Monday 21 January 2019

Masters 2019 Final

Judd Trump hammered seven-time champion Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-4 with a brilliant performance to win his first Masters title.

A closely fought classic was expected between two of snooker's biggest draws, but the match turned into a comprehensive rout for Trump.

The world number five's blistering start saw him open up 4-0 and 7-1 advantages in a stunning first session.

Despite O'Sullivan responding in the evening with two centuries as he clawed three frames back, Trump was not to be denied.

Sunday 20 January 2019

Masters 2019: Semi Finals

Ronnie O'Sullivan reached a record-extending 13th Masters final with a thrilling 6-3 victory over Ding Junhui.

O'Sullivan, who won a seventh UK Championship title in York last month, raced into a 4-0 lead.

Ding hit back with three in a row, including missing the final green while on a maximum 147 effort, but O'Sullivan proved too good.

There he will face 2012 champion Neil Robertson, who came from behind to beat Barry Hawkins 6-3.

Englishman Hawkins made the perfect start with breaks of 62 and 72 to go 2-0 up, but Australia's Robertson responded superbly by claiming five in a row, before taking the one he needed to advance.

Friday's early match was one of contrasting styles between a gritty and mechanical Selby and the more free-flowing Trump.

The opening two frames were long, drawn-out battles - lasting 43 and 26 minutes - which would ordinarily play into Selby's hands, but Trump kept him in check with excellent safety to pinch both.

Selby pegged him back to 2-1, but Trump took control of the contest with breaks of 81, 101, and 60 and claimed victory in a prolonged 40-minute frame.

Saturday 19 January 2019

2019 Masters Quarter Finals

Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-3 Ryan Day

Seven-time champion Ronnie O'Sullivan reached the semi-finals of the Masters with a 6-3 win over Ryan Day.
O'Sullivan was in high scoring form, stroking in six breaks over 60, including a 119, to advance to the last four for the 14th time.
Although Welshman Day briefly led at 2-1 and made runs of 54, 68 and 77 in the match, he could not keep pace.
China's Ding Junhui and Belgian Luca Brecel meet in the evening session for the right to face O'Sullivan next.
O'Sullivan already has more Masters titles than any other player and has an incomparable semi-final record, losing just once on his previous 13 appearances in the last four.
Buoyed by a raucous crowd at his home event at Alexandra Palace in London, O'Sullivan compiled breaks of 68, 74, 65, 78 and 92, as well as his 989th career century as he aims to be become the first player to the 1,000 milestone.
The eighth frame proved to be crucial. Day was looking to level at 4-4 and led by 66 points but a poor safety let O'Sullivan in and he compiled a superb 78 clearance to clinch the frame, with the match following shortly after.
O'Sullivan won the UK Championship in York last month to take his record to 19 Triple Crown event victories - more than any other player.

Luca Brecel 5-6 Ding Junhui

Thursday 17 January 2019

2019 Masters (rest of Round 1)

Mark Selby (Eng) 6-2 Stephen Maguire (Sco)
36-63, 116-7 (115), 95-9 (95), 125-5 (125), 45-78, 133-0 (133), 96-28 (96), 66-0
Judd Trump (Eng) 6-2 Kyren Wilson (Eng)
129-0 (128), 95-0, 58-57 (58), 85-39 (81), 70-44, 1-91 (73), 52-61, 79-0 (72)
Mark Allen (NI) 5-6 Luca Brecel (Bel)
0-76 (75), 78-20 (67), 0-97 (50), 18-81, 105-1 (96), 136-0 (136), 0-140 (140), 83-1 (83), 0-88 (88), 99-0 (99), 1-77
John Higgins (Sco) 5-6 Ryan Day (Wal)
67-61 (Day 51), 65-1 (65), 9-60, 63-43, 5-66 (52), 5-111 (111), 0-83 (83), 62-26, 48-60, 77-7, 0-128 (128)

Ding Junhui (Chn) 6-1 Jack Lisowski (Eng)
78-30 (66), 73-49, 64-62, 59-58, 129-0 (123), 5-91 (60), 88-26
Mark Williams (Wal) 3-6 Neil Robertson (Aus)
78-33, 0-78, 77-36 (74), 68-28, 57-59 (59), 1-102 (102), 1-69 (69), 53-61 (Williams 53), 0-88 (88)
Barry Hawkins (Eng) 6-2 Shaun Murphy (Eng)
27-73, 54-67, 7-87 (86), 0-131 (124), 31-89 (60), 74-16 (74), 82-12, 50-71

Monday 14 January 2019

2019 Masters Day 2

Ding Junhui 6-1 Jack Lisowski
Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-2 Stuart Bingham 

2019 Masters Day 1

John Higgins 5-6 Ryan Day


Higgins, 43, who won the tournament in 1999 and 2006, won three of the opening four frames, including a break of 65, to race into a 3-1 lead.
But Day, 38, fought his way back into the match with three successive breaks of 52, 111 and 83.
The Welshman finished with a 128, the highest break of the match, to clinch the deciding frame.
"It was great to finish the match like that, in one hit," Day said after the match. "Even if he thinks his game's not in great shape, he's always difficult and clever with the shots he plays."
It was frustration for Higgins once again, who faced Day in a final frame decider in Shanghai earlier this year.
"That's twice he's done that against me this year," Higgins said. "It's the right result, he played a lot better than I did, I was pretty bad."

Tuesday 8 May 2018

2018 World Championship Final Day 2

Session 3

John Higgins 3-5 Mark Williams (10-15)

Mark Williams needs three more frames to claim his third World Championship title after securing a 15-10 lead over John Higgins in the final.

Welshman Williams, 43, won the last three frames to lead 10-7 overnight and took the first four frames on Monday to open a seven-frame advantage.

Higgins, 42, hit back to make it 14-10, but Williams' break of 44 in the 25th frame ensured a formidable lead.