UK Championship 2021 as it happened - Kyren Wilson in action, Ronnie O’Sullivan through, John Higgins out

ByEurosport

Updated 29/11/2021 at 23:08 GMT

It is another bumper day of action from York with Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins and Kyren Wilson all in action. O’Sullivan and Higgins take to the baize at 13:00, and they face Mark King and Zhao Xintong respectively. Then from 19:00 Wilson takes on Wu Yize and 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham goes up against Noppon Saengkham. Stream the UK Championship action live and on demand on discovery+

‘That’s a Trump special! – O’Sullivan shot stuns commentary team

That's us for today

See you tomorrow!

UK Championship

'Turning up the noise!' - Ding makes delicious total clearance

00:10:20

20/11/2022 at 16:52

Around the tables

Ben Woollaston 5-4 Liam Highfield

Noppon Saengkham 5-4 Stuart Bingham

Graeme Dott 2-6 Jack Lisowski

Kyren Wilson beats Wu Yize 6-3!

He meets Woolaston or Highfield next. But let's have it right, Wu is a player.

Wilson 5-3 Yize (66-40)

Gosh, now Kyren's in another snooker ... and in getting out of it he flukes the brown! I'm not sure I've ever seen any player do that with consecutive balls! Then, to prove he's still good, he smashes home the blue, and that'll do it.

Wilson 5-3 Yize (57-40)

Wu can't get position on the green, but he plays a telling safety behind the brown, and Kyren, who's dominated this frame, is suddenly close to losing it. He gets really close first go, coming off side and top cushion ... and pots it in the middle second go! If he can bag the brown it's done ... but he misses it!

Wilson 5-3 Yize (54-29)

Elsewhere, Noppon Saengkham needs a snooker to save the 10th frame against Stuart Bingham; if he can't find one, he'll have to play a decider from 5-0 in front. Back in our match, Kyren unloads the suitcase at a red to green pocket, misses, and when Wu puts him in trouble, he presents a chance that might see the frame pilfered from his grasp!

Wilson 5-3 Yize (54-22)

Kyren fids another red but can't build on it, so Wu has a go and he's doing well under pressure, knowing that one error and he's done for. But when he comes up the table, a nudge on the black doesn't yield position - he's not had the run of the balls tonight - and has to play safe. The deficit is 32, with 43 left.

Wilson 5-3 Yize (53-1)

He runs slightly out of position, and after wondering about taking one on, he plays a decent safety. There's one red in the open, two on black cush and three under the black. This might take a while.

Wilson 5-3 Yize (32-1)

The plants have worked nicely for Kyren tonight and he finds another to set him away. There are too many reds too close to black cush for him to be sure about clinching frame match at this visit, but he's got a chance.

Wilson 5-3 Yize (18-0)

Kyren confidently clips home a long red and wallops a blue in next - that's the shot of a player starting to feel himself - but the reds in the cluster are separated but still close, making this a complicated frame. As such, he runs out of position and plays safe - I think that, at the break, he decided to trust that aspect of his game to be better than Wu's, and it paid off nicely.

Around the tables

Ben Woollaston 3-4 Liam Highfield

Noppon Saengkham 5-3 Stuart Bingham

Graeme Dott 2-6 Jack Lisowski

Wilson 5-3 Yize

Wu's not played as well as he did before the break since the break, and though Kyren's not at his best, he's doing enough.

Wilson 4-3 Yize (49-1)

Kyren cannons pink and black and looks to have developed both, then a few extra rolls and both are blocked. He might take on blue or brown into the yellow and green pockets respectively, but opts to hold what he has and it works out well, because he flukes a plant. This really should be 5-3.

Wilson 4-3 Yize (24-1)

Both men pot reds, Wu then Kyren, the difference being Kyren using his inability to get position to play a telling safety, in behind the green and tight to the baulk cushion. Wu misses thrice, the second time by a coat of paint, and when he cannons the blue, he leaves Kyren a chance to accumulate.

Around the tables

Ben Woollaston 3-4 Liam Highfield

Noppon Saengkham 5-2 Stuart Bingham

Graeme Dott 2-4 Jack Lisowski

Wilson 4-3 Yize

The lowest-quality frame of the match but Wu won't care; he's back in the match.

Wilson 4-2 Yize (37-64)

It's Kyren, who even develops the blue off his first red, and this is going to sting if he can pull it off. But the brown is near the black spot and the blue is up in baulk, so there's work to do. So he sees off the former, and though he doesn't get as far down the table as he'd like, given how good he is with the rest, he won't mind. Except he misses the pot, Wu sends it down, and though he can't bag the green, barring a snooker he's back in the match!

Wilson 4-2 Yize (29-62)

But he can't take it, and when Kyren clatters home another long starter, he plays behind the blue, close to the left side, off the brown. There are two reds left, but whoever takes the first of them will be a strong favourite for the frame.

Wilson 4-2 Yize (28-62)

A poor safety shot from Wu leaves Kyren a long cut to right corner, and he wobbles it down. But coming off the black, he's on nothing easy, so instead of trying for a difficult one, he plays safe, and when Wu accidentally pots the pink the consequent free ball allows him to close the gap. But when he misses a long one, Wu has a chance to make the frame safe.

Wilson 4-2 Yize (14-58)

Wu leaves himself a long, straight one to right corner and gets close but not close enough. There are 67 points left on the table.

Wilson 4-2 Yize (14-28)

Wu's not as hot as he was before the break and he misses a red to the green pocket by plenty, only for Kyren to miss to right corner, handing him another go!

Wilson 4-2 Yize (14-6)

Another fine red from Kyren and he's away again, pink and black both in commission. But when he splatters the pack off the blue, he hits half-ball not full and sees the white slide into right corner. Can Wu capitalise?

Around the tables

Ben Woollaston 2-3 Liam Highfield

Noppon Saengkham 5-0 Stuart Bingham

Graeme Dott 2-2 Jack Lisowski

Wilson 4-2 Yize

As Wu made that last break, Kyren sank lower and lower in his chair, but he got away with it and now leads by two.

Wilson 3-2 Yize (77-47)

The yellow is missable, but Wu creams it into the heart of the pocket and though position isn't great, he drops in the green meaning one good shot on the brown will see him near ... but you can only chase for so long! He overcuts it, leaves it, and there's a lesson in harsh reality right there.

Wilson 3-2 Yize (68-20)

Or is it?! Kyren misses frame-ball, a red to left centre, slaps his arm in frustration, and can Wu steal? He can afford one pink, but otherwise needs blacks, and he's started confidently. Come on youg man!

Wilson 3-2 Yize (68-5)

It's not a great result, but it's a result, and there's one to the green pocket ... except Kyren jawses it! Wu hasn't potted a ball for a while - there've been 200 points accumulated since the last time - but it's more than he'll have expected. He takes red then brown, but position is poor so he takes on a plant Kyren refused a few minutes ago, goes in-off as well, and one more good shot will be enough for Kyren. And have a look! He cracks a long starter to left corner, holds for the black, and this is did.

Wilson 3-2 Yize (49-0)

The wrong side of the blue, Kyren goes in and out of baulk and looks to be on nowt ... but finds a plant at the bottom of the cluster ... and it's there! Well played, well played, and he;s timing it really well now. He's still got work to do because there's only one loose red remaining, but if the split works well for him, he'll be two in front.

Wilson 3-2 Yize (21-0)

Yeah, time's up, Kyren is in again at the start of the next frame and he's looking solid as you like around the black spot. He is liable to lose the white, but it seems like a sonning off is in progress.

Around the tables

Ben Woollaston 1-3 Liam Highfield

Noppon Saengkham 4-0 Stuart Bingham

Graeme Dott 2-2 Jack Lisowski

Wilson 3-2 Yize

A brilliant 109 puts Kyren back in front, making the next frame a huge one.

Wilson 2-2 Yize (60-0)

This is good stuff from Kyren, who's now in baulk draining remaining reds. He'll have had a stern one with himself in that interval - I don't think any player takes the game more seriously than he does - and he's now asserting himself in a way he hasn't in the match so far.

Wilson 2-2 Yize (24-0)

Kyren flukes a red to the middle, and though it leaves him on nowt, it saves him because he'd have left an easy starter. He gets in next too, and though there are seven reds between the blue spot and baulk cushion, the ones on the upper half of the table are extremely accessible.

We go again!

This should be a serious piece of session.

Around the tables

Ben Woollaston 1-1 Liam Highfield

Noppon Saengkham 3-0 Stuart Bingham

Graeme Dott 2-1 Jack Lisowski

Wilson 2-2 Yize

A classy run of 39, to the pink, puts Kyren level as the players go off for a break.

Wilson 1-2 Yize (59-21)

Kyren gets behind the red that's on its own but it's not an easy pot, and he misses a fine, long cut across the tale to the opposite middle. Wu, though,goes in-off, and might that be a turning point? Kyren quickly comes back to the table and takes the points he needs, and will know he's fortunate to get to the mid-sesh all square.

Wilson 1-2 Yize (34-21)

Wu takes on one shot too many, playing the brown, on its spot, from close to the green spot, and missing. Kyren will need all three of the reds on or near the right side-cushion, but teo are close together so he should be able to develop them with one shot.

Wilson 1-2 Yize (22-21)

Kyren can't quite get himself into decent position and when he misses, Wu sends down a long red and suddenly the points are out there. It's not essential that he win this frame, but if he can he'll be nicely set, and a flick off the green when playing in and out of baulk puts him in with a decent chance.

Wilson 1-2 Yize (8-6)

Again, it's Wu at the table, but he misses a nasty little cut-back black and a safety exchange commences .. until kyren thunders a long one into the jaws, having failed to notice a red in the cluster that goes to the middle. Wu sinks it, very nicely indeed, but soon misses one he shouldn't to left corner and Kyren sees it away. The table, though, requires work - seven reds are still clustered and two others are on cushions.

Around the tables

Ben Woollaston 0-2 Liam Highfield

Noppon Saengkham 2-0 Stuart Bingham

Graeme Dott 1-1 Jack Lisowski

Wilson 1-2 Yize

A run of 89 and Wu is in front! Kyren needs to find another couple of gears.

Wilson 1-1 Yize (8-62)

Yu can tell Wu's a natural. He doesn't spend ages sizing up shots and his cue-action is simple, repeatable and smooth - but he doesn't take the mickey. Each shot is addressed properly, and he could win this, he really could.

Wilson 1-1 Yize (8-9)

Oooh yeah! Kyren sends the white almost the full length of the table, cueing beautifully, but gets nae reward and plays safe. Then, when he misses one to the green pocket, Wu gets stuck in immediately, and he's purring.

Around the tables

Ben Woollaston 0-1 Liam Highfield

Noppon Saengkham 1-0 Stuart Bingham

Graeme Dott 1-0 Jack Lisowski

Wilson 1-1 Yize

Wu got lucky with the fluked red, but also got unlucky when his split of the pack yielded nowt; he dominated the frame and thoroughly deserved to win it. This is starting to simmer.

Wilson 1-0 Yize (0-63)

Wu comes off the top cushion to knock a red from behind ... and it becomes the third ball to find a middle pocket against the intentions of the shot-player. So Wu guides a gorgeous pink into the green pocket and he's close to an equaliser.

Wilson 1-0 Yize (0-47)

Zhou Yuelong is generally considered the best of the young Chinese players, but I really like the look of Wu, who I've not seen before. He can pot, as most can, but his safety is also pretty nifty, ad when he leaves Kyren with no option but to jam a pot along black cush, he goes in-off. There's nothing on for Wu, though, so we're back playing in and out of baulk.

Wilson 1-0 Yize (0-47)

A fine long red to right corner sets Wu away, and here comes the key shot, into the pack off the black with all the stray reds cleared ... and he winds up on nowt so that'll be end of break.

Around the tables

Ben Woollaston 0-0 Liam Highfield

Noppon Saengkham 0-0 Stuart Bingham

Graeme Dott 0-0 Jack Lisowski

Wilson 1-0 Yize

The world number five is in front, but the signs are that he's in a match.

Wilson 0-0 Yize (40-40)

Oh that's lovely! Kyren disturbs the difficult final red off the easy penultimate one, sinks the pink to the middle, and that's surely going to be 1-0.

Wilson 0-0 Yize (24-40)

Not for long; he loses the white, which slides off a stray red, and after some safety and missed pots, it's Kyren who gets in, spanking home along green to keep the break going. There's a red on the side cushion that he'll need, so Wu has hope...

Wilson 0-0 Yize (13-35)

When Wu was14, he won the world under-21 title and also took John Higgins to a decider he is no mug whatsoever, and there's a touch of Steve James about his look. "He's got very big fingers," notes Neal. "A very wide bridge on his hand." Neal also thinks he can properly play, but after a nice little cannon, he goes in-off, Kyren misses a long red, and Wu is off again.

Wilson 0-0 Yize (9-8)

Kyren's been in decent form lately while Wu, just 18, had a great upset win against Lu Ning in round one. Anyhow, he begins by offering a simple red to right corner with the black available ... but then Kyren misses one off its spot! Can Wu make him pay?

Off we go!

The boyz

They be baizing.

Evening all

And what an afternoon that was!

Let's hope the evening is up there too. For your delectation:

Kyren Wilson v Wu Yize

Ben Woollaston v Liam Highfield

Noppon Saengkham v Stuart Bingham

Graeme Dott v Jack Lisowski

We'll be focusing on Wilson v Yize, but the bottom two matches are absolute jazzers.

Higgins 5-6 Xintong (0-83)

Brilliant closing break of 83 from Zhao. He is through to the last 16 with a 6-5 win from 5-3 behind. Breaks of 70, 68, 110, 59 and 83 enough to seal his progress. He faces Andy Hicks or Dominic Dale as former champion Higgins bows out.

Higgins 5-5 Xintong (0-38)

Glorious chance to complete the victory here. Opens up the pack of reds nicely as break moves to 38.

Higgins 5-5 Xintong (0-0)

Higgins goes for a long red, but gets nowhere near it. And he has left Zhao among the balls. First chance to the Chinese player.

Higgins 5-5 Xintong (0-0)

A final frame shoot-out to decide the winner of this one.

Around the tables

Mark King 3-6 Ronnie O'Sullivan
Barry Hawkins 6-2 Cao Yupeng
Andy Hicks 5-5 Dominic Dale
John Higgins 5-6 Zhao Xintong

O'Sullivan 6-3 King

O'Sullivan finishes with a 53 to set up a meeting with Noppon Saengkham or Stuart Bingham in the last 16. Looking very good out there. Job well done.

O'Sullivan 5-3 King (47-1)

Errors creeping into King's game at wrong time. Missed a black off spot and then a long red is nowhere. All looking ominous.

O'Sullivan 5-3 King (39-0)

Just 39 from O'Sullivan when he looked on the cusp of victory but ran out of position. King still fighting the good fight, but can't afford too many more mistakes.

O'Sullivan 5-3 King (31-0)

A disaster for King as he gets a double kiss trying to run safe. Is that his last shot in this event? Could well be. O'Sullivan bang in among them.

O'Sullivan 5-3 King (0-0)

An unbelievable long pot on a red from O'Sullivan to get himself in and he has fairly dominated this frame. A break of 63 is good enough for a 5-3 lead. Super piece of opportunism from the seven-times UK champion.

O'Sullivan 4-3 King (28-4)

King can't steer a straight red into the pocket. O'Sullivan makes 16, but ends up calling a foul on himself. All happening out there at the moment.

O'Sullivan 4-3 King (0-0)

Difficult to predict how this is going to end. O'Sullivan will wonder why he isn't three frames ahead.

O'Sullivan 4-2 King (53-72)

King back in the fight in this frame and match. And he is going to pinch this frame by the looks of things to close to 4-3 behind. A brilliant clearance on the colours after he slotted the final red with O'Sullivan failing to get safe from escaping from a snooker. O'Sullivan looked set to go 5-2 ahead, but only one frame in it.

O'Sullivan 4-2 King (53-4)

Some wonderful shot-making by O'Sullivan with both hands out there. Taking these balls in fine style and is already a chance to claim the frame for a 5-2 advantage, but a cannon goes wrong at the wrong time. Break will be over on 52.