Scottish Open snooker: Who has qualified for the World Grand Prix? World champion Luca Brecel leads frantic scramble

ByEurosport

Published 12/12/2023 at 08:03 GMT

Luca Brecel, Kyren Wilson, Anthony McGill, Stuart Bingham and Gary Wilson are all in danger of missing the World Grand Prix next month amid a frantic scramble to finish inside the top 32 on the sport's one-year list at the Scottish Open in Edinburgh. Neil Robertson is already of the event after opting to take a break from the sport following his early exit from the UK Championship in York.

'A miracle to get here' - Brecel on late dash to Scottish Open

World champion Luca Brecel faces James Cahill in the second round of the Scottish Open on Tuesday afternoon needing a victory to keep alive his hopes of qualifying for the World Grand Prix next month (15-21 January in Leicester).

The Belgian Bullet needs to finish his week in Edinburgh inside the top 32 on the sport's one-year list to make the cut-off point for the Grand Prix, but is 37th on the provisional list – 2,000 points behind Robert Milkins, who occupies the final place in 32nd spot.

Brecel began his quest for a second Scottish Open title with a 4-0 whitewash win over Iulian Boiko, a match he was almost forced to forfeit with Sam Craigie's 4-3 from 3-0 down against Mark Williams enabling him to reach Meaowbank Sports Centre on time.

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“I said to my taxi driver I was in a hurry and he did really well," said Brecel on Eurosport. "He ignored the red lights and stuff like that, so it was handy!

“I felt quite good. I enjoyed it. I’m just trying to have a bit more fun on the table. I was really just happy to be here because of the travel. I was really up for this one. I’m trying to enjoy it. I haven’t done that enough this season, and I’ve been thinking too much.

"Probably because I’m world champion and there is more attention. That is never a good thing in snooker, so I just tried to go back to my World Championship frame of mind.”

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Welsh Open champion Milkins is almost certainly out of the event after he lost 4-0 to Mark Davis in the first round of the Scottish Open on Monday evening.

Davis is among a number of players within striking distance of Milkins and World Championship semi-finalist Si Jianhu, who both have 40,000 points.

Si is seeking to consolidate his spot in the World Grand Prix by progressing in Edinburgh. He faces Julien Leclercq in the second round of the Scottish Open on Wednesday.

Davis and Brecel will need two more wins to reach the last 16, and earn the £7,500 in prize money that would carry them past Milkins in the ranking list.

But Dominic Dale and He Guoqiang require only more one victory to reach the 32, and collect £4,500 to knock Milkins out of the Grand Prix.

Anthony McGill, Kyren Wilson and Ryan Day are among the tournament winners all chasing a last-32 spot in Edinburgh.

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Dale will face Jamie Jones on Wednesday in an all-Welsh second-round clash after Jones boosted his own hopes with a 4-2 win over Shoot Out champion and World Grand Prix holder Mark Allen on Monday evening that saw him roll in breaks of 141 and 103.

"Not the way I wanted to end the year but well done to Jamie tonight," said Allen on social media. "He never really looked like missing and a few mistakes from me is all it took. Fair play."

Defending Scottish Open champion Gary Wilson needs a run to the semi-finals to keep alive his hopes of making the World Grand Prix, while 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham would need a quarter-final berth to remain in the running.

Former winner Neil Robertson is already of the World Grand Prix following his 6-2 loss to Zhou Yuelong in the first round of the UK Championship.

Masters holder Judd Trump and new UK champion Ronnie O'Sullivan are set to be seeded one and two for the first ranking event of 2024.