UK Championship 2021 - Kyren Wilson beats Ben Woollaston by three clear frames in the evening session

ByEurosport

Updated 01/12/2021 at 22:31 GMT

After six-time champion of the world Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Thailand's Noppon Saengkham 6-3 earlier in the day, with Zhao Xintong also victorious, Kyren Wilson and Anthony McGill both play in the evening session. Stream the UK Championship and much more top snooker action live and on-demand on discovery+

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That's us done for today

Join us again tomorrow. Ta-ra!

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20/11/2022 at 16:52

Jordan Brown 3-4 Anthony McGill

Kyren Wilson beats Ben Woolaston 6-3!

Ben fought hard, but Kyren was too far ahead and, ultimately, too good. He meets Ronnie O'Sullivan in Friday's quarter - that's the two best players left, playing each other - which is great news for the rest, but also for the winner.

Wilson 5-3 Woolaston (79-14)

That'll do it! Kyren pots match ball with a cross-double - he's 57 ahead with 51 left - and though he can't get on a colour, he doubles the next red too! That is most definitely that, but in the meantime he clatters home a third double! He's enjoying himself now!

Wilson 5-3 Woolaston (65-14)

He hammers down a great red, follows it with a dainty black ... but doesn't get position thereafter. Kyren then misses a long one, but wuth two reds now on the side cushion and one more close to it, it's hard to see how he can lose the frame from here.

Wilson 5-3 Woolaston (65-6)

This is excellent from Kyren, who's cueing as well as he did before the interval. 65 in front with 67 left, Kyren finds himself on match-ball - a blue with the rest, his speciality ... and he drops it short! Ben then leaves him a long tempter and he not only misses it - by a distance - but pots the pink! This game! Can Ben capitalise?!

Wilson 5-3 Woolaston (43-0)

A poor break from Ben hands Kyren an immediate opportunity and he picks off the stray reds; if the split goes well, he'll have a great chance to secure that last-eight spot. Well, it goes well enough, and he's set.

Elsewhere

Jordan Brown 3-4 Anthony McGill

Wilson 5-3 Woolaston

Yup, Wollaston brings it home, and this is getting interesting. Kyren looks vex.

Wilson 5-2 Woolaston (4-43)

Ah, Ben. He misses a regulation red to right middle, seems to have left nowt ...but Kyren finds a three-ball plant and down it goes! They weren't all touching either, and when he finishes on the green, it's one middle-distance red to have the table, frame and match at his mercy ... and he jawses it, hitting the far knuckle! In comms, Dominic notes the banging about in the arena, but Kyren won't blame anyone but himself for that. Ben should make it 5-3 from here.

Wilson 5-2 Woolaston (0-29)

Ben gets in first but finds himself nestled in the cluster with only a long red to the green pocket as an option; he's up from the shot quickly, clearly hating it, and Kyren then misses a version of the same, sticking Ben right back in.

Elsewhere

Jordan Brown 3-3 Anthony McGill

Wilson 5-2 Woolaston

Kyren's been poor since the interval and Ben's been much improved, but he now needs four straight to progress.

Wilson 4-2 Woolaston (47-41)

Gosh, Kyren makes hard work of this and ends up behind the black; dare he play it to the green pocket? No! He goes to the middle ... and it's there! Stones! Absolute stones!

Wilson 4-2 Woolaston (36-41)

Ben does really well to eliminate the first tricky red but misses the second, offering Kyren a thin cut to right corner with the rest and extension. He doesn't seem to like it, but he nails it nonetheless, and the colours off their spots or close by will put him one away.

Wilson 4-2 Woolaston (32-41)

On 40 he runs out of position, and a containing safety hands Kyren the initiative as the boyz battle for the next chance. Ohhhh, and what a shot he finds, risking a foul by playing up to the brown, over the green pocket, and knocking it fractions from the hole but sticking to it. Ben's response is alright, but Kyren finds a jazzer to crack a long one right into the heart of the yellow pocket, but of the three remaining reds, two are on the side cushion, so he'll have to work hard to win the frame at this visit. And he can't, overcutting the loose one, which allows Ben a gimme before the difficulty begins.

Wilson 4-2 Woolaston (27-1)

A terrific pink from Kyren, coaxed to left middle, splits the reds, and one good pot here and he's flying. His problem is that none of the various balls available guarantee position, but he deftly moves onto the pink, and Ben is in big trouble. Except an unwanted cannon means he's got to play another recovery pot, the thinnest of cuts with the rest, meaning a difficult brown comes next, and this is one too many - moving across the baulk-line, he can't guide it into the green pocket,and now Ben has the chance to exploit all his good work.

Wilson 4-2 Woolaston (12-0)

Kyren enjoys a long bathroom break and when he returns, Ben has a go at a long red, leaving it when he misses; Kyren sends it down and a couple of fine pots, blue then another red, set him up nicely.

Elsewhere

Jordan Brown 2-3 Anthony McGill

Wilson 4-2 Woolaston

Kyren has a go and gets closeish, but Ben sees of red and blue to claw back another! Do we got ourselves a ball-game?!

Wilson 4-1 Woolaston (20-61)

This is good from Ben, who finds himself in bother and rescues the situation with a good rest pot. He eventually runs out of position on 61, leaving Kyren to chase two snookers with one red remaining and the balls in helpful positions.

Wilson 4-1 Woolaston (20-7)

Ben has first shy at the table but can only manage six, so Kyren rattles in a long red and gets to work. On 11, he ruffles the pack, but the eventuating black is a hard one, a cut-back with very little angle, and he sinks it well, going in and out of baulk thereafter. The next ball, though, is even more taxing and he misses it, but then Ben misses a long one, hit well and that jumps out of the pocket, leaving plenty. Gosh, there's a lot going on here, because Kyren misses a pressure pink to the green pocket, and he's not playing as well now. this is big chance for Ben to make a dent.

Elsewhere

Jordan Brown 2-2 Anthony McGill

Wilson 4-1 Woolaston

Woolaston holds his nerve, clearing to pink, and he's on the board.

Wilson 4-0 Woolaston (40-38)

But no! Potting the yellow, he misses the cannon he's seeking to develop one of the two remaining reds, stuck on the side cushion, and a poor safety leaves it for Ben. He drains it, but bangs into the pink, knocking it safe and ruining any hope of position. As such, he lays a snooker behind it, and Kyren misses narrowly, then again, catching the pink on the way back, then again, leaving the final red. Surely Ben will this frame away from here?

Wilson 4-0 Woolaston (38-26)

Kyren misses a red but again Ben can't capitalise, but he then coaxes home a long red from middle to left corner; that's his best pot of the match so far, and though it yields nae position, he lays a snooker behind the brown. Except, in keeping with the way he's night's going, Kyren's escape is a beaut,dropping onto a single red, and when he misses one to left middle, he leaves the same ball, If Kyren can clip it home, it could well mean 5-0, and he plays it perfectly.

Wilson 4-0 Woolaston (20-18)

Ben overscrews on the black and the next red is consequently harder; he misses it, and he'll do well to get back to the table in this frame. In comms, Phil Yates tells us that Kyren has whitewashed him twice, and of course Stephen Maguire was beaten 6-0 by Luca Brecel last night.

Wilson 4-0 Woolaston (1-10)

Kyren has a damn good go at a long red and gets really close to it, but close isn't enough and Ben gobbles up a stray red to right corner ... only to overscrew the yellow and narrowly miss a tricky cut to middle. He's slumped again, and rightly so, but reprieve! Kyren gets a kick on the blue, and what can Ben make of this next chance?

Off we go again

Elsewhere

Jordan Brown 1-1 Anthony McGill

Wilson 4-0 Woolaston

In just over an hour, Kyren is nearly there. He's looking full of confidence, whereas Ben needs a cuddle.

Wilson 3-0 Woolaston (48-22)

Kyren mistimes a pot on the red, hitting it early and ovrercutting. it; all he leaves is a nasty one to left middle, which Ben pots well. I fear for him if he can't make this one count, but a poor pot on a red makes a black harder than it needs to be which makes the next red harder than it needs to be, and you can only chase for so long; the snowball effect is in operation and he overcuts to right corner, allowing Kyren to spank home a pearler with the rest, yanking the white back miles. I'd be staggered if this isn't 4-0.

Wilson 3-0 Woolaston (35-0)

Oh dear - for Ben. Kyren is in prime position now, strutting about the table showing the presence that Ronnie suggested he doesn't have. Ultimately, that comes with victories - it's true he doesn't have Ronnie's charisma, but nor did Stephen Hendry or Steve Davis, they just acquired it with the brilliance of their play.

Wilson 3-0 Woolaston (9-0)

Wily from Kyren, taking a break that leaves Ben slumped in his seat reliving his catastrophe. I miss what happens immediately thereafter because my daughter hollers me downstairs where a microwave cover is on fire; I have since saved the day and returned to find Kyren back at the table potting balls.

Elsewhere

Jordan Brown 0-1 Anthony McGill

Wilson 3-0 Woolaston

Ben could do with the interval here, because that shook him. Hard luck old mate, you've got to play another frame first.

Wilson 2-0 Woolaston (59-64)

Kyren gets a little high on the blue ... hope for Ben. Er yeah, no, bye. he sinks it easily, and Ben looks like he's going to be sick.

Wilson 2-0 Woolaston (32-64)

Aaaaarrrrggghhhh! This absolute game! Ben plays a dreadful shot, leaving a red over right corner and developing others. Kyren sinks the red, but doesn't get great position on a cut-back black ... only to find a fine pot that puts him in position to snaffle the frame! Ben will be feeling exceedingly peaky; the colours are on their spots and the last red has just disappeared.

Wilson 2-0 Woolaston (0-15)

Ben is taking these well. Early on, he had to play a few recovery pots, but he eased himself into prime position ... except, of course, as I type that he bumps the blue coming back up the table off the yellow, and that's end of break. He's 64 in front with 67 on the table.

Wilson 2-0 Woolaston (0-15)

Kyren misses two long ones, leaving nothing both times, but eventually Ben gets in, fortuitously happening upon a plant after running out of position, and this is a really good chance for him to haul himself into the match.

Elsewhere

Jordan Brown 0-1 Anthony McGill

Wilson 2-0 Woolaston

A run of 58 follows the earlier one of 40, and Kyren is bang in charge here.

Wilson 1-0 Woolaston (54-0)

Ben needs to make this harder for Kyren, leaving him a red to chip in. But he catches it thick so the white pulls up a fair way short of the pink and black. That means he needs to send the blue to the green pocket ... and he does it well. This is a really good chance for 2-0 - all the more so when a black allows him to cannon a red.

Wilson 1-0 Woolaston (40-0)

Kyren gets high on the pink, hampering not the pot but his ability to get position on the next red. He plays the shot well, but decelerates through the next one, undercutting it to right corner, and Ben will feel like he's been let off, just as Kyren will that he's left nothing.

Wilson 1-0 Woolaston (20-0)

Kyren is back at the table potting balls. There's a lovely composure about him at the moment.

Elsewhere

Jordan Brown 0-1 Anthony McGill

Wilson 1-0 Woolaston

Yup, Ben can't get anywhere, Kyren pots another red, and that's enough for the frame.

Wilson 0-0 Woolaston (64-4)

Kyren is flowing here; if he plays like this, Ben is in for a long and short night ...and of course, as I write that, he misses a red. But Ben needs snookers, and this is a matter of time.

Wilson 0-0 Woolaston (23-4)

Kyren and Ronnie O'Sullivan are the sole surviving members of the top 10, so both will be smelling trophy at this point. Ronnie has won this competition more times than anyone else, but Kyren has yet to win a triple crown event so doing so here would be massive for him. Ben, though, is 53 in the world and no mug - he gets in first, but a missed black brings Kyren to the table and he's looking good.

Evening all!

Let's get going straight away - apologies, technical issues round my part - with Kyren Wilson v Ben Woolaston.

That's us done for the afternoon

Join us again at 6.45pm for Kyren Wilson against Ben Woollaston and Jordan Brown versus Anthony McGill.

Table 2

Peter Lines has taken the sixth frame to keep in the hunt with Zhao Xintong who leads 4-2.

O'Sullivan 6-3 Saengkham

Some Ronnie stats to chew over:

Total points 634
Balls potted 181
Pot success 93%
Long pot success 57%
Safety success 74%
Hghest break 120

O'Sullivan 6-3 Saengkham

All done and dusted and in some style as a break of 120 secures O'Sullivan's passage to the quarter finals. He will have a day off tomorrow, before facing either Kyren Wilson or Ben Woollaston as he continues his quest for a 38th ranking title.

There is a steely determination about the Rocket this week, as he weathered a storm from Noppon before taking control of the match.

O'Sullivan 5-3 Saengkham (24-7)

Ronnie is one of the very best at closing out matches, and in a couple of shots a difficult table looks promising as he frees the black.

O'Sullivan 5-3 Saengkham (0-7)

Noppon edges a safety battle and has a chance. He needs to take it in order to stem the bleeding. He does not, as a red into the right corner, one he was making earlier in the match, stays above ground. Chance for O'Sullivan.

O'Sullivan 5-3 Saengkham (0-1)

O'Sullivan is one frame away and this performance has been typical of his efforts in York. He's been a step short of his best but has been prepared to roll his sleeves up and battle. He's still got to get over the line, but if he finds his best form, watch out!

O'Sullivan 4-3 Saengkham (92-0)

Noppon is continuing in attack mode and an audacious effort down the right rail just fails to drop, but he gets a slice of fortune as he covers the pocket. Noppon rolls the dice again, but this time he is out of luck and hands a second chance to O'Sullivan who knocks in a break of 48 to move within one frame of victory.

O'Sullivan 4-3 Saengkham (44-0)

It's now Noppon who is making errors and this one looks costly as O'Sullivan knocks a red into the centre of the pocket of the bottom right. He gets to 44, but runs out of position. Noppon is still alive.

O'Sullivan 3-3 Saengkham (74-14)

Accelerating like a Ferrari, O'Sullivan races through the gears with a glorious break of 74. For the first time in the match, he has the cue ball under tight control and it shows with a superb contribution. A red does not drop into the left middle and Noppon comes back to the table, but it does not come to anything as O'Sullivan moves into the lead.

O'Sullivan 3-3 Saengkham (16-0)

An excellent starting red from O'Sullivan, beautifully cued into the bottom left. The split of the reds is not brilliant, but he has one into the left middle and is up and running in the seventh.

Table 2

Zhao Xintong is in control as he leads Peter Lines 4-1.

O'Sullivan 2-3 Saengkham (64-48)

Ronnie does not pot the yellow, but gets a second bite as Noppon's effort at a fiendishly difficult yellow does not drop. His attacking play is a good sign, but there are times when erring on the side of caution is the way to go. Ronnie mops up the colours to draw level. Turning points, anyone?

O'Sullivan 2-3 Saengkham (37-48)

It's more miss than hit at the moment, with Noppon missing a red into the left corner, O'Sullivan following with a miss into the right middle and Noppon hitting back by missing another to the bottom left. O'Sullivan finally gets in and is back in the frame with on red remaining on the table. He knocks in a glorious red along the bottom rail and has a massive chance.

O'Sullivan 2-3 Saengkham (14-29)

The black O'Sullivan missed in the previous frame came as a surprise. Surprise was more like shock in the sixth, as he missed a simple blue into the right middle. He was trying to force it coming in and out of baulk, but it was not good. Noppon misses shortly afterwards and it's getting very edgy - and we're only in the sixth frame.

O'Sullivan 2-3 Saengkham (1-22)

Commentator's curse strikes as he misses an albeit tough red into the left middle and it hands O'Sullivan an easy starter.

O'Sullivan 2-3 Saengkham (0-22)

Noppon gets a lovely split of the pack off the black and he's in with a great chance again. After the previous clearance, he is full of confidence.

O'Sullivan 2-2 Saengkham (57-65)

Noppon knocks in a fantastic red down the right rail to get his chance. He takes full advantage with a clearance of 59 for an unlikely steal. O'Sullivan had the frame at his mercy but missed the black. I'm sure someone somewhere is talking about turning points and momentum shifts.

O'Sullivan 2-2 Saengkham (57-1)

Ronnie gets in again off the back of a poor safety from Noppon. Handing chances to arguably the greatest player to pick up a cue is not the wisest strategy, but O'Sullivan breaks down on 45 when missing a black into the left corner.

"The black stays out, incredible," said David Hendon on Eurosport comms. True, very true.

Frame is still alive.

O'Sullivan 2-2 Saengkham (12-0)

Noppon misses a long red by some distance and O'Sullivan gets in and immediately splits the pack. An excellent red goes cleanly into the left middle, but he runs out of position and misses a long red. It's still very stop-start.

O'Sullivan 2-2 Saengkham

We've back underway with the match well poised. Will Ronnie find another gear, or is Noppon primed to keep the shocks coming?

Table 2

Zhao Xintong has taken a tight third frame in which both players had chances to lead 2-1.

Jimmy's thoughts

"Ronnie took quite a bit of time to settle," White said. "He's not really got going.

"I think we are going to see some bigger breaks and better quality after the interval."

O'Sullivan 1-2 Saengkham (98-8)

O'Sullivan's break reaches 33, and the crucial split of the reds from the blue works a treat. With reds split nicely, he knocks in a break of 98 to draw level at the interval. It was a good break, but the cue ball got away from time to time suggesting he is still not fully happy with the table. He's spoken before about enjoying difficult conditions as he seems them as a challenge. We'll find out if that's the case after the interval. See you shortly.

O'Sullivan 1-2 Saengkham (12-8)

A good safety from O'Sullivan draws a mistake from Noppon and with his hand on the table, Ronnie knocks in a good starting red and he's in the balls. He could do with a decent contribution to settle things.

O'Sullivan 1-1 Saengkham (5-117)

Noppon knocks an excellent long red into the green pocket and it's an excellent chance. This time he takes full advantage, as a break of 83 is enough to secure the third frame. The camera pans to O'Sullivan who now knows he is in a match.

WATCH - Ronnie O'Sullivan nets brilliant plant against Noppon Saengkham

O'Sullivan 1-1 Saengkham (5-34)

Noppon does not take full advantage as he break down on 33. Fortunately, he's not left Ronnie an easy starter and it's a case of O'Sullivan being patient as his opponent is having a favourable run of the balls.

O'Sullivan 1-1 Saengkham (5-20)

Noppon has a hug slice of luck as a missed red flies round the table, flicks the pink and drops into the middle. He has an excellent chance with the balls favourably split.

O'Sullivan 1-1 Saengkham (5-1)

Tense stuff at the start of the third. O'Sullivan lays an excellent safety after Noppon missed a routine blue into the middle - with his mind more on splitting the pack. O'Sullivan not at his best yet, he's playing solid snooker.

Table 2

On the other table, Peter Lines has just taken the second frame to draw level with Zhao Xintong.

O'Sullivan 0-1 Saengkham (106-8)

It appears it was the marker who alerted the referee to the issue, but after everything settles down O'Sullivan gets back to the table and mops up a break of 76 to level the match.

O'Sullivan 0-1 Saengkham (30-8)

In an amazing act of sportsmanship, O'Sullivan called the miss rule on himself. He missed the brown twice and should have been warned by the referee, as the black was available to hit. O'Sullivan told the referee.

O'Sullivan 0-1 Saengkham (30-4)

O'Sullivan looks good with a break of 30, but runs out of position and fouls trying to get a safety on the brown.

O'Sullivan 0-1 Saengkham (11-0)

Noppon plays what looks a good safety, but Ronnie sees a long plant to the bottom left and he manoeuvres the first red onto the second and he's at the table with a chance.

"Well played from Ronnie O'Sullivan who had no choice but to play the shot," Dale said.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Saengkham (18-91)

O'Sullivan plays on requiring snookers, but it appears more a case of him getting a feel for the table.

Noppon knocks in a red and finally seals the opening frame.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Saengkham (13-77)

A massive error from O'Sullivan who fouls the black attempting a safety and it allows Noppon to take a commanding lead in the frame.

"Ronnie has a bit to think about early in this match," Dale said.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Saengkham (13-43)

Dale faces Ronnie in the first round of the Scottish Open next week. And jokingly, Dale said: "Let's hope Ronnie gets to the final here, has a really long game and opts not to play in the Scottish Open."

On the table, we have a safety battle.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Saengkham (5-43)

O'Sullivan goes desperately close with a long red, but it wiggles in the right corner. Noppon plays an awful safety to let Ronnie in, but he misses a black off the spot - not for the first time this week - and it's all a bit nervy.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Saengkham (4-43)

Noppon's breaks comes unstuck on 32 as he fails to get a cannon on a red from the black. It's a decent lead, but he'd have hoped for more.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Saengkham (4-27)

Dominic Dale on Eurosport comms impressed with Noppon's tip. "I've never seen a top quite like it, it's like a fruit pastille."

It seems to be working as he knocks in another long red and is in with a chance.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Saengkham (4-6)

A nerve-settler for Noppon who knocks in an excellent long red, but he is unable to take full advantage and runs for cover.

O'Sullivan 0-0 Saengkham

An unfortunate start for Noppon who goes in-off with his opening shot, but better there than at the bottom end of the table. No damage done in the end.

Here we go

MC Rob Walker is doing his thing (sadly for Rob, John Higgins is out so he can't make a bad joke about him losing loads of weight) and the players are in the arena.

Ronnie's thoughts

"I normally feel pretty strong towards the end of tournaments," O'Sullivan said. "I never struggle to want to play, but sometimes think 'do I want to give blood, sweat and tears?"

Ronnie O'Sullivan has never lost to Noppon, but is wary of his opponent

"He is a very dedicated, very attacking, very aggressive player," O'Sullivan said. "I am going to have to play well. Stick to my own game and see how it works out."

Ronnie looking good

Alan McManus and Jimmy White are alongside Radzi Chinyanganya in the Eurosport studio, and Jimmy feels Ronnie is looking good. "He wants to win, he's looking in good shape," White said.

McManus added: "Ronnie is a strong favourite, but it's not so simple. There's lots of quality in the bottom half: David Gilbert, Hossein (Vafaei) and Zhao Xintong. "

Welcome!

Welcome to Eurosport’s coverage of the UK Championship, which has reached the last 16.

The Barbican has witnessed a host of shocks, and Ronnie O’Sullivan will be keen to avoid the same fate as the likes of Judd Trump, John Higgins, Mark Williams and Neil Robertson when he takes on Noppon Saengkham this afternoon.

O’Sullivan’s game will be the focus of attention but we will keep you updated from the other table as Higgins' conqueror Zhao Xintong takes on Peter Lines.

The Rocket returns for one more go

All eyes will be on The Rocket Ronnie O'Sullivan from 1pm UK time at the Barbican in York.

O’Sullivan has said he is applying himself as if it is "one last go”, given he remains unsure how long he has got left in his career.

The world No 3 said: “When you apply yourself you don’t get flustered, you don’t lose your rag. I have to work at all that, it doesn’t come naturally to me, so in some ways it’s good because you’re learning how to control your emotions basically. It’s not easy, it doesn’t come easy to me anyway.

“I do find once I do it, you do become a much harder player to beat. At least I’m playing out there, I’m here trying to squeeze every bit of juice out of it that I can, whereas maybe last year or so I’ve just been trying to enjoy it a lot and if it’s there, great, if it wasn’t, I was just happy to take some time off.

"I just thought, I don’t know how long I’ve got left in my career, I might as well try give it one last go and see if I’ve still got it. If I haven’t, no big deal, but we’ll just keep punching away."