Players Championship snooker as it happened - Zhang Anda beats Mark Selby in epic to set up final against Mark Allen
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Updated 25/02/2024 at 07:18 GMT
The Players Championship continues on Saturday at Telford International Centre, as Zhang Anda and Mark Selby take to the baize for the right to take on Mark Allen in Sunday’s final. Selby comes into the match in supreme form having beaten Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-0 in Thursday’s quarter-final. Zhang, meanwhile, beat John Higgins 6-4 in his quarter-final.
'It'll add five, six, seven good years' - O'Sullivan on why Higgins trying new things will help
ZHANG BEATS SELBY 6-5 FOR PLACE IN FINAL
Zhang wins it! He heads into tomorrow's final where he will face Mark Allen. Brilliant snooker at the death. See you tomorrow for the finale of a brilliant tournament.
SELBY 5-5 ZHANG (1-72)
That's surely that, Zhang has fought off the four-time champion's comeback to steal the decider. What a game, what a player.
SELBY 5-5 ZHANG (1-58)
Selby takes on a dangerous brown to right middle and MISSES! Zhang can surely clean up here! There's one red down, and a black follows.
SELBY 5-5 ZHANG (0-50)
Zhang runs out of position after stringing together 50, but Selby can't capitalise to gasps from the crowd, as he misses a red to the left. Zhang might have to go into the bunch here to play it safe. He does, and gets away with it.
SELBY 5-5 ZHANG (0-8)
Zhang finds a red to left middle to kick off this decider. A black follows.Can he put a run together here?
SELBY 5-5 ZHANG
Wow. Zhang needed the blue to win it, and he's missed. I can't believe it. We're going to a decider.
SELBY 4-5 ZHANG (25-35)
Selby gets a little lucky with his escape as the brown runs an extra inch, leaving Zhang with a very tough shot. He goes for glory and misses, and almost snatches a snooker again but Selby can see the right side of the brown this time. Selby goes for the pot, misses it, and leaves Zhang with a chance at a long pot.
SELBY 4-5 ZHANG (25-31)
Time for the colours, and they're all over the place. The yellow goes, but the green is tight against the top cushion. Zhang gets in perfect position, but the brown looks even harder. He sinks the green, but cannot get position on the brown. He gets the snooker though. Tough one for Selby.
SELBY 4-5 ZHANG (25-25)
Zhang very quickly runs out of position because the penmultimate red is so tight up against the green by the top cushion. Can he squeeze it in anyway? Yes! He needs a cannon off the red to get the last one. He manages the cannon but it's not great. It goes, but it's not great. Zhang takes it on and SINKS it.
SELBY 4-5 ZHANG (25-10)
Selby messes up the final hurdle! He can't believe it! Zhang is back at the baize and with a chance to steal the frame and the match.
SELBY 4-5 ZHANG (25-3)
Selby grinding his way around this awkward table now. Easy does it. One mistake could let Zhang right back in for the win.
SELBY 4-5 ZHANG (5-3)
Selby grabs a good red, a yellow off the black spot, and he's here to force a decider now.
SELBY 4-5 ZHANG (2-3)
Zhang makes the breakthrough and pots his first ball in 25 minutes. An awkward yellow goes next. It's a lot of work for three points so far. All the balls are up the table. It's a very unconventional spread. Now Zhang has missed a red. That was a painful break of 3.
SELBY 4-5 ZHANG
Selby has two reds to his name, and has taken a full 2 minutes over a shot here as he and Zhang cage it out. This frame was in real danger of a re-wrack at one point, but the two might be able to find a way forward now.
SELBY 4-5 ZHANG
Selby has it, a century for good measure. Can he take us to a decider?
SELBY 3-5 ZHANG (45-16)
In no time at all, Selby absolutely punishes that Zhang error. Can he split the pack to go on and win the frame?
SELBY 3-5 ZHANG (1-16)
Here we go. Zhang goes red black red. 147 territory? Very unlikely. But we can dream. Oh no, he's missed a routine red. Wow. Pre-interval Zhang does not make that mistake.
SELBY 3-5 ZHANG (1-0)
Zhang pings a long red into the jaws, before Selby has a go at the exact same pot a moment later and sinks it. He gets dead unlucky with the white which rolls up by the green.
SELBY 3-5 ZHANG
Zhang absolutely grinds out frame 8 and goes within one frame of the final.
SELBY 3-4 ZHANG (40-49)
Selby's had enough of this frame, so he plays the worst safety shot of his career, bring all the balls into play. Zhang should clear up from here to steal the frame.
SELBY 3-4 ZHANG (40-22)
He can't, some terrible cueing ties him up against the cushion. What looked like an early night, now looks like an early morning. The frame enter its 38th minute.
SELBY 3-4 ZHANG (40-22)
Selby looks well on his way to the frame when he misses a routine red. The two exchange safeties, errors and a few balls, before Zhang finally gets a handle on things. Can he fight back here?
SELBY 3-4 ZHANG (17-8)
Crazy. Selby sinks the blue but the white pings into the pink which also finds the pocket- Zhang grabs a red, then misses an easy blue. What a mess this is.
SELBY 3-4 ZHANG (15-1)
He can't. This is a messy, messy frame where neither player seems to be having any luck. But Zhang fluffs another safety and Selby gets a long red to bottom left to restart the break.
SELBY 3-4 ZHANG (6-1)
Zhang takes a big risk on a long red that does not pay off. He looks a little dejected.
Selby sinks the red that Zhang left and will try and get a run together here.
SELBY 3-4 ZHANG (5-1)
Another massive safety exchange where the two exchange safeties and just a couple of reds. Selby's looked in on two occasions but Zhang keeps clawing his way back to the table thanks to some uncharacteristic mistakes.
SELBY 3-4 ZHANG
Zhang was two reds away from being 5-0, now it's 4-3.
SELBY 2-4 ZHANG (63-16)
Zhang gets a red and black but the three remaining reds are so tied up against the left cushion. Zhang hits all three, fails to go safe, and Selby has a frame ball red once more to left middle. This time he sinks it.
SELBY 2-4 ZHANG (62-8)
Selby finally finds a way back into the frame but he still needs two reds. There's one along the cushion. The rest look tricky though. He will go for the speculative double pf a red tied up against the right cushion. Frame ball, on the double, misses it. Zhang is back.
SELBY 2-4 ZHANG (46-8)
Zhang gets the black, misses a red and Selby is back! Big gasps as Selby misses a red but the snooker gods have been kind because there's nothing on the Chinese except a plant...does it go? No, and Zhang tries something ever harder with a cut to right middle. Harder, but less devastating if he misses it with little on for Selby. Selby goes safe up against the reds and Zhang is back for more. He nudges it closer to the reds, Selby does the same, it's pure caution from the pair.
SELBY 2-4 ZHANG (46-1)
Selby misses a red! Zhang is back! There's not much on offer though. Zhang has half a red tucked up by a black to look at. Missed it. There's nothing for Selby, who goes safe. The two keep it tight before Selby goes for a red that doesn't find the pocket. Zhang goes for it himself! There it is! Can he save the frame?
SELBY 2-4 ZHANG (46-0)
Selby gets a glorious kiss on the black that he apologises to Zhang for. He's absolutely flying and Zhang's 4-0 lead is toast. It's not like Zhang has messed up here, Selby has just had some table time and when he's on the table he's pretty unstoppable.
SELBY 2-4 ZHANG (26-0)
Zhang finally gets a look in but it's not a great view. Selby's roled up behind the green. Zhang misses and Selby takes full advantage by sinking a red.
SELBY 2-4 ZHANG (14-0)
Selby picks off a red and he's on the go again. What a comeback this could be. Here's the Selby that whitewashed Ronnie.
SELBY 2-4 ZHANG
No century for Selby. He rattles a black against the jaws but takes the frame anyway. Game on.
SELBY 1-4 ZHANG (84-0)
There's frame ball. Selby will want to soak up some table time though and clean up. Zhang getting a taste of his own medicine here. He's not had a look in this frame.
SELBY 1-4 ZHANG (56-0)
Selby needs to get into the reds around the pink. He goes in a gets a little luck, but will need the pink to do a lot of heavy lifting with the black tied up against the cushion. He only needs two more reds for the frame though.
SELBY 1-4 ZHANG (36-0)
Selby playing without pressure now. He sat on that seat for the best part of two hours. but now he's flying.
SELBY 1-4 ZHANG (1-0)
That's not the Zhang we've seen so far. He rushes a long red and fluffs it completely. Selby could be in here. Sinks it.
SELBY 1-4 ZHANG (0-0)
Does Zhang have the metal to shake that off?
SELBY 1-4 ZHANG
A terrific clearance from Selby who steals the frame and takes it 62-56.
SELBY 0-4 ZHANG (27-56)
Selby can clear up here, no problem. He splits the pack beautifully. Everything is well laid out and barring disaster he'll get himself on the scoreboard.
SELBY 0-4 ZHANG (1-56)
Zhang's a little short on the black. Can he screw it in? Yes, dead centre.
He's close to making it 5...and...jaws! Zhang fluffs a red to bottom left and Selby sinks his second ball of the match!
SELBY 0-4 ZHANG (0-36)
The balls are going in but Zhang's cue ball control looks a little off in this frame. He's forced into a tricky red and apologises to Selby as the black benefits from a series of kisses to give him a perfect option. Everything is going his way.
SELBY 0-4 ZHANG (0-17)
Zhang's off and away. Can he sink the pink? Yes he can. But that's a strange shot. Zhang ends up trapped down the right-hand side of the table after taking a very odd line off a red. I've no idea what he's tried there. Incredibly, he manages to cut a red to left middle anyway, and is back in position.
SELBY 0-4 ZHANG (0-0)
We're back. A penny for Selby's thoughts? Can Zhang keep this up? Let's find out.
SELBY 0-4 ZHANG
Zhang misses a pink and Selby concedes. Zhang has battered the favourite so far - Selby has potted one ball. One! See you after the mid-session interval. Do we have another white wash on our hands?
SELBY 0-3 ZHANG (0-83)
Sinks it. Zhang looks utterly unaffected by the situation, but dominating the four-time world champ like this is a rare event. An astonishing performance so far.
SELBY 0-3 ZHANG (0-63)
Zhang is playing with flair now. It's brilliant snooker against one of the best. Selby has seldom spent this much time on the chair. Zhang needs one more red to seal it.
SELBY 0-3 ZHANG (0-22)
Zhang sinks a smooth red to left middle and he's off. Blue, red, blue, red, blue. Can he get into the pack. Yes he can, that's perfect snooker.
SELBY 0-3 ZHANG (0-22)
Zhang sinks a smotoh red to left middle and he's off. Blue, red, blue, red, blue. Can he get into the pack. Yes he can, that's perfect snooker.
SELBY 0-3 ZHANG (0-0)
Selby keeps pushing reds over corners. He can't help it. It's so un-Selby to make these kinds of mistakes. Luckily, Zhang misses it, but the white somehow ends up safe. Or is it? Selby eyes up a cut to bottom left. NO. It rattles the jaws. Zhang has another big change here.
SELBY 0-3 ZHANG
Selby has managed one ball in three frames. Zhang is three up. Do we have an upset on our hands?
SELBY 0-2 ZHANG (5-84)
In no time at all, Zhang has frame ball. He puts together a run of 69 and counting to hesitant applause. Selby whitewashed O'Sullivan here the other night, is he about to get a taste of his own medicine?
SELBY 0-2 ZHANG (5-31)
Once again Selby leaves a red over the pocket, though he's unlucky this time. he shakes his head and walks back to his chair. Zhang has a huge chance here to string a big break together. He sets off with two reds and two blacks.
SELBY 0-2 ZHANG (5-13)
Zhang's break comes to an end with a failed red, and he gets a handy kiss on the green to keep things safe. But Selby makes a mess of the safety and leaves a red on bottom left. Zhang sinks, and he's back in the balls.
SELBY 0-2 ZHANG (5-1)
Yes I am still here, but we're still in the same safety exchange. It's a masterclass in precision from the two. Who will blink first? It might be Selby, as he clatters a red on his way back up the table. Zhang targets a red to bottom right. Bang. He's in.
SELBY 0-2 ZHANG (5-0)
A huge cheer as Selby sinks his first red of the night, after 40 minutes of play. The break ends there as he rolls up behind the brown.
SELBY 0-2 ZHANG (4-0)
Selby gets a few encouraging shouts from the crowd. 'Come on Selby!' - that sort of thing. Zhang isn't missing though, and he's kicked off this frame with another lovely safety. Selby responds in kind, and Zhang repeats the trick until...foul and a miss. Zhang hands Selby his first points of the match after failing to make contact with any reds. He'll have another go though and this time he rolls up by the red. Is it good enough to prevent Selby from sinking his first red of the night? Yes, Selby plays back up the table.
SELBY 0-2 ZHANG
FRAME BALL - GONE! Zhang is playing brilliantly here. He could grab another century. Wait, no, he makes his first mistake of the match - not that it matters - rattling the jaws with an easy red. Selby concedes, and Zhanga doubles his lead.
SELBY 0-1 ZHANG (0-42)
Selby is yet to pot a ball and we're 30 minutes deep into the match. Zhang picks off the reds at the top of the table and is forced to settle for less with a go at the green and yellow. Then a brilliant brown sends him back down and there's a tasty plant available if he wants it. Zhang saves it and sinks a red to bottom right. He's on his way to two frames.
SELBY 0-1 ZHANG (0-1)
A wonderfully cagey opening to this second frame. Zhang grabs a long red but goes safe and the two enter a safety battle. Selby eventually goes for gold with a red to bottom red, and there are gasps as he misses it. He leaves Zhang with the black on its spot and a bunch of easy reds. Huge opporunity.
SELBY 0-1 ZHANG
CENTURY! Zhang a red to bring up his third century of the week. Big cheers, and a great start. He cleans up with a spectacular early break of 129. That may well be the biggest of the night!
SELBY 0-0 ZHANG (0-75)
Zhang racing through this one now. He's got it wrapped up with frame ball to a round of applause. If he can split these four reds he'll fancy a century.
SELBY 0-0 ZHANG (0-36)
Zhang splits the pack and he's looks like an early favourite for the opening frame here. He slides a red to left middle, then a pink, then another red to left middle. He takes his sweet time between shots, but there's no point getting to a semi-final with Selby adn then rushing it.
SELBY 0-0 ZHANG (0-13)
Zhang sinks a lovely first red of the night then tucks the white up behind the green. Selby fouls, and Zhang's back. Some early steel from the Chinese player
GOOD EVENING!
Hello and welcome to LIVE updates from Saturday's action at the 2024 Players Championship.
Four-time world champion Mark Selby takes on underdog Zhang Anda in the second semi-final at 19:00 GMT.
The two are duking it out for a spot in the final where Mark Allen awaits, after beating Ali Carter last night in the first semi-final.
It's the first to six frames, and it should be a cracker. The boys are at the baulk, and ready to go.
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'Hard to stop' – 'Selfish' Allen explains why he wants old rival Selby to lose semi-final
Mark Allen booked his place in the Players Championship final with a battling 6-3 win over Ali Carter on Friday evening then explained why he wants to face Zhang Anda in the showpiece match.
Allen and Carter shared the first six frames in Telford with Champion of Champions winner Allen producing 108 in the third frame and Masters finalist Carter hitting 106 and three 50-plus breaks to restore parity at 3-3.
But the Northern Irishman claimed the final three frames boosted by further runs of 73 and 65 to reach Sunday's best-of-19 frame final with a £125,000 top prize on the table from the elite 16-player ranking event.
Allen admits he would rather meet Zhang in the final after watching Selby produce his best display of the season on Thursday night with a quickfire 6-0 demolition of world No. 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan.
International champion Zhang led John Higgins 5-1, but was forced to hold off a spirited comeback by Selby's fellow four-time world champion in Friday's final quarter-final to edge through 6-4 to his third career ranking semi-final.
"I think Mark Selby has always been the toughest opponent on the professional circuit," said Zhang. "He has the best all-round game and there's no weakness in his game. It's a style of playing that is more difficult to deal with, as he's good at attacking and defending."
Selby has yet to win a tournament this season, with his 10-7 defeat to Mark Williams in the British Open final in October his best performance of the campaign.
“From a completely selfish point of view, I’d rather play Zhang Anda," said Allen, who lost an epic World Championship semi-final 17-15 to Selby last April after trailing 16-10. "Just because that keeps Selby’s losing streak going a little longer.
"If he gets on a winning run he is hard to stop, as we’ve seen in the past. Looking at the Tour Championship, China and the World Championship, you want someone like Selby’s confidence to be as low as possible."
Allen hit an iconic 147 in a 6-5 win over Selby in the Masters quarter-finals last month before losing to 6-3 Carter in the last four, a result he reversed at the Telford International Centre.
“I don’t want to come here and finish second, that would be disappointing," said the Antrim man, who is provisionally ranked world No. 1 in the end-of-season rankings.
"I’ve ticked a few boxes this week. I’ve tried something different, it wasn’t quite working today, but I stuck with it."
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