UK Championship 2021 snooker LIVE updates - Barry Hawkins and David Gilbert in action, Jack Lisowski through
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Updated 02/12/2021 at 23:11 GMT
It's Anthony Hamilton v Luca Brecel and Jack Lisowski v Hossein Vafaei in the afternoon session, followed by Matthew Selt v Barry Hawkins and David Gilbert v Andy Hicks in the evening session at the UK Championship in York on Thursday. Stream the UK Championship and much more top snooker action live and on-demand on discovery+
‘I feared the worst!’ - O'Sullivan explains mental approach
That'll do us
Thanks for your company tonight, we'll be back from 12.45pm tomorrow for the start of the quarter-finals.
Just quickly
Hawkins will face the winner of David Gilbert and Andy Hicks, with the latter leading 5-4 but with Gilbert ahead in the tenth frame and a decider possibly incoming.
Barry Hawkins is through to the quarter-finals
It was very much a game of tw...you know the drill. Before the interval Barry Hawkins was struggling badly, losing three in a row to trail 3-1 at the break and looking like he couldn't flick a pea into a bucket from a yard away. When the players returned, he was formidable - a spell on the practice table sorted him out, he reveals in the studio - and he rattled off five on the spin inclusive of breaks of 99, 103 and 92 as Matt Selt began to falter. The way that this tournament has unfolded, there's a real punchers chance for a first-time winner at the UK Championship; Hawkins has the game, and if he brings his post-interval form to the baize he could go very close indeed.
Hawkins 6-3 Selt
It's a 92 for Barry, and with his fifth frame in a row he wins the match.
Hawkins 5-3 Selt (75-1)
This is classy stuff from the Hawk, a two-time Triple Crown finalist that could reach another one if he holds the form of the last five frames. Frame ball pink goes and another red to follow makes sure; he's going through to the last eight.
Hawkins 5-3 Selt (52-1)
Barry clears 50 for the frame by stunning the black in, then picking off a plant to bottom left to land back on the black. He's not far away now.
Hawkins 5-3 Selt (20-1)
Matt has a good look at a red to the bottom left at the start of the ninth, but misses it and screws the white straight into the right middle. He's very fortunate not to leave anything there. Out of nothing though, a chance presents itself as Barry misses a mid-range red and leaves it on to the green pocket. You feel he has to register something significant here, but a poor positional shot leaves a tough blue to the yellow pocket and he's missed it. Even worse, he's left a load on for Barry, who sets about taking them.
Hawkins 5-3 Selt
Barry gets the ton this time, as a 103 sorts the frame. That's four in a row, and he looks unstoppable at them minute.
On our other table, Hicks has moved ahead of Gilbert and leads 5-4.
Hawkins 4-3 Selt (64-27)
The last but one red is frame ball, which Barry calmly drops into the left middle after slightly losing position off the blue. He's on the brown too, and he'll be one frame from victory shortly.
Hawkins 4-3 Selt (35-27)
A poor safety from Matt leaves Barry a mid-range red to bottom right, which soon flies into the heart of the pocket. This is a chance, and he quickly clears up the reds in the area around the black spot to turn this into a real chance. One near perfect split on the reds when potting the black takes Barry to 35, and he's really exerting a grip on this match now.
Hawkins 4-3 Selt (0-27)
Matt needs to fire back quickly, and gets a good chance to do so when Barry misses a long red at the start of frame eight. A tough cut on black to bottom left keeps him going early on, and a sizeable visit here will help stop the rot. In potting the brown to move to 27 though he misses his attempt to open the reds off one cushion, and it's end of break.
Hawkins 4-3 Selt
Barry mops up to the brown, and he's won three on the spin.
Next door, it's 4-4 between Gilbert and Hicks.
Hawkins 3-3 Selt (50-29)
Matt fires back with 29, but can't find the angle to nudge apart the final two tied up reds and opts to play a snooker instead. Safety follows, from which Barry drains a superb long red to bottom right and lands on the yellow. It's a chance to dish, but he jaws the final red out of the bottom right. It's on for Selt, blind into the bottom left, but that jaws out too and sits up over the left middle. That should be that.
Hawkins 3-3 Selt (47-0)
After gradually losing position during this break, Barry misses a wafer thin cut on a red to the bottom right to give Matt a chance. He's got a long red down the left of the table to get in...and it's close, but he's left in the jaws! This is a great chance for Barry to edge in front. Here's a let off the other way though - Barry leaves himself a difficult red to bottom right with the rest, and he's missed it and left Matt on a gimme.
Hawkins 3-3 Selt (23-0)
Best of five then. Barry, who couldn't buy a long pot before 9pm, is launching them in now and creams a red to bottom left to land on the black. Wherever his game disappeared to it's back now, and he's up to 23 in this break already.
Hawkins 3-3 Selt
Barry takes red and blue before laying a snooker. In attempting to escape, Matt clips the black first, and this is as good as over. A few shots later, it definitively is; Barry wallops down the stray red, and clears up to the green. He's like a different player since the interval, and we're all square.
Hawkins 2-3 Selt (61-28)
Matt makes 15, but misses a blue that offers Barry a chance to seal the frame. Barry can't take it though, leaving a red in the jaws, and this is still on for Matt. He loses position again off the blue though and has to play safe, though his dump shot to put a red on the bottom cushion leaves it on to the bottom right. Barry, surprisingly, turns it down, and his follow-up safety leaves a red on that Matt can't convert. This is on now on for Barry instead, who needs red-colour.
Hawkins 2-3 Selt (61-0)
This should be it; Barry drains a mid-range red, and although he leaves the white on the rail he deadweights in a blue thereafter and it's all there for him. He can only make nine though before missing a red to the bottom right. There are three reds out of commission but with 83 left out there, Matt can get right back in this.
Hawkins 2-3 Selt (52-0)
A firmer attempt to open the pack by Barry leaves the white stranded on the bottom cushion and it's end of break on 39. Hawkins then blags a plant, and lays a snooker that elicits another twelve when Matt manufacture an escape at pace off two cushions. He escapes at the fourth attempt, but he's left a chance.
Hawkins 2-3 Selt (24-0)
It's Barry then wobbles a red into the yellow pocket from mid-range, and he then bullets in an excellent long brown to get back down the table. It needs a lot of good pots from awkward angles and positions to keep it going early, but Barry's in control now and has tickled the pack open.
Hawkins 2-3 Selt
This is more like it from Barry. His break reaches 56 to take him past frame ball, but misses the black on 99 to deny himself the half-century. Bah! Though he'll be feeling a lot better about this match now.
In Hicks-Gilbert news, it's three frames each.
Hawkins 1-3 Selt (44-20)
Matt gives away four more, after which Barry nails a plant to the bottom right and lands on the brown. This is a decent chance, not just to build a break but a bit of confidence in this match. He's at 28 and counting so far.
Hawkins 1-3 Selt (12-20)
Barry picks up four after Matt drops a deadweight safety short, and then another four when a thin contact safety fails to make contact. It's Matt who gets the next scoring chance though, fluking a red after missing it long and sending it all the way around the table, but karma is on speed dial as he soon screws the white into the left middle. Barry misses another long red from the D though, and can't take advantage; he's really out of sorts tonight.
Hawkins 1-3 Selt (0-15)
We're underway again, and it's still not happening for Barry. He misses a long one by long way again, and Matt capitalises with a mid-range red into the bottom right. It's a chance, but Matt can only make 15 as his split on the pack doesn't work out and he's not on a red.
Hawkins 1-3 Selt
Matt does indeed bank the frame, a break of 88 doing the necessary.
The players disappear for a 15 minute interval, we'll be back when they are.
Hawkins 1-2 Selt (0-50)
Matt has composed himself superbly here; earlier in the frame he missed a red by a distance even I'd be embarrassed by. He's crafted together a tidy half-century here though, and from the red that rings it in a well-judged canon on the black leaves it on to the bottom left. He's got a great chance now to sort this in one hit.
Hawkins 1-2 Selt (0-20)
Both players are so out of rhythm here, missing pots by huge margins at the start of frame four. Eventually Matt chokes a long red into the bottom right to land on the brown, and under normal match conditions this would be a chance, but don't bet on anything right now. As it is, he's on 20 and counting after making a plant to the left middle.
Hawkins 1-2 Selt
Breathe out chums, it's over. Matt drains a long red, lays a snooker thereafter and Barry turns it in.
Hawkins 1-1 Selt (22-65)
We're into the 41st minute of this frame, and there are still four reds left out there. It's lots o' safety for the moment, in which Barry gives up four when he fails to connect with an attempted thin contact. Finally though, a chance falls to Matt, who drops in a lovely red to the green pocket to land on the pink. The reds are in play now, and he should sort it from here. He can't quite do it though; he's not on frame ball red, and Barry can tie.
Hawkins 1-1 Selt (22-47)
Finally, a chance. Barry takes on a red to the green pocket, miscues it, and he's left it on. Matt's away, and he quickly launches the cue ball into the reds to develop this into a chance. He can only cobble 13 before losing position, but gets back in when Barry leaves a rode poking out to the bottom left. This time it's only red-blue, before Matt misses a red with the rest. Both players are struggling here, but Matt gets another go after plugging a red to the yellow pocket. Can he make it stick this time? No! It's only red and blue again before position is lost once more.
Hawkins 1-1 Selt (22-22)
This is deadlocked, with the black blocking the bottom right and eight reds bunched not far away near the bottom cushion. Will they go for a re-rack? Not for the moment. Next door, David Gilbert and Andy Hicks are locked at 2-2 and have trooped off for their interval.
Hawkins 1-1 Selt (22-22)
It's 22 from Matt, an effort that judders after a canon on two reds near the black leaves him on nothing. Safety ensues, from which Matt goes in-off, but Barry can't convert a long red from the D thereafter. This is an edgy one, with the reds a mess and neither player able to drain a long red to give themselves a chance.
Hawkins 1-1 Selt (18-0)
A long, protracted safety exchange opens the third frame, before Hawkins misses a red to right middle. Matt's safety to follow is poor though, and Barry's away, jabbing a red into the green pocket with the rest. There's points on here but it'll need laser precision with the cue ball to accumulate them, as the reds are split but not far and wide. As I type that, Barry undercuts a red to the bottom right and he's handed Matt a chance.
Hawkins 1-1 Selt
It's a swift 73 for Selt, and it's one apiece.
Hawkins 1-0 Selt (14-70)
Frame ball blue disappears, followed by a nice, deadweight red to bottom left even though the white was under the rail. We'll be all square presently.
Hawkins 1-0 Selt (14-42)
Barry's left the world on, and Matt is taking full advantage. He's added 30 already, and with five of the six remaining reds in the open he should see it home from here.
Hawkins 1-0 Selt (14-12)
Matt gets in at the start of frame two with red-blue, but misses a difficult cut on a red to bottom right to serve up a chance to Barry. It's a good chance, and looks like it might be a frame-winner as Barry bursts the pack open...but as he does so the pink trickles into the left middle to give away six, and perfect position for Matt.
Hawkins 1-0 Selt
Barry gets two nibbles at the green, potting it at the second attempt and it's enough to secure the first frame.
Hawkins 0-0 Selt (65-37)
Matt's cause is not helped by fluking the yellow off three cushions during a long safety exchange. He keeps landing snookers though, from which Barry keeps escaping, and on we go.
Hawkins 0-0 Selt (65-35)
Frame ball red clunks into the bottom left, but Barry then misses a routine pink that would have made totally sure. As things stand there's 59 left out there, so Matt will play on as there are reds and blacks available here. He pots three of each before laying a snooker on the final red. That yields four of the points needed as Barry's escape drops short, from which Matt lands another snooker from which Barry escapes. This is on, though; Matt then plugs red-pink, and will go for the one snooker he now needs on the colours.
Hawkins 0-0 Selt (50-0)
This is practice table stuff, and Barry is barely having to move the cue ball here to get in position. He's only a few pots away here and, given the position of the balls, the frame looks nailed on.
Hawkins 0-0 Selt (12-0)
There's some pit-a-pat safety to start, before Barry tags a red into the left middle to land on the brown. It's a promising chance but it's nixed on 12 as Barry overruns the cue ball on the baulk colours, ending his break. We're then bogged in safety, until Matt gets a looksie at a red to the bottom left. He plays it with slow drag to hold for the black, but it throws the white offline and the red rattles in the jaws and stays there. A big chance here for Barry.
Here we go...
Our MC Rob Walker has baized tonight's boys, and we're away. It's best of 11 for a place in the quarters.
The Hawk
He’s bagged three of his own ranking event wins down the years, and has also sailed close to glory in the Triple Crowns. Ronnie O’Sullivan beat him in the final at the Crucible in 2013, while he landed butter side down to the same opponent in the 2016 Masters. Ronnie is still lurking in the draw here, and the two are on course to collide in a major final again if they keep winning.
Selto
Matthew is a ranking event winner, having triumphed in the 2019 Indian Open. More pertinently to his chances tonight, he’s beaten Joe Perry in York and caused one of the many sensations of this tournament of upsets by beating Judd Trump in the last round.
Evening!
Welcome back to live coverage of the 2021 UK Championship. The quarter-final line-up is almost complete, with the final two fourth round matches taking place shortly. On Table 2, David Gilbert and Andy Hicks go nose-to-nose for the right to face the winner of our featured match this evening: Barry Hawkins versus Matthew Selt.
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Lisowski 6-4 Vafaei
Some stats for you to chew over:
- Total points: Lisowski 536 - 425 Vafaei
- Balls potted Lisowski 163 -121 Vafaei
- Pot success: Lisowski 87% - 86% Vafaei
- Safety success: Lisowski 77% - 73% Vafaei
- Highest break: Lisowski 88 - 115 Vafaei
We’re back at 6:45pm for Matthew Selt versus Barry Hawkins and David Gilbert against Andy Hicks.
Lisowski 6-4 Vafaei
Lisowski gets his chance and knocks pink into left middle to book his place in the quarter finals. He’s had a poor season so far, but could be kick-starting it in York this week.
Lisowski 5-4 Vafaei (67-49)
Vafaei lays an excellent snooker, but Lisowski makes the escape. He’s still alive, just.
Lisowski 5-4 Vafaei (67-44)
Hossein gets back in but has a poor angle on the final red and it does not drop. Lisowski pots the red and the colours up to the brown, but misses the blue. Vafaei comes out of his chair needing one snooker.
It's all over on table two, with Luca Brecel beating Anthony Hamilton 6-1.
Lisowski 5-4 Vafaei (54-6)
After pulling off a string of great pots, a red to left middle stays out. A lifeline for Hossein, but he is now in the last-chance saloon.
Lisowski 5-4 Vafaei (26-6)
Lisowski attempts to open the pack off the pink but it goes wrong. He goes for broke with a red into the green pocket, cue ball tight on the cushion. It wobbles, but drops in and it’s a big chance.
Lisowski 5-4 Vafaei (8-6)
Hossein gets a kick and the red stays out to hand a chance to Lisowski.
Lisowski 5-4 Vafaei (0-6)
Lisowski misses narrowly with a long red into the bottom left. It hands a chance to Hossein.
“He does live dangerously Jack Lisowski with his shot choices,” Dominic Dale said.
Lisowski 5-3 Vafaei (8-62)
Lisowski misses a long red into the green pocket and a cannon leaves it on for Vafaei. Hossein takes full advantage and a break of 40 is enough to cut the gap to one.
Lisowski 5-3 Vafaei (8-22)
Hossein puts 22 points on the board, but unfortunately runs out of position from black to red and we’re set for a spell of safety. We’ve not had a lot of that so far.
Lisowski 5-3 Vafaei (8-0)
But once again, Lisowski misses. It was a tough-ish pink, but one you’d expect him to make and it’s a reprieve for Hossein.
“You don’t know what you are going to get with Jack Lisowski,” said Dominic Dale. “Actually you do, brilliance and what he will admit to, a bit of mediocrity.”
Lisowski 5-3 Vafaei (7-0)
Hossein misses a red (he did not take heed of the no-miss tip) and Lisowski knocks in an opening red and tough blue to set up a chance.
Lisowski 4-3 Vafaei (82-0)
Lisowski moves within one frame of the winning line as a clasay break of 72 opens up a cushion. Vafaei is now in the realms of no-miss snooker.
Lisowski 4-3 Vafaei (21-0)
Groundhog Day. Lisowski rolls in another long red, but runs out of position. He keeps the break going with a sneaky double. A good chance.
Lisowski 4-3 Vafaei (10-0)
While there are mistakes, there are also flashes of brilliance - and Lisowski shows his potting class with a brilliant long red into the bottom right. But he does not cash in as he fails to split the pack off the blue.
Lisowski 4-2 Vafaei (16-69)
Hossein capitalises on the mistake from Lisowski to cut the deficit to one frame. Lisowski is making just enough mistakes to keep Hossein in the hunt.
Lisowski 4-2 Vafaei (8-49)
A dreaded double kiss on a safety from Hossein hands Lisowski a shot at a counter, but he misses a routine red into right middle. It’s been a mixture of brilliance and mediocrity from both players.
Lisowski 4-2 Vafaei (0-49)
Everyone loves a plant, and more so a three-ball plant. Hossein spies one and he knocks it in perfectly. It splits the reds but he does not fall well on the black. He thinks about the black but wisely runs for the baulk area with a sizeable lead.
Lisowski 4-2 Vafaei (0-20)
Hossein is up against it, but he gets a good starter to the seventh. A lovely red into the middle sets up a chance which you feel he must take.
Table 2
Luca Brecel leads 4-0 at the interval despite a high break of 72. Anthony Hamilton’s highest break so far is 25, which is somewhat telling.
Lisowski 3-2 Vafaei (110-0)
Lisowski gets in again and takes full advantage of the second bite with a break of 88 to move 4-2 ahead. He looks full of confidence right now.
Lisowski 3-2 Vafaei (22-0)
A pressure blue into the yellow pocket goes clean into the middle. He was leaving the lot on had it not dropped. But after making a brilliant pot, he sloppily loses position and is forced to run for cover.
Lisowski 3-2 Vafaei (12-0)
After you, sir. It’s Hossein’s turn to miss this time and it allows Lisowski a decent chance. It’s not an easy table, as the reds are not favourably split but he could rack up a few points here.
Lisowski 3-1 Vafaei (16-115)
A nerve-steadier. The cue ball was not under tight control, but Hossein made some decent recovery pots to put together a break of 115 to take the frame and cut the deficit to one. It was Lisowski’s turn to pay the price for a miss.
“He punished Jack for his mistake and if he can continue to do that, he can put Jack under pressure,” - Dominic Dale on Eurosport comms.
Lisowski 3-1 Vafaei (16-1)
Lisowski runs out of position and misses a tough red into the yellow pocket. A chance for Hossein and you get the feeling he needs to make a decent contribution.
Lisowski 3-1 Vafaei (12-0)
Lisowski carries on where he left off before the interval. The green was near the green pocket, which made it a bigger target but he flicked the red in off it and a nice split of the pack has him in the balls again.
Lisowski 3-1 Vafaei (0-0)
We’re back underway on the main table. Hossein has to find some major improvement if he is to get the better of Lisowski.
Table 2
Anthony Hamilton has his back against the wall as Luca Brecel has taken a 3-0 lead.
Studio thoughts
“Hossein has put himself in trouble, “ Jimmy White said in the Eurosport studio. “It was a huge brown he missed and he could live to regret that.
"Jack has taken the initiative and looks in charge of the match right now.”
“Jack looks the more likely to score heavily when he gets in,” Alan McManus added.
Lisowski 2-1 Vafaei (82-0)
Lisowski takes full advantage of his chance with a break of 82 to take a lead into the interval. It was an excellent break, as he had to use the blue for the majority of it. And yes, we’ve had the first comment about momentum shifting. Back shortly.
Lisowski 2-1 Vafaei (8-0)
Hossein will be hurting from losing the previous frame and maybe there’s a hangover as he misses a mid-range red and sets up a chance for Lisowski.
Lisowski 1-1 Vafaei (70-59)
Lisowski plays a good snooker and he gets a shot at the final which he knocks in. An excellent positional shot from black to yellow sets up the chance, but he misses a routine green. Hossein leaps from his chair but he misses a straight brown. Lisowski knocks in the remaining colours to steal. High drama early on.
Lisowski 1-1 Vafaei (38-56)
A break of 32 brings Lisowski back into the frame. 18 the difference with one red on the table. With the colours the way they are, this looks like a red-ball game.
Lisowski 1-1 Vafaei (7-56)
Good stuff from Hossein as a break of 56 puts him in command of the frame, but a red into the green pocket does not drop and Lisowski has a chance.
“Hossein looks a lot more settled than his opponent,” Dominic Dale said on Eurosport comms. Hard to disagree.
Lisowski 1-1 Vafaei (1-2)
Vafaei’s attempted escape from the snooker comes up short, and worse still leaves Lisowski with a shot at a red. He does not take advantage as his attempted stun shot to hold for the pink is poor. His attempt at a reprieve on the yellow misses and he hands the table back to Hossein who knocks in a good starter.
Lisowski 1-1 Vafaei (1-0)
Attack appears to be the watchword for Vafaei who misses a tough red. Lisowski pots a red but misses a blue and offers a hand of apology as the cue ball ends up tight behind the brown.
Lisowski 1-0 Vafaei (9-65)
Lisowski has no joy with an audacious plant, and Vafaei steps in to take the second and draw level.
Lisowski 1-0 Vafaei (9-58)
The cue ball has been travelling around “doing plenty of air miles” according to Dominic Dale, but excellent retrieval potting from Vafaei put a 57 break on the board and he's in command after laying a good safety.
Table 2
Luca Brecel has made a lighting start, he is 2-0 up on Anthony Hamilton.
Lisowski 1-0 Vafaei (9-6)
Lisowski runs out of position and misses a blue into left middle. A chance for Hossein to get his hand on the table and score.
Lisowski 1-0 Vafaei (8-1)
Hossein forces a mistake from Lisowski, but it works out in the latter’s favour as Vafael misses a tough red with the rest and he leaves Lisowski an easy starter.
Lisowski 1-0 Vafaei (0-1)
What a pot from Hossein, a drag shot into the yellow pocket, but the cue ball is tight on the side rail and he misses the brown. He does not leave a chance for Lisowski, and we’re set for a safety exchange.
Lisowski 0-0 Vafaei (70-0)
Lovely stuff from Lisowski who picks off the reds one by one to take the opening frame. They say beware the injured batsman. Maybe beware Lisowski when he has the flu (he’s not got flu, he’s got a bad cold).
Lisowski 0-0 Vafaei (42-0)
Dominic Dale on comms describing Lisowski as a Ronnie O’Sullivan clone in the way he strikes a ball. It’s no wonder there is pressure on Jack every time he plays when he keeps being compared to the greatest of all time. Lisowski in again with a decent chance.
Lisowski 0-0 Vafaei (27-0)
I’ve mopped up on the over-under on how quick it would take for it to be brought up in comms that Lisowski is the best player yet to win a tournament. It took about five minutes. His break comes to an end at 27 after failing to split the pack.
Lisowski 0-0 Vafaei (8-0)
Lisowski is in first, albeit after being put off by someone whistling backstage. Yes, you heard that correct.
Lisowski 0-0 Vafaei
Two attacking players so this could be a tasty one. Lisowski has the better record of the two, winning four of their five meetings. Hossein is in good form, though.
Here we go!
The players are in the arena, with Rob Walker having done his business as MC.
Jimmy's thoughts
"Jack has had flu and not been able to practice much," Jimmy White said in the Eurosport studio. For hat reason I make him second favourite going into the match. Hossein has had a match on the number one table, he has beaten Selby."
Lisowski's thoughts
"I think sometimes maybe my expectations get a bit high," Lisowski told. "This is where my season turned around last year. If you can get some confidence here you do not panic as much when you hit a bad shot."
Ready for action!
Welcome to Eurosport’s coverage of the UK Championship, which has reached the last 16.
Hossein Vafaei caused one of the big shocks of the tournament when dumping out Mark Selby. He will look to continue his run against Jack Lisowski.
The game between Vafaei and Lisowski will be our focus, but we will keep you updated on the match between Anthony Hamilton and Luca Brecel.
Welcome
Join us for live updates from today's action at the 2021 UK Championship from 12:45 UK time.
It's Anthony Hamilton v Luca Brecel and Jack Lisowski v Hossein Vafaei in the afternoon session, followed by Matthew Selt v Barry Hawkins and David Gilbert v Andy Hicks in the evening session at the Barbican in York.
Yesterday's results
- 13:00 - Noppon Saengkham 3-6 Ronnie O'Sullivan
- 13:00 - Zhao Xintong 6-4 Peter Lines
- 19:00 - Jordan Brown 3-6 Anthony McGill
- 19:00 - Kyren Wilson 6-3 Ben Woollaston
Today's schedule
- 13:00 - Anthony Hamilton v Luca Brecel
- 13:00 - Jack Lisowski v Hossein Vafaei
- 19:00 - Matthew Selt v Barry Hawkins
- 19:00 - David Gilbert v Andy Hicks
O'Sullivan fires warning at 'Roger Federer' of snooker Zhao
Ronnie O'Sullivan has described Zhao Xintong as snooker's "Roger Federer" but believes it is time he turned his potential into titles on the green baize.
Zhao joined O'Sullivan – a 6-3 winner against Noppon Saengkham in the last 16 at the York Barbican – in the quarter-finals of the UK Championship with a 6-4 win over Peter Lines on Wednesday after evergreen Leeds potter Lines threatened an upset by recovering from 4-1 behind to level at 4-4.
"I think he is amazing. I think he is our [Roger] Federer," said O'Sullivan, who is chasing a record eighth UK crown 28 years after his first.
I've never seen a more talented snooker player.
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‘A grandstand finish!’ – O’Sullivan reaches record 18th UK Championship quarter-final
"He could do with maybe tightening up. I watch him sometimes and I was a bit like that, but then I got Reardon around me for a couple of years and you start to play a better defensive game," commented O'Sullivan.
"He needs that because when those frames go a bit scrappy, he looks like he is always going to come off second best.
"He is good, he is unbelievable, but he is 24, he's got to do it at some point. [Seven-times world champion] Stephen Hendry was winning tournaments at 17.
How long can you keep saying he's got potential? At the end of the day, you've got to do the business on the table.
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