English Open snooker 2022 as it happened – Neil Robertson safely through after Judd Trump, Ronnie O'Sullivan wins
Updated 14/12/2022 at 23:26 GMT
The 2022 English Open takes centre stage from December 12-18 in Brentwood as Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump and Neil Robertson look to seize their first ranking title of the season. Both players secured victories, and there were also wins for Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins. Stream the 2022 English Open live and on-demand on discovery+ and eurosport.co.uk
'What is going on?' - O'Sullivan and Poomjaeng's bizarre battle on re-spotted black
That's us done for tonight
Join us again tomorrow at 12.45pm GMT!
Around the tables
- Wu Yize 1-4 Mark Selby
- Ryan Day 4-3 Ricky Walden
- Jamie Jones 4-1 Kyren Wilson
Neil Robertson beats Elliot Slessor 4-0!
Elliot drains the yellow but Neil slams home the green, and though he can play better than this, he was still excellent and far too good for Elliot. He meets Ryan Day next and, like pretty much all the best players in the world, looks a potential winner.
Robertson 3-0 Slessor (63-33)
This is excellent from Neil, who plays a succession of tremendous shots to remove the aforementioned balls on cushions - that must be knocking Elliot sick - before fluking position on the penultimate red. He sinks it but can't see off the yellow, so Elliot returns to the table 30 behind with 27 left. Good luck with that one, old mate
Robertson 3-0 Slessor (21-33)
A careless safety from Elliot lets Neil in, and though the black is out of commission, blue and pink are available, likewise a fair few reds. This might not be curtains because there are still balls on rails, but it'll be close.
Robertson 3-0 Slessor (0-33)
Elliot spanks a Hail Mary of a long red to right corner - shot! - gets to 33, and finds himself about to attempt a red along the side rail and to the green pocket ... before thinking better of it and playing safe.
Around the tables
- Wu Yize 1-4 Mark Selby
- Ryan Day 3-3 Ricky Walden
- Jamie Jones 4-1 Kyren Wilson
Robertson 3-0 Slessor
Elliot just can't get into this - which is no great surprise given he's playing one of the greats in great form.
Robertson 2-0 Slessor (61-0)
Of course he can, black going to right corner, and white screwing down the table, flicking the green, and leaving a thin cut with the rest to left corner. down it goes, and this really is a glorious contribution, an 11-minute half-century. Next comes a taxing brown, and this time Neil finds himself on the side cushion, out of position with one more red required; he plays safe, but with all the balls in play, one mistake could let Elliot in ... and there's a red cuttable long to left corner. Elliot, though opts not to take it on - that looks a poor call because is he really winning a safety exchange? - and a poor shot means Neil will now secure the frame.
Robertson 2-0 Slessor (48-0)
Neil continues with red-blues, and one good shot on the latter, to the middle but heading towards baulk, will allow him to eliminate the final red protecting the pink. He plays it well, but opts to liberate the black instead; can he sink it via cut-back and get onto the next ball?
Robertson 2-0 Slessor (19-0)
Frame three beings with a rogue alarm, eventually silenced by a glare from the Thunder. Elliot then leaves another loose red to left corner, the inevitable happens, and Neil gets to work. The way the reds are spread looks highly inviting, but with pink and black tied up, he'll need a fair few blues until the former is made available by the removal of the balls surrounding it.
Around the tables
- Wu Yize 1-4 Mark Selby
- Ryan Day 2-3 Ricky Walden
- Jamie Jones 3-1 Kyren Wilson
Robertson 2-0 Slessor
Neil clears the balls - of course he does - and Elliot slopes off looking exceedingly poorly.
Robertson 1-0 Slessor (41-64)
Immediately, Neil lays a snooker, and with the yellow hiding the final red, Elliot needs to be careful not to leave a free ball here ... but he does, missing the green and snookering him behind it. If Neil can steal this, it'll feel like a heel to the solar plexus, and a delicate blue might just give him an angle to send the final red to left corner. He sinks it beautifully, and this looks a lot like an extremely painful 2-0.
Robertson 1-0 Slessor (24-64)
He leaves one too, which Elliot skids deftly into right corner. The yellow follows, then a red, and if this black goes down, Neil will need two snookers ... and it's there! He doesn't play or get position on the next red, but he's nearly home in the frame.
Robertson 1-0 Slessor (24-53)
This is good work from Elliot, but the balls are about to get significantly more difficult. Two reds are close to the side, one is close to the pink ... and playing a tight one to right corner, he's overcut it thinking about position! So Neil glides it into the opposite bag ... only to miss a nasty yellow across the table. The frame is in the balance.
Robertson 1-0 Slessor (23-8)
Ach, you don't wan to do that, Elliot old mate. He leaves a long red to left corner, Neil strokes it home, and is soon sending down reds with blacks. But a poor positional shot means he has to deploy the swan-neck, and though he bags the next ball, he can only play safe off the green thereafter; Elliot then hits the yellow thick at the end of his safety, leaving Neil a long starter to left corner ... which he misses! You don't see that often, and Elliot clips home a fine starter that leaves him on the black. This is the kind of chance he needs to take if he's to make a match of this.
Around the tables
- Wu Yize 1-3 Mark Selby
- Ryan Day 2-1 Ricky Walden
- Jamie Jones 2-1 Kyren Wilson
Robertson 1-0 Slessor
A terrific frame (of snooker) from Neil, who's going to be very hard to stop - not just tonight, but this week,
Robertson 0-0 Slessor (52-13)
We see a replay of the foul called on Neil and it's impossible to see what the ref thinks she saw. Still, we all make mistakes and Neil took it like the boss he is, then responded like the different kind of boss he also is.
Robertson 0-0 Slessor (45-13)
Elliot hasn't played at the venue yet and it's a while since he played on the match table, so it's no great shock when he makes an early error, playing a poor positional shot followed by a poor safety that allows Neil a tricky starter to left-middle. An even trickier yellow to right-middle follows, played with safety in mind, then a pressure red to left corner that'll leave plenty if it doesn't go down ... but it does, right in the heart of the pocket. A pink cut to left-middle follows, again down the mouth of the bag, a red which demands awkward bridging, and four great pots means prime position and the frame at Neil's mercy.
Robertson 0-0 Slessor (26-6)
Digging into the pack, Neil overscrews and gets a second kiss that might mean end of break. But, er, well, NO! Without pausing to think, Neil - who's at his best when playing quickly - sinks a superb cut-back black and takes on a red with the rest, really close to the blue. He drains it and is surprised to hear the ref call a foul. can Elliot take advantage of what must be a deeply unexpected opportunity?
Robertson 0-0 Slessor (11-0)
A poor safety from Elliot hands Neil an early chance and he's in the kind of form where you expect him to gobble it up. Immediately, he gets to work.
Here come our players!
Coming up next
Neil Robertson v Elliot Slessor
Around the tables
- John Higgins 4-3 Robert Milkins
- Judd Trump 4-0 Fraser Patrick
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 4-1 Yuan Sijun
- Wu Yize 0-3 Mark Selby
- Ryan Day 1-1 Ricky Walden
- Jamie Jones 1-0 Kyren Wilson
Mark Allen beats Ding Junhui 4-3!
His matchplay is so, so good now, and to underline the point he finishes with another ton. He meets Zhao Xintong next, and really, what a competitor; what a player!
Allen 3-3 Ding (59-0)
If Mark sees this out, Ding is really going to feel the pain. The reds aren't simple, but Mark looks really composed around the table, taking his time when he misses position on his red of choice, accepting he's to take on a mid-distancer to left corner, and nailing it well. He's got so good so quickly at finding a way to win, and this is nearly over.
Allen 3-3 Ding (31-0)
after a fine safety from Mark, Ding misses his return thin-snick, catching his chosen red thick enough to leave the white up the table and a simple starter to left-middle.Pink and black are both accessibleish, and I think this is going to be it.
Allen 3-3 Ding (18-0)
Mark has such confidence in himself he'll expect this to be a telling contribution, but a loose positional shot means that he lands on the top cushion after his third red and with no colour in prospect, so it's a safety off the brown and a very relieved Ding.
Allen 3-3 Ding (10-0)
Oh yes, a delicious safety from Mark leaves Ding tightish behind the yellow, he comes off the side, gets nowhere near anything - he's up almost before he's hit the shot - and Mark's away to left-middle. Can he complete the comeback?
Around the tables
- John Higgins 4-3 Robert Milkins
- Judd Trump 4-0 Fraser Patrick
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 4-1 Yuan Sijun
- Wu Yize 0-2 Mark Selby
- Ryan Day 0-1 Ricky Walden
- Jamie Jones 0-0 Kyren Wilson
Allen 3-3 Ding
A second straight one-visiter - but no ton, following a poor positional shot off the black on 94 - for Mark who, it must be emphasised, won the UK not because Ding froze but because he froze Ding out.
Allen 2-3 Ding (72-0)
Yup, this is terrific stuff from Mark, who's got the momentum going into the decider. Ding will be wondering if it's happening again; Mark will be certain it's happening again.
Allen 2-3 Ding (29-0)
An attacking safety from Mark, smacking a red off the side and up the table ... and fluked into left corner! A gentle brown to right-middle follows, and he's soon rolling home the black. It's far too early to say a decider looks likely, but a decider looks likely.
Around the tables
- John Higgins 4-3 Robert Milkins
- Judd Trump 4-0 Fraser Patrick
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 4-1 Yuan Sijun
- Wu Yize 0-1 Mark Selby
- Ryan Day 0-0 Ricky Walden
Allen 2-3 Ding
At the UK, Mark trailed Ding 6-1 before rushing back to win 9-7; both men will be thinking about this hard.
Allen 1-3 Ding (73-32)
Ding had two proper chances here, couldn't take either, and there's no chance he's not experiencing horrifying flashbacks.
Allen 1-3 Ding (35-32)
Or not. Ding leaves himself a long red to left corner and can't get it down, then misses another to right corner, equally tricky, to which he gets much closer. But this time, he leaves a chance and it's a goodun, reds nicely spread. Mark hasn't been at his brilliant best tonight, but I fully expect him to guts this one out.
Allen 1-3 Ding (14-23)
Not for long. Not for the first time this evening, he's up early on a shot having run out of position, Ding sinks a glorious starter to right corner, and this could be curtains.
Allen 1-3 Ding (8-14)
Mark leaves one to right corner, Ding drains it and he's on the black! There aren't enough loose reds for him to secure the frame without chancing his luck and breaking the pack, but for someone who pots and controls the white as well as he does, this is a brilliant chance to secure f&m. But as I type that, he has to cue awkwardly over the aforementioned cluster, enough to make him miss to left corner, and now it's Mark with the chance!
Around the tables
- John Higgins 3-3 Robert Milkins
- Judd Trump 4-0 Fraser Patrick
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 4-1 Yuan Sijun
- Wu Yize 0-1 Mark Selby
Allen 1-3 Ding
Mark's been the best player on tour this season, and he's going to need all the skill and moxie that's made that so to resolve this situation.
Allen 1-2 Ding (50-77)
Twice, seeking thin snicks, Mark clips the black, but then Ding offers him one to right corner. He misses, it, leaves it, and it Ding can screw onto the top rail off the pink, he can despatch the final red and put himself in position to clinch the frame. He does, pots it beautifully, and plays down the yellow; if this goes down, it's surely 3-1, and it does! Ding has only missed two balls this evening, and looks really good to see this one home.
Allen 1-2 Ding (50-46)
But no! Or, not yet. Mark runs out of position, misses a red, calls a foul on himself, and Ding invites him to play again ... a call he might now be regretting because a telling safety earns Mark a go at one to left corner. He drills it home well, but can't find a colour, and the two remaining reds are close, both to each other and black cush. This frame is now another epic, and crucial too: if Ding takes it, it'll be hard to see him losing, but if Mark does, it's anyone's game.
Allen 1-2 Ding (38-42)
The black is closeish to right corner, clogging up the frame in the process. But have a look! Ding dangles a tempted to left-middle, Mark gently coaxes it home, and he's on the black! As in frame one, there are various reds close to the top rail - four of them - so there's a lot of work to do to win the frame at this visit. But he can certainly get back into it, which is a decent start. And as I type that, a colossal blue means he's on the final easy ball, with a decent angle on the black to develop at least one. This could indeed be 2-2!
Allen 1-2 Ding (0-42)
Nope, Ding's biggest weakness has always been his lack of cue-power, and when he tries to turn it up off the blue, he hits a lone red not the cluster, and that's end of break.
Allen 1-2 Ding (0-37)
It's ding in early in frame four, and about the black spot with clear passage to both corners, he's soon in prime position, and looking good to go two-up with three to play. It looks to me like he'll need to dig into the pack at some point - Mark will be hoping so - but his touch and brain are such that perhaps he can keep picking off loose balls without having to take any risks.
Around the tables
- John Higgins 1-2 Robert Milkins
- Judd Trump 4-0 Fraser Patrick
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 3-1 Yuan Sijun
Allen 1-2 Ding
A run of 47, and might we be close to that elusive situation where both players play well simultaneously? I sure do hope so!
Allen 0-2 Ding (63-8)
You can only offer a player of Mark's calibre so many chances, and he takes this one well. These two are so well-matched, and now Mark's into things, I've not a clue who's going to win this.
Allen 0-2 Ding (31-8)
Mark misses a blue - he's not feeling it as nicely as Ding, and if that doesn't change soon the match will be over - but as I type that, a poor safety offers him a simple starter to right-middle, and this should be 2-1.
Allen 0-2 Ding (16-8)
Oh yes! After a pair of fouls playing safe, Mark clatters into the pack, and he's only spotted a three-ball plant! That's a great effort, and how hard he hit it tells us how sure he was of making it. He soon runs out of position, but it doesn't matter because trying an attacking safety, Ding brings a starter back to baulk along with the white, and if he can work his way up the table, there are point there for him.
Around the tables
- John Higgins 1-2 Robert Milkins
- Judd Trump 3-0 Fraser Patrick
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 2-1 Yuan Sijun
Allen 0-2 Ding
A 37-minute first frame, and a decidedly shorter second, a run of 124 leaving Mark in something of a situation. He came back brilliantly in the UK, but that was a best of 19, not a best of seven.
Allen 0-1 Ding (5-55)
Ding has already made 21 tons this season - Mark leads the list with 31 - but he can't do anything sat in his seat as he is now, watching Ding accumulate in typically easy style.
Allen 0-1 Ding (5-16)
Ding dangles one over right corner and Mark clips it home, only to miss his second red - the second simple pot he's failed to sink so far, and this time Ding has a really good chance to cash in. The black goes to both corners, there are loose reds available, and save Ronnie O'Sulivan, there's perhaps no one better in this situation.
Around the tables
- John Higgins 0-1 Robert Milkins
- Judd Trump 2-0 Fraser Patrick
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 2-1 Yuan Sijun
Allen 0-1 Ding
Goodness me, that was a serious start; I'm exhausted already.
Allen 0-0 Ding (40-58)
Ding removes the remaining reds, and plays a fine pink off the last, giving him a shot at a yellow that's close to the bottom cushion. He jams in behind it, sends it into the green bag ... and the white goes down into right corner.Ouch. So out it comes, Mark misses it to left-middle and Ding sees it away, but the brown's in the middle of the baulk rail. No matter: Dings gets onto it well, pots is very well, and after a long old chase, he's going to go in front.
Allen 0-0 Ding (40-36)
A poor pink with the rest puts Mark in trouble, but he finds a recovery red ... only to undercut a much easier one to right corner. I wondered if he got a bad contact, but seeing it again I think he just cued across it, so Ding has a chance to capitalise - but he quickly misses to left corner, and when Mark uses the rest to pot one and develop another, he's in position to snatch the frame. Er, actually I spoke too soon, because the white is close to the black, preventing him from taking on a pot, so it's one and done. Whoever loses this frame is going to feel very poorly.
Allen 0-0 Ding (31-19)
Coming back to baulk, Mark goes into the yellow pocket, and the reds are now such that Ding puts him back in; you don't see that often. Left near black cush a few shots later, Ding then guides a fine pot to left middle, but really all that gives him is the chance to play a telling safety, because he's on nothing. He can't, though, and when he plays a poor safety, hitting a red too thick, Mark has a chance to rack up a few points.
Allen 0-0 Ding (25-24)
Too powerful a blue from Mark leaves him on the side with no red available, so he plays safe, Ding misses a containing safety first go, and already this is intense stuff. More tactical stuff follows then it's Mark who fouls, twice, and when he hits he leaves ding a sniff to left corner ... and down goes a touch-player's gentle cut-back starter. The other reds, though, are pretty close together now, some of them near the top cushion, so it's soon back to baulk and this frame isn't close to over.
Allen 0-0 Ding (10-10)
A mistake from Mark - the white stays down the business end - offering Ding one to left corner, and he plays a decent positional shot to get onto the yellow; initially, it wasn't clear he could find a colour post-pot. But on 10, he misses to a red to that same left corner, and he'll be irritated not to have made more of that - though he doesn't leave anything. Incidentally, it tells us everything about how exciting this match is that Judd Trump is on table two - that's the first time it's happened in the nearly three years I've been writing these blogs, Meantime, Mark confidently floats a starter to right corner, and though the pink and black are tied up, the reds are now spread quite nicely.
Allen 0-0 Ding (0-0)
In VT we watched before the match, Allen spoke about his mental game had improved because he's happy in his private life while, in comms, Philip Studd notes that what's changed is the difference between his ceiling and his floor; one is a product of the other. The thing with Allen is that he's always known how good he is, which is very - so really, how could he not - but there's a reason players who aren't as electric as he is have done better at the Crucible, and it's because hot streaks tend not to last a best of 19, never mind anything more, so those with good modal levels - Kyren Wilson, Anthony McGill - do well. Anyway, we kick off with a protracted safety exchange.
Away we go!
Righto, here come the boyz who baize
I've been buzzing for this all day and so, by the looks of things, are our players, who come out sharing a joke.
Also tonight
Mopping up earlier
- Oliver Lines 2-4 Luca Brecel
- Fan Zhengyi 3-4 Ashley Hugill
This is what we've got for you...
First up, we'll be focusing on Mark Allen v Ding Junhui in a repeat of the UK Championship final - but with an eye on Judd Trump and John Higgins who are also in action - then we'll have a bit of Neil Robertson v Elliot Slessor. Luvvly.
Evening all!
This should be alright, eh?
Thanks for joining us
We will be back just before 7pm with Judd Trump facing Fraser Patrick in the last 32. There is a repeat of the UK Championship final between Mark Allen and Ding Junhui, a match Allen won 10-7 from 6-1 behind, and Neil Robertson takes on Elliot Slessor. See you then for more updates from the English Open, the final major event of the year.
AROUND THE TABLES: LATEST SCORES
Last 64
- Peter Lines 1-4 Marco Fu
- Louis Heathcote 3-4 Matthew Selt
- Jack Lisowski 4-0 Stuart Carrington
- Dechawat Poomjaeng 2-4 Ronnie O'Sullivan
- Muhammad Asif 2-4 Barry Hawkins
- Sam Craigie 1-4 Shaun Murphy
- Oliver Lines 2-2 Luca Brecel
- Fan Zhengyi 1-2 Ashley Hugill
Murphy 4-1 Craigie
"I feel like my game is going in the right direction," said Murphy, who will face Anthony McGill in the last 32 on Thursday. "I do feel that something good is coming my way."
Murphy enjoyed breaks of 119, 51 and 127 in victory with Craigie responding with a fine 118 of his own. Another terrific match to watch.
Murphy 3-1 Craigie (131-0)
Murphy started with a century and is going to finish with one here. Really is superb to watch. A glorious break of 127 to finish. He is through to last 32.
Murphy 3-1 Craigie (73-0)
Delightful little cannon on reds from potting black, they open up perfectly and this is surely Murphy's match. Also has chance to finish with another century right on cue. Shaun has been in fine form today and can't really see where he goes wrong from here.
Murphy 3-1 Craigie (18-0)
Craigie makes what could be a fatal error as he tries a two-cushion escape from a snooker off pack of reds, but leaves white in middle of table. Real opportunity for Murphy to get hand on table here and put clear water between the two players in this fifth frame.
AROUND THE TABLES: LATEST SCORES
Last 64
- Peter Lines 1-4 Marco Fu
- Louis Heathcote 3-4 Matthew Selt
- Jack Lisowski 4-0 Stuart Carrington
- Dechawat Poomjaeng 2-4 Ronnie O'Sullivan
- Muhammad Asif 2-4 Barry Hawkins
- Sam Craigie 1-3 Shaun Murphy
- Oliver Lines 2-1 Luca Brecel
- Fan Zhengyi 1-1 Ashley Hugill
Murphy 3-0 Craigie (0-118)
This has been brilliant from world No. 35 Craigie. A fantastic century to avoid the whitewash and boost his hopes of winning this match. A superb cut on the final red before he rolls brown into a centre bag. Yellow with rest follows to bring up the three figures. Showing Murphy he is ready and able to reel off three frames if he gets the chance. Back to 3-1 behind.
Murphy 3-0 Craigie (0-36)
Murphy with the mistake this time from the break-off shot as red comes up back up table to rest over a centre pocket. Early chance then for Sam to accumulate some points in a frame he needs to remain alive in this match.
Murphy 2-0 Craigie (81-0)
Break of 51 from Shaun to go with the earlier 30 and he is on the brink of reaching the last 32. One more frame required.
Murphy 2-0 Craigie (59-0)
A decent run of 30 from Murphy. Can't split the pack of reds off black, but another timely long pot on a red seconds later paves the way for another decisive scoring bout. Looking very good for a 3-0 lead here. An eight-minute frame after a 42-minute frame. Can never predict how a frame will unfold, but Murphy has a solid grip on this match.
Murphy 1-0 Craigie (67-37)
A terrific long brown races down hole at pace and Murphy adds blue for good measure. A 42-minute frame. Almost slipped out of Murphy's grasp, but he retrieves it just in time. And he leads 2-0 in this last-64 encounter. Winner of this one will meet Anthony McGill on Thursday.
Murphy 1-0 Craigie (58-37)
All very tense as it comes down to final four colours. Frame running for 35 minutes with Craigie somehow battling back to keep alive his hopes of levelling at 1-1. Murphy still needing brown. Craigie's tactical game has been excellent to force frame to this stage.
Murphy 1-0 Craigie (58-32)
Well, Craigie gets a snooker before Murphy somehow manages to go in off connecting with the yellow. Didn't need to hit the yellow at that pace as white disappears down yellow bag after hitting yellow. Craigie throws his arm at a yellow that is nowhere near before Murphy again can't sink the yellow from a fine cutback. All sorts going on.
Murphy 1-0 Craigie (58-16)
A stunning pot to left middle by Murphy sees red hit the mark with real intent. Craigie escaped from snooker, but nothing he can do about that. Chance for Murphy to move 2-0 clear in freezing Essex. Craigie needs two snookers otherwise it will be a second frame to Murphy.
Murphy 1-0 Craigie (25-16)
A lot of work to reach 23 before a tricky cut on a red fails to drop. Wasn't easy, but expected him to progress from that point. Six reds left up and frame well in balance.
Murphy 1-0 Craigie (8-16)
Balls all run a bit awkward at moment, but another safety error by Craigie provides Murphy with scope to compile a few points at this visit.
Murphy 1-0 Craigie (1-16)
Unexpected error by Murphy in missing a green off the spot after slamming a longish red down hole. Only 16 from Sam in response before he is forced to scamper safe.
Around the tables: latest scores
Last 64
- Peter Lines 1-4 Marco Fu
- Louis Heathcote 3-4 Matthew Selt
- Jack Lisowski 4-0 Stuart Carrington
- Dechawat Poomjaeng 2-4 Ronnie O'Sullivan
- Muhammad Asif 0-2 Barry Hawkins
- Sam Craigie 0-1 Shaun Murphy
- Oliver Lines 0-0 Luca Brecel
- Fan Zhengyi v Ashley Hugill
Murphy 0-0 Craigie (125-8)
What a way to start from Shaun. A total clearance of 119 and that will be 1-0 in the race to four. Looking completely in control of his thought process. Important to make a fast start in these matches and Murphy has certainly done that.
Murphy 0-0 Craigie (66-8)
Some wonderful recovery pots by the 2005 world champion before he clips home a thrilling plant on reds. Was distance between the reds, but he got through the white well and this should be a 1-0 lead on horizon as break hits 60. Fine scoring here.
Murphy 0-0 Craigie (28-8)
Corking long red by Murphy to gain access to the baize. Faced with a tough blue seconds later, but drills it down the yellow bag. That is gorgeous ball striking by Shaun.
Murphy 0-0 Craigie (6-8)
Craigie first to the punch in this opening frame after Shaun can't pick out a trademark long ranger. This could be quite a contest between two attack-minded characters.
O'Sullivan 4-2 Poomjaeng
"I love playing him," says O'Sullivan. "Fantastic. He's off his head. I thought I had to be more crazy than Poomjaeng. It is brilliant. Amazing. He's on another planet. I want to be on that planet."
Around the tables: latest scores
Last 64
- Peter Lines 1-2 Marco Fu
- Louis Heathcote 3-2 Matthew Selt
- Jack Lisowski 4-0 Stuart Carrington
- Dechawat Poomjaeng 2-4 Ronnie O'Sullivan
- Muhammad Asif 0-0 Barry Hawkins
- Sam Craigie v Shaun Murphy
- Oliver Lines v Luca Brecel
- Fan Zhengyi v Ashley Hugill
O'Sullivan 3-2 Poomjaeng (76-16)
Well, red stays out and the concession comes from the likeable Thai player. Played in a terrific spirit, but breaks of 61, 69, 104 and 76 is more than good enough for Ronnie. He will meet Martin Gould in the last 32 of this English Open. Could be quite a match that one after Gould's 4-2 victory against Scottish Open winner Gary Wilson.
O'Sullivan 3-2 Poomjaeng (76-0)
Break of 76 from the Rocket. Only a possible 67 left on table. Three snookers required otherwise this contest is finished.
O'Sullivan 3-2 Poomjaeng (49-0)
Another magnificent long red by Ronnie early in the sixth frame. And this could be curtains for Dechawat as he flicks the reds and lands on blue. Decides to take tougher mid-range black and it doesn't touch sides. Magical play. Racing through these balls at the moment.
O'Sullivan 2-2 Poomjaeng (107-15)
A quite magical break of 104 from O'Sullivan. Really was a joy to watch. Done with little fuss and he is 3-2 ahead having lost the first two frames. Poomjaeng punished for missing at close range. Rocket rarely guilty of such mishaps.
O'Sullivan 2-2 Poomjaeng (65-15)
O'Sullivan suddenly has his game face on. And this looks for all the world like a 3-2 advantage. A quite glorious positional shot on blue. In and out of baulk and he buries a tricky red at pace. Surely heading 3-2 clear here in race to four.
O'Sullivan 2-2 Poomjaeng (18-15)
All suddenly got a bit more serious. Chance for Poomjaeng to accumulate some points, but he misses an obvious cut on a red among the balls. Bad miss at this level. Could be a costly error in context of this match.
O'Sullivan 2-2 Poomjaeng (0-0)
Going for only 48 minutes and this best-of-seven frame contest is reduced to the best of three in Brentwood.
O'Sullivan 1-2 Poomjaeng (73-0)
Two frames of frivolity, but normal service resumed as O'Sullivan cans a lovely long red before embarking upon another smashing little break. Quickly races to 53 and this already has the look of 2-2. O'Sullivan superb with the rest too and is suddenly focused on the business at hand. He finally declares on a classy quickfire 69. Dechawat has seen enough as the nod comes. When the business head is on, difficult to beat Ronnie in full flow.
O'Sullivan 0-2 Poomjaeng (89-0)
Rocket finally joins the party today in the sprint to four frames. Fascinating match to watch because you don't know what is going to happen next.
O'Sullivan 0-2 Poomjaeng (75-0)
This is much more like it from O'Sullivan. A rapid break of 61 from the world No. 1 after a safety error by Dechawat, but no one-visit hit as a red to green bag eludes him. O'Sullivan then drops in a long red to land on black. Majestic piece of cueing. That should be good enough to reduce the deficit to 2-1. These guys certainly keen to get on with it out there.
O'Sullivan 0-1 Poomjaeng (56-63)
Well, we head for a re-spotted black as the world champion enjoys a fluke on red before superbly mopping up the reds and colours. Some absurd shots on the re-spotted black then follow as Poomjaeng attempts to smash the black home off the break-off shot. But the mayhem ends as the Thai player clips home the cut on black to take the frame for a 2-0 lead. Fair to say, O'Sullivan doesn't look overly bothered about these goings on. Will that mindset change?
O'Sullivan 0-1 Poomjaeng (7-56)
Not sure how engaged O'Sullivan is with this contest so far. Four reds left on table as Rocket sees a white disappear down a hole to add four more points to the Dechawat total. Only needs one more red.
O'Sullivan 0-1 Poomjaeng (6-30)
O'Sullivan tactics seems to be all-out attack. Refusing nothing at the moment and Poomjaeng is being handed plenty of scope to get his hand on table to score. "He's not pushing the boat out, he's pushing the cruise liner out," says Alan 'Angles' McManus in the commentary box.
O'Sullivan 0-1 Poomjaeng (5-12)
O'Sullivan throws his cue at a long red. Nowhere near the potting angle and an easy opener presents itself to Dechawat. He is penalised for clipping a green with his shirt, but the Rocket is again found wanting as he jaws an easy pink. Four simple balls all missed so far from the world champion.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Poomjaeng (15-72)
Second bite at the cherries, so to speak, and Dechawat isn't going to spurn another invite. Brilliant pink to the green pocket just to finalise the deal. O'Sullivan having a smile as Poomjaeng flukes a red. Matters little as the concession comes. A 1-0 lead for the former World Championship qualifier.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Poomjaeng (15-51)
Poomjaeng had done the hard part, but misses red with the rest. Not punished though as O'Sullivan then misses a black off the spot. Well, that is a collector's item. A reprieve for the outsider.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Poomjaeng (14-39)
Poomjaeng certainly looking lively among the balls early on. Lovely little cannon on a red to develop more reds and this is already a frame-winning opportunity. Certainly doesn't look daunted in this opening frame.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Poomjaeng (14-1)
First chance of the day falls to Ronnie after his opponent fails to sink a tricky red, but he then misses a red to left centre. Surprising miss that one.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Poomjaeng (0-0)
Off we go then with Dechawat getting the first frame off and running. Nice vibe in the Brentwood Centre between these two players.
Wednesday afternoon order of play
Last 64
- Peter Lines v Marco Fu
- Louis Heathcote v Matthew Selt
- Jack Lisowski v Stuart Carrington
- Dechawat Poomjaeng v Ronnie O'Sullivan
- Muhammad Asif v Barry Hawkins
- Sam Craigie v Shaun Murphy
- Oliver Lines v Luca Brecel
- Fan Zhengyi v Ashley Hugill
O'Sullivan 0-0 Poomjaeng (0-0)
These players have never met on the professional circuit, but should be quite an encounter with 'Mr Poombastic' back on the professional tour after a five-year absence. The Thai player came through Q School in the summer to mark his return.
Around the tables: latest results
Last 64
- Lu Ning - w/o Fraser Patrick
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 4-1 Tian Pengfei
- Zhao Xintong 4-0 Andres Petrov
- Zhang Anda 1-4 John J Astley
Ronnie O'Sullivan headlines the afternoon session as he takes on Dechawat Poomjaeng at 1pm UK time in what should be an interesting match-up.
Shaun Murphy will take to the table a bit later, before John Higgins, Neil Robertson and Judd Trump follow in the evening. What a schedule we have for us today.
O’Sullivan heaps praise on Mertens following English Open battle: 'Sky is the limit'
O’Sullivan has said the “sky is the limit” for Ben Mertens after the teenager pushed him hard in the first round.
Current world champion O'Sullivan looked set for a comfortable evening at the Brentwood Centre in Essex when racing into a 3-0 lead despite not playing at his best.
But his scrappy play allowed Mertens to get a foothold in the contest, and the 18-year-old grew in confidence after getting a frame on the board against the seven-time world champion.
Mertens picked off the fifth and sixth frames to force a decider, the latter with a run of 73, and had chances in the final stanza.
O’Sullivan eventually emerged with the win but spoke highly of his young opponent.
“He is a great cueist, hits the ball well,” O’Sullivan said in the Eurosport studio. “I like his game. He is only young and he is going to be around.
“The sky is the limit for him really."
Read full story here.
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'The sky is the limit for him' - O'Sullivan impressed by rising star Mertens
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