'He’s got to hit it now' - Yuan Sijun beats Tom Ford in epic match afer final-second pot in Snooker Shoot Out

ByAlex Livie

Updated 21/01/2022 at 21:01 GMT

Tom Ford drained his first shot at the blue and celebrated with the crowd at the Morningside Arena, but Yuan Sijun is a cool customer and he followed him in. Second time round, Ford failed where Yuan did not and the home favourite was sent packing from the Snooker Shoot Out in Leicester on Friday evening.

Friday nights at the Snooker Shoot Out are designed for drama, and Tom Ford and Yuan Sijun provided it with the fabled blue ball shoot out.

It was a match that did not look like dishing up a lot of drama, as it was 10-4 with only two and a half minutes remaining on the clock.

But the balls began to spread and Yuan got himself into a one-point lead with 10 seconds left in the frame.

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He bided his time and went for a long red, but it stayed out and careered across the table - raising the decibel level in Leicester as the crowd sensed the home favourite had a chance.

Ford jumped into position, and had to ask Yuan to move out of his way as the drama got to both players.

He had to wait for the balls to come to rest, but they did with four seconds left.

“He’s got to hit it now,” said David Hendon on Eurosport commentary.

Ford lined it up, pulled the trigger and fired. The red dropped, the crowd went bananas and both players set themselves for a shoot out.

“He’s got it,” added Hendon. “It’s a blue ball shoot out. Extraordinary.”

Ford drained his first shot at the blue and celebrated with the crowd, but Yuan is a cool customer and he followed him in.

Second time round, Ford failed where Yuan did not and the home favourite was sent packing.

Yuan Sijun defeats Tom Ford in dramatic blue ball shoot out

There were some in the crowd who were disappointed, but their thirst had been quenched and they loved it.

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