Riyadh Season Snooker Championship recap - Luca Brecel breezes past Zhang Anda, Ding Junhui whitewashes Shaun Murphy
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Updated 18/12/2024 at 22:16 GMT
Welcome to our live text coverage of day one of the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship as snooker's top 10 players, including Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump, do battle. Two wildcards join the top 10 in the world, with the eventual winner pocketing £250,000. But obviously, do not forget about the elusive 167 that all the players will be aiming for with the 'Golden Ball'.
'Oh my god!' - Watch as Selt yells in frustration as teenager wins match with fluke
Video credit: TNT Sports
luca brecel beats zhang anda 4-0
Four matches today, four whitewashes. Luca meets Kyren Wilson next, and by the looks of things he is back. Good, lucky us.
BRECEL 3-0 ZHANG (102-1)
A rocketed green, and there it is.
BRECEL 3-0 ZHANG (93-1)
A lovely cut-back black off the final red keeps the break going, and this is going to be another ton.
BRECEL 3-0 ZHANG (65-1)
A routine red and black secure the match. Luca has been fantastic.
BRECEL 3-0 ZHANG (43-1)
Lovely work from Luca. I can't tell you how much joy it's giving me watching him play like this.
BRECEL 3-0 ZHANG (21-1)
Luca builds, going in and out of baulk off a blue, even developing a red on the side in the process. Everything is going for him tonight, and if he stays focused, this is the end.
BRECEL 3-0 ZHANG (7-1)
Zhang rolls in a fine starter, dead slow, then looks to go into the pack off the black ... only to miss the pot! How often do we see that? So Luca comes to the table with balls everywhere, and without having to do anything, he has a chance to finish the match.
BRECEL 3-0 ZHANG
A round hundred and Luca is one away from a last-eight meeting with Kyren Wilson.
BRECEL 2-0 ZHANG (78-0)
Luca makes the frame safe, and is now ton-hunting.
BRECEL 2-0 ZHANG (62-0)
I know it's cheating, but has Luca been ... practising? This is lovely stuff, and I don't see how Zhangwoins four straight; a few more pots and he's going to have to.
BRECEL 2-0 ZHANG (38-0)
An infelicitous kiss sends white on to black cush; end of break. Or not! Rather than play to baulk, likely leaving something, after a think he takes on a cut-back black ... dead slow ... and it's there! A beatiful shot, and Luca is flying now!
BRECEL 2-0 ZHANG (13-0)
Permitted to get a hand on the table, Luca slides a starter to left corner, then a gorgeous green takes him up the business end - he gets such spin on the ball, thanks in no small part to his glorious cue-power. He's quickly on to the black, and this is a chance to score.
BRECEL 2-0 ZHANG
A 62 and now a 66. Luca is into this.
BRECEL 1-0 ZHANG (61-21)
A gentle red to middle secures the frame, and Luca is running into form here.
BRECEL 1-0 ZHANG (39-21)
A brilliant blue takes Luca in and out of baulk and perfectly on to the next ball. He then breaks the three remaining reds off the black, and this looks a lot like 2-0.
BRECEL 1-0 ZHANG (18-21)
Good safety earns Luca an opener into left corner, he powers into the pack off the black, and it opens nicely for him. This developing into a useful opportunity.
BRECEL 1-0 ZHANG (2-21)
Zhang judges his two-cushion escape beautifully, then next go feathers a starter into left corner. He played nicely this afternoon, so is in decent touch, but as I type he runs out of position having not broken the pack, playing back to baulk.
BRECEL 1-0 ZHANG (2-3)
It's Zhang in first in frame two ... only to miss one he shouldn't to left-centre. So Luca gets away, blazes home another long red, then tucks in behind the green.
BRECEL 1-0 ZHANG
It's so good to see Luca playing more like Luca again.
BRECEL 0-0 ZHANG (78-28)
Zhang pots a few more, then when he breaks down, Luca secures frame one.
BRECEL 0-0 ZHANG (70-12)
Zhang gets in and removes balls, but when he runs out of position, Luca sends down another red, taking the frame further but not far enough away; next visit, he misses one to middle, so on we go.
BRECEL 0-0 ZHANG (69-0)
Oh, I did not see that coming: Luca misses the green, the lead 69 with 75 left.
BRECEL 0-0 ZHANG (54-0)
Ach, the black runs into a red and safe; off goes the golden ball. Luca, though, is cueing nicely.
BRECEL 0-0 ZHANG (39-0)
Four red-blacks, but Lucs will soon need to deal with what's left of the pack.
BRECEL 0-0 ZHANG (15-0)
A slow start, then Zhang accidentally pots the black and Luca gets himself away.
and off we go
Here come our players
coming up next
Luca Brecel v Zhang Anda
DING JUNHUI BEATS SHAUN MURPHY 4-0
Shaun only took 44 points in the match, and that missed pink in frame one totally undermined him. Ding is through to the last eight.
murphy 0-3 ding (5-74)
Ding makes it safe. Another ton in the offing?
murphy 0-3 ding (5-49)
A lovely cut-back sustains the run but knocks the pink safe, so it's down to baulk for the blue, now back on its spot. Ding is nearly there.
murphy 0-3 ding (5-35)
Ding liberates a few reds and there's no sense he's going to miss.
murphy 0-3 ding (5-14)
Oh dear. Addressing blue to the yellow bag, Shaun misses by a way, and this is a chance for Ding to finish him. Black is out of commission, but pink is there for him.
murphy 0-3 ding (1-0)
Shaun goes at one diagonally to left corner, misses, and you fear for him .. but Ding can't tidy, leaving an opportunity. So Shaun gets away, and he must make this count.
murphy 0-3 ding (0-0)
It's 65% v 97% in the pot success stakes, which tells us why Ding is winning so comfortably. It's a tactical start to frame four.
murphy 0-3 ding
A 122 leaves Shaun needing four on the spin.
murphy 0-2 ding (0-97)
Another ton has looked inevitable from the moment Ding got in, so of course as I type he misses red to left corner. Except the ball only goes into the green pocket! He's playing verynicely indeed.
murphy 0-2 ding (0-63)
By the time Ding got this chance, the balls weren't as nicely spread as before, and yet almost every shot has looked a cinch, so masterful is he. He's going three up with four to play.
murphy 0-2 ding (0-42)
How often do we see this? Ding eliminates balls, white totally under his spell.
murphy 0-2 ding (0-21)
Gosh, but then he misses a red to right corner, and Ding will now try to punish once more.
murphy 0-2 ding (0-7)
Shaun goes hard at one to left corner and doesn't get especially close, but Ding doesn't fancy a pink across the nap, leaving everything. So he takes a while to think, then rolls it down nicely. He's in! And then he does a Shaun, missing a much easier ball havig done the hard part! Chance for The Magician!
murphy 0-2 ding
A total clearance of 143. Ding is a beautiful player.
murphy 0-1 ding (0-100)
And there it is. This is much better than this afternoon.
murphy 0-1 ding (0-72)
Ding secures the frame and will probably turn this run into a century. Shaun must win the next one
murphy 0-1 ding (0-46)
Ding is so good about the black spot and Shaun will be ready in case he misses but knows he almost definitely won't
murphy 0-1 ding (0-22)
After a tactical start to the frame, Ding gets away then opens the pack, and this is a really good chanc e for 2-0.
murphy 0-1 ding
Ding hits the front.
murphy 0-0 ding (36-59)
Shaun misses brown to left corner, and Ding will surely finish the frame now. In goes the brown, The Magician no doubt reflecting on that careless missed pink.
murphy 0-0 ding (36-55)
With the rest, Ding jams white into yellow; down the rail and into the pocket it goes. But he's not on the green, so tries for a snooker behind the pink, misses ... and leaves a mid-range diag to left corner. Shaun is really good at these and makes no mistake here, but he can't get on the green, so plays safe.
murphy 0-0 ding (36-47)
However there's a red on the side ... no there isn't, as I type he removes it ...but yellow, green and brown are also incoveniently located...
murphy 0-0 ding (36-8)
With pink and black unavailable, Shaun builds with blues until he clears a path for the big dog, and if he can break the reds underneath the pink, he should win the frame at this visit. But a poor shot sees him eyeing up a plant having been in prime position ... and he sinks it nicely, opening all the balls in the process. Except out of nowhere – perhaps relaxing – he botches pink to middle, and he'll be feeling poorly. Ding, meanwhile, pots balls.
murphy 0-0 ding (8-1)
This afternoon, Ding took on everything, knowing his opponent couldn't hurt him; that's not the case here, though he does blink first after a long safety exchange, going hard at one, missing, and offering Shaun a decent chance to score.
murphy 0-0 ding (1-1)
Shaun gets away to left corner and lands by the yellow which is on the side; he thinks about playing it with the cue pointing towards himm then snuggles up to it in moere usual manner. It won't be easy for Ding to leave everything safe when he escapes, burt he manages.
murphy 0-0 ding (0-1)
A poor break-off from Ding, not for the first time today, but Shaun misses to right-centre ... then to left corner ... then he leaves one over middle. An inauspicious start, but one punished only to the tune of one.
and off we go
The boyz baize
FOR YOU TONIGHT WE HAVE
Shaun Murphy v Ding Junhui
Luca Brecel v Zhang Anda
we go again!
that's us done for now
We'll be back at 6.30pm GMT for the second round.
zhang anda beats ahmed aseeri 4-0
And finshes with a TC of 134. He'll face Luca Brecel in the second of tonight's matches.
ZHANG 3-0 ASEERi (86-0)
Apologies, I'm talking nonsense. The pink takes him to 101, off it he develops that final red, and with the colours on or near their apots, there's no reason to think this won't be a total clearance.
ZHANG 3-0 ASEERi (86-0)
Zhang secures the match, but will need the red on the side rail to parlay run into ton.
ZHANG 3-0 ASEERi (57-0)
This match does not have long left in it. Zhang's 4-0 is a much more convincing one than Ding's.
ZHANG 3-0 ASEERi (37-0)
Zhang liberates a few reds, then a few more, slots pink to right-middle, and he's taking these very nicely. He's such a good player now, and it's great to see him making the most of his talent.
ZHANG 3-0 ASEERi (13-0)
Zhang sinks an opener to middle and tries forcing his way on to the black – he's got the taste – but catches the pink, ruining his position. This is, though a chance to secure f&m.
ZHANG 3-0 ASEERi (0-0)
For the first time, the golden ball has been moved off the baulk cushion.
ZHANG 3-0 ASEERi
A run of 74 and Zhang is one away.
ZHANG 2-0 ASEERi (110-1)
Zhang makes the frame safe.
ZHANG 2-0 ASEERi (70-1)
Ahjmed sinks the starter he's left ... only to miss another black off its spot. Zhang will now secure the frame, looking a little disappointed.
ZHANG 2-0 ASEERi (64-0)
Calmly and methodically, Zhang removes balls. There's a cluster of four reds that'll need breaking, but the other balls are there for him ... and as I type, he nudges them ... then misses with the rest to right corner! Ach! So he sits down, frame not yet his.
ZHANG 2-0 ASEERi (32-0)
Promoting a red or two, Zhang sends one to the blue spot, but he can still get at it to right-middle if and when the time comes. Come on Zhang!
ZHANG 2-0 ASEERi (9-0)
After a tactical start to the frame, Zhang wobbles a good long one into right corner, he's on the black, and again, there are loose reds there for him. He couldn't could he?! Because let me be very clear: even at so eaerly a stage, this is a chance.
ZHANG 2-0 ASEERi
Excellent pot from Zhang, and after a real mess of a frame, he's halfway there, there being an evening meeting with Luca Brecel.
ZHANG 1-0 ASEERi (41-35)
Pink to the green isn't a gimme, but he sorts it well, only to leave himself an unpleasant cut to right corner on the black ... and he misses it! Can Ahmed see it away? HG cannot, leaving a long straight one...
ZHANG 1-0 ASEERi (30-35)
Zhang needs all the balls, but they're all in pottable positions. Blue, pink and black to go...
ZHANG 1-0 ASEERi (21-35)
Ach, Ahmed despatches the penultimate red ... only to miss the blue, and Zhang will fancxy himself to clear from here.
ZHANG 1-0 ASEERi (17-34)
Zhang teases a red stuck to the side jaw of right-centre into the pocket – that's a great pot, but he then misses the yellow and can Ahmed punish? He leaves himself a long red to the yellow bag off the black ... and he doesn't even take it on. But has he got it safe? He has not, but Zhang is playing poorly now and can't tidy.
ZHANG 1-0 ASEERi (16-26)
Ahmed a terrific opener to the green bag, but he soon runs out of position. There are four reds left, all of them below the blue spot.
ZHANG 1-0 ASEERi (16-18)
Ahmed gets a way with a good pot to middle, but can he string together a succession of them? He cannot, missing to left corner, but leaving nothing.
ZHANG 1-0 ASEERi (16-6)
Even so, it's a huge surprise when he fails to sink blue to middle; Ahmed, though, can manage a resd and no more.
ZHANG 1-0 ASEERi (16-5)
Eventually Zhang gets back in, and there are balls everywhere. So he could well win the frame at this visit, but with reds in baulk, he'll be taking low-value colours a fair bit meaning more shots, meaning more that could potentially be missed.
ZHANG 1-0 ASEERi (1-5)
Ahmed sinks a lovely starter ... only to butcher a black off its spot. So Zhang gets going via double only to cue across a blue to the yellow; Ahmed, though, doesn't manage to get on the pink, blocked off by the blue, but he redeems the situation with a decent cut of the yellow. A red follows, then a black with the rest ... which he overcuts, leaving nowt.
ZHANG 1-0 ASEERi (1-0)
A slow start to frame two. But the lights are on, and now the balls are open I imagine we'll soon see some scoring.
ZHANG 1-0 ASEER
He cannot, and look at his disappointment. But what an effort.
ZHANG 0-0 ASEERI (97-0)
...and in it goes! But off the next black, he looks to develop the two reds below the pink ... and the kiss is not a kindly one. So he's got a fine cut to right-middle, cueing away from it and going around the angles; he pots it nicely ... but catches the jaws of middle! Aaarrrgghhh! Can he cut to right corner?
ZHANG 0-0 ASEERI (88-0)
And off we go again, Zhang slotting frame-ball into left corner. There are three reds stuck together below the pink; those will be the tricky ones, but he makes one available by sinking a different ball. Then, though, his first little error, getting too straight on the black meaning a nasty one to middle....
ZHANG 0-0 ASEERI (72-0)
Zhang spent the break facetiming his family, and looking again at the table, it looks pretty inviting. But the closer he gets to the maxi, the closer he gets to £1m, and that'll bring with it pressure no one has ever experienced.
ZHANG 0-0 ASEERI (72-0)
Aha. It wasn't a lights issue, it was a power issue, and all is now apparently resolved. We'll soon be back under way; people aere returning to the arena.
ZHANG 0-0 ASEERI (72-0)
And still nowt! This is very strange indeed.
ZHANG 0-0 ASEERI (72-0)
Ronnie has the fastest maxi ever; if Zhang makes one here, it'll be the slowest by several orders of magnitude. Still no action.
ZHANG 0-0 ASEERI (72-0)
And still no action. Imagine how Zhang's feeling here!
ZHANG 0-0 ASEERI (72-0)
The lights go out, come back on again, and Zhang takes a drink, trying to keep himself in the flow. Then off go the lights again, back on again, then the whole room is in pitch black, so we'll have a little break. The 167 is still on!
ZHANG 0-0 ASEERI (65-0)
A little cannon off the black releases another couple of reds with another couple to follow with the next pot. Come on Zhang!
ZHANG 0-0 ASEERI (48-0)
Some point soon, Zhang will have to dig into the pack, and if that works well, he'll be in a decent spot. For now, though, he's picking off loose balls, and remember he made a maxi just a few weeks ago at the UK Championship.
ZHANG 0-0 ASEERI (32-0)
Zhang is quickly away and withh three red-blacks potted the golden ball remains on the table. But after sinking a cut-back is he on the next ball? Just, a cut to middle and a hold for the black; he couldn't, could he?
off we go again
coming up next
- Zhang Anda v Ahmed Aseeri
DING JUNHUI BEATS ABDUL SAIGH 4-0
And after a more than sketchy performance, he finishes with a delightful black sent long to the greeen bag, making it a 115.
ding 3-0 shiga (92-14)
Down goes the brown, and the remaining colours are on their spots.
ding 3-0 shiga (87-14)
Ding promotes the final red from ther side rail, so the only tricky ball is the brown, not far off the baulk cushion.
ding 3-0 shiga (68-14)
Ding makes the match safe, but can he finish with a ton?
ding 3-0 shiga (46-14)
Ding accumulates, the match soon to be his.
ding 3-0 shiga (23-14)
Ding gets away to right corner but soon overruns; again, though, rather than play safe, he takes on the thinnest of skinnies with the rest, catches plenty of knuckle ... and the ball still drops. This is now a chance for him to secure f&m, the prize a match against Shaun Murphy later this evening.
ding 3-0 shiga (6-14)
Gosh, Ding runs out of position so tries a pot that's never on – he's not showing Abdul any respect here – and it doesn't go down, but he doesn't leave owt.
ding 3-0 shiga (1-14)
Ding's getting frustrated now, missing to right corner, so Abdul gets to work. But off the black, he doesn't get nicely on the next red, misses to right corner, and The Dragon gets away to the same bag, via rest.
ding 3-0 shiga (0-0)
Abdul allows Ding to get his hand on the table, and with the black available to both corners, he tries to hold for it ... and misses the pot. His opponent, though, can't get away to middle, so we're playing safety.
ding 3-0 shiga
Abdul leaves the pink ... and somehow, Ding misses it. He just doesn't feel under any threat, and his opponent backs him up but doing the same thing again. This time, he clips to middle, and he's a frame away.
ding 2-0 shiga (61-46)
Ding can't get at blue off brown, so Abdul returns to the table needing a snooker.
ding 2-0 shiga (54-41)
Oh Abdul. Oh mate. He plays a nice shot to get on that red ... only to miss the pot. He can't quite play well enough for long enough to take a frame, and this is going to be 3-0.
ding 2-0 shiga (48-34)
Ding accumulates, but will need to get at the two reds close together underneath the pink ... and he plays a terrible shot, not close to getting on either. Which he then compounds by having a go anyway, getting nowhere near, and leaving Abdul a starter. As such, the ball in the middle of black cush with probably decide this frame.
ding 2-0 shiga (22-26)
A gorgeous opener, sent long to the yellow bag from ridiculously close to it, allows a cut-back black, also not easy; down it goes, and he's in.
ding 2-0 shiga (5-26)
Ding goes at a longun to right corner with safety in mind but still leaves a starter, Abdul seeing it away and getting to work. You've got to assume he's still smarting from giving away the last frame and will need to manage those emotions throughh this run ... but he soon runs out of position, playing safe off the blue.
ding 2-0 shiga (5-22)
With the balls nicely open, Abdul finishes short on his intended red, can't cut the one at which he goes to right corner, and that's end of break.
ding 2-0 shiga (5-8)
Abdul sinks a fine starter to right corner, just about wriggles in a black, and he's away.
ding 2-0 shiga (5-0)
Ding flukes a plant, adds brown, and off goes the golden ball; he then misses to right corner, and this is the worst I've seen him play in some time.
ding 2-0 shiga
Ding duly clears. He's not playing well, but he's halfway to round two.
ding 1-0 shiga (53-54)
A poor shot from Abdul leaves Ding a free go at the brown to left corner ... and down it goes. I'm afraid that' given the positions of the balls, that's going to cost him the frame.
ding 1-0 shiga (44-54)
Abdul gives the yellow a bit too much and he's not on the green, laying a snooker; Ding escapes easily enough, but leaves a thin cut to middle ... which Abdul sinks well. With the blue still over the bag, brown is effectively frame-ball, he's on it to the yellow pocket ... and the pressure tells! He can't get it down, so the chase is on.
ding 1-0 shiga (44-49)
It's Abdul who gets the next red, the black follows, then the last red with another black, and he needs up to and including the blue to level the match.
ding 1-0 shiga (44-33)
But no! Ding isn't playing in his usual manner - perhaops he's so certain he's going to win, he's not as focused as he should be. He doesn't get his desired position on the blue so has to send it to the green bag, and leaves it in the jaws! Chance for Abdul, but there's a red on the top rail and another not far off the side ... and trying to get on to the former, he misses the black.
ding 1-0 shiga (20-24)
Ding sinks a starter, gets on to the black, and the way the balls are, he really ought to secure the frame at this visit.
ding 1-0 shiga (19-24)
It's Ding in next, he very quickly opens the pack ... and amazingly for him, then loses the white. But worse is to follow: he leaves a starter for Abdul, who can only add oe.
ding 1-0 shiga (0-23)
A dreadfull break from Ding leaves Abdul a simple starter, but a poor positional shot means all he can do thereafter is play safe off the green, the golden ball now off the table. No matter: he's soon back in, keeping the run going with a straight red along the top rail, then a cut-back black, before he runs out of position and can't sink a longun to right corner.
ding 1-0 shiga
A run of 47 and Ding hits the front.
ding 0-0 shiga (67-15)
But he pots it nevertheless, a scrappy frame now his.
ding 0-0 shiga (41-15)
Another miss from Abdul allows Ding back to the table, he quickly increases his lead, and won't need the awkward red on the side rail.
ding 0-0 shiga (27-15)
Abdul almost flukes another but instead he leaves a starter for Ding, who immediately returns the blue to its spot, cannons a red to free up the black ... then misses a second blue, and so far, this is not of the highest standard.
ding 0-0 shiga (14-15)
But he soon gets away again, bridging awkwardly to sink a starter, but he can't get it into the middle of the bag and as a consequence loses position, so it's another safety, the table now rather untidy.
ding 0-0 shiga (13-15)
Abdul misses a brown and Ding gets away to right corner, but when he digs into the pack it gives him little, so he can only play safe.
ding 0-0 shiga (5-15)
Ding flukes a red, snuggles up to the brown, and the golden ball is off the table. Then, looking to come off the side on to a red, Abdul misses his chosen ball ... and Ding undercuts the pot he's left to right corner. So Abdul gets away via rest and somehow contrives not to finish on the black, instead missing blue to yellow bag ... fluking it into right corner. A good long red follows, this time he is on the black, and can he parlay his good fortune into a decent contribution?
and off we go!
The golden ball sits on the bottom cushion; the prize for potting it at the end of a 147 has been doubled to £1m.
Here come our players
All of them. But we begin this afternoon with:
- Ding Junhui v Abdul Saigh
hello there
And welcome to the Riyadh Season!
Riyadh Season Snooker Championship schedule
Round One
- Ding Junhui v Abdul Saigh
- Zhang Anda v Ahmed Aseeri
Round Two
- Shaun Murphy v Ding Junhui/Abdul Saigh
- Luca Brecel v Zhang Anda/Ahmed Aseeri
Quarter-finals
- Mark Selby v Mark Allen
- Kyren Wilson v TBC
- Judd Trump v Mark Williams
- Ronnie O'Sullivan v TBC
Semi-finals
TBC
Final
TBC
Tournament timings
Round One
- Wednesday, December 18 - from 14:00 UK time
Round Two
- Wednesday, December 18 - from 19:00
Quarter-Finals
Session 1
- Thursday, December 19 - from 14:00
Session 2
- Thursday, December 19 - from 19:00
Semi-Finals
- Friday, December 20 - from 14:00
Final
- Friday, December 20 - from 19:00
- 'Golden Balls' – How much did O'Sullivan earn for snooker's greatest maximum break?
- 'Oh my god!' - Selt's frustration boils over as teenager wins match with fluke
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Snooker - German Master - Qualifying - Jimmy White break the tip on his cue
Video credit: TNT Sports
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