yuan sees it out and he's in the match,
SELBY 2-0 Sijun (21-58)
Which he does, first shifting the pink then sending one to the corner. The frame is nearly his.
SELBY 2-0 Sijun (21-43)
Good work from Yuan, who should do enough from here, though he'll need to break up a pair of reds by the pink.
SELBY 2-0 Sijun (21-21)
Yuan wins the exchange, landing a starter vua fluke then sending brown long to left corner. The talbe is far more inviting now; can he concentrate hard enough to milk it?
SELBY 2-0 Sijun (21-9)
And almost immediately, he shoots himself in the foot, missing a cut to right corner, but leaving nothing, we're back playing safety.
SELBY 2-0 Sijun (21-9)
Yuan hits pink a third time then misses everything and these points are mounting. But when he hits, Mark misses the chance he's left to right corner, the youngster gets in, and this is another crucial visit – though the table isn't especially friendly.
SELBY 2-0 Sijun (13-1)
Mark spanks a fine red into right corner but on nothing, has to play in behind the green; first go, with the pack at which to aim, Yuan hits pink ... and again. Of course, he's looking for a thin contact off the red immediately below it; spare a thought for the officials, who need to return the table to its previous position.
SELBY 2-0 Sijun (0-1)
Yuan nipped out during the break and I'm not surprised – he needed to compose, so let's hope he has. He's still in this match because Mark isn't – at the moment at least - impregnable when addressing straightforward balls. Anyroad, we're playing safety.
AROUND THE TABLES
Jak Jones 1-1 Iulian Boiko
Zhang Anda 1-1 Stan Moody
Haris Tahir 1-1 Lyu Haotian
SELBY 2-0 Sijun
Mark does the necessary and Yuan is in trouble.
SELBY 1-0 Sijun (59-58)
Blue and pink off their spots for the frame...
SELBY 1-0 Sijun (45-58)
All the more so now he's carelessly left one for Mark, who plays a poor first shot then redeems it with a belter. All of a sudden he's favourite for the frame and you fear for Yuan, who looks to be getting upset with himself.
SELBY 1-0 Sijun (27-58)
Again Yuan is careless, running out of position, but a fine recovery pot resolves the situation ... but looking to get in to the black, he misses the third-last red when he shouldn't, hanging his head in disappoitment, and the frame remains in the balance.
SELBY 1-0 Sijun (27-22)
Mark misses a nick to right corner and by a long way too; another chance for Yuan. There are plenty of balls available and you feel he must make this one count.
SELBY 1-0 Sijun (27-14)
Yuan isn't at it tonight – so far – quickly running out of position. And, as Stephen says, this is not how one defeats an all-time great.
SELBY 1-0 Sijun (27-0)
It's Mark in again at the start of frame two, nut just as I'm about to write that Yuan is in trouble, a poor split means a ball to middle and though I don't expect him to miss it, he does - as we said below. He's not happy, and this is a chance for the youngster.
AROUND THE TABLES
Jak Jones 1-0 Iulian Boiko
Zhang Anda 1-0 Stan Moody
Haris Tahir 1-0 Lyu Haotian
SELBY 1-0 Sijun
Yuan can't escape so concedes.
SELBY 0-0 Sijun (64-25)
A red to middle allows a blue, and Yuan, who now needs a four-point snooker to tie, is in one himself.
SELBY 0-0 Sijun (58-25)
Yuan undercuts a ball to right-middle, so Mark removes another red then sends the black to the side rail. The lead is 33 with 43 left, but given the table and oppoent, Yuan will have to go some to nick this.
SELBY 0-0 Sijun (57-25)
Mark misses twice, but a gorgeous third effort, which Stephen loves - "Genius" he says - clips the bottom of the intended red, sending the white to the top rail. But a felicitous double-kiss turns Yuan's safety into a really good shot, Mark leaves him a starter, and this is a great chance to steal.
SELBY 0-0 Sijun (57-9)
Near enough but not actually. He runs out of position after sending a red to the middle, playing off the yellow to knock it safe and not doing a very good job of it, also leaving a chance. So Yuan gets away via double then snuggles up to the yellow, and the frame remains in the balance.
SELBY 0-0 Sijun (56-8)
Good work from Mark, removing loose balls. There are two reds on rials but he won't need those, the frame near enough his.
SELBY 0-0 Sijun (20-8)
Mark also misses early, overcutting a red to right-middle, but he's soon back in and there are points there for him. Thing is, lately he's not been as consistent as once he was, halting good breaks with poor shots. We shall see...
SELBY 0-0 Sijun (1-8)
Yuan strokes a fine starter into right corner and follows it with a black, but he second red hits the jws of the yellow bag, allowing Mark to crack a starter to middle.
OUR BOYZ BAIZE
Here we go!
OF COURSE
We'll be focusing on the top match in each list. I'm looking forward to both.
FOR YOU TONIGHT WE HAVE
7pm BST
Mark Selby v Yuan SiJun
Jak Jones v Iulian Boiko
Zhang Anda v Stan Moody
Haris Tahir v Lyu Haotian
8pm BST
Neil Robertson v Rory Thor
Stuart Bingham v Stephen Maguire
Dave Gilbert v Ashley Carty
Elliot Slessor v Xu Si
hello again
The evening sesh is on!
That's All from us
Right, that's me done for this afternoon, but the evening session is not far away, getting underway at 7pm. Join us then for some more top-class snooker action, as Mark Selby, Jak Jones, Stuart Bingham and Neil Robertson are all in action.
around the tables
Hammad Miah 1-3 Ben Mertens
David Grace 0-0 Lewis Ullah
murphy 2-4 higgins (1-82)
No century, he misses the red along the top cushion, but a really impressive break from Higgins, who waves his hand to the crowd as they applaud a thoroughly enjoyable contest.
Murphy 2-3 higgins (1-82*)
Brilliant, from Higgins. His back was agains the wall after those two terrific frames from Murphy, but you would not know it. He could finish with a century here, enhancing his chances by nudging a red off the top cushion.
murphy 2-3 higgins (1-51*)
In fact, perhaps there will not be the need for a split. By taking the red at the bottom of a cluster of five, he opens up the path of another. It also looks like there is a plant in there too. The winning line is moving into view.
murphy 2-3 higgins (1-32*)
Murphy will be getting very worried now. Higgins has done really well to get himself into this position, and then plays a clever shot off the black, nudging the cue ball up past the pink spot for a loose red. The split on the pack is surely coming, and that will be the frame-deciding shot.
murphy 2-3 higgins (1-11*)
But the end position of the white is not safe enough. He has left a red sticking out over the right corner. It's a long pot, especially for someone who has not racked up a point in two frames, but he shows his class to sink it. Green added, position gained. Big opening for the Wizard of Wishaw.
Murphy 2-3 higgins (1-0)
A slow start to the sixth frame, with an impasse as both players delicately play their way around the table. Eventually, the deadlock is broken by Murphy sinking a red after one of Higgins' shots goes wrong, and he follows up by sending the cue ball up towards the baulk line.
around the tables
Ricky Walden 4-0 Jamie Clark
Hammad Miah 1-2 Ben Mertens
David Grace 0-0 Lewis Ullah
murphy 2-3 higgins (84-0)
Sadly, no century for the Magician. He leaves himself a tough red, which he tries to cut into the green pocket, but misses by a sizeable difference. Even so, 84 is more than enough to cut Higgins' lead to just one frame.
murphy 1-3 higgins (*78-0)
He could well be on for a century, here. Murphy gets to 65 and has the opportunity to go into the five remaining reds off it, but instead just slides to the left of them to pick off a loose red. Potting that is frame ball. The black makes certain.
murphy 1-3 higgins (*42-0)
Indeed, John Higgins might be feeling a little worried. Murphy is hard man to stop when he gets some momentum, and he appears to have that now. He quickly compiles 42, before there's a pause for the pink to be carefully spotted behind the pack.
murphy 1-3 higgins (*11-0)
Well, well, well. This is getting interesting. Murphy, buoyed by that fourth frame, makes a wonderful start to the fifth with a confident red that is fizzed into the pocket. He has position on the yellow, so takes that, and adds a second red. With black available, can he put another sizeable contribution down?
around the tables
Ricky Walden 3-0 Jamie Clark
Hammad Miah 0-2 Ben Mertens
David Grace 0-0 Lewis Ullah
murphy 1-3 higgins (103-0)
Much more like it from the 2005 World Champion! He eventually misses the black, but the job had been done by then, a break of 40 meaning he gets on the board.
Murphy 0-3 higgins (*78-0)
The break does conclude by Murphy playing an excellent shot on the black, coming off the cushion to roll in behind it and snooker Higgins. The Wizard cannot escape, and leaves Murphy with an easy opening red. He will put the frame to bed here.
Murphy 0-3 higgins (63-0)
Maximum alert. Eight reds and blacks so far. His problem is there is one red right up at the baulk end of the table. And he loses position on the cue ball too, potting a red but snookering himself on all the colours.
murphy 0-3 higgins (*38-0)
Higgins fouls at the start of frame four, as he tries to roll into the pack but hits the pink first. He leaves his opponent in a decent position. So can the Magician make him pay? His top break of the match is 28. He needs to eclipse that to have any chance of getting back into the match, and he duly does so as he brilliantly opens the pack and then starts moving his way around the table.
around the tables
Rory Thor 4-3 Mark Joyce
Ricky Walden 2-0 Jamie Clark
Hammad Miah 0-2 Ben Mertens
murphy 0-2 higgins (28-71)
Higgins puts the frame to bed by adding the blue. The rest of the colours are immaterial, but it would be quite something if he could clean them up. As it is, he cannot, falling foul on the green, but job done. One frame from the next round.
Murphy 0-2 Higgins (28-64*)
Murphy does indeed get that snooker, as Higgins fouls. Now he needs to pot the final red with the black for a re-spotted black. However, he hangs it over the yellow pocket, and Higgins duly pots. That will be the end of frame.
Murphy 0-2 higgins (24-63)
A real stalemate has ensued here. Murphy is trying to find the snooker, and Higgins keeps thwarting him. Even if he gets the points back, it won't be easy for the Magician, as all the high-value colours are on the cushions
Murphy 0-2 higgins (24-63)
56 is the end break from Higgins, before he plays safe on the final red, swinging it up to the top cushion, behind the black, and leaving the white just behind the D. He has a 39 point lead, with only 35 left on.
murphy 0-2 higgins (24-50*)
A little grimace from Higgins, as he tries to bring a red off the cushion, only to leave the cue ball tight on the cushion. He still delivers a fine pot on the black, though, and brings another red into play in doing so. It's tough, but if he gets it, the frame should be his. Extended rest needed, a cute cut back. In it goes. Terrific.
Murphy 0-2 higgins (24-27*)
Even worse for Murphy, he has once more left Higgins in amongst it all. An easy opening red, the one that his opponent had just missed, and he quickly finds position with the cue ball. Getting the pink back on its spot is a huge bonus. This is now a frame winning chance.
murphy 0-2 higgins (24-7)
The Magician is certainly beginning to look more like himself now. He slams a long blue into the green pocket, which is a real confidence booster...and then he misses a cut back on a red that he catches too thinly. A shake of the head in his chair. That was looking promising.
Murphy 0-2 higgins (*12-7)
The barren run is over for Murphy, who after nearly 40 minutes of play, finally pots a red, this time to the left middle, and he salutes the crowd upon doing so. Now, can he get something going? He adds a blue, then tidies up the red he left over the yellow pocket a few minutes ago.
Murphy 0-2 higgins (0-1)
A stat has just flashed up on TV that it is over 30 minutes since Murphy just potted a ball. That is obvious as he misses a red to the left middle at the start of frame three. Even worse, he has left a red to the left corner. HIggins needs the extended rest, so it is not easy, but he sends it right into the heart of the pocket.
That is all the break will be though. With no obvious pot on a colour, he plays safe, screwing back off the black, which he sends into the pack
around the tables
Sunny Akani 4-1 Antoni Kowalski
Rory Thor 3-3 Mark Joyce
Ricky Walden 0-0 Jamie Clark
Hammad Miah 0-0 Ben Mertens
murphy 0-2 higgins (0-131)
In fact, Higgins cleans up the rest of the table, with a lovely shot off the yellow seeing him develop the brown with the cue ball. 74 is the end total of the break, and he is now just two frames from the third round.
Murphy 0-1 Higgins (0-86*)
The Magician just cannot get going. He is left a chance to put some points on the board by Higgins, but cannot take it, and instead gifts another opportunity to his opponent. This time, the Wizard makes no mistake. He goes past the snookers required stage pretty quickly by picking off the loose reds.
Murphy 0-1 higgins (0-57)
Murphy attempts to roll up to the pack with a safety, but it goes wrong once more. He leaves a delicate red up to the green pocket. Higgins pots it and adds the blue, but from there, he tries to swing the cue ball into the pack and it does not quite work out. Another safety, Murphy in trouble once more.
Murphy 0-1 higgins (0-47)
The break ends, though, with a good safety, and Murphy cannot escape it. He leaves Higgins a toughish red to the middle pocket, but the former World No. 1 isn't bothered by that. In it goes, with the cue ball held for the black.
Prime position secured. He's won from this position on many occasions. However, he pots a red and finishes dead straight on the blue. WIth no obvious red available, he plays safe.
Murphy 0-1 higgins (0-30)
Higgins does lose position on the white slightly, as it runs up towards the blue spot, but he pulls a good middle-distance pot on a red to the left corner out of the bag. He then pots the black and attempts to go into the pack, but fails to open anything up. End of break.
murphy 0-1 Higgins (0-22*)
It's the Wizard of Wishaw who is first to get his hand on the table in frame two, and he looks to be cueing very confidently after taking the lead. He picks off some loose reds with some clever positional play, but will have to go into the pack soon.
around the tables
Sunny Akani 3-1 Antoni Kowalski
David Gilbert 4-1 Ben Woollaston
Rory Thor 3-3 Mark Joyce
Kyren Wilson 4-1 Duane Jones
murphy 0-1 Higgins (22-72)
Higgins finally puts the frame to bed as, after missing a couple of chances on the penultimate red, he is left a long pot to the right pocket and manages to pot it - but only via a kiss on the black! That is enough to take a 1-0 lead though, with Murphy not coming back to the table.
Murphy 0-0 Higgins (22-64)
And he duly forces Higgins into a foul after tucking the two reds at the baulk end of the table, behind the green. 43 on the table, 42 the difference.
Murphy 0-0 Higgins (18-64)
Murphy does pot one of those reds, but then he over-cuts a tough shot on the black. His failure to pot that means he now needs a snooker to be able to win the frame.
Murphy 0-0 Higgins (17-64)
A break of 42 from Higgins gives him a more than handy lead, but he eventually comes unstuck when failing to move one of the three remaining reds, so is forced into a safety.
Murphy 0-0 Higgins (17-42*)
Here's another chance for Higgins though, as Murphy leaves him at the table again after missing a pot to the left corner. Nothing is easy, and the white is still not quite under control, but a delightful shot on the blue with the rest, up to the yellow pocket, followed by a red cut into the left middle, open up a huge chance of winning the frame.
Murphy 0-0 Higgins (17-22)
The positional shots have not quite gone to plan for Higgins yet. He gets another chance at a break after a foul by Murphy, but sees the cue ball nestle in between two reds and without a pot on. In fact, it's touching ball, so he plays safe down the table.
Murphy 0-0 Higgins (16-8)
Higgins tidies up one of the loose reds upon his return to the table, but a screw back off the black sees the cue ball nestle in the pack, and that will be end of break.
Murphy 0-0 Higgins (16-0)
And we are off! What a match we have in store, and Murphy has a chance to make a quick start as a safety from Higgins goes wrong, leaving the cue ball at the business end of the table and with reds free. He takes a pink off the first of them, and that now has to be spotted on the brown spot.
A handful of shots later, he loses position with the white, which runs too close to the top cushion and meaning a cut on the black is tough. He subsequently misses.
more to come
That is far from the end of the action this afternoon. John Higgins takes on Shaun Murphy next. It's a blockbuster affair, with two former World Champions going head-to-head. They will be on the baize shortly.
around the tables
Sunny Akani 2-1 Antoni Kowalski
David Gilbert 3-1 Ben Woollaston
Rory Thor 2-1 Mark Joyce
wilson 4-1 jones (67-2)
Wilson eventually reaches a break of 50 before missing a long red to the right corner. It won't matter though. Jones offers his hand. The World Champion, although not at his best, is through.
Wilson 3-1 Jones (*58-2)
And this now looks terminal for Jones, even more so when Wilson pots the black to get it back on its spot. He picks off the remaining loose reds and reaches frame - and match - ball, a red ot the right middle, which wriggles home.
wilson 3-1 jones (*27-2)
Jones misses a tough but potable red to the left middle. That's the tenth failed pot of the match for him. Once more, he leaves a handy starter for Wilson, who then adds the yellow - using the rest - to get the cue ball back towards the pack. If he can get either the pink or black back on their spots, then this becomes a huge chance, and he duly engineers a shot on the pink.
Wilson 3-1 jones (17-1)
Wilson misses a blue off its spot that is so surprising, the commentators let out an audible gasp. That means the leaves the table with a break of only one, and with Jones having a chance to put up a score of his own. The balls are set in a strange manner though. The blue, pink and black are all well of their spots and to the right of the table, as are the remaining ten reds!
Wilson 3-1 Jones (16-1)
Jones knows his back is up against the wall as we start frame five. Any shot could be his last. He pots a red to start things off, but is left with a very, very tough pink to the left middle, and misses it by some distance.
Wilson springs up to the table, with a chance to move into the third round. There are a couple of obvious starters, and he starts accumulating points. The cue ball soon runs up against the side cushion though, leaving a tough black off its spot, which he misses. A lifeline for his opponent.
around the tables
Sunny Akani 2-1 Antoni Kowalski
David Gilbert 2-1 Ben Woollaston
Rory Thor 2-1 Mark Joyce
wilson 3-1 jones (114-0)
He certainly can! After missing the chance in frame one, he makes no mistake this time. A terrific 114, which gets a huge applause from the crowd. The fact that the only ball he missed with the final black shows just how much hard work that was!
wilson 2-1 jones (*87-0)
He duly sinks that, and the following blue makes things certain. This has been expertly crafted. The colours were not nicely placed when he came to the table, but he has maneuvered things into position. Can he get a century? It's on the cards.
wilson 2-1 Jones (*61-0)
It is remarkable how quickly the confidence can return with a few good pots. Wilson delivers some excellent shots, including one in particular with the cue ball on the cushion. With a 61 point lead, his next shot is frame ball
wilson 2-1 jones (*27-0)
Wilson will now surely want to put the match to bed as quickly as possible. His break at the start of frame four leaves Jones with a long red to the right corner, but he misses. The result is a testing opener for Kyren, but he looks like he's beginning to find his touch as he cues it excellently.
He plots his way around the table, until the cue ball runs too far off a red to the corner. His response is a magnificent pot on the brown, screwing back off the baulk cushion, before playing an equally brilliant shot to open up the pink off the next red.
around the tables
Sunny Akani 1-1 Antoni Kowalski
David Gilbert 1-1 Ben Woollaston
Rory Thor 1-1 Mark Joyce
wilson 2-1 jones (66-22)
No bother, though. Jones' responding safety is poor. Wilson slams a long red into the left corner, his best pot of the match, before adding a black. He then doubles the final red, again with a black, to put the frame to bed.
wilson 1-1 jones (50-22)
Wilson, therefore, has another chance. There is nothing easy to start with, but he cuts a red into the right middle and adds the black. The next red wipes its feet on both sides of the jaw before eventually dropping, much to his relief. He hads that, and another, with a black in-between, before hitting a pink so fiercely that it bounces off the table, rolls along side of the table before dropping back onto the baize!
wilson 1-1 jones (33-22)
Indeed, it has been a bit of an alarming slump from Wilson, whereas Jones is growing in confidence. A few shots later, he has a chance to build a break of his own and is looking in good shape until a heavy contact means he misses a blue off its spot. How's your luck?!
wilson 1-1 jones (33-8)
This is getting a bit frustrating for Wilson. He compiles a break of 13, but when trying to open up the pack, things go wrong and he has no attempt at a pot. Eight reds remain on the table now and he plays safe.
wilson 1-1 jones (20-8)
Wilson gets a repreive though. He leaves a straightforward red and the black, which is hanging over the pocket. Jones cleans up both, but cannot find position for a third pot and has to play safe.
wilson 1-1 jones (20-0)
So, after the blow of losing that frame, can the World Champion get back on track? He's made a quick start to the frame three, which is only slowed down by the referee having to spot the pink in the pack. Even so, there are a handful of loose reds that Wilson starts picking off into the corners, but things go wrong when the cue ball nestles next to the left cushion after going into the bunch. He subsequently misses a tough black
around the tables
Sunny Akani 1-1 Antoni Kowalski
David Gilbert 0-1 Ben Woollaston
Rory Thor 1-1 Mark Joyce
wilson 1-1 jones (33-70)
A fluke on the yellow gives Wilson a chance to lay a snooker behind the brown. Jones escapes, and then a few shots later, he pots the green and brown to put the frame to bed. We're all square again.
wilson 1-0 jones (33-63)
Wilson misses a long pot attempt on the penultimate red, and Jones is able to clean it up. He adds the blue to move 22 points ahead. The last red is towards the right corner. He needs the rest, but plays an excellent shot to sink it. With black added, Wilson now requires a snooker
wilson 1-0 jones (33-49)
A poor safety from Wilson leaves a red hanging near the green pocket. Jones plays a lovely pot to sink it, only for the cue ball to unlikely run up agains another ball! He adds the green, but can only play safe from there.
wilson 1-0 jones (33-45)
This has been much better from Jones. A clever shot brings one of the reds on the left side cushion into play, and he immediately pots it. There's now three reds left on the table, but all of them are awkward. He will attempt a double with the first of them, but misses but quite a distance.
wilson 1-0 jones (33-25*)
So a chance for Jones to respond. He cannot quite find ideal position, and with the reds spread as they are, it might be tough to put up a frame-winning score in this visit. There are three reds just to the right of the pink spot though, and he starts picking them off after finally getting the cue ball at the business end of the table.
wilson 1-0 jones (33-4)
A slight concern for Wilson as he cue ball runs a couple of inches further than he would have liked after taking this third black, but he recovers with another wonderful red up to that yellow pocket. Position recovered, he just keeps on ticking along around the black spot, until missing one off its spot! Now that is a surprise.
wilson 1-0 jones (*24-4)
And Wilson is going to make him pay. The 32-year-old opens with a red and then plays a magnificent shot on the black, swinging the cue ball into the pack and spreading them delightfully. This might be another one visit job.
wilson 1-0 jones (0-4)
Jones is first to get his hand on the table in frame two, as Wilson attempts a long red but realistically gets nowhere near it. The Welshman needs to make more of this chance, but after sinking a red and green, a fairly straightforward red to the right corner catches the far jaw.
around the tables
Sunny Akani 0-1 Antoni Kowalski
David Gilbert 0-1 Ben Woollaston
Rory Thor 1-0 Mark Joyce
wilson 1-0 jones (92-6)
Not quite! A wonderfully constructed break, with more than a helping hand from his opponent that to that missed red, comes to an end when the World Champion surprisingly misses a blue off its spot. He has still taken his chance though, and moves 1-0 up
Wilson 0-0 jones (*84-6)
A pink that follows that red gets Wilson back into position. From there, he is able to accumulate quickly. The snookers required stage is passes. Can he reach a century?
wilson 0-0 jones (*47-6)
Things nearly go awry when the cue ball just sticks to the left of the pack. He's left with a testing pot up to the yellow pocket, but sinks it perfectly. The pink follows, and a stun goes every so slightly wrong as he once more gets a little stuck. There is a clipped red to the right corner though. On he goes.
wilson 0-0 jones (*27-6)
The miss from Jones is particularly poor, before he has left the cue ball sitting at the business end of the table and with the reds well spread. There is an easy starter, and he can now start to pick them off. A deft run-through the pack opens things up even more, and with the black free, he is able to score heavily.
wilson 0-0 jones (0-6)
Wilson misses a pot, and leaves Jones in a more than handy position. He has a simple starter, and then sinks the blue into the left middle, but a shocker of a second red means it is break over - much to his opponent's delight
take two
Three shots in, the cue ball is nestled in at the back of the pack, the players look at each other and we're having a re-rack already!
here we go
The boys are on the baize and it's time to get going! A race to four frames to reach the third round. Jones breaks off and we are underway.
Wilson in good touch
World Champion Wilson showed he is in excellent form as he booked his place in the second round with a 4-0 win over Julien Leclercq, while Jones beat fellow Welshman Dominic Dale 4-2.
Good afternoon!
Hello and welcome to our coverage from the British Open in Cheltenham! We're at the second round stage, and Kyren Wilson is kicking things off as he faces Duane Jones
TODAY'S Schedule and results
Round 2
13:00 BST
- Kyren Wilson v Duane Jones
- Sunny Akani v Antoni Kowalski
- David Gilbert v Ben Woollaston
- Rory Thor v Mark Joyce
14:00
- David Grace v Lewis Ullah
- Ricky Walden v Jamie Clarke
- Hammad Miah v Ben Mertens
- John Higgins v Shaun Murphy
Stream top snooker action live and on-demand on discovery+
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