2021 English Open

Joe_ Public

Last 64 getting underway today in Milton Keynes and all the big guns out: Judd, Ronnie, Higgins, Robbo, Selby etc. Even if Judd successfully defends his title, its guaranteed Selby will return to No.1 and Judd won't be happy about it!

A few interesting ties this pm:

Judd TrumpvMatthew Selt613:00Barry HawkinsvReanne Evans1213:00Shaun MurphyvDuane Jones1613:00Yan BingtaovAaron Hill

On his day, Selt can be trouble but hard to ever say when that day is. Hope Aaron can keep it pucked out to Yan at least.

Edit: just realised my mistake, these are the held over last 128 matches of course! So all the top 16 seeds out today. Be interesting to see how many left standing by the end of the day.

Joe_ Public

Full match schedule for today. Live tv coverage on Eurosport from 12.45pm.

10:00Anthony McGill v Gao Yang 10:00Stephen Maguire vMark King

10.00 Kyren WilsonvNoppon Saengkham

10:00Ding JunhuivAndrew Pagett

13:00Judd TrumpvMatthew Selt

13:00Barry HawkinsvReanne Evans

13:00Shaun MurphyvDuane Jones

13:00Yan BingtaovAaron Hill

14:00 Stuart BinghamvNg On Yee

14:00 Jack LisowskivMark Joyce

14:00 Oliver SykesvAllan Taylor

14:00 Mark SelbyvSanderson Lam 19:00Mark LloydvPaul Deaville

19:00Ronnie O'SullivanvDavid Lilley

19:00John HigginsvZhao Jianbo

19:00Alexander UrsenbachervTom Ford

20:00Neil RobertsonvAndy Hicks

20:00Mark AllenvLuca Brecel

20:00Gary WilsonvBen Woollaston

zuutroy

Non stop snooker until Christmas now pretty much!

Joe_ Public

First seed gone as Maguire loses 3-4 to Mark King. Wins for ding, Kyren Wilson and Anto McGill.

Arthur Daley

Brecel has fairly fallen down the rankings. Gives Mark Allen a hangover after Belfast.

Joe_ Public

Enjoyable discussion with Ronnie and Jimmy there. Always like listening to them when they're kind of shooting the breeze like that. Jimmy talking about all the years Hendry would keep asking him why he was torturing himself on tour, only then to return himself!

Joe_ Public

Great frame from Fergal, takes Bingham to a decider here. Would be massive win if he can get it.

Arthur Daley

Fergal with the win 4-3. Good for him

Arthur Daley

Hendry not getting a sniff tonight against Wakelin

Joe_ Public

A classic Fergal final frame, balls go awkward and he grinds it out. Mark Davis up next so a chance for a good run this week. Massive for him.

waynescales1

Big Fergo into the next round. Mark Davis a beatable opponent for him. The two lads with a combined age of 98 begad!

Joe_ Public

That's Fergal done for this week anyway. Davis done it well but Fergal had his chances early on, missed big chance to steal for 2-0. Not to be but still in ok shape, uk and Scottish still to come and still a chance to qualify for the grand prix. Happy enough.

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118115173#Comment_118115173

Turning point was missing that yellow to go 2-0 up. Pity, he looked confident up till the.

Joe_ Public

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118115575#Comment_118115575

Yeah that would have been a steal and he'd have been in control. Had good chance to win 3rd as well. Still, Davis began to play good stuff so don't think Fergal should be too hard on himself. Game looks to be in ok shape thus far, working hard and grimly determined to retain that tour card. Total faith in him to achieve it.

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118115647#Comment_118115647

I seriously admire the guy. I hope he wins a nice few quid this season, no one works harder at the game.

Joe_ Public

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118115665#Comment_118115665

Very true and one of the soundest lads on the circuit too. As a point of trivia, only Nigel Bond has been continuously longer on tour than Fergal, excepting those in receipt of wild cards, and I know how desperate he is to keep that run going. Still a few good years left in the old dog yet!

Strumms

nothing much wrong with Hallworths potting tonight but positionally been very careless. Again as I type, Jesus... and next shot again...

Joe_ Public

Watching this kid Paul Deaville go 3-2 up against Zhao Xintong. Know nothing about him other than this is his first ever main tour event and he just turned 17 last week. Looks very mature and composed, interesting.

Joe_ Public

Zhao absolutely blew it in the end, same as he did against Aaron last week, just no head for the game at all that lad! All credit to Deaville though, some great potting in the decider and bottle too to close it out. Into last 16 in debut tournament. Not bad going at all.

Ronnie was on fire yesterday.. 3 centuries were sublime.. He barely gave Desi time to pick the balls out the pockets; in the first of those at least.. He weren't giving her much room when she was going to pick the black out,,, If it was anyone else!

Joe_ Public

Sheriff an interesting opponent for Osullivan today. For a guy who was racked with sight and back trouble only a few months ago, talking about retirement, he's been doing pretty decent this season - only lost 3 matches of which 2 were against Trump. Ronnie should win well of course, but you never know. Sheriff might nick a frame or two anyway.

Strumms

A scrappy first frame, Selby missing a close and straightforward and almost straight red , Wakelin can’t capitalize even with balls spread all over the table, a straight looking plant goes wrong..

Ronnie and 'The Sheriff' starting 😊

Anthony using Selt's old cue was the pre-match talking point... Gwan Antnee!!

Ronnie in with a good half century early doors... Got unlucky with 'the split'... Got stuck on a red... no pot... Sheriff flukes one via a plant... snookers Ron on the green... worked out for him, as Ronnie messes the 'glancing blow' escape... About 44 behind, but Anthony with a good chance.. About 10/3 to clear up the remaining 3 reds and colours tho, the way 2 of the reds are sityeeated... GWAn Anto!!

Couldn't manage the clearup alas... Jaws 2nd last red.. Leaves it on,,,,effectively frameball, and duly potted.... First blood to the rocket

Gets in with a 6-maybe 7 outta 10 red, and then breaks down on an easier one does Anthony... No way can I see anything but a comprehensive win for Ronnie here..

Joe_ Public

Can't be missing pots like those, be a short afternoon..

Strumms

Hamilton continues to make some nice long pots then missing a couple of absolute sitters, complete gimmies.

Am getting the feeling that Ronnie knows he can't lose... Can't see Anthony making even a fifty break in this match - reckon Ronnie thinks the same. He's in now, and I hope Anthony proves me wrong...

Am getting 'The Color Of Money' type vibes here... Just like when Paul Newman got a "sympathy oscar" for his performance, it's like Ron is playing a bit half-hearted out of 'sympathy' for Anthony - probably not, but that's the vibe I'm getting here...

Get the ton now Anto!

Arthur Daley

Battling performance from the Sherriff but Ronnie holds on to be top dog

Joe_ Public

Anthony was in there, couple of open reds, runs out of position and makes 3. Plays decent safety shot and doesn't get back to the table! Though thinking that opening red from ronnie was a fluke (not sure if he mentioned it afterwards). Second red definitely wasn't!

^^^

According to Ronnie in the studio, he meant to pot that red; that's why he had that exchange with Anthony briefly after... "I told him I meant it.. Didn't want to go on and make a century, and for him to think it was a fluke" .. That's Ron's story anyway!

Currently an amateur, the glove-wearing Ross Muir acquitting himself very nicely in frame 1 against Trump, as he heads for the winning line

He's playing some great stuff is Ross. Doesn't look at all phased, and very composed. As the Tinkers might say... "he's not handicapped" 😝

Joe_ Public

Last time i saw Ross he was beating robbo, 3-4 years back, then lost sight of him. Think it was eyesight or migraines or something like that, good player if he can get a clear run at it.

Strumms

Poor safety though from what should have been an easy position to get Judd in a little trouble just might cost him this frame... really loose after a perfect start.

Pity about that loose/unlucky colliding with the green safety shot... A good pot on the green, but, according to JJ, it was lack of table time on the match table that caused him to make the cueball run about nine inches too far... Them's the hurdles that the lesser ranked players have to overcome as well,,, Certainly doesn't appear to be worried about being on the 'TV match table' per se..

Strumms

Two bad shots by Judd but the luck on both occasions not to leave anything handy by virtue of colors covering reds.... great talent but he has some luck usually.

waynescales1

O’Sullivan has a bit of a Liam Gallagher look about him these days.

Strumms

Clarke had a handful of chances to put O’Sullivan in trouble but kept just showing him half a red or better, balls were decent for a while to get snookers but couldn’t manage to put enough pressure on.

Strumms

Clarke really letting OSullivan off with some poor shots, never really getting him in trouble laying or trying to lay snookers, missing relatively easy pots too

How much?

Tip musta let Ron down with that deep screw attempt on the last black, when going for the yellah... pity 😴

waynescales1

I’m pretty sure if O’Sullivan didn’t act the bollox after 7-8 reds he’d have about 30 career maximums.

Strumms

Every now and then he just reaffirms why I’m never going to be shouting for Ronnie in a snooker match, you forget and then ... “how much for the maximum ? “ Like he doesn’t know !

Did he miss the yellow on purpose ?

Joe_ Public

There's been no prize for a max for a while. Surprised he wouldn't know that.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118120750#Comment_118120750

Pretty sure the blue had him snookered/or very close to a snooker on the yellow - hence the swerve,,, that's what it looked like to me anyway S....

Arthur Daley

Think he's just takin the piddle at this stage with asking the ref about the maximum. Pity it didn't happen, three years since he made one in competition.

Joe_ Public

Well, trump was jammy there. Could change the match that, though king still ahead and looking positive so far.