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2019 World Open, 28th Oct - 3rd Nov - Eurosport

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  • 21-10-2019 1:46pm
    #1
    Frank O. Pinion
    Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭


    The fifth ranking event of the season. A tournament that has beginnings in 1982, has gone under different names and locations, and moved to China in 2012, current home in Yushan since 2016.

    This event kicks off 21 days straight of professional Snooker, as this event is followed by the Champion of Champions, followed by the Northern Ireland Open, all back-to-back-to-back.

    World #3, Mark Williams was the defending champion, defeating David Gilbert 10-9 last year, but Williams has decided not to defend his title as he plans to travel less often to China. All other top players have entered, including surprisingly, Ronnie O'Sullivan, who has never played in the Chinese version of this tournament. He last played in the World Open in 2010, when it was held in Scotland, he lost 5-1 to Neil Robertson in the final.

    Higher prize money in China than a lot of the European events, top prize is £150,000, runner-up is £75,000. A qualifying round was held in Barnsley at the start of the month. There were some held over qualifying matches, including ones involving Judd Trump, Ronnie O'Sullivan, and Ken Doherty. No big Top 16 shock defeats in qualifying, except for Neil Robertson (#5) who couldn't find the correct Barnsley.

    All rounds are best-of-9s until the semis, which are best-of-11, and the final is a best-of-19.

    Round of 64, top half:

    Judd Trump (#1)/Zhang Jiankang v Sam Craigie
    Barry Pinches v Liang Wenbo
    Joe Perry (#15) v Michael Georgiou
    Yan Bingtao/Bai Langning v Stuart Carrington
    Michael Holt v Luca Brecel/Wu Yize
    Marco Fu v Barry Hawkins (#10)
    Martin O'Donnell v Chang Bingyu
    Liam Highfield v Ding Junhui/Billy Joe Castle
    Mark Selby (#4) v Anthony Hamilton
    Ricky Walden v Noppon Saengkham
    Stuart Bingham (#13) v Nigel Bond
    Jimmy Robertson v Jackson Page
    Jordan Brown v Graeme Dott
    Alan McManus v Shaun Murphy (#8)
    Mark Davis v Matthew Selt
    Lu Ning/Gao Yang v John Higgins (#6)

    Bottom half:

    Ian Burns v Craig Steadman
    Scott Donaldson/Zhang Yang v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
    Stephen Maguire (#14) v Sunny Akani
    Elliot Slessor v Xu Si
    Matthew Stevens v Anthony McGill
    Zhao Xintong v David Gilbert (#12) (last year's runner-up)
    Li Hang v Zhang Anda
    Ken Doherty/Li Yingdong v Mark Allen (#7)
    Kyren Wilson (#9) v Robbie Williams
    Lyu Haotian v Hossein Vafaei
    Jack Lisowski (#11) v Luo Honghao
    Xiao Guodong v Harvey Chandler
    Alfie Burden v Mei Xiwen
    Igor Figueiredo v Ali Carter (#16)
    Zhou Yuelong v Ben Woollaston
    Fergal O'Brien v Ronnie O'Sullivan (#2)/Dominic Dale


    I'm calling it early, we could possibly get the O'Sullivan/Carter rematch in the last 16.


Comments

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    #2
    DuckSlice
    Registered Users Posts: 2,884 ✭✭✭DuckSlice


    Hopefully O'Sullivan will put in a better showing than last week, and be nice for Ken to get a good run.


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    #3
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Barry Pinches! Now theres a blast from the past.

    I'm guessing Ronnie has ulterior motives for travelling, maybe sponsorship or commentary commitments. Or perhaps he really does believe he needs the competition, who knows? Potentially a lot of snooker for him over next month or so. Wish fergal well, nothing to lose so will relish the challenge.


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    #4
    Frank O. Pinion
    Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Joe_ Public wrote: »
    Barry Pinches! Now theres a blast from the past.
    #121 in the world, he beat Robert Milkins to qualify.
    Joe_ Public wrote: »
    I'm guessing Ronnie has ulterior motives for travelling, maybe sponsorship or commentary commitments. Or perhaps he really does believe he needs the competition, who knows? Potentially a lot of snooker for him over next month or so.
    He needs the ranking points for the ITV events next Spring. He's only #80 on the 1-year list, with £7,500, so he's got some work to do to at least get in the top 32 on the 1-year list before February. He doesn't want to just depend on winning the UK Championship again. Ronnie's definitely playing in the Champion of Champions, but has indicated he might skip the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast if he does well at this event next week in Yushan.


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    #5
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Well, he's 100th on the world grand prix list but thats hardly any reason for panic given he's less than 20k behind the 32nd on the list. But bigger money in china a very possible factor all the same, as much as he goes on about hating the travelling.


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    #6
    Frank O. Pinion
    Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    It's no real reason to panic, he was only on slightly more ranking points (£20,000) this time last year, but Ronnie is Ronnie and he doesn't want to put all his hopes in one or two events, even though he would prefer it to work out like that.

    If he loses early in this event, he'll (in his mind) have to play in Northern Ireland. If he loses early in the UK Championship, he'll have to play in the Scottish Open (which he skipped last year). A bad run in all four (unlikely), and he'll have to think about playing in the German and European Masters in January.

    A good run in this event and the UK, and he won't have to play in anything else besides The Masters (non-ranking), until the World Grand Prix in February.


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    #7
    Arthur Daley
    Registered Users Posts: 4,387 ✭✭✭Arthur Daley


    This was the Rothmans Grand Prix back in the day. A tournament I always liked at this time of the year. The first year that this was a ranking tournament saw Dennis Taylor's win in 1984 which set him up for the World championship the following May. Then in October 1985 we got a repeat of the Sheffield final 5 months on as Dennis fought back from way behind to bring Steve Davis to a final frame decider. Davis won 10-9 but this was the longest one day final in history at 10 hours 21 minutes.

    The BBC couldn't believe their luck with this tense match as this was peak Dennis Taylor and peak snooker loopiness.
    Don't think Barry Pinches was quite involved that far back. But Jimmy was for sure.


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    #8
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Arthur Daley wrote: »
    This was the Rothmans Grand Prix back in the day. A tournament I always liked at this time of the year. The first year that this was a ranking tournament saw Dennis Taylor's win in 1984 which set him up for the World championship the following May. Then in October 1985 we got a repeat of the Sheffield final 5 months on as Dennis fought back from way behind to bring Steve Davis to a final frame decider. Davis won 10-9 but this was the longest one day final in history at 10 hours 21 minutes.

    The BBC couldn't believe their luck with this tense match as this was peak Dennis Taylor and peak snooker loopiness.

    Well remember all that. Taylors mother had died shortly before the rothmans and it was very emotional. I loved the snooker back then, not so many events but every one of them was huge.


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    #9
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Frank O. Pinion wrote: »
    It's no real reason to panic, he was only on slightly more ranking points (£20,000) this time last year, but Ronnie is Ronnie and he doesn't want to put all his hopes in one or two events, even though he would prefer it to work out like that.

    If he loses early in this event, he'll (in his mind) have to play in Northern Ireland. If he loses early in the UK Championship, he'll have to play in the Scottish Open (which he skipped last year). A bad run in all four (unlikely), and he'll have to think about playing in the German and European Masters in January.

    A good run in this event and the UK, and he won't have to play in anything else besides The Masters (non-ranking), until the World Grand Prix in February.

    It all makes sense....i just cant help remembering that rant he had at peter ebdon last year about going everywhere and anywhere for a ranking point and wushan featured in it quite prominently iirc!


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    #10
    Frank O. Pinion
    Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    WorldSnooker.com
    Liam Highfield has withdrawn from the Zhiyuan World Open in Yushan due to ill health.

    Highfield was due to play in the last 64 on Tuesday evening, against the winner of the heldover match between Ding Junhui and Billy Joe Castle. Instead, the winner of Monday's match between Ding and Castle will receive a bye into the last 32.


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    #11
    zuutroy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,854 ✭✭✭zuutroy


    Fairly sure O'Sullivan will do well this week. He had no interest last week and looked a mess on and off the table. Best of 9s in China where he enjoys being, with the need to get a few quid in the bank to qualify for the tournaments he really enjoys mean he'll probably show up with a bit of focus and professionalism.


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    #12
    Frank O. Pinion
    Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Yeah, he was saying the English Open was just practice for this event, anyways.


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    #13
    Frank O. Pinion
    Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Currently 4-3 to Dominic Dale v O'Sullivan in a first to 5...

    World #14, Stephen Maguire has withdrawn from the event, so his opponent Sunny Akani gets a bye.


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    #14
    Frank O. Pinion
    Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Well, Ronnie loses his qualifying round match 5-3. Big upset, he has never lost to Dominic Dale before in nine previous meetings.

    Earlier, Mark Selby and Shaun Murphy both into the last 32.

    TV matches at 11:30am
    Yan Bingtao v Bai Langning (held over qualifying match)
    Ding Junhui v Billy Joe Castle (held over qualifying match)


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    #15
    GeneralC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 754 ✭✭✭GeneralC


    Delighted Ronnie is out and I'm happy for Dale. He has Fergal O'Brien next.

    I love Ronnie but he needs to take it down a notch or two. He's been very disrespectful towards his opponents/pundits etc lately and although he's a genius and the G.O.A.T, he needs to lead by example and be a true sportsman on and off the table.


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    #16
    zuutroy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,854 ✭✭✭zuutroy


    My post above didn't age well! Seems all over the shop. Safety was non-existent. The pink he missed in the middle was what sealed it. That's a 99/100 for me and I'm hopeless! Needs some good results now to get into the Coral tournaments. Wonder will he end up chasing the ranking points like all the players he was slagging off last year.


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    #17
    Frank O. Pinion
    Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Besides the Ronnie match, no other big shocks on day 1. The bottom half of the draw is wide open without Ronnie, plus Neil Robertson and Stephen Maguire would've been in the bottom half. Judd Trump, Mark Selby, and Shaun Murphy are all in the top half.

    Tomorrow's TV matches:

    6:30am
    John Higgins v Lu Ning
    Mark Allen v Ken Doherty

    11:30am
    Judd Trump v Sam Craigie
    Yan Bingtao v Stuart Carrington


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    #18
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    zuutroy wrote: »
    My post above didn't age well! Seems all over the shop. Safety was non-existent. The pink he missed in the middle was what sealed it. That's a 99/100 for me and I'm hopeless! Needs some good results now to get into the Coral tournaments. Wonder will he end up chasing the ranking points like all the players he was slagging off last year.

    Doubt he'll be in a panic tbh. Target to reach coral finals is usually around 50-60k so one good tournament would get him there. Suppose he'd want to try get a good seeding all the same. Want to be seriously off his game to be in any trouble id think.


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    #19
    Frank O. Pinion
    Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Last 32, top half:

    Judd Trump (#1) v Liang Wenbo
    Joe Perry (#15) v Stuart Carrington
    Michael Holt v Barry Hawkins (#10)
    Martin O'Donnell v Ding Junhui
    Mark Selby (#4) v Noppon Saengkham
    Stuart Bingham (#13) v Jimmy Robertson
    Graeme Dott v Shaun Murphy (#8)
    Mark Davis v John Higgins (#6)

    Bottom half:

    Craig Steadman v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
    Sunny Akani v Elliot Slessor
    Anthony McGill v David Gilbert (#12)
    Zhang Anda v Mark Allen (#7)
    Kyren Wilson (#9) v Hossein Vafaei
    Jack Lisowski (#11) v Xiao Guodong
    Alfie Burden v Ali Carter (#16)
    Zhou Yuelong v Fergal O'Brien

    No big shocks on day 2.

    12 seeds left, 7 in the top, 5 in the bottom. No former World Champions in the bottom half, but there's six in the top half, five of them being seeded players.

    One of Steadman/Un-Nooh/Akani/Slessor will be a quarter-finalist, and pick up £20,000. Another interesting quarter-finalist will come from Burden/Carter/Yuelong/O'Brien.

    QFs could look something like...

    Judd Trump v Ding Junhui
    Mark Selby v Shaun Murphy
    Thepchaiya Un-Nooh v Mark Allen
    Kyren Wilson v ...Ali Carter? (ugh, hopefully Yuelong instead)


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    #20
    Frank O. Pinion
    Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Graeme Dott with a big win over #1 player of the season so far, Shaun Murphy, 5-1. Mark Selby, David Gilbert, and Jack Lisowski have also all cruised into the last 16.

    TV matches at 11:30am:

    Judd Trump v Liang Wenbo
    Martin O'Donnell v Ding Junhui


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    #21
    Frank O. Pinion
    Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    There was a frame this afternoon over an hour between Ding and Martin O'Donnell that O'Donnell won, but lost the match 5-2.

    Last 16:

    Judd Trump v Joe Perry
    Michael Holt v Ding Junhui
    Mark Selby v Stuart Bingham
    Graeme Dott v John Higgins
    Thepchaiya Un-Nooh v Sunny Akani
    David Gilbert v Mark Allen
    Kyren Wilson v Jack Lisowski
    Ali Carter v Zhou Yuelong

    Really interested in the Un-Nooh/Akani match, two Thai players that I love watching. Carter/Yuelong is a rematch from this year's World Championship, also a last 16 match, that Carter won 13-9.


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    #22
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    What a final frame this Trump v Perry. Trump misses match ball pink right handed before getting it on second attempt. Perry had at least 3 great chances to win that frame, didnt get a lot of the run to be fair to him.


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    #23
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Thepchaiya into final, delighted for him, lovely to watch a fluent player like him but, my god kyren wilson, how many chances should a top player need?


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    #24
    Frank O. Pinion
    Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Been busy the last two days, so behind on viewing for this event, but that match between Un-Nooh/Wilson was incredible. Really hope he wins the final. Un-Nooh/Wilson will actually have a rematch next week in the Champion of Champions.


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    #25
    Frank O. Pinion
    Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Tough loss for Un-Nooh, especially losing a frame for the "3 miss" rule. Trump is having a great season as a first-time World Champion.


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