Sunday 6 December 2015

2015 UK Championship Final

Neil Robertson 10-5 Liang Wenbo

Neil Robertson became the first player to make a maximum 147 break in a UK Championship final on his way to beating Liang Wenbo 10-5.

The Australian made the perfect break in the sixth frame of the match in York - the third 147 of his career.

The pair traded century breaks in the first session leaving Robertson with a 5-3 advantage at the interval.

The next four frames were shared to make it 7-5, but Robertson won three in a row to take the title.

'It was about digging in'

"As a kid, you always want to make a 147 on the BBC so it was a dream come true," Robertson, who claimed the 11th ranking title of his career and second UK triumph, told BBC Sport.

"In the end, it was about digging in and nicking frames."

The final featured two left-handers with contrasting personalities; the measured world number three Robertson and his eccentric Chinese opponent, who frequently played to the crowd and often slapped himself in the face.

Surprise finalist Liang, who moved into the top 16 by reaching the final, added: "There was pressure and I don't know why, I didn't concentrate. The pressure shots I didn't play very well."

The magnificent maximum

Having seen Thailand's Thepchaiya Un-Nooh miss the final black on a maximum effort earlier in the tournament, Robertson went one better.

He needed to disturb a cluster of three reds to keep the break going and then kept his cool to pot the pink with the rest, before punching the air as he sunk the final black.

Four-time UK champion Steve Davis described the break as "absolutely fantastic".

"It was a clinical break early on, he picked the balls off nicely," added Davis. "Doing it in a big final is a marvellous achievement."

How the match unfolded

World number three Robertson took the first two frames but Liang soon settled in the match with a 110. The pair traded frames as the Aussie led 3-2, before compiling his brilliant 147 break.

The 2013 UK champion also took the next frame, but Liang hit back with a composed 86 to trail 5-3 after the first session.

The man from China reduced the deficit further with an 82 but Robertson responded with a break of 78 and also took the next to lead 7-4.


Liang showed his battling qualities to take the 12th frame, but it was all Robertson from then on.


Saturday 5 December 2015

2015 UK Championship Semi Finals Day 11

Liang Wenbo 6-4 David Grace

China's Liang Wenbo reached Sunday's UK Championship final with a scrappy 6-4 victory over world number 81 David Grace.

The 28-year-old started nervously and Yorkshireman Grace took advantage to open up a 3-1 lead at the break.

Liang, world ranked 29, recovered from 4-2 down to take the next four frames and reach only a second ranking final.

Despite winning the opening frame, Romford-based Liang looked a different player from the one who racked up three successive centuries against Hong Kong's Marco Fu in the quarter-finals.

He appeared edgy as being favourite, occasionally slapping his own face as his frustrations boiled over.

Grace, who cleans snooker tables to supplement his earnings, won three frames in a row with a highest break of just 52 as the contest took a while to warm up a capacity crowd in York.

Liang, whose only other ranking final was the Shanghai Masters in 2009, banged in a match-best 110 break in the first frame after the interval to reduce the arrears, but Grace opened up a two-frame lead again to lead 4-2.

The Chinese won two further scrappy frames to level the match in the eighth before a crucial 50 break gave him the lead for the first time since the opening frame.


He let a comfortable lead slip in the 11th, but Grace missed a simple pink when he had to clear the colours.



Neil Robertson 6-0 Mark Selby

Australia's Neil Robertson whitewashed world number one Mark Selby to set up a UK Championship final against Liang Wenbo at York's Barbican on Sunday.

Robertson stormed into a 4-0 interval lead and continued to pounce on errors to claim a 6-0 victory.

The world number three said: "I nicked a few frames and played well at the business end of frames."

World number 29 Liang, who has never won a ranking event, beat David Grace 6-4 in the other semi-final.


In reaching the final, the Chinese has jumped into the top 16 in the world which qualifies him a place at next month's Masters.

2015 UK Championships Quarter-Finals Day 10

Liang Wenbo 6-5 Marco Fu
Neil Robertson 6-5 John Higgins

David Grace 6-5 Martin Gould
Matthew Selt 1-6 Mark Selby

Thursday 3 December 2015

2015 UK Championships Last 16 Day 9

Liang Wenbo 6-5 Tom Ford
Neil Robertson 6-1 Stephen Maguire

Martin Gould 6-3 Joe Swail
Jamie Burnett 4-6 John Higgins

Wednesday 2 December 2015

2015 UK Championships Last 16 Day 8

Peter Ebdon 2-6 David Grace
Dechawat Poomjaeng 1-6 Mark Selby


Marco Fu 6-4 Shaun Murphy
Luca Brecel 4-6 Matthew Selt

Tuesday 1 December 2015

2015 UK Championships Round 3 Day 7

Martin Gould 6-4 Mark Allen
Tom Ford 6-1 Kyren Wilson
Ben Woollaston 2-6 Shaun Murphy
Stephen Maguire 6-4 Mark Davis


Judd Trump 4-6 Liang Wenbo
David Gilbert 3-6 Marco Fu
Neil Robertson 6-2 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Dechawat Poomjaeng 6-5 Mark Joyce

2015 UK Championships Round 3 Day 6

Stuart Bingham 3-6 Peter Ebdon
Jamie Burnett 6-3 Li Hang
Allister Carter 2-6 John Higgins
Robbie Williams 3-6 Matthew Selt

David Grace 6-4 Jack Lisowski
Michael Holt 1-6 Joe Swail
Robin Hull 2-6 Luca Brecel
Jamie Jones 5-6 Mark Selby

Monday 30 November 2015

2015 UK Championships Round 2 Day 5

Michael Georgiou 2-6 Mark Allen
Chris Wakelin 2-6 Michael Holt
Judd Trump 6-3 Stuart Carrington
Daniel Wells 3-6 Allister Carter
Matthew Selt 6-4 Sean O'Sullivan 
Dechawat Poomjaeng 6-2 Ryan Day
Mark Joyce 6-2 Sydney Wilson
Oliver Lines 0-6 Mark Selby



Dominic Dale 5-6 Peter Ebdon
Robert Milkins 2-6 David Grace
Neil Robertson 6-2 Aditya Mehta
Fergal O'Brien 5-6 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Stephen Maguire 6-0 Jamie Cope
Barry Hawkins 3-6 Robin Hull
Anthony McGill 4-6 Luca Brecel
Xiao Guodong 1-6 Jamie Jones

Sunday 29 November 2015

2015 UK Championship Round 2 Day 4

Second Round (Best of 11 frames)

13:00

Stuart Bingham (Eng) 6-3 Anthony Hamilton (Eng)

Graeme Dott (Sco) 5-6 Jack Lisowski (Eng)

Mark Williams (Wal) 5-6 Tom Ford (Eng)

Gary Wilson (Eng) 4-6 Martin Gould (Eng)

Yu De Lu (Chn) 0-6 Marco Fu (HK)

Liang Wenbo (Chn) 6-2 Jimmy Robertson (Eng)

Tian Pengfei (Chn) 2-6 John Higgins (Sco)

Mark Davis (Eng) 6-3 Ken Doherty (Ire)


19:00

Joe Swail (NI) 6-5 Adam Duffy (Eng)

Kyren Wilson (Eng) 6-2 Mike Dunn (Eng)

Zhou Yuelong (Chn) 1-6 Shaun Murphy (Eng)

Gerard Greene (NI) 5-6 David Gilbert (Eng)

Li Hang (Chn) 6-5 Ricky Walden (Eng)

Ross Muir (Sco) 5-6 Ben Woollaston (Eng)

Joe Perry (Eng) 3-6 Robbie Williams (Eng)

Jamie Burnett (Sco) 6-3 Alan McManus (Sco)

Friday 27 November 2015

2015 UK Championship Round 1 Day 3

09:30

Robert Milkins (Eng) 6-0 Vinnie Calabrese (Aus)

Rod Lawler (Eng) 4-5 Daniel Wells (Wal)

Graeme Dott (Sco) 6-2 Nigel Bond (Eng)

Robin Hull (Fin) 6-4 Zhang Anda (Chn)

Barry Hawkins (Eng) 6-5 Andy Hicks (Eng)

Robbie Williams (Eng) 6-3 Mitchell Mann (Eng)

Mark Allen (NI) 6-2 Zhao Xintong (Chn)

Dechawat Poomjaeng (Tha) 6-4 Chris Melling (Eng)


14:30

Stuart Bingham (Eng) 6-1 Jordan Brown (NI)

Anthony Hamilton (Eng) 4-3 Peter Lines (Eng)

David Gilbert (Eng) 6-1 Jason Weston (Eng)

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Tha) 6-3 Darryl Hill (Eng)

Fergal O'Brien (Ire) 5-5 Thor Chuan Leong (Mas)

Kurt Maflin (Nor) 3-6 Sean O'Sullivan (Eng)

Mark Selby (Eng) 6-0 Joe O'Connor (Eng)

Mark Joyce (Eng) 5-4 Barry Pinches (Eng)


19:30

Fergal O'Brien (Ire) 6-5 Thor Chuan Leong (Mas)

Mark Joyce (Eng) 6-4 Barry Pinches (Eng)

Kyren Wilson (Eng) 6-3 Paul S Davison (Eng)

Dominic Dale (Wal) 6-0 Michael Wild (Eng)

Neil Robertson (Aus) 6-3 Alex Taubman (Wal)

Luca Brecel (Bel) 6-1 Hossein Vafaei Ayouri (Irn)

Stephen Maguire (Sco) 6-5 Jimmy White (Eng)

Xiao Guodong (Chn) 6-5 Noppon Saengkam (Tha)

Matthew Selt (Eng) 5-5 Zhang Yong (Chn)

Cao Yupeng (Chn) 2-6 Oliver Lines (Eng)

Wednesday 25 November 2015

2015 UK Championship Round 1 Day 2

09:30

Michael Holt (Eng) 6-4 Fraser Patrick (Sco)

Jimmy Robertson (Eng) 6-4 Lu Ning (Chn)

Mark Williams (Wal) 6-4 Hamza Akbar (Pkn)

Mike Dunn (Eng) 6-3 Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon (Tha)

Ricky Walden (Eng) 6-1 Itaro Santos (Brz)

Gerard Greene (NI) 6-0 Michael Leslie (Sco)

Ryan Day (Wal) 6-1 Duane Jones (Wal)

Zhou Yuelong (Chn) 6-3 Craig Steadman (Eng)


14:30

Shaun Murphy (Eng) 6-1 Ashley Hugill (Eng)

Peter Ebdon (Eng) 6-0 Lyu Chenwei (Chn)

Rory McLeod (Eng) 5-6 Jamie Cope (Eng)

Yu Delu (Chn) 6-2 Michael Wasley (Eng)

Allister Carter (Eng) 6-4 Alfie Burden (Eng)

Mark King (Eng) 5-6 Ross Muir (Sco)

Joe Perry (Eng) 6-1 James Wattana (Tha)

Jamie Burnett (Sco) 6-1 Sanderson Lam (Eng)


19:30

Judd Trump (Eng) 6-1 Hammad Miah (Eng)

Matthew Stevens (Wal) 5-6 Chris Wakelin (Eng)

Marco Fu (HK) 6-2 Hatem Yassen (Egy)

Aditya Mehta (Ind) 6-5 Sam Baird (Eng)

Ben Woollaston (Eng) 6-1 Steven Hallworth (Eng)

Li Hang (Chn ) 6-5 Lee Walker (Wal)

Alan McManus (Sco) 6-5 Eden Sharav (Sco)

Tian Pengfei (Chn) 6-1 Ian Burns (Eng)

Tuesday 24 November 2015

2015 UK Championship Round 1 Day 1

Amateur Adam Duffy pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UK Championship history with a stunning 6-2 win over two-time winner Ding Junhui.

Duffy, 26, raced into a 3-0 lead and beat the world number nine easily.

A furious Ding criticised the playing conditions at the York Barbican.

Sheffield's Duffy, who is seeded 121 for the event, said: "I was confident going into the match because I have been working harder than I ever have before, but it's crazy. I am buzzing."

Ding's news conference lasted less than a minute and was littered with swear words.

The Chinese star complained about the table set-up and conditions and will be lucky to escape a fine from World Snooker for his rant.

Three-time UK Championship winner John Higgins had no problems coming through his first-round match.

The 40-year-old Scot, who has already won two ranking events this season, continued his impressive form with a routine 6-1 victory over Leo Fernandez.

Higgins is joined in the second round by three-time runner-up Ken Doherty, Mark Davis, Antony McGill and Sydney Wilson, who came from 4-2 and 5-4 down to stun Welshman Michael White in a thrilling final-frame decider.


Doherty, 46, thumped fellow veteran Tony Drago 6-0, world number 20 Davis beat Rhys Clark 6-1, while Scotland's McGill scored three centuries in a 6-3 victory over James Cahill.



First Round (Best of 11 frames)

14:30

Mark Davis (Eng) 6-1 Rhys Clark (Sco)

Andrew Higginson (Eng) 1-6 David Grace (Eng)

John Higgins (Sco) 6-1 Leo Fernandez (Ire)

David Morris (Ire) 5-6 Michael Georgiou (Eng)

Martin Gould (Eng) 6-2 Allan Taylor (Eng)

Stuart Carrington (Eng) 6-4 Liam Highfield (Eng)

Jamie Jones (Wal) 6-4 Ian Glover (Eng)

Ken Doherty (Ire) 6-0 Tony Drago (Mlt)

19:30

Ding Junhui (Chn) 2-6 Adam Duffy (Eng)

Jack Lisowski (Eng) 6-4 Zak Surety (Eng)

Liang Wenbo (Chn) 6-1 Gareth Allen (Wal)

Gary Wilson (Eng) 6-3 Martin O'Donnell (Eng)

Anthony McGill (Sco) 6-3 James Cahill (Eng)

Joe Swail (Eng ) 6-0 Joel Walker (Eng)

Michael White (Wal) 5-6 Sydney Wilson (Eng)

Tom Ford (Eng) 6-1 Scott Donaldson (Sco)

Monday 4 May 2015

2015 World Snooker Championship Final Day 2

MATCH SCORE Shaun Muprhy 15-18 Stuart Bingham

Third Session Shaun Murphy 2-6 Stuart Bingham

Stuart Bingham's brilliant comeback opened up a 14-11 lead over Shaun Murphy in the World Championship final at the Crucible in Sheffield.

Bingham, 38, won six out of eight frames - missing the final red on a maximum 147 effort along the way - to leave him four frames from victory.

He is appearing in his first final and had fought back from 3-0 and 8-4 down to end the first day 9-8 behind.

The final session will get under way at 19:00 BST.

A thrilling first day on Sunday had seen Murphy edge one frame ahead as the pair produced four centuries and 13 half-centuries.

The high standard of play continued on Monday with Bingham starting the third session in superb fashion.

The 32-year-old won the first four frames, which included an agonising miss while closing in on a 147 break, and he moved into a 12-9 lead.

Stephen Hendry, seven-time world champion

"It's a dangerous time for Stuart; you don't want to start getting ahead of yourself. There's a long way to go and I'm sure Shaun will come out tonight all guns blazing. It's important that the people around Stuart keep him on an even keel."

The next two frames were shared, guaranteeing Bingham a lead going into the final session, before Murphy cut the deficit with a much-needed break of 84.

Bingham had the final word, however, hitting back in the last to go three frames clear and complete a stunning session for the man from Basildon.

Parrott's verdict

"The way Stuart Bingham has played to win the session 6-2 is phenomenal. It is one of the most watchable and enjoyable finals I can remember and he has played a huge part in that.

"But you don't want to be working on your victory speech out just yet. There is a long way to go.


"Where Shaun Murphy can be dangerous is that some of the pressure can come off him a bit. The way he pots long balls, he can still have a big say in this final."


Fourth Session Shaun Murphy 4-4 Stuart Bingham

Stuart Bingham beat Shaun Murphy 18-15 in a gripping final to win his first World Championship at the Crucible.

Bingham began the final session with a 14-11 lead and won an epic 64-minute frame at 15-15 to close in on victory.

The 38-year-old made a break of 65 to go 17-15 in front and clinched the title with a brilliant 88.

Bingham, from Basildon, becomes the oldest snooker world champion since Welshman Ray Reardon won the title aged 45 in 1978.

He collects a winner's cheque for £300,000 and will rise from 10th to second in the world rankings.

"At one stage at 15-15 I thought I was going to do Shaun's [runner-up] speech," Bingham told BBC Sport. "It was a 64-minute frame to go 16-15 and that really calmed me down.

"To beat Shaun in the final tops everything off. Twenty years as professional, blood sweat and tears on the road. Qualifying in places like Prestatyn and Malvern.

"So many family and friends have backed me. It is unbelievable."

The all-English final pitted 2005 champion Murphy against outsider Bingham, who surprised favourite Ronnie O'Sullivan as well as in-form Judd Trump and former champion Graeme Dott in previous rounds.

And Bingham, a 50-1 outsider at the start of the tournament, held his nerve to become the oldest first-time winner at the Crucible.

Thirty years on from Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis's iconic final, which was won on the last black, both Bingham and Murphy played their part in another memorable title decider.

A breathtaking first day saw Murphy, from Nottingham, edge one frame ahead as the pair produced four centuries and 13 half-centuries.

Bingham did the damage in the third session on Monday, winning six of the eight frames to go in front at 14-11 and missing the last red when on for a maximum 147 break in the 20th frame.

He had the upper hand going into the final session but Murphy pulled a frame back, before Bingham's brilliant 102 under pressure put him three away from victory at 15-12.

Murphy, nicknamed 'The Magician', made breaks of 75 and 64 to level the contest at 15-15, but a missed the yellow proved crucial in a tense 31st frame.


Bingham crucially edged in front again after an hour-long battle and the confidence spurred him on to make 55 in the next, before a missed red from Murphy opened up the table for Bingham to seal a famous victory.

Sunday 3 May 2015

2015 World Snooker Championship Final Day 1

MATCH SCORE: Shaun Murphy 9-8 Stuart Bingham

First Session Shaun Murphy 4-4 Stuart Bingham 

Stuart Bingham recovered from 3-0 down to level at 4-4 against Shaun Murphy in the opening session of the World Championship final in Sheffield.

Murphy, the 2005 champion, looked in command after the opening three frames but Bingham hit back with a century.

Bingham, playing in his first world final, grew in confidence and won two of the next three to go 4-3 behind, before taking the eighth to level.

The best-of-35 final resumes at 19:00 BST, with nine frames to be played.

Following his late semi-final victory over Judd Trump on Saturday - winning in a final-frame decider - Bingham fell behind in the biggest match of his career.

Murphy, who eased past Barry Hawkins in the last four, looked confident as he made breaks of 68, 59 and 65 to go 3-0 in front, but a 105 got Bingham on the scoreboard.

Bingham settled down from then on, stroking in breaks of 56 and 65 as he ended the first session all square.

Hendry's verdict

"That's a great result for Stuart Bingham," said seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry. 

"At 3-0 down he made a great century in the fourth frame. But at 3-0 behind he was looking nervous and that the occasion was getting to him.

"After the way Shaun Murphy steamrollered Barry Hawkins in the semi-final, you thought it might happen again. Every session is important and you can stamp your authority on a match early on so that is a chance missed for Shaun.

"The way the session ended will have put some doubts in his mind and it will be a worry for him."


Second Session Shaun Murphy 5-4 Stuart Bingham 

Shaun Murphy held a narrow 9-8 lead over Stuart Bingham after a thrilling first day of the World Championship final at the Crucible.

Bingham, 38, is playing in his maiden final at the Sheffield venue, and fought back from 3-0 and 8-4 down.

Murphy, the 2005 champion, showed his class with breaks of 121 and 106, but Bingham compiled 123 to move just one frame behind overnight.

The best-of-35 frame final will resume at 14:00 BST on Monday.

Snooker's showpiece event has so far lived up to its billing, with an all-English spectacle producing four centuries plus 13 further half-centuries.

Nottingham-based Murphy, appearing in his third final, was favourite heading into the match, but has been made to work hard by a battling performance from Basildon's Bingham.

He stated after his surprise semi-final victory over Judd Trump that he was "excited" to go out and play against Murphy and it showed, as he could not stop smiling throughout the opening exchanges.

But there was little to be happy about as 32-year-old Murphy claimed the first three frames.
Bingham settled down in the fourth with a century knock, before winning three of the next four frames to end the first session 4-4.

'The Magician' came out in the second session in stunning fashion, winning four in a row, including back-to-back tons. It equalled the most century breaks (83) made at a single World Championship.

Bingham showed great character, hitting back in the next three to go 8-7 behind with runs of 76 and 89, as well as breaking the tournament centuries record.

But Murphy snatched the 16th frame to guarantee himself an advantage heading into the final day, before Bingham took the last to stay in touch.

Parrott's verdict

"That's the best session I've ever seen Stuart play," said 1991 world champion John Parrot. "It has been a fabulous match we have seen this evening.

"Judd Trump could not get rid of Stuart in the semi-final and he again shows that he just does not want to get beaten. It's a fantastic show of character from him tonight and he can be proud of what he has done.


"Both players are capable of winning three or four frames on the trot tomorrow. This match is wide open."

Wednesday 29 April 2015

2015 World Snooker Championships Day 12

10:00 BST

Barry Hawkins 7-5 Neil Robertson
Ding Junhui 4-13 Judd Trump

14:30 BST

Anthony McGill 8-13 Shaun Murphy
Stuart Bingham 8-8 Ronnie O'Sullivan

19:00 BST

Barry Hawkins 13-12 Neil Robertson 
Stuart Bingham 13-9 Ronnie O'Sullivan 

Tuesday 28 April 2015

2015 World Snooker Championships Day 11

10:00 BST

Anthony McGill (Sco) 4-4 Shaun Murphy (Eng)
Ding Junhui (Chn) 2-6 Judd Trump (Eng)

14:30 BST
Barry Hawkins (Eng) 5-3 Neil Robertson (Aus)
Stuart Bingham (Eng) 5-3 Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng)

19:00 BST
Anthony McGill (Sco) 7-9 Shaun Murphy (Eng)
Ding Junhui (Chn) 4-12 Judd Trump (Eng)

Monday 27 April 2015

2015 World Snooker Championships Day 10

Five-time winner Ronnie O'Sullivan reached the quarter-finals of the World Championship with a 13-5 victory over Matthew Stevens at the Crucible.
Resuming with a 12-4 lead, O'Sullivan took the frame he needed at the second attempt and faces Stuart Bingham next.
Shaun Murphy beat Joe Perry 13-5 to reach the last eight, while Judd Trump defeated Marco Fu 13-8 to set up a match against China's Ding Junhui.
Australia's Neil Robertson ended with a 145 break to beat Ali Carter 13-5.
With O'Sullivan and Robertson holding such commanding leads, the evening session comprised of just four frames, and took about 40 minutes to complete.
Welshman Stevens, runner-up in 2000 and 2005, looked to be struggling with a neck injury in the final session, but still managed to make a break of 63 to reduce the deficit against O'Sullivan.
But the damage had been done in the first session and a 77 break saw O'Sullivan, 39, reach the last eight for a 17th time.
"I built up a good lead so was happy just to come back for that," he said.
"When you have won it five times and won everything, you don't really get that excited. I am just happy to still be playing."
Stevens said: "I took a bit of hammering really. I made a couple of mistakes and before you know it he has capitalised on it."

'The best snooker of my life'

Murphy, who completed the 'Triple Crown' of World, UK and Masters titles in January, comfortably beat Perry in their last-16 encounter.
The 2005 winner was 12-5 ahead overnight and made a break of 68 to progress to face Anthony McGill in the next round on Tuesday (10:00 BST).
With champion Mark Selby exiting from his side of the draw, the Englishman is confident of repeating his feat of 10 years ago, when he won the event as a qualifier.
"I am playing the best snooker of my life," said the 32-year-old.
"Being 12-5 in front is difficult to approach but I tried to prepare in exactly the same way as I would normally do and hope I got the chance to get over the line."
Perry said: "Shaun is a great front-runner and I never recovered from a bad start. The game can turn around, but at 7-1 you are just trying to get some pride and make it respectable."
rump, beaten in the 2011 final by John Higgins, showed no nerves when close to the winning line against Hong Kong's Fu, stroking in a superb 133 break to advance.
"If I continue playing like that I will be tough to beat," said Trump, 25.
"My game is there, it is just whether I can keep it up for the rest of the tournament."

'Someone needs a 147 to beat highest break'

Robertson compiled a stunning 145 break - the highest of the tournament - to beat Englishman Carter and faces Barry Hawkins next.
It was his fourth century in a match he dominated.
"Comebacks have happened before but being 10-3 up, I wanted to win with a session to spare. An 11-5 lead I was happy with though," said Robertson.
"Someone will need to make a 147 to beat my high break now, and I am very pleased to win the match."

Sunday 26 April 2015

2015 World Snooker Championships Day 9

10:00 BST
Joe Perry (Eng) 1-7 Shaun Murphy (Eng)
Marco FU (HK) 3-5 Judd Trump (Eng)

14:30 BST
Ali Carter (Eng) 5-11 Neil Robertson (Aus)
Matthew Stevens (Wal) 4-12 Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng)

19:00 BST
Joe Perry (Eng) 4-12 Shaun Murphy (Eng)
Marco FU (HK) 6-10 Judd Trump (Eng)

Saturday 25 April 2015

2015 World Snooker Championships Day 8

10:00 BST

Barry Hawkins (Eng) 7-9 Mark Allen (NI)

Ding Junhui (Chi) 13-9 John Higgins (Sco)


14:30 BST
Graeme Dott (Sco) 5-13 Stuart Bingham (Eng)
Allister Carter (Eng) 2-6 Neil Robertson (Aus)

19:00 BST
Barry Hawkins (Eng) 13-11 Mark Allen (NI)
Matthew Stevens (Wal) 3-5 Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng)

Friday 24 April 2015

2015 World Snooker Championships Day 7

10:00 BST
Mark Selby (Eng) 6-10 Anthony McGill (Sco)
Graeme Dott (Sco) 2-6 Stuart Bingham (Eng)
14:30 BST
Barry Hawkins (Eng) 3-5 Mark Allen (NI)
Ding Junhui (Chn) 9-7 John Higgins (Sco)
19:00 BST
Mark Selby (Eng) 9-13 Anthony McGill (Sco)
Graeme Dott (Sco) 5-11 Stuart Bingham (Eng)

Thursday 23 April 2015

2015 World Snooker Championships Day 6

13:00 BST

Shaun Murphy 10-3 Robin Hull
Mark Selby 4-4 Anthony McGill (best of 25 frames)

19:00 BST

Judd Trump 10-6 Stuart Carrington
Ding Junhui 3-5 John Higgins (best of 25 frames)

Wednesday 22 April 2015

2015 World Snooker Championship Day 5

10:00 BST

Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) 10-3 Craig Steadman (Eng)
Joe Perry (Eng) 8-1 Zhang Anda (Chn)

14:30 BST

Mark Williams (Wal) 10-2 Matthew Stevens (Wal)
Shaun Murphy (Eng) 7-2 Robin Hull (Fin)

19:00 BST

Joe Perry (Eng) 10-4 Zhang Anda (Chn)
Judd Trump (Eng) 7-2 Stuart Carrington (Eng)

Tuesday 21 April 2015

2015 World Snooker Championships Day 4

10:00 BST


Ding Junhui (Chn) 10-7 Mark Davis (Eng)
Mark Allen (NI) 7-2 Ryan Day (Wal)


14:30 BST


Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) 7-2 Craig Steadman (Eng)
Ali Carter (Eng) 10-5 Alan McManus (Sco)


19:00 BST


Mark Williams (Wal) 2-7 Matthew Stevens (Wal)
Mark Allen (NI) 10-3 Ryan Day (Wal)

Monday 20 April 2015

2015 World Snooker Championships Day 3

10:00 BST



Barry Hawkins (Eng) 7-2 Matthew Selt (Eng)


Stuart Bingham (Eng) 5-4 Robbie Williams (Eng)


14:30 BST


Neil Robertson (Aus) 7-2 Jamie Jones (Wal)


Ding Junhui (Chn) 4-3 Mark Davis (Eng)


19:00 BST



Stuart Bingham (Eng) 10-7 Robbie Williams (Eng)

Ali Carter (Eng) 5-4 Alan McManus (Sco)

Sunday 19 April 2015

2015 World Snooker Championships Day 2

10:00 BST


Marco Fu (HK) 10-6 Jimmy Robertson (Eng)


Barry Hawkins (Eng) 7-2 Matthew Selt (Eng)




14:30 BST


Ricky Walden (Eng) 8-10 Graeme Dott (Sco)


Neil Robertson (Aus) 7-2 Jamie Jones (Wal)




19:00 BST


Stephen Maguire (Sco) 9-10 Anthony McGill (Sco)


John Higgins (Sco) 10-5 Robert Milkins (Eng)

Saturday 18 April 2015

2015 World Snooker Championships Day 1

1000 Marco Fu 5-4 Jimmy Robertson


1000 Mark Selby 6-3 Kurt Maflin


1430 Stephen Maguire 3-6 Anthony McGill


1430 John Higgins 6-3 Robert Milkins




Morning & afternoon round-up: Defending champion Mark Selby took a 6-3 lead over Kurt Maflin in the opening session of their best-of-19 World Championship first-round match.


The Leicester man, 31, won his maiden world title last year by beating Ronnie O'Sullivan, but no first-time winner has ever retained their crown.


In a high-class first session at the Crucible, Selby made a century - plus breaks of 84 and 69 - with Maflin compiling 96 on his debut.


They play to a finish from 19:00 BST.


Maflin, also 31, showed little sign of nerves and fought competently, striding around the table with confidence.


The Norwegian made three half-centuries in the session, but number one seed Selby had set the tone by making 84 in the first frame.


He won a crucial seventh frame on a re-spotted black and, after Maflin made 88 in the eighth, Selby nicked the last frame.

In the afternoon session, four-time champion John Higgins established a 6-3 lead over Robert Milkins, while Anthony McGill leads his fellow Scot Stephen Maguire by the same margin.


Marco Fu leads Jimmy Robertson 5-4 after their first session. They resume at 10:00 BST on Sunday.




1900 Ricky Walden 4-5 Graeme Dott




1900 Mark Selby 10-9 Kurt Maflin


Defending champion Mark Selby survived a major scare to narrowly beat Kurt Maflin 10-9 in the first round of the World Championship at the Crucible.


The world number one, 31, was on the brink of exiting against the battling Norweigian, ranked 38.


Selby made a century as he opened up a 6-3 lead after the first session.


Qualifier Maflin won five frames in a row in the final session to lead 9-8, but Selby forced a decider before taking the last to go through.


Maflin had to come through three rounds of qualifying to reach the main stage, and staged a remarkable comeback on his first appearance at the Sheffield venue.


Ultimately, Selby, who defeated Ronnie O'Sullivan in last year's final, kept his composure by winning the last two frames to scrape through.


It is only the first step to breaking the 'Curse of the Crucible' as no maiden winner has gone on to reclaim the trophy the following year.


That is not the only hoodoo Selby will need to overturn. He won the previous ranking event - the China Open - earlier this month, but has never achieved back-to-back majors, and despite winning six ranking titles in his career has not triumphed at the same event twice.


He began his tournament defence in impressive fashion, compiling 84 in the first frame, before further breaks of 108 and 69 put him in control.


Maflin was not overawed, though, making 96 - his highest break of the match - plus an 88 during the opening session.


At one stage in the final session he was 8-4 down as Selby made a superb 127 clearance, but showed incredible resilience against a player known for his toughness and drew the contest level at 8-8.


Remarkably, Maflin went ahead for the first time with the run of the ball on his side, but Selby forced the decider and held himself together in the last to progress.

Sunday 18 January 2015

2015 Masters Final Neil Robertson 2-10 Shaun Murphy

Shaun Murphy trounced world number one Neil Robertson 10-2 in the final of the Masters to become only the 10th player to complete snooker's 'triple crown'.


Murphy, 32, adds to his 2005 World Championship victory and his triumph in the 2008 UK Championship.


In a repeat of the 2012 final, Murphy made two centuries to avenge the defeat he suffered in that match.


Robertson failed to get going, and Murphy completed the biggest winning margin in the final for 27 years.


It was the first time since Steve Davis's 9-0 whitewash of Mike Hallett in 1988 that the final was decided by such a wide deficit.


The 10 'triple crown' winners

Steve Davis, Terry Griffiths, Alex Higgins, Stephen Hendry, John Higgins, Mark Williams, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Neil Robertson, Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy


"I can't believe it," said Murphy, who nearly quit the sport a year ago. "To finally get the win and the crown is unbelievable.


"I remember in the past Neil nicking a few tight frames against me and they really hurt. I just decided to stick in there and be patient and in the end I got a chance to steal the frame.


"In all, I have played pretty well this week and I am blown away."


Englishman Murphy's preparations for the tournament were hampered by a severe chest infection.


After stating he wanted to win the Masters within the next decade, he put together devastating performances full of confidence and style - much like his World Championship triumph at the Crucible 10 years previously.


He won six frames in a row to beat Mark Allen in the last four and started the final in similar fashion, claiming the first five frames to open up a healthy advantage.


But Australian Robertson - who crushed defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan in the previous round - battled back by taking two of the next three frames to go 6-2 behind.


Six-time world champion Steve Davis

"It is never nice to get a drubbing in the final but it was just one match.
"If you look at Neil Robertson's standard in the tournament as a whole it was very high.
"However, you judge yourself on winning and losing and you beat yourself up on the last defeat."



"Shaun played very well today," said 32-year-old Robertson.



"I just could not produce the sort of snooker that got me to the final. I'd just like to say welcome to the triple crown club. He is a worthy champion."



Murphy restored the five-frame lead by taking the ninth, before a superb 127 and the following frame put him one away from victory.



And he quickly finished the match by making a composed break of 60 in the 13th frame for the £200,000 top prize and the trophy.

Saturday 17 January 2015

2015 Masters Semi Finals Sat 17th Jan

Ronnie O'Sullivan 1-6 Neil Robertson


Ali Carter 2-6 Shaun Murphy


World number one Neil Robertson crushed defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-1 to reach his third Masters final.


It brought an end to O'Sullivan's 15-match winning streak in all competitions as Robertson made breaks of 100, 66 and 60 to go through.


He faces Shaun Murphy in a repeat of the 2012 final after the Englishman came back to beat Mark Allen 6-2.


Murphy keeps alive his hopes of a career 'triple crown', winning six frames in a row to clinch victory.


"A lot has been said and written about me needing this to complete the triple crown. As much as you try and ignore it, you can't," Murphy told BBC Sport.


"It does mean so much to have another crack in the final. When Neil plays like he has done this week, he is almost unbeatable. It is my job to try and find a nick somewhere."


Having won the 2005 World title and 2008 UK crown, 'The Magician' can join an elite group of nine players who have won all three of snooker's majors.


Neil Robertson
Robertson beat Murphy 10-6 in the 2012 Masters final


Murphy stated before the tournament that he wants to win the invitational Masters event by 2025, but he may not need that long if he gains revenge over Robertson in Sunday's showpiece.


Northern Irishman Allen took a 2-0 lead with breaks of 83 and 62, before Murphy responded with 80 and 83 as he went 3-2 ahead.


A 76 break plus a century put him further in front at 5-1, before taking the one he needed to advance into his second final.


The first semi-final pitted together snooker's record century-maker in O'Sullivan, and Robertson, who compiled more than 100 century breaks last season.


'The Rocket' had won the Champion of Champions tournament and the UK Championship in the lead-up to this tournament, but he was beaten by a confident and high-scoring opponent.


BBC Sport analyst Steve Davis

"To beat O'Sullivan, it needed a standard of snooker that Robertson produced.
"Ronnie has put together so much good stuff over the last few years, that he can't keep on doing it time after time.
"It is a relentless standard he has produced and can't always be at his brilliant best."


Robertson won the first frame with a century break and stole the next with a 66 clearance after O'Sullivan had compiled 63 but missed a frame-ball black.


And the Australian - who had a 97% pot success rate in his win over Ali Carter - took the third, but O'Sullivan, who struggled throughout, made a 101 break in the fourth frame to go two frames behind.


However, with the Englishman continually missing pots, Robertson closed out the match in an assured manner with breaks of 58 and 60 as he looks to win the crown for a second time.


"I am really happy with the way I played. Ronnie was struggling but I put him under pressure early on," Robertson told BBC Sport.


"When he made mistakes, I had to capitalise - that was the key. He never seemed to settle."

Friday 16 January 2015

2015 Masters 1/4 finals Fri 16th Jan

Mark Allen 6-4 Joe Perry


Shaun Murphy 6-4 Stephen Maguire


Shaun Murphy reached his third Masters semi-final after an enthralling 6-4 victory over Stephen Maguire at Alexandra Palace.


Having won the 2005 World title and 2008 UK crown, Murphy stays on course for a career 'triple crown', after making two breaks of 103 to advance.


He will meet Mark Allen who beat Joe Perry 6-4 earlier in the day.


"For long periods of that match, it was embarrassing," Allen told BBC Sport. "I just could not get anything going.


"I was delivering the cue so badly."


Allen went 3-1 ahead, before England's Perry made breaks of 50, 68 and 67 to make it 4-4. But Northern Irishman Allen made a break of 55 and then clinched the 10th to progress.


Allen went through into his second Masters semi-final but will have to improve significantly if he is to trouble Murphy.


Scotland's Maguire opened with breaks of 137 and 67, before Murphy responded with 103 as he levelled at 2-2.


Some superb potting allowed Englishman Murphy to go ahead in the match for the first time at 4-3, before another century and the 10th frame gave him victory.


Thursday 15 January 2015

2015 Masters 1/4 finals Thurs 15th Jan

Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-1 Marco Fu
Neil Robertson 6-1 Ali Carter




World number one Neil Robertson put in a stunning performance to defeat Ali Carter 6-1 in the quarter-finals of the Masters in London.

The Aussie was in sublime form, compiling two century breaks plus three further half centuries to complete a comfortable win at Alexandra Palace.

He now faces Ronnie O'Sullivan in Saturday's semi-final.

Carter was given the all-clear in December after developing a cancerous tumour on his lung .

He missed the first five months of the season, but won the General Cup, a non-ranking event held in Hong Kong in October, before playing in the invitational Champions of Champions event in November and the UK Championship later that month.

'The Captain' was superb in his first match in this tournament, trouncing Barry Hawkins 6-1, but he came up against a formidable opponent in Robertson.

The Aussie had a pot-success rate of 97% in making frame-winning contributions of 128, 57, 98, 127 and finally 84, as he seeks a second Masters crown to add to his 2012 triumph.

Earlier, O'Sullivan scored his 776th career century to break Stephen Hendry's all-time record as he defeated Marco Fu 6-1.

Wednesday 14 January 2015

2015 Masters Round 1 Weds 14th Jan

Mark Allen 6-4 John Higgins

Ding 3-6 Joe Perry


Former champion Ding Junhui was beaten 6-3 by Joe Perry in the first round of the Masters at Alexandra Palace.


Perry stroked in breaks of 79 and 104 to lead, before going 4-2 ahead after nicking the sixth frame on the final black, despite needing three snookers.


Ding won the next frame by a point, but Perry clinched the two he needed including a century to advance.


Two-time champion John Higgins was knocked out of the tournament after losing 6-4 to Mark Allen.


The match began with real quality as Higgins made two centuries and Allen one as the pair were locked at 3-3.


Allen went 5-3 up and although Higgins got one back with a break that ended with a missed yellow when on for a 147, the Northern Irishman sealed the win.


"I like to think I am good under pressure, I have good bottle," Allen told BBC Sport after his victory.


"I had it in the back of my mind to stay positive. I have a good record against him recently and he has been struggling."


Higgins has not won a ranking event since the Shanghai Masters in 2012 and his form has declined over the last couple of seasons.


Although he showed flashes of brilliance with three centuries and a 96 in an enthralling encounter, Allen capitalised on his mistakes to progress.

Tuesday 13 January 2015

2015 Masters Round 1 Tues 13th Jan 2015

Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-4 Ricky Walden

Defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan equalled Stephen Hendry's all-time centuries record of 775 as he beat Ricky Walden 6-4 in the Masters.


O'Sullivan compiled hundreds in the sixth and 10th frame in the first round at Alexandra Palace in London.



Walden failed to capitalise on opportunities as O'Sullivan went 5-1 ahead before his opponent hit back.



He made a hundred of his own and took another two but O'Sullivan progressed and faces Marco Fu in the next round.


"I could have had it earlier on," O'Sullivan told BBC Sport. "You start to make silly mistakes when you are chasing a record. I scraped over the line."

Hendry, who turned 46 today, reacted by saying: "I am not bothered, it was a matter of time [before it was beaten]."

O'Sullivan began the tournament on 773 career tons but soon matched seven-time world champion Hendry's record.

'The Rocket' was given a let off against Walden, who he defeated 6-0 at the quarter-final stage last year, when he put together a record 556 unanswered points.

Walden was on the verge of going out, but reduced the arrears to 5-4, before O'Sullivan fluked a yellow as he made the record-equalling break of 116 for victory.

In the evening match, Ali Carter faces Barry Hawkins in the first round at 19:00 GMT.




Barry Hawkins 1-6 Ali Carter


Ali Carter made quick work of Barry Hawkins with a 6-1 win in the first round of the Masters in London.


Carter was given the all-clear by doctors in December after developing a cancerous tumour on his lung, months after beating testicular cancer.


He made a superb start to the match with breaks of 95 and 50 to hold a 3-1 lead at the mid-session interval.


A century followed as he extended his advantage to 5-1, and he took the next frame to seal a comprehensive victory.


Carter received a standing ovation into the arena and said it was "a dream come true" to be playing in such a big event.


The 35-year-old missed the first five months of this season, before winning the General Cup, a non-ranking event held in Hong Kong in October.


He then played in the invitational Champions of Champions event in November and the UK Championship later that month, before getting the all-clear.


But he was untroubled in this match and sets up a meeting with Australia's Neil Robertson in the quarter-finals.