World Grand Prix 2024 recap - Mark Selby beats Ali Carter in decider and Judd Trump whitewashes Lyu Haotian

Join us again tomorrow at 12.30pm GMT for more!

Shaun Murphy 0-1 Cao Yupeng

This frame feels like it's been going on since the cavemen.

Great match, well played both. Mark meets Judd over best of nine in the last eight. Tasty.

The Jester is winning in Leicester. These last three frames, Mark's been fantastic, and for this correspondent at least, that's one of the most affirming things about our game.

Mark opts not to bother the pack, instead picking off loose reds, and Ali knew when he missed what was likely to happen.

On the one hand, you back Mark to do the necessary, because he's Mark. But on the other, he's been missing more balls he shouldn't than usual. The last two frames, though, will have got his arm going and mind quiet, so a dish looks likely.

In a decider you want one chance, goes the saying. Earlier today, Ricky Walden had three and still lost to Ding Junhui, after coming back really well - he'll be feeling poorly tonight, I'm afraid. Anyroad up, Ali absolutely dematerialises a red into left corner, so confident of getting it he holds for pink. But as he tries to follow it down with a red via rest, he applies a little too much side and misses it! No one saw that coming, but Mark knocks it down, gets on to the black, and there are plenty of pottable balls knocking about.

Shaun Murphy 0-1 Cao Yupeng

Great stuff. A break of 103 on pane of death, and I've not a clue what'll happen next.

Ali's handled the pressure of this break really well. At no point has he looked like missing, and this is a(nother) great match getting the decider it deserves.

At some point Ali's going to have to break the pack, and he does it off the black, less helpful than the blue ... and lands on a tight red to right-centre, which to reach he'll have to cue over various. But he's going to take it on ... and down it goes. Great pot, and the frame is now at his mercy.

It's Ali in first - after Mark misses one to which he doesn't fully commit - and he knows that the more he opens the table, the more likely it is that one error and he's hame.

Shaun Murphy 0-1 Cao Yupeng

A ton and a dish, Mark is back - for now.

That red disappears, and Mark needs the blue to leave Ali needing a snooker, with the pink near the side rail. But what's this? Mark needs an angle on the green to get onto the brown, but he winds up straight so can he force it? Yes he can, coming off the side and through a tiny gap between brown and baulk cushion; what a shot. This is brilliant from Mark, who's come back so well after carelessly tossing two frames. Mark can't sink pink, so ali returns to the table needing a snooker.

There's a red on the baulk cushion, but it's not too far from the bag and the brown is near to it, so there's a colour to come after it.

Another great red from Mark, to left-middle then developing two on the top rail. As Ken notes, that one brilliant shot has made the frame winnable at this visit - but can he hold it down?

Ali breaks the three clustered balls but loses the white so, from the rail, tries pink to left corner and misses. The way the balls are, 44 is a good lead, but the frame is far from over.

Sneaking the white through a narrow gap, Ali clobbers home a terrific starter and starts binning loose balls. But there are three reds on the top cushion, one on the side and three stuck together, so.

Mark misses to left corner by aeons, and a double-kiss leaves everything safe; gent that he is, the Jester apologises, despite experiencing not a single iota of sorrow. So we're still without a ball being potted as people in the crowd are chided for their noisy sweet wrappers.

Mark Selby has serious stones. A run of 105, begun by a humdinger, and we're back level.

Mark bangs down a blue, swerves into the pack, and that is the frame beyond any doubt.

Marks taking these nicely, but we've seen before that he is until he isn't. He'll know that too, so there's a lot of pressure on him right now.

Judd trump is through already, and he plays the winner of this in the last eight; whoever it is, that should be good. Meantime, Mark canes in another nice starter, but on nowt, he can only play safe ... then yet another, and this time he's in with balls available.

Judd Trump 4-0 Lyu Haotian

Again, Ali mops up. Mark has a problem.

Oh Mark. He misses a pretty straightforward red to the green and slumps in his seat because he knows what's coming. Every time he looks settled, confidence coming back, something like that happens, and it's not hard to understand: sport is simple but people are complicated.

Ohhh yes! Mark absolutely smokes a long red to green bag, incredible pot, and must now carefully remove the reds "in and around" baulk. it won't be easy and he's struggling to keep hold of the white all of a sudden - he started so well, but since the miss that cost him frame two, he's looked tentative, last week's loss to Mark Allen from 4-1 up perhaps not out of his mind. But he's hanging in the break.

Ali spends a while chasing position, eschews a chance to break the cluster, and eventually overcuts a red - but has he left anything? No, but when Ali misses with a double - a harder shot than the one he refused - he leaves one to the yellow. Mark, though, can't see it away, and he's starting to look vulnerable; Ali will be sensing that and plays a fine safety, white tight to black cush.

But look at this! Left on the top rail with nowhere to go, Ali sends a glorious red long to the green bag and he's in! He's looking confident - as you'd expect given he made the Masters final and played really well in half of it - and though there's work to do, he's very clearly up for it.

Having split the pack, Mark's only on one ball, a cut-back to left corner which he can't quite down. So we're back playing safety with a fair idea of how it ends; if feels like Ali's only chance of winning is to punish errors, whereas Mark is more likely to force them.

Mark picks out a ... four-ball plant?! Lovely gear, and then he sort of curls around the outside of the blue to get in behind, and he's so so good at those shots - the soft touches that get object ball and snookering ball touching, when many others can't help them separating on collision. And again, Ali's riposte leaves him in, and he'll be taking double care on this break.

Judd Trump 3-0 Lyu Haotian

A 66 settles a frame Mark will be raging to have lost. But he knows he's got Ali's measure if he plays well.

Ali gets around the table nicely, and it's colours to pink and off their spots for the frame.

Ali screws down to baulk where there's a red over the green bag and another to roll into it ... but he doesn't play the plant, he bangs in the easy one and will return to the other at some point.

Mark breaks the pack and sends claret all over as ken rhapsodises his ability to play that shot ... then he sends simple one into the near-knuckle of right-middle! Goodness me, what a miss that was, and in a sense it transfers pressure to Ali, who knows he must do something significant with this visit.

It's Mark in again at the start of frame two and he's got a look in his eyes here. The Jester will be desperate to win in Leicester and he almost tossed it against Yuan SiJun the other night, so I doubt he loses focus here.

Judd Trump 1-0 Lyu Haotian

That is Our Selbz. Quality safety, decent break, 1-0.

But he can't slide a red long from right side to the yellow bag, so Ali returns to the table with a simple starter waiting, 61 points behind with 67 left. And when he misses the blue, he needs a snooker, and that is the frame because he also leaves one.

Keeping the white on a tight leash, Mark removes easy balls, and even the tricky ones can be got at. He's in terrific nick and has been for a while - it's a matter of time before he wins something.

Ali sinks a nice red to right corner straight away, but he's on nothing, so it's one and done, then Mark marks, playing a safety that's not quite as good as planned but still too good for Ali, the table blocked off by yellow and brown so forcing him to play on a single red and leave another. There are points out there and I'm thinking that I'm not sure Ali wins this because everything he does, Mark does better.

And off we go.

I don't care about most of what's been said, it's part of the entertainment. But Ali saying he's worried because Ronnie "isn't that well mentally". That should never be said to get at anyone, especially someone who's struggled with mental health. All the rest is commentary.

In the years I've been doing this, I'm not sure I remember a time Judd was on table two, but he is tonight, so unless TV coverage move over, which I doubt, we'll start with another excellent match, Ali Carter v Mark Selby, into Hossein Vafaei v Mark J Williams.

Join us again at 6.30pm GMT for Mark Selby v Ali Carter (with, I think, updates on Judd Trump v Lyu Haotian), then Hossein Vafaei v Mark J Williams with updates on Cao Yupeng v Shaun Murphy.

That was an excellent match, both players playing very well. It deserved a decider, but Mark was too good to allow it, so he moves on to meet Zhang Anda, while Jack's search for his first ranking title continues.

There are only two people who've made four tons in a best of seven - Neil Robertson and ... Mark Allen.

The calmness with which Mark is taking these is so impressive. He knows Jack can clear if he misses, but he's not bothered at all, a one-visit kill looking certain to carry him through. Can he manage a fourth ton?

The break-building in this match has been top-notch. We all love watching Judd recover errors with blazing genius, but these two are playing the game according to the textbook, and poor old Jack is now sat there fearing the worst having done little wrong. Mark has played splendidly.

Both men miss reds to left corner, Mark then Jack, who cues across one and leaves a sitter in baulk plus three or four loose down the business end.

Remarkable, three tons for Mark after losing two frames on the bounce, and this is a joy to watch.

Mark makes the frame safe; can he rack up a third ton?

Mark nails a nasty one to the yellow bag, and it's noteworthy how untroubled all these breaks we've seen have been; barely any difficult pots or recovery post, just good, honest, old-fashioned, proper snooker shots.

Not for long, Jack playing a loose shot that leaves one for Mark. Down it goes, and this is the funny thing really: you wait for that elusive time both men are playing well, and what we're getting is a succession breaks but less ... combat, if I may call it that.

Jack gets away but then after a black, he tries a plant and jawses it. Mark, though, can only profit to the tune of six, there being no loose reds, and we're now playing in and out of the cluster.

Zhang Anda 4-2 Dominic Dale

On 75, Jack leaves a red on the lip, so again no ton, but a level match. Both men are playing well here, so whatever's to come should be a treat.

Jack breaks some of the remaining reds, and this is a good comeback having conceded the first two frames to two tons. here's no reason to think he'll sit down before the match is level.

Excellent starter for Jack, who quickly accumulates, and there are plenty of loose reads for his delectation.

Zhang Anda 3-2 Dominic Dale

Nope, Jack misses the penultimate red so a 93 must suffice, but he's in the match - and so are we.

Jack's such a smooth technician, and he's getting better at staying focused. He's had stuff going on in his personal life, I think, which I hope works out for him, and I'm glad he's able to escape whatever it is on the table. From here, I'm pretty sure he'll make the third ton of the match in as many frames.

But he does soon get in again, and he really needs this run to work because he knows what'll happen if doesn't. The table isn't easy, but he's potting nicely.

Jack finds a nice plant in the pack, decent distance between the two balls, but he hits the green way harder than he'd have liked - he is not tight to it, to say the least.

Zhang Anda 3-2 Dominic Dale

Of course he can, then dropping in a fine cut-back black then a yellow off its spot with the white between it and the brown spot; he's in nick.

Towards the end of last season and in a bid to win the big pots, Mark went a little safe and defensive, curbing his naturally attacking game and going too far that way, But he looks to have found the balance now, and is playing very nicely here, sinking frame-ball; can he convert to another ton?

Mark drops a nice pink into middle and there are loads of balls out there for him. Jack will be wondering if he's coming back to the table in this frame, but anyone can miss anything,so.

Attempting a thin contact, Mark foul-misses twice, but finds a containing safety then, after a protracted safety exchange, Jack jawses one to left corner and that's going to cost him.

Zhang Anda 3-1 Dominic Dale

Lesson for Jack: don't go in-off against Mark Allen. A 103, and there's an arrogance about the way Allen drops in the final black, over the lip last roll. This is shaping up.

This is a very good run, Mark removing balls with minimum of fuss. He is a very very fine snooker player.

Jack goes in-off so Mark goes at one to left corner and drains it well, quickly crafting a frame-winning opportunity.

Now Mark misses one he shouldn't a black off its spot to right corner, but it costs him nowt and we're back playing safety.

This should be a lot of fun - as a contest on paper, it's the tie of the round. Jack, of course, is desperate to rid himself of the best player never to win a ranking title moniker, and his latest go has had an unlucky start because no one gets anything for free against Mark. But good safety gets him in, only for a blue sent to left corner, dead weight, to stay out. Chance for Mark.

Mark Allen v Jack Lisowski

Zhang Anda 1-1 Dominic Dale

Fun match, variable standard, Ding gets lucky. He meets Noppon Saengkham next.

Yup, Ding removes reds and this last one is match-ball ... he gets it down, just, then makes sure. Ricky will be devo'd.

Three minutes and change, for that shot, for Ding to clip a starter from centre to left corner.I fancy him to finish from here because the balls are nicely set and he is brilliant at plotting routes through them.

We're now over three minutes of thinking - yesterday, Shaun Murphy took a frame off John Higgins in four - and then he plays the obvious shot, white up to baulk. It's nervy out there, people.

But he cannot, leaving himself a nasty cut-back black, tight with the two balls close together. He misses it by a way, but somehow leaves nothing other than a headache for Ricky, who now needs to find a safety with the white stuck to the top red of the cluster. Two minutes of thinking time so far.

Ricky flukes a red playing safe and thinks about playing safe in behind a baulk colour or two, but he knows that if he pots the brown, he'll be on a red, so he goes for it ... and misses. Chance for Ding, and I'm afraid it'd serve Ricky right were he to win from here.

Three chances, 27 points. Ricky runs out of position again, and we're back playing safety.

But look at that! Ricky slides a gorgeous red long to the green - this game, really. You miss the one he just missed, then nail the one he just nailed, I don't know. Again, though, he can't convert into a break worth having, running out of position and playing safe. Two chances, 19 points, is a poor return, but Ding, who's not great from distance in general and has been poor from distance today, misses from distance, leaving one over right corner. Third chance for Rickaaayyyyy!

Our boys shake hands then our decider starts slowly before, left one to right corner, Ricky sees it away. But, well, Riccckkkkaaaayyyy! He misses an easy black to left corner, and he'll be cursing though he leaves nothing.

Zhang Anda 1-0 Dominic Dale

Ding does enough. We're getting our pre-frame handshake.

This match deserves a decider, and ding looks certain to give us one, benevolent chap that he is. The harder reds are all he has left, though, and, as i type, a poor shot means a difficult positional shot off the pink ... and he plays it nicely, across the table and back. We're getting what we deserve.

Ding gets in then breaks the pack off the blue - it works so much better from above than below - and the balls spread nicely. But he'll be wary having lost the last frame after making 47 - and so will I, because I absolutely assumed he'd convert it into the lead.

What a dish! Ricky has shown serious stones - and skill - here, because he might easily have lost focus after frame two. But he didn't, and now look!

This is fantastic stuff from Ricky, who clears the reds! Colour off their spots or close to to steal....

Ding rolls one along the side rail towards the green, which does everything but drop. He doesn't leave owt, but Ricky soon finds one to clip into that right corner. Can he steal? Well, maybe. He makes some progress, but with two reds on rails and the third up in baulk, clearing from here will be a problem.

Ricky leaves one over right corner but Ding then undercuts the black, so no change.

There are reds now gathered in a column along the side and above right corner, with three others on the top rail and the last one stuck to the pink. We may be some time.

Ding plays a poor positional shot - not often you see him lose control of the white - so he has to play safe, but Ricky's shot-to-nothing sends a red into the jaws and out.

I've not a clue who's going to win this, but I suspect Ding will find the necessary gas and he's in first in frame five, again potting balls about the black spot. I doubt he sits down until he's got a nice lead, at least.

Noppon Saengkham 4-1 Xiao Guodong

Hold tight Ricky Walden! He might've faded, but instead he got on with it and now look.

Eventually, Ding knocks in a starter and lands on the top rail, close to the pink,. So he drops it in, last mili-roll, then assesses a tight cut-back ... and sends it down; good shot. The final red is on the side rail, so he sets up a double ... but can't get it down, So Ricky tidies, and he'll be a relieved man, because he's had a few chances to put it away,.

He cannot, and this is now a scrappy affair, three reds left.

Ding slides a red along the top rail towards left corner and he thinks it's down ... but it stays out. So Ricky gets involved, and should level us up from here.

Oh dear. Ricky goes for a red when there's an easier one on the lip of right corner, he misses, and Ding, who hasn't potted in around 20 minutes, is left a decent chance. He'll need the help of the blue, though, because the black is safe and an inadvertent cannon moves the pink too close to the cluster. This won't be easy to sort, but he's capable.

Oh Ricky! Just as looks impregnable, he misses when he shouldn't, but so does Ding, so no harm done.

Ding rams a red towards left corner but it won't drop and instead liberates others; another chance for Ricky, and if can take this too, we'll really be talking.

Noppon Saengkham 2-1 Xiao Guodong

Ricky does enough; well bloody done.

This is bottle from Ricky, because many would've sulked or folded after losing that second frame. But there's still work to do to get on the board, and he'll know what can happen even if the frame s.

Oh Ricky. Just as he's looking good, he rams a brown into the jaws and it leaps off the table. He leaves nowt, but with the white on the side and the pack tight, Ding invites him to play again.

Ricky left the arena after the last frame, presumably to scream, weep or both. But when Ding misses a red he's in at the start of frame three, and there are loose balls available, able to be taken with blacks.

Noppon Saengkham 2-0 Xiao Guodong

Brilliant from Ding! I feel ill for Ricky, but there aren't many players I enjoy watching or doing well more than the Dragon.

Goodness me, Ding gets another snooker, then drills in a tremendous yellow! He is in nick, he is, and this is going to be a steal of monstrous proportions. Poor Ricky.

Eeesh, Ricky fouls again but doesn't leave anything - some consolation - but this frame is now not close to over, all the colours left.

Oooh, Ricky misses the yellow! if Ding pots all the balls, it's 2-0...

Ding gets a snooker on the yellow but no free ball, so needs another.

Ding isn't giving this up, closing the gap then laying a snooker with white and red at opposite ends of the table, various interlopers in between. He hits well, but Ding will go again.

Ricky runs out of position and misses the red he tries, so Ding returns to the table needing a snooker to tie, but in practise two because he can't take a black with his first red. In the event, he plays safe on seven, black now in the open.

This is really good from Ricky who, we're advised by Phil Yates, won the 2008 Shanghai Open beating Stephen Hendry, Neil Robertson, Steve Davis, Mark Selby and Ronnie O'Sullivan. He's making light of balls that weren't that nicely placed.

This time when Ricky gets in he's on a colour - the yellow - and the table isn't as inviting as the one Ding commandeered in frame on, but there's a decent lead here at worst.

Noppon Saengkham 1-0 Xiao Guodong

Lovely from Ding, a nice red to middle then a brown to left corner, and that's the lead and plenty. Encouraging start for him, ominous for Ricky.

Ding runs a little too far on a cut-back black, soRicky returns to the table needing a snooker and with the black and a red safe. Good luck old mate.

Yup, this is classic Ding, balls removed with apparent effortlessness. Ronnie aside, there aren't many if any better at breakbuilding around the black spot, and I'd be staggered if this isn't 1-0.

As Nealf notes, it's nice to see Ricky back playing well - he's had terrible back trouble - and he's first in with a red off the break, but on nowt it's safe thereafter,, likewise when Ding rolls to right-middle. But he's soon in again and there are loose reds, a black that passes to both corners, and this is what he was born to do.

Ding Junhui v Ricky Walden with updates from Noppin Saengkham v Xiao Guodong followed by Mark Allen v Jack Lisowski. Yes, Mark Allen v Jack Lisowski! Bring it on!

And welcome to the World Grand Prix 2024 - day three!

Shaun Murphy put in an emphatic display and secured a 4-0 victory over John Higgins to reach the last 16 of the World Grand Prix.

Murphy came into the tournament after missing out on making the Masters final following his 6-3 defeat to eventual winner Ronnie O'Sullivan in the last four, but quickly put that result behind him.

The Englishman only needed 41 minutes to come away victorious as he secured his first win over Higgins in 11 years at the Morningside Arena in Leicester.

Later, Ronnie O'Sullivan put in another terrific performance as he reached the last 16 with a 4-2 victory over Pang Junxu.

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