English Open 2023 snooker LIVE - Mark Allen and John Higgins in action after tight win for Judd Trump
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ByEurosport
Updated 04/10/2023 at 23:04 GMT
We are back for another day of engrossing play at the 2023 English Open. Ronnie O'Sullivan headlines the day's action on the Brentwood baize as he takes on Jackson Page in the early afternoon session, before Judd Trump and Mark Allen play in the evening. Stream top snooker action, including the English Open, live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com
O'Sullivan admits elbow injury is 'no good' after English Open win
That's a wrap
There's still a couple of matches going on, but it's the end of our coverage for today, and what a day it has been at Brentwood! Ronnie O'Sullivan made three centuries in his big win earlier on, and this evening, there were wins for Judd Trump, John Higgins and, of course, Matthew Selt, who sent Mark Allen packing. Until next time, goodbye!
Around the tables
He Guoqiang 3-3 Hossein Vafaei
Martin O'Donnell 3-0 Stephen Maguire
Selt 4-2 Allen
What a win for Matthew Selt! From 2-0 down, he has come from behind to send the world number three crashing out. Allen had his chances, but Selt was in supreme form for those last four frames, and takes his place in the last 16.
Selt 3-2 Allen (68-48)
Superb from Selt, who has his range perfected as he cuts in the green. He moves onto the brown... and now has just one shot to make to wrap things up. It's a straight pot on the blue... and he makes it! The pink doesn't go in, but it does not matter. That's the frame!
Selt 3-2 Allen (56-48)
Fine margins! Allen uses the bridge to try and create an angle for the green, but misses. For an agonising moment, it appears as though the cue ball will sink into the bottom-right pocket, yet it just stays out, much to Selt's chagrin.
Selt 3-2 Allen (52-48)
This is incredible! Allen is fuming with himself after, with the frame in his hands, he somehow managed to snooker himself on the green. Allen is nestled behind the brown, and after trying the double, commits the foul. He'll have to have another go...
Selt 3-2 Allen (48-41)
Free ball! Allen can't make the shot and ends up hitting the green, which Selt swiftly pots. His positioning is once again far from ideal, but he makes no mistake as he cuts in the pink and leaves himself with a shot down the cushion... But, wow! Now Selt has missed, leaving the last red hanging over the pocket. What a let-off for Allen!
Selt 3-2 Allen (37-40)
Selt doesn't like the positioning, and with good reason. He does his best to create an angle while potting the penultimate red, but he can't quite manage it, so instead he has to go for the snooker, and Allen is back at the table with the cue nestled behind the green.
Selt 3-2 Allen (36-40)
Allen has by no means made lots of mistakes in this match, but each one he has committed seems to have come at the worst moment. Can Selt punish him again here? The world number 30 revolves around the pink, with the black in an awkward position close to the cushion. The pressure of having a match in your hands is much different to that of chasing, but so far the Essex lad is handling it well.
Selt 3-2 Allen (4-40)
Brave play from Allen, as the Northern Irishman makes a great pot on his first red and then finely cuts the blue, teeing himself up perfectly to get on a run. Another blue follows, and then he rifles in the red that Selt just squandered. It all looks good as he lines up the pink... but, oh dear! Another error from Allen and Selt gets his chance!
Selt 3-2 Allen (4-27)
Allen plays it safe, again, and he manages to block off a pocket using the green. Selt grabs the bridge to try and convert a shot down the cushion, but the red just kisses off the corners. So close!
Around the tables
He Guoqiang 2-3 Hossein Vafaei
Martin O'Donnell 3-0 Stephen Maguire
Selt 3-2 Allen (4-27)
Allen tries an ambitious shot, but the risk doesn't pay off, and Selt is now back at the table with a long pot in the offing. He takes it, though the cue ball rolls all the way back to the top of the table, leaving him with the green as the only realistic option. He drills it into the middle-left, but then can't capitalise by turning home the next red.
Selt 3-2 Allen (0-27)
With Selt unable to deny Allen an angle, the latter is able to get back into some form of groove, having been kept away from the table for so long. He stays down at the scoring end for a few shots, but an unlucky spin off the black forces him to play safe. That's a shame for Allen, who was building something nicely, there.
Selt 3-2 Allen (0-5)
It's do or die time for Allen, and he starts off with a crisp red before hammering home the brown. However, he hasn't got much on after that, so is forced into a safety.
Selt 3-2 Allen
This tie has been turned wholly on its head, and full credit to Selt. Allen was in control at 2-0 up, but the world number three now needs to win the next frame to keep his hopes alive.
Selt 2-2 Allen (72-0)
Allen's pot-success percentage is 95, but right now he simply can't get back on the table, as Selt keeps chipping away, ball by ball, as he ticks over a half-century, but the break finally comes to an end when he fails to sink a red along the cushion. But with 72 on the board, that's a third frame in succession for Selt!
Selt 2-2 Allen (31-0)
Selt sends in the first red with a great pot, and he then drills in a blue to keep up the momentum. At 19-0, he bravely takes on the black, and sinks it brilliantly, cutting it to perfection from the tightest of angles. He tries to set himself up by cannoning back off the green, but does not get it quite right... yet hat this moment Selt simply has the Midas touch, and he keeps the run going.
Around the tables
He Guoqiang 2-1 Hossein Vafaei
Martin O'Donnell 1-0 Stephen Maguire
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Selt 'emphatically' levels against Allen with 114 break at English Open
Selt 2-2 Allen
Fantastic play from Selt across those last two frames, and now we're into a best-of-three scenario to see who reaches the last 16!
Selt 1-2 Allen (115-11)
This is excellent from Selt, and Allen might well be running over that missed red in the last frame. Is that where this match has turned? The world number three watches on as Selt sends home the colours to bring up a century break.
Selt 1-2 Allen (63-11)
Allen had the running of this one at 2-0 up, but Selt is playing with a real verve now. He moves his way around the table, pocketing the pink and black and nudging home the reds. He even gets himself out of a sticky situation to leave himself with just one more red to level things up, and he duly sends that home.
Selt 1-2 Allen (1-11)
Selt holds up his hand in an apology after a plant sends a red into the bottom-right pocket. If he'd meant it, it would have been an extraordinary shot, but as it is, it appears it was accidental. But he's on the scoreboard, and that's what counts.
Selt 1-2 Allen (0-11)
A solid start from Allen, who gets himself into a lead to put Selt on the back foot.
Around the tables
Mark Davis 0-4 John Higgins
He Guoqiang 1-1 Hossein Vafaei
Martin O'Donnell 0-0 Stephen Maguire
'I'm lucky to be in the tournament'
Honest words from Ricky Walden, who has just claimed that dramatic win over Graeme Dott. "That was a crazy match, I've never won a game from so far behind," said Walden. "I'm trying to build confidence, build momentum, that kind of stuff. Just trying to get results on the table. I'm lucky to be in the tournament, everything's a bonus. Now it's my chance to free roll a little bit."
Selt 1-2 Allen
That's the frame settled, with Selt right back in this after that fantastic clearance. Game on!
Selt 0-2 Allen (125-0)
A dominant frame from Selt, and Allen looks in disbelief at that miss on the red. Selt has shown no mercy since then, though, and will now have plenty of confidence, you'd think.
Selt 0-2 Allen (76-0)
Oh dear! What a miss from Allen! He was set up with a relatively simple pot into the bottom-left corner, but he cannons the red against the cushion and now Selt is back up and running, cutting in a red before clipping in that pesky blue and moving down to the bottom of the table. Two blacks and one more red seal it - Selt is back in this!
Selt 0-2 Allen (46-0)
Wonderful snooker from Selt, who knocks his way through eight reds before sending himself up the table to go for the blue. But... oh no! That blue does not drop into the middle-right, and Allen has the chance to get on the board.
Comeback complete!
That's some result for Ricky Walden, who from 3-0 down has come back to beat Graeme Dott! Walden will face the winner of this match between Allen and Selt in the next round.
Around the tables
Ricky Walden 4-3 Graeme Dott
Mark Davis 0-3 John Higgins
He Guoqiang 0-1 Hossein Vafaei
Selt 0-2 Allen
Despite that wobble on the yellow midway through the second frame, Allen shows great skill to take full control of this tie.
Selt 0-1 Allen (103-25)
Well, that's a fantastic recovery from Allen, who regains his composure swiftly after that daft foul. Selt can only sit and watch as the world number three picks off the reds and then skips his way through the colours for what would have been a century break, only for an in-off the black to make it a run of 98.
Selt 0-1 Allen (25-5)
Oh dear! That is an incredible error in judgement from Allen, who puts far too much backspin on the cue ball while potting the yellow, and the white trickles its way into the middle pocket.
Selt 0-1 Allen (21-0)
If the earlier match between Trump and Robertson was less about tactics and more about capitalising on mistakes, then this tie has so far been a fascinating strategic encounter, with both players prodding and probing for position, but showing great caution in the process. Selt eventually gets going, though, driving a red down the table and then downing the yellow.
Selt 0-1 Allen (11-0)
Selt has Allen in a difficult position, and two fouls in succession put the local boy ahead. Allen goes for the same shot again, and this time he makes it, bouncing off two cushions and softly clipping into the red at the bottom of the bunch. Selt responds with an excellent safety of his own, though.
Lines in, Dott pegged back
Before we get started in the second frame on table one, a check in on some other matches. Oliver Lines has progressed from his meeting with Cao Yupeng, but Graeme Dott, who was in cruise control at 3-0 up against Ricky Walden, has been pinned back to a decider. John Higgins, meanwhile, is now 2-0 up against Mark Davis.
Around the tables
Cao Yupeng 2-4 Oliver Lines
Ricky Walden 3-3 Graeme Dott
Mark Davis 0-2 John Higgins
He Guoqiang 0-0 Hossein Vafaei
Selt 0-1 Allen
That's it. Selt has conceded after leaving the yellow on. Allen appeared to be running away with that frame at one point, but his opponent dragged himself back into it before that costly error on the brown.
Selt 0-0 Allen (29-58)
Shocker! Selt sinks the final red but nudges the yellow safe in the process. He tries to make up for it by potting the brown, but gets it wrong, and that means Selt would need a snooker to stand a chance.
Selt 0-0 Allen (28-58)
Allen choses to play safe, keeping Selt at arm's length, trying to force a slip-up. It has now been over 16 minutes since Allen last made a pot.
Selt 0-0 Allen (28-58)
Lucky! Selt gets fortunate as, while trying to position himself away from having to pot the red down the cushion, he almost sinks the cue ball. He follows up with an attempted safety, but there does seem to be an angle for Allen... It's not an easy one, though!
Selt 0-0 Allen (20-58)
It's a game of cat and mouse, as Selt scraps to stay in this frame. He goes for an ambitious double off the cushion, but can't make it. Allen is presented with an opportunity for a long pot, but the red bounces either side of the pocket. Selt takes advantage to pot for the first time, and he then turns home the black, which had been waiting patiently over the bottom-left corner. Four excellent shots on the bounce follow, and this frame is definitely alive!
Selt 0-0 Allen (0-58)
That's slack from Selt! An attempted safety backfires this time, as a red clips off the green and hangs in front of the pocket, perfectly in line with the cue ball. Allen can't quite take full advantage, though, as a straight red pot means he can't manoeuvre his way back to get a clear line on the pink.
Selt 0-0 Allen (0-50)
Some solid defensive work from Selt means Allen can only add one point to his tally, though that does take him to 50.
Selt 0-0 Allen (0-49)
An expertly constructed break from Allen, whose run ends one short of a half-century as he just puts too much onto a red and doesn't leave himself with any space to cut the black. Selt, though, can only play a safety shot in response.
Selt 0-0 Allen (0-14)
Allen starts strong, and then an error from Selt sees the latter miss a red but then drag in the black on the rebound. So not only is it a foul, but it also leaves Selt with an easy pot on the red to get clear.
Around the tables
Cao Yupeng 2-3 Oliver Lines
Ricky Walden 1-3 Graeme Dott
Mark Davis 0-1 John Higgins
We're away
And we are up and running in the final match of the evening sesh on table one. It's another of the big favourites in action in Allen, who has won 4-0 and 4-1 so far this week. Elsewhere, Higgins is already 1-0 up against Davis!
Allen up next
Here's what world number three Mark Allen had to say ahead of his tie with Matt Selt, which is starting very shortly! "I’m not really a plan kind of strategy person when it comes to opponents. If I play my best game it will take care of itself. But Matt, he can score, he’s a good long potter, and he’s not scared to beat the best players on the biggest stage," he told Eurosport.
'I scraped through'
An honest assessment from Judd Trump, who was not exactly thrilled with his display, though he did confess he is working on not being too harsh on himself! Here's what he had to say in his post-match interview. "I scraped through," Trump said. "It was tricky. You always want to settle early, it’s never nice losing the first frame. A bit of bad luck as well, hit a blue perfectly but hit the pack and you’re 2-1 down. So you’re just fighting it constantly, under pressure from the get go and you know any ball you miss, you’re on the verge of going out. It’s never nice when some of the balls are running against you and you’re battling the elements as well."
Around the tables
Cao Yupeng 2-3 Oliver Lines
Ricky Walden 1-3 Graeme Dott
Robert Milkins 1-4 Yuan SiJun
Trump through
So, no major shock this time, but we still have some great matches in store. We've got John Higgins in action, but our focus is going to be on Mark Allen's meeting with Matthew Selt. Stay tuned!
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'You have to hold yourself together' - Trump pleased with battling display
Trump 4-3 Robertson
That's it! Job done for Trump! He was made to work for it, but the world number five kept his cool when it mattered in the final two frames to get over the line. Hard luck for Robertson, but his final few mistakes were punished.
Trump 3-3 Robertson (78-0)
A miss on a red from Judd, but it means little.
Trump 3-3 Robertson (72-0)
Jimmy will be kicking himself. He had the match in his hands but now it's all Trump, who moves over a half-century in cool and calculated fashion. A tough pill to swallow for Robertson, but Judd hasn't given him a chance in this deciding frame, and he nails in a black to take a lead of 72 with just 67 remaining.
Trump 3-3 Robertson (20-0)
Momentum is always crucial in snooker and that's what Judd has on his side now, though it's only a contribution of 20 for him after he just can't force an angle on a red after potting the black.
All to play for
We're up and running in the decider, as we get confirmation that Yuan SiJun has seen off Robert Milkins.
Around the tables
Cao Yupeng 2-2 Oliver Lines
Ricky Walden 0-3 Graeme Dott
Robert Milkins 1-4 Yuan SiJun
Trump 3-3 Robertson
We're heading for a decider! Fantastic quality on show from Trump and we're all square with one frame left to play!
Trump 2-3 Robertson (113-11)
And that's it! We'll be all level now as Judd works his way calmly through the rest of the reds and then clips his way through the colours to surpass a century. He can't finish off the black, but it matters not!
Trump 2-3 Robertson (54-11)
And that's a bad miss by Jimmy! A long pot was all he had on, but he can't make it. Surely Judd won't slip up from here?
Trump 2-3 Robertson (54-11)
Now, can Judd finally get going? An inspired shot and some tidy cannons open up the frame and puts him in control, and the 2020 champion regains some poise as he alternates between red and black... red and black. And wow, look at that! The confidence might just be back as, after an overscrew, Trump has to switch to a right-handed, awkward shot in order to keep his run up and finely cut the black into the bottom-left corner. Another overscrew finally does for this break, but it's a half-century and one that has put the pressure back on Robertson.
Trump 2-3 Robertson (0-11)
Oh no! Another miss from Trump, who as quickly as he was up at the table, is now back down. But wait... nerves now from Jimmy, who fails to cut a red into the middle-left. This match has been error-strewn!
Trump 2-3 Robertson (0-11)
After a series of safety shots, Jimmy gets going with a sublime long pot the full length of the table, when it appeared as though Trump might have his opponent snookered. However, Judd gets some luck go his way as Robertson slightly misjudges his placement off the black, leaving him with nothing on and no chance of building a big break.
A shock on the cards?
Trump spoke of cutting out basic mistakes before this match, but he finds himself staring down the barrel here. Judd needs to win this frame to force a decider, or he's out!
Around the tables
Cao Yupeng 2-1 Oliver Lines
Ricky Walden 0-2 Graeme Dott
Robert Milkins 1-3 Yuan SiJun
Trump 2-3 Robertson
Well, what a break that was from Robertson, who made absolutely no mistake to put himself within one frame of progressing at Trump's expense. Are we in for another shock at Brentwood?
Trump 2-2 Robertson (4-128)
After that reprieve, Jimmy doesn't look back. A pressure blue is pocketed in style, and despite some unfortunate placement leaving him with a difficult pot to bring up the half-century, but he sinks it nevertheless. Perhaps wary of that kick he suffered earlier, Jimmy then asks for the cue ball to be cleaned before he continues. Robertson then passes a century, and he rounds off an exquisite break by drilling the final black to wrap up a 128 clearance.
Trump 2-2 Robertson (4-0)
Judd takes his time over placing the white. First next to the yellow, then next to the brown. But his range is off, and he fails to pot the red in the bottom-right corner. A chance for Jimmy, then...
Trump 2-2 Robertson (4-0)
Robertson goes for an aggressive long pot, but although he downs the red, the cue ball skews in off into the middle pocket.
Around the tables
Cao Yupeng 1-1 Oliver Lines
Ricky Walden 0-2 Graeme Dott
Robert Milkins 1-3 Yuan SiJun
Trump 2-2 Robertson
The frustration from earlier in that frame is put well behind Trump, who can be content with that half-century. He doesn't look too happy with his display so far, but that frame should instil some confidence.
Trump 1-2 Robertson (77-15)
A solid opening pot followed by a crisp black that nudges a bunch of reds open and Judd is up and away... He nails a red into the bottom-left and builds momentum and confidence through his run. Once he hits 53, it's frame over. Trump tries to cap things off with a black to take him onto a century and the colours, but he can't squeeze it in.
Trump 1-2 Robertson (10-15)
Robertson never really seemed to have prime position through that break, and it eventually tells, as he clips the corner of the cushion with a difficult, cross-table shot on a red.
Trump 1-2 Robertson (10-1)
Trump is quickly back on the table after that error, but after some excellent pots a mistake creeps in, with the favourite overcutting a red. He returns to his seat and Jimmy takes to the table.
Trump 1-2 Robertson (0-1)
Judd's frustration is really growing, here, as another error sees him gift Jimmy an opportunity. It's one that Robertson fails to take, though, as he sinks the red but then misses on the pink.
Trump 1-2 Robertson
Jimmy's lead can't be overcome and he goes ahead again!
Trump 1-1 Robertson (1-78)
Like Judd did in the last frame, Jimmy makes his slice of good fortune count by building a brilliant break of 73. In short games like this one, luck plays an even bigger part, and it has cost Trump the frame just as it looked like he was clicking into gear.
Trump 1-1 Robertson (1-5)
Unlucky! A terrific long pot gets Judd started, but then his run is halted by a hugely unfortunate plant off the blue, which sent a red trickling into the middle pocket. Foul, and now it's Jimmy's go!
Around the tables
Cao Yupeng 0-1 Oliver Lines
Ricky Walden 0-1 Graeme Dott
Robert Milkins 1-1 Yuan SiJun
Trump 1-1 Robertson (72-1)
That's better! More like it from Judd, who makes amends for that previous miss with a neat and tidy pot of the black in the bottom pocket. He comes back around off the next red, positioning himself for another easy seven points... and he repeats the trick a third time to get firmly on a roll. The world number five then gets his eye in, forcing gaps through the bunch while picking off red after red, black after black. The replays have suggested Robertson got unfortunate with a kick, but Trump made his luck count, and a run of 63 does the job. It's all square!
Trump 0-1 Robertson (9-1)
Jimmy gets frustrated as he misses the chance to get something going, but then Judd is then equally as annoyed as he gets too much on a long pot down the cushion. His luck is in, with another sloppy attempt from Jimmy giving him yet another opportunity, but he misses what should have been a simple pot on the black. Judd returns to his seat, but he can hardly believe it. Oh... wow! Now Robertson is at it. Another terrible miss, again on the black! There's some real tension at the table, and both players are struggling to keep their cool at the moment.
Trump 0-1 Robertson (8-0)
After that excellent half-century from Jimmy, Judd needs a strong response. He sinks a long pot and then screws off the black and back into the bunch. However, he doesn't leave himself with a lot on, so he has to go for a safety shot.
Around the tables...
Cao Yupeng 0-0 Oliver Lines
Ricky Walden 0-1 Graeme Dott
Robert Milkins 0-0 Yuan SiJun
Trump 0-1 Robertson (1-82)
An excellent, crisp pot by Jimmy, as he sends the red into the bottom pocket. The cue ball went back up the table, but with a bit of a bobble, the pink trickles in. Robertson comes back to the pack, and he seals the frame with a third straight red after doubling up on the black. From there, Jimmy sweeps up all but one of the remaining reds to nose himself ahead. Quality stuff from the world number 27!
Trump 0-0 Robertson (1-29)
Robertson now looks to build a good run, and he gets it. A somewhat risky cut of the blue left him with work to do, but he recovered with an excellent pot of the next red. He cannot push the black into play, though, so he settles with sending the white up to the other end of the table, and a break of 23.
Trump 0-0 Robertson (1-6)
A miss by Robertson, now. And then another for Trump. It's been a scrappy start.
Trump 0-0 Robertson (1-6)
An early miss from both players, with Judd and then Jimmy both squandering presentable - albeit not easy - chances to pot the first red. Trump recovers with a good pot, but then he misses on the pink, and to make matters worse, clatters into a red that sinks into the middle pocket.
Trump starts
We are under way, with Trump breaking first.
Trump speaks
Before he headed to the table, Trump spoke to Eurosport. "It's been steady, I've not given up too many easy chances," he said. "Last game was important, against the high-ranked players, you've got to make them earn their chances. That's what it's about for me this tournament, not giving away easy chances." On his opponent today, Trump said he "grew up with Jimmy" and knows what he is all about. That being said, Trump has won nine of his 10 meetings with Robertson.
On the other tables
Trump v Robertson will be our main focus, but we also have matches between Cao Yupeng and Oliver Lines, Ricky Walden and Graeme Dott, and Robert Milkins and Yuan SiJun. We'll keep you updated on those.
First up
It's Trump - a one-time winner and one-time runner-up at this tournament - who is first up, with the world number five coming into his third-round tie with Robertson on the back of a 4-0 victory over Sean O'Sullivan and a 4-1 win over Scott Donaldson.
Still to come...
It has been an enthralling day so far at Brentwood, with Ronnie O'Sullivan seeing off rising star Jackson Page 4-1. Judd Trump and Mark Allen are the headline names involved this evening, taking on Jimmy Robertson and Matthew Selt respectively.
Hello there!
We're back for the evening session at the English Open! Thanks for joining us!
That's the afternoon done
Join us again at 6.30pm BST for the evening sesh!
Around the tables
Dylan Emery 3-1 Oliver Brown
Si Jiahui 4-0 Fergal O'Brien
Liam Pullen 0-4 Ali Carter
Elliot Slessor beats Jack Lisowski 4-3!
That was nervy, intense and epic. Another tournament slips by without being won by Jack; that's a huge win for Elliot, who played really well.
Lisowski 3-3 Slessor (31-45)
The pink over left corner causes minor consternation, then Elliot knocks the red away and Jack leaves it for him such that he can't miss. The yellow follows, hammered into the green bag, and this should be it now. Brown and blue needed...
Lisowski 3-3 Slessor (18-36)
Ooof, Elliot misses a red to right corner and this time leaves a dolly to left-middle. Jack drains it but the four remaining aren't easy, in each other's space to the right of the pink. He gets rid of one, but can't slide a pink to right-middle; Elliot then almost pots it in left corner playing a snooker. I've not a clue who's going to win this.
Lisowski 3-3 Slessor (18-36)
Oooh yeah! Elliot snaps a red long to the green, and might that be the pot that wins this match? A cut-back black follows but he can't get on one thereafter, so plays a decent safety instead.
Lisowski 3-3 Slessor (18-28)
Not for long. Jack, who's played like a dog the last hour or so, gets in and gets to work. but off the pink, he barely fondles the cluster, meaning end of break. These two are really struggling now, and it's tremendous to watch! This game.
Lisowski 3-3 Slessor (0-28)
Soon, Elliot will have to dig into the pack, but he misses before he has to. Jack, though, is naewhere near a cut-back red down the side, and we're back playing safety.
Lisowski 3-3 Slessor (0-5)
Elliot releases his disappointment, sliding a starter into right corner, only to wind up on the side rail. He opts to go brown and leave a long red ... for Jack who, unusually, turns it down to play a good safety. He is, though, tempted to prod out of the pack to try sending one to the yellow bag; he misses by miles. But have a look! Elliot sinks a fine starter - in a decider you just want one chance, UJ reminds us - and this is his. The table isn't easy, but there's a decent lead out there.
Around the tables
Dylan Emery 2-1 Oliver Brown
Si Jiahui 2-0 Fergal O'Brien
Liam Pullen 0-2 Ali Carter
Lisowski 3-3 Slessor
On his way out of the arena, Elliot thumped a cushion. He's not happy he's not through yet, and probably feels he should be. Here comes the decider!
Lisowski 2-3 Slessor (60-52)
Jack goes for brown to left corner ... and pots it in right-centre! This absolute game! Jack sticks him behind the black and he hits first time, but can he get it safe? Just about, but will he take on a pot almost the full diagonal of the table? Yes he will, but goes with such force it flies about the table when missed and Jack sinks pink for the frame.
Lisowski 2-3 Slessor (45-52)
Jack finds a good cross-table snooker that earns him four then, when Elliot misses a pot, he sees off the final red. Brown to blue, though, will be tricky, the former on the bottom rail ... but he's missed the yellow! He has missed the yellow! This game! The ball's over the bag too, but he plays a really poor shot so has to go for green off the side cushion ... and he misses it. Jack, though, can't get position on the brown and both players are chuntering to themselves; well they might. This frame has been going 40 minutes now.
Lisowski 2-3 Slessor (32-50)
Still we chase.
Lisowski 2-3 Slessor (32-50)
Round and round we go until Jack takes on one to right-middle; he daren't miss it ... and he doesn't! He drops in behind the other remaining red off the pink ... rather than use the rest he goes righty ... and he jawses it! Can Elliot finish up? No he cannot, also jawsing an easier pot ... then Jack tries to pinch a bit of pocket and misses with the rest! Then Elliot misses a cut to the yellow! Then Jack misses! I'm running out of exclamations! Pressure is madting.
Lisowski 2-3 Slessor (25-50)
All the balls are now in the bottom half of the table, save the black which is close. And talking of close, Jack misses with a red to the green by fractions ... if he leaves it it's game over ... but it rolls away from the pocket. This is so tense now.
Lisowski 2-3 Slessor (25-50)
Elliot doesn't have much angle on the blue to get up for the two railed reds - and he'll need baith. Ach, he floats down and tries to develop one; I thought he'd drop in behind the other. That means a difficult pot jumping in behind from on top ... and he gets close but not close enough, going with enough power so as not to leave it.
Lisowski 2-3 Slessor (25-38)
Jack gets in front before running out of position, then Elliot misses a pot taking on as a shot to nothing and flukes a snooker snug behind the yellow. Which yields a foul then a chance! Can Elliot close out? Well there are still two reds on the top rail - he's just removed one with a fine shot - and he looks pretty confident yahnah!
Lisowski 2-3 Slessor (8-22)
Elliot underhits one to such extent he's pretty nicely on a different ball, poking blue to the yellow and leaving pink downtable. But just when things are easy enough to settle in, he misses a red to left corner and leaves a fair few on. However the black is on the top rail and there are five reds gathered nearby, so resolving things from here won't be easy.
Lisowski 2-3 Slessor (1-13)
Jack slams in a doubler, then misses with an imprecise effort to get behind the yellow, right next to the white. And now look! He's too thin on one, the cue-ball careers into the reds, and a superb starter from Elliot, lasered into right corner, sits him down - figuratively and actually.
Lisowski 2-3 Slessor
Nope, he misses shortly afterwards; that's the bad news. The good news is he's one up with two to play!
Lisowski 2-2 Slessor (0-69)
A red sent long to the yellow rescues position on the black, then one to left corner secures the frame. There's a 143 out there, I think, which would be the highest of the competition so far.
Lisowski 2-2 Slessor (0-38)
He's enjoying this now! Left one off the break, Elliot smokes to right corner then sets about adding points. The balls aren't great, so the cluster will soon need breaking, but in the meantime, anything loose is getting punished.
Around the tables
Andrew Higginson 2-4 Zhou Yuelong
Dylan Emery 0-1 Oliver Brown
Si Jiahui 0-0 Fergal O'Brien
Lisowski 2-2 Slessor
Elliot isn't going away, and this is now a best of three!
Lisowski 2-1 Slessor (1-82)
Elliot secures the frame, but will need a good angle on the last red, stuck underneath the pink.He doesn't get one, whacks it as hard as he can ... and flukes it bottom right, saluting the crowd as they cheer.
Lisowski 2-1 Slessor (1-59)
Elliot calmly removes reds but will know he's at that point whereby he's got a decent lead, but any miss leaves everything for which he's worked so hard. He runs out of position a little too ... resolving the situation with a nice blue to the green, and this should be us back level.
Lisowski 2-1 Slessor (1-22)
Jack flukes a ball he'd rather stayed out, then Elliot takes on a tester to right-centre ... and down it goes. This is his first go at the balls early in a frame, and he looks decent out there, making a nice angle for the black that passes to both corners.
Around the tables
Andrew Higginson 2-3 Zhou Yuelong
Liu Hongyu 4-1 Joe O'Connor
Dylan Emery 0-0 Oliver Brown
Lisowski 2-1 Slessor
A run of 76 is enough for the frame and what's impressive about it isn't how many good shots were played in it, but how quickly Jack put aside tossing the previous one.
Lisowski 1-1 Slessor (46-0)
This time, Jack's in quicksmart when Elliot misses a long red by a way, nodding at himself when a poor positional shot means he's to play a different ball to the one intended. He keeps chasing, a deep screw on the black taking him down the tale for a red near the blue, then a good cut-back black redeems a further poor positional shot. This is a really good run, and if his split of remaining reds goes well, the frame is almost over. But he hits the wrong red so finds a nice plant, and might now be on the cusp of prime position, 46 points in.
Around the tables
Andrew Higginson 2-2 Zhou Yuelong
Liu Hongyu 3-1 Joe O'Connor
Lukas Kleckers 1-4 Jenson Kendrick
Lisowski 1-1 Slessor
Jack gave that frame away twice. I expect he gets away with it here, but in later rounds he won't.
Lisowski 1-0 Slessor (68-64)
Elliot drains the green but brings the white too far over, so the brown will need to go down via rest ... and it's there!
Lisowski 1-0 Slessor (68-56)
Oh Elliot. Oh mate. He misses the yellow after playing a loose black ... but Jack then makes a mess potting it, misses the green as a consequence, and what are these playing at?!
Lisowski 1-0 Slessor (66-44)
Elliot tries to disturb the final red off the pink but can't get at it so lays a snooker, red protected by yellow; Jack misses, leaves a pot, and if Elliot sends this down, it's colours off their spots to steal. AND HE DOES!
Lisowski 1-0 Slessor (66-17)
Er, about that. Just as we're talking about New Jack, Old Jack reappears, missing frame-ball. It seems unlikely Elliot will punish him, but a few shots in, a red on the side rail looks the only impediment to that.
Lisowski 1-0 Slessor (63-0)
Jack has left the cluster well alone because he can get over the line without them. Like Ronnie, he looks totally dialled-in for this, and after a decent week at the British - he lost in a decider to Selby - perhaps this time will be the time. Or perhaps not. Anyway, he drops a really nice red into left corner, and now needs colour-red-colour for the frame.
Lisowski 1-0 Slessor (23-0)
Safety starts the frame, but eventually Jack gets in again, the pack broken and reds nearby grouped in pairs. If he solves the puzzle here, eliminating them in the correct order, there's a decent run to be had.
Around the tables
Andrew Higginson 2-2 Zhou Yuelong
Liu Hongyu 3-1 Joe O'Connor
Lukas Kleckers 1-3 Jenson Kendrick
Lisowski 1-0 Slessor
Elliot clears a few, but Jack will be pleased with that start - the clinching chance came about because he played safe rather than take on a pot.
Lisowski 0-0 Slessor (75-5)
Jack misses a red to left corner so Elliot returns to try and get his arm going - the frame is long gone.
Lisowski 0-0 Slessor (42-0)
Superb shot from Jack, a starter to left corner with check side, then with UJ expecting a difficult blue, he nuzzles in behind the brown, on the blue spot. That yields a foul then a chance, and this is going to be 1-0.
Lisowski 0-0 Slessor (17-0)
Elliot's safety has been alright so far, but then a poor shot leaves the white up the top end ... with nothing on.
Lisowski 0-0 Slessor (17-0)
There aren't many players I'd rather watch play snooker than Jack - though I guess he lacks the attitude that links most of my favourites. He is, though - as UJ says - becoming a smarter player, and when he runs out of position he doesn't risk anything, instead bringing the white back to baulk.
Lisowski 0-0 Slessor (6-0)
Left a mid-distancer to the yellow bag, Jack slams it home - but I should note that, during the safety exchange that preceded the pot,, Uncle Joe notes improvements in his savvy when it comes to that part of the game.
Aaaand away we go
Winner to meet Zhang Anda next.
Coming up next
Jack Lisowski v Elliot Slessor
Ronnie speaks
He worked hard on his game yesterday, he said, playing four hours not two, which is why he played well today - he's always working on things and "hoping to find the Mark Williams secret". Jackson, he says, is a "fantastic talent" and "great for the game", reminding him of Luca Brecel. But he's learning on the job so needs to wait for Ding, Selby, Robertson and the rest to dip a bit. Otherwise, his face lights up when asked about meeting Shaquille O'Neal in Macaw, and considers Mohammed Ali and Ayrton Senna the greatest sportsmen of all time. On Ali, he says all the greats have mastered their sport, so what else do they bring to the table and Ali was the full package.
Around the tables
Andrew Higginson 1-1 Zhou Yuelong
Liu Hongyu 2-1 Joe O'Connor
Lukas Kleckers 1-2 Jenson Kendrick
Ronnie O'Sullivan beats Jackson Page 4-1!
Another ton - that's four in five frames - and Ronnie moves on to face Si Jiahui or Fergal O'Brien. If he keeps playing like this, it barely matters which.
O'Sullivan 3-1 Page (66-1)
Ronnie slots a black effortlessly - that's match ball - and we've been going less than 50 minutes. He's played almost perfectly today, potting everything he's tried for, nailing safety when out of position, and taking chances whenever available.
O'Sullivan 3-1 Page (40-1)
Ronnie misses a long, straight red to right corner but soon gets in again and Jackson, who mustered a red but nothing else, looks a little befuddled now. These two have only played once before - in 2017, when Page was only 16 - Ronnie won that, and he's going to win this, now, because he's broken the pack, there are pottable reds everywhere, and there's no one better and resolving that situation.
Around the tables
Andrew Higginson 1-1 Zhou Yuelong
Liu Hongyu 1-1 Joe O'Connor
Lukas Kleckers 1-1 Jenson Kendrick
O'Sullivan 3-1 Page
Yeah, Jackson returns to his seat with 67 points remaining on it. No ton this time, but this is the best I've seen Ronnie play for a while - though I was away for Shanghai.
O'Sullivan 2-1 Page (61-0)
Ronnie pauses, distracted by someone moving in the crowd, then takes on a blue, cutting it superbly from middle to yellow bag. The remaining reds, though, are not easy to get at, so he drills home a pink, breaks up two on the side ... and lands no nothing. Jackson returns to the table with 67 points remaining on it.
O'Sullivan 2-1 Page (35-0)
A nice opening red gets Ronnie away again, then when he runs out of position he doesn't force it, he plays safe; Jackson misses to right corner. Ahahahaha! Ronnie soon glides a longun to left corner - he's 3-0 from range and still hasn't missed a ball in live play - then gets back involved. He's playing beautifully.
Around the tables
Andrew Higginson 1-0 Zhou Yuelong
Liu Hongyu 1-0 Joe O'Connor
Lukas Kleckers 0-1 Jenson Kendrick
O'Sullivan 2-1 Page
Three frames, three tons, not even half an hour of play. This is terrific stuff!
O'Sullivan 1-1 Page (52-0)
The speed at which Ronnie accumulates is insane and, in co-comms, Nealf can't see him missing because somehow every ball looks easy. This frame is going to be another quickie.
O'Sullivan 1-1 Page (22-0)
Ronnie's in immediately in frame three and, with reds loose and the black available to both corners, he could easily make a definitive break here. These days, this is my favourite aspect of his genius: the way he imparts bumps and nudges when in the balls to make every pot a simple one.
Around the tables
Andrew Higginson 1-0 Zhou Yuelong
Liu Hongyu 1-0 Joe O'Connor
Lukas Kleckers 0-1 Jenson Kendrick
O'Sullivan 1-1 Page
Now then! A ton for Jackson - in the 110-120 range I think, I was looking at my fingers typing when they removed the score and couldn't here the ref - and this is shaping up.
O'Sullivan 1-0 Page (14-61)
This is very good work from Jackson, who hasn't been fazed by Ronnie's first-frame ton and is now seeking his own. He can pot balls.
O'Sullivan 1-0 Page (14-8)
Oh dear. Jackson can't despatch one left over left corner and that doesn't bode well. But he soon gets another go at it, a fine, controlled swerve seeing it away, and has a chance to score some points, black and pink available to each corner.
O'Sullivan 1-0 Page (14-0)
Jackson misses to left corner and Ronnie isn't letting him away with that, cleaning up before overrunning. I thought he might try cutting the black anyroad - he was above it with a bit of angle - but instead he plays safe. He looks dialled-in today.
Around the tables
Andrew Higginson 0-0 Zhou Yuelong
Liu Hongyu 0-0 Joe O'Connor
Lukas Kleckers 0-0 Jenson Kendrick
O'Sullivan 1-0 Page
No clearance but a run of 105, and Ronnie hits the front. Of course he does.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Page (76-0)
During his first-round match, Ronnie was hampered by pain from his old tennis elbow complaint; I guess he's taken painkillers as he said he would, because this is very smooth indeed.
O'Sullivan 0-0 Page (32-0)
Ronnie's only won one Home international vent - this one, in 2017 - but he's never lost in the first round, which is remarkable really. And after a couple of sighters he's in first here - Jackson misses to let-middle - about the black spot eliminating balls. He's quite good at that.
Our boys baize
Here we go...
Mark J Williams, though
Still winning, still making like he's not too arsed either way. What a man.
This afternoon
We begin with Ronnie O'Sullivan v Jackson Page, then continue with Jack Lisowski v Elliot Slessor. That first game, in particular, could be a lot of fun as Jackson is a good player who won't be scared; we shall see.
Results from this morning
Muhammad Asif 4-3 Fan Zhengyi
Anthony McGill 1-4 Zhang Anda
Chris Wakelin 4-1 Jamie Jones
Mark Williams 4-3 Xiao Guodong
Afternoon all!
And welcome to the English Open 2023 - day three!
Today's schedule
Second Round
- Ronnie O'Sullivan v Jackson Page
- Jack Lisowski v Elliot Slessor
- Anthony McGill v Zhang Anda
- Liam Pullen v Ali Carter
- Liu Hongyu v Joe O'Connor
- Mark Williams v Xiao Guodong
- Chris Wakelin v Jamie Jones
- Muhammad Asif v Fan Zhengyi
- Lukas Kleckers v Jenson Kendrick
- Andrew Higginson v Zhou Yuelong
- Si Jiahui v Fergal O'Brien
- Dylan Emery v Oliver Brown
Third Round
- Hossein Vafaei v He Guoqiang
- Matthew Selt v Mark Allen
Recap
Mark Selby's English Open title defence is over after the four-time world champion lost 4-2 to Martin O'Donnell in a shock defeat in the last 64 at the Brentwood Centre in Essex.
It was a first professional victory for O’Donnell against last week's British Open finalist, who had lost all six of his previous meetings with the Leicester player.
Some superb long-range potting proved key to the victory against a jaded-looking Selby, who was forced to play two matches in a day after overcoming Zihao Xing 4-1 earlier on Tuesday.
It was also his ninth match in nine days amid his run to the British Open final with former world no. 34 O'Donnell proving too good as breaks of 51, 102 and 58 secured a last-32 meeting with Stephen Maguire, who completed a 4-2 win over another Leicester cueman in Louis Heathcote.
Selby had lifted the English Open title last December with a 9-6 win against Luca Brecel.
“I could see Mark was struggling a bit towards the end of his match this afternoon," O'Donnell told reporters. "But he’s a marathon man, he has won the world title four times and he has got more stamina than anyone else in the game.
"If anyone can dig out a result when he is tired, it’s Mark. I took nothing for granted, kept my focus all the way through and tried to put pressure on him. The TV table was lovely, a joy to play on. I don’t get to play on that table often, and when I do it’s usually against an absolute machine.
"It was nice to pot some long balls and create chances. I will go to bed buzzing tonight, but there is no point beating Mark and then losing in the next round.
"Tomorrow is another today, and I need to be on top of my game otherwise I’ll be going home. It’s a fresh start for me this season. The tournaments are coming thick and fast now and tonight’s result gives me some momentum.”
- - -
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