Wuhan Open Snooker 2023 recap - Ronnie O'Sullivan edged a decider after Judd Trump and Mark Allen win
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Updated 11/10/2023 at 14:32 GMT
The big names fell on Tuesday at the Wuhan Open with the likes of Neil Robertson and Ding Junhui being knocked out. Judd Trump, Mark Allen and Barry Hawkins all won during Wednesday's action. You can follow all the action live on Eurosport to see how they get on. Stream top snooker action, including the Northern Ireland Open live on discovery+, the Eurosport app.
'A wonderful break' - O'Sullivan shines with stunning century at Wuhan Open
Join us again on Thursday
That’s it for Wednesday’s updates from the 2023 Wuhan Open. Be sure to log on here and tune into Eurosport 1 tomorrow morning, bright and early, for more action from China's Hubei province.
See you at 07.15 BST!
Result - O’SULLIVAN 5-4 PANG
Pang is a bit too overzealous during the safety face-off and ends up opening up the reds. It's hard to say what he was trying there but it's going to be curtains.
O’Sullivan sinks the clincher with a red to the bottom left and does enjoy that victory lap, clearing up to the pink to dodge out of danger and progress to the Last 16.
O’SULLIVAN 4-4 PANG (64-17)
Pang reduces the arrears with a run of 16. Ronnie has another chance to finish it but can’t cut a long red to the bottom right. He’s doing it the hard way today, that’s for sure!
O’SULLIVAN 4-4 PANG (68-1)
Ronnie probably thinks he should be enjoying a lap of honour running through the remaining balls instead of engaging in a safety face-off. He’s still the favourite, mind you and those odds increase as Pang fouls with an in-off to weaken his case for a sensational comeback.
However, the Chinese somehow gets another chance when Ronnie fails to sink one of the remaining four reds, although he can only tie the board as it stands.
O’SULLIVAN 4-4 PANG (64-1)
Carpe Diem! Yep, it’s The Rocket who seizes the day!
He tickles a red through a small gap to the left corner pocket to secure the table and slips in the black before cutting a red to the opposite corner that obliterates the pack.
It’s very much there for the seven-time World Champion now and he sets about finishing the job at this visit.
On a break of 35 he takes on a tough red up to middle left but executes it perfectly, leading to a roar of approval from the crowd.
It’s looking very good for the World No.1 but a red to bottom right refuses to go down with the match almost within his grasp. A break of 64 is so close, but there’s enough on the table for Pang to steal this – but surely not?
O’SULLIVAN 4-4 PANG (0-1)
Ronnie eyes a long red to the bottom left but he’s miles off and to compound his frustration he tees up Pang to knock it down. The Chinese takes on a green to its own pocket but somehow misses it!
The Rocket steps in but then he makes a real mess of the solitary red up in baulk.
It’s fair to say this is an edgy start to this win or bust frame!
AROUND THE TABLES
- Bingham 4-4 Carter
- Lisowski 2-3 Craigie
O’SULLIVAN 4-4 PANG
The Rocket suddenly has a steely focus and quickly builds a dominant lead.
Oh, and that’s delightful from O’Sullivan too. The screw back on a black to bottom left works out perfectly in displacing the remaining reds in the pack. That’s the frame done, so what about the second century of the match for the World No.1…
Well, it looks nailed on and a pink to the bottom left seals it for the 1216th century of his career according to David Hendon on Eurosport 1 comms. He misses the brown and misses out on the clearance but a superb 117 is more than enough to take us into the decider.
O’SULLIVAN 3-4 PANG (4-0)
O’Sullivan gets a major slice of luck of his own when the cue ball stops on the verge of the yellow pocket, and when we say on the verge, we mean you couldn’t get closer without it being in – literally!
Pang tries to come off two cushions and misses with the first attempt.
On the second he nudges a stray red left of the pack and it’s an easy one for Ronnie to open with as he chases a decider.
AROUND THE TABLES
- Bingham 4-3 Carter
- Result - Hill 5-1 O'Donnell
- Lisowski 2-3 Craigie
O’SULLIVAN 3-4 PANG
Oof. When your luck is in…. your luck is IN!
Pang takes on a red to the bottom left corner that clips another red and flies into the pocket. He holds his hand up to apologise for the fluke and then sets about making the most of it - and doesn;t he just.
It’s his best run of the match so far and he moves out of sight with a red to middle right and a black to the bottom right that sees him secure a delightful nick into the pack that opens up two more reds.
The 23-year-old Chinese completely relaxes from there and produces a statement 107 break to move within a frame of victory.
O’SULLIVAN 3-3 PANG (0-10)
Pang opens with a long red and a timely kiss off the cue ball on the brown that opens that up to a pot to the yellow pocket.
He overruns on his way down to the pack but cuts a neat red to the bottom right. He’s still chasing though and once again he’s only conjured up a short break of 10.
O’SULLIVAN 3-3 PANG
That’s more like it! Ronnie gets a big chance with an open table but begins to chase the ball a bit as has been a frustrating feature of his performance today.
However, this time he pulls off a wonderful recovery with a thunderous yellow to the green pocket that sees him deep screw back down to the bowels of the table to line up a red across the deck to the right corner.
From there he finds that missing Mojo and a much-needed 93 clearance levels matters. Will that be the springboard to him finding consistency when it matters most? We will find out soon enough!
O’SULLIVAN 2-3 PANG (8-30)
It remains one for the purists who like a good tactical tussle. If you prefer rampant, relentless potting, this probably isn’t for you.
Pang chips in another ‘almost’ sort of run to seize the scoreboard advantage but he’s not been able to control the ball enough to really put away O’Sullivan as of yet.
Yes, he’s in control right now, but if The Rocket does find some inspiration, Pang may yet be left ruining what might have been…
O’SULLIVAN 2-3 PANG (8-0)
It’s not quite happening right now for Ronnie.
He drills in a super long red and slips in a black but then fails with a fine cut on a red to the bottom right.
AROUND THE TABLES
- Bingham 4-1 Carter
- Hill 3-1 O'Donnell
- Lisowski 2-2 Craigie
O’SULLIVAN 2-3 PANG
Now then. Pang finally takes the frame by the scruff of the neck, tucking in a red to the bottom right and teasing the black along the bottom rail to the left corner. He feeds off that combination before a nice long red to the yellow pocket and a fine cut on the black to the left corner leave Ronnie needing a snooker.
The run ends there with two reds remaining. The World No.1 does decide to return to the table in search of that snooker but Pang gets in again and cuts a red to the bottom right to end The Rocket’s interest. From2-0 down to 3-2 up – can the Chinese starlet pull off a major shock here?
O’SULLIVAN 2-2 PANG (23-32)
Again, Ronnie seems to be chasing the break right from the off. A red to the bottom left goes down fine but he recovers off the baulk cushion with a blue to the middle right.
It goes wrong from there though and it’s another low score. His body language doesn’t look quite right at the moment. Can he find something extra to pull away here?
O’SULLIVAN 2-2 PANG (10-32)
Despite that wonderful century clearance earlier, Ronnie has been a bit out of sorts today and it’s Pang who is taking more of the opportunities without really scoring heavily.
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Trump finishes with a flourish against Lines with century at Wuhan Open
AROUND THE TABLES - Double joy for Trump
- Bingham 3-1 Carter
- Hill 3-1 O'Donnell
- Lisowski 2-1 Craigie
- Result - Selt 0-5 Trump
Not a bad day of work for Judd Trump as he whitewashes his pal Matt Selt to follow up his 5-2 success over Oliver Lines earlier in the day.
O’SULLIVAN 2-2 PANG (10-16)
A bizarre safety from Pang following the break-off sees him come up way short of the pack.
O’Sullivan has a chance on a red to the yellow pocket but again he’s not at it and it’s the Chinese who gets us up and running after the interval with a red to the bottom right.
Pang spies a plant on the two reds furthest south in the pack and executes it with aplomb.
There have been some real scrappy moments in this match and this frame is heading that way too.
Both players have openings but can’t develop it further with the pack still pretty much intact.
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'A wonderful break' - O'Sullivan shines with stunning century at Wuhan Open
AROUND THE TABLES
- Bingham 2-1 Carter
- Hill 2-1 O'Donnell
- Lisowski 2-1 Craigie
- Selt 0-4 Trump
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O'Sullivan left stunned as he misses surprise pink to lose frame
O’SULLIVAN 2-2 PANG
Pang gets a chance to redeem himself almost immediately and clips a delicious long red to the right corner. A thunderous pot on the yellow to green tees up a red via the rest to bottom right.
Some nice pace on a pot on the blue to the middle right lines up the final red across to the bottom left pocket.
He screws back neatly off the black to take on a diagonal on the yellow from its spot and the pressure lifts a tad as it’s routine colours from there.
The 23-year-old just needs the pink to pull level heading into the interval and he pops it into the bottom left to provide himself with a major bonus.
O’SULLIVAN 2-1 PANG (49-17)
Does anyone want to win this frame? Pang puts together a break of 17 before inadvertently overrunning and ending up in-off. The Chinese star sinks into his chair and takes a big gulp of water. That wasn’t in the script.
O’SULLIVAN 2-1 PANG (45-0)
Pang’s attempt to get the cue ball behind the black for a devilish safety goes awry and ricochets into a couple of reds, leaving Ronnie to cut up to the red to middle right and come off two cushions and tuck pink to the green pocket.
It looks like curtains but he inexplicably misses a routine green with one eye on position for the stray red in baulk and he’s not at all happy with himself.
He mutters and takes his seat, folding his arms in disgust. It should be 3-1 but there’s a chance for Pang now – and one he wasn’t expecting.
O’SULLIVAN 2-1 PANG (37-0)
Another excellent long pot has a bit fortune with position and that’s a big worry for Pang.
O’Sullivan looks in the mood to end the frame at this visit but an attempt to burst into the pack comes up way short and he’s frustrated to have to play the safety with just 37 on the board.
AROUND THE TABLES
- Bingham 1-1 Carter
- Hill 2-0 O'Donnell
- Lisowski 1-0 Craigie
- Selt 0-3 Trump
Two matches in one day? No problem so far for Judd Trump it seems as he rampages into a 3-0 lead at the expense of Selt.
O’SULLIVAN 2-1 PANG
Wow. You don’t see that very often. Ronnie knocks in yellow, green, brown and blue but then again fails when having to lean into a shot, blowing the pink to the yellow pocket.
Pang steps in and makes it count, knocking in the pink to that same pocket and then sinking what became a crucial black to the middle right.
O’SULLIVAN 2-0 PANG (28-43)
The final red is sat firmly on the brown spot and it’s a wonderful pot up the table from right to left that puts Pang in the driving seat.
He’s equally bold attempting a long green to the bottom left pocket, but he hits the near jaw and it’s advantage O’Sullivan with the yellow left completely open.
O’SULLIVAN 2-0 PANG (28-42)
That’s a wonderful pot from Pang, clipping the penultimate red to the bottom right from long range.
He’s not on a colour so the tactical tussle will continue for a little longer here.
O’SULLIVAN 2-0 PANG (28-41)
It’s Pang who gets a horrible cannon off the pink and leaves the cue ball mid-table.
Ronnie takes advantage with a red-blue combo that leads to a very welcome double kiss to free one of the reds on the bottom deck.
He’s at it again to get the double touch on a red close to the right rail and a blue to middle right sees him fly off three cushions to line up a free red to the left corner.
However, the screw back into the two reds and the black doesn’t have the pay off it deserves and he has to shrug his shoulders and play the safety.
O’SULLIVAN 2-0 PANG (11-41)
The trio of reds tight to the black on the bottom rail are an issue if Ronnie has hopes of a steal, but they go on the backburner on a tally of 10 when he can’t guide in a tricky red down the right cushion on the stretch. There's nothing really on for Pang so it's going to come down to who holds their nerve in the safety exchange.
O’SULLIVAN 2-0 PANG (1-41)
Pang knocks in that open red to the left, nudges in a blue and then holds the cue ball well with a red to the bottom right using the rest.
The black is hindered on the bottom cushion by two reds in close proximity and so the blue and the pink, in particular, become crucial to the development of this break.
It’s all going swimmingly until a loose positional shot leaves him having to bring out the extension t cue over the top of red and pink. It’s very awkward and the red to the bottom right is nowhere near in the end. The run ends on 41 and there’s a half chance for The Rocket.
O’SULLIVAN 2-0 PANG (1-0)
Pang opens the pack and tries to hinder O’Sullivan up in baulk. He leaves a tempting red to the bottom right, but The Rocket can’t find the bag and the momentum stays with the World No.35.
He lays a trap behind the green and although Ronnie escapes, he leaves a red to the bottom left on and there’s a big chance for the underdog here.
O’SULLIVAN 2-0 PANG (1-0)
Ronnie sizzles down an opening red but overruns the cue ball into the left corner and isn’t on the black. There’s a brief shake of the head before he retreats to baulk with a safety off the yellow.
AROUND THE TABLES
- Bingham 1-0 Carter
- Hill 1-0 O'Donnell
- Lisowski 0-0 Craigie
- Selt 0-1 Trump
O’SULLIVAN 2-0 PANG
Oof. There’s a very make-able red to the bottom left that needs a fine cut from close-in but Pang somehow contrives to miss it.
Ronnie takes care of it with a long pot from the top of the table and quickly settles into his stride when he plays a sublime cannon into the pack off a pot on the brown to the yellow pocket.
It pays dividends with a quintet of reds ripe for the taking and The Rocket ensures they duly find a home in typically swashbuckling fashion.
Another lovely cannon into the remainder of the pack off another pot on a red pretty much ends Pang’s hopes and it's all about how high this score will be.
The crowd are loving it and they give the seven-time World Champion the adulation he deserves with a stunning 128 clearance.
O’SULLIVAN 1-0 PANG (9-0)
Ronnie drills in an excellent long red to open and tries to come off two cushions via a pot on the yellow to the green pocket. He overruns his approach though and has to play safe to baulk.
Pang is over-cautious with his attempt to glance the reds and hits the pink! Ronnie sticks him back in and the Chinese youngster goes too big this time and loosens up a few reds to open up an opportunity for Ronnie.
AROUND THE TABLES
- Bingham 1-0 Carter
- Hill 0-0 O'Donnell
- Lisowski 0-0 Craigie
- Selt 0-0 Trump
O’SULLIVAN 1-0 PANG
The Rocket eventually finds his groove!
He actually opened with a couple of weak safety shots but didn’t get punished.
A disappointing nine ends when he surprisingly runs out of position during a decent chance, but when the second one comes along he pulls clear.
A break of 67 up to the yellow is more than enough and it’s the World No.1 who takes the opener.
O’SULLIVAN 0-0 PANG (0-12)
Pang is first in with a long red that he follows with a brown up to the yellow pocket.
The 23-year-old pulls out the rest for the next two shot, bulleting away a red to the bottom right before knocking in a yellow to its own pocket in the opposite direction.
He’s making full use of the length of the table, feeding on stray reds and happy to screw back off the yellow to tease in more.
It eventually comes a cropper though down by the black and a tally of 12 feels slim considering the effort he put in to his positional play.
H2H
It's 1-1 in the match-up with Pang winning in a Champions League match last year and Ronnie triumphing 10-7 in the 2023 World Championship.
We are back!
Right, we've got some big names in action on our very close horizon.
We'll be focusing on The Rocket in his clash with Junxu Pang, but we'll keep you updated with the scores across the other tables as usual.
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Join us again from 12.15 BST
We’ve got a blockbuster line-up this afternoon with Ronnie O’Sullivan taking centre stage against Junxu Pang. Elsewhere, Judd Trump returns for the second time today, Jack Lisowski also features while Stuart Bingham meets Ali Carter. The boys are at the baize from 12.30 BST. See you then.
Result - ALLEN 5-4 SI
We are down to the final brown, blue, pink and black of this match.
Allen gets slightly fortunate when he defends the brown, landing just shy of going in-off in the yellow pocket.
The awkward cueing allows for an error that Mark mops up by potting the brown to the middle right.
The blue follows to the bottom left before he screws back to cut the pink to the middle left.
He pumps his fist and leaves it there.
Heartbreaking for Si but Allen survives the fight back too progress.
ALLEN 4-4 SI (32-33)
Allen ends the face-off with a red to bottom left after a Si double bounced between the jaws and stayed out.
A blue and the yellow via the rest to its own pocket see the Northern Irishman try to land on the green but he just lacks a bit of pace to tee up another pot.
Another mini tussle for control ensues and Allen plays a safety to that sees Si catch the edge of the black!
The World No.3 slaps in a simple green to its own pocket but the brown is tight to the baulk cushion and it’s be another safety.
This really has gone to the wire!
ALLEN 4-4 SI (14-33)
That’s a pearl of a snooker! Si nudges the cue ball under the green which is way out of its comfort zone near the bottom rail.
The red is in the upper echelons of the left cushion and Mark misses on his first attempt to wriggle free. He catches it on the second and is relieved to see the red move to the bottom cushion away from danger.
ALLEN 4-4 SI (14-29)
Ouch! Si nicks away another red but Allen produces a howler and a cannon on the red leaves a simple pot to the yellow pocket for the Chinese.
The tension is tangible as the 21-year-old immediately loses position and can’t fire the blue into the middle of the green pocket.
There’s one red remaining and it’s tight to the middle of the bottom rail.
ALLEN 4-4 SI (14-27)
Si tucks away another solitary red and takes on a long green to its own pocket. It’s a real shot for nothing but he misses by some distance and is very, very fortunate that the green rolls south and knocks the free red to safety.
There are three reds remaining and it’s not an open table.
Can Si pull off another audacious pot to bring it home or will Allen again come out on top in a tactical battle?
ALLEN 4-4 SI (14-26)
It’s Allen who makes the next move, nailing a brave red and landing neatly on the blue, which he knocks in to the middle right.
He tries to cannon into two reds near to the black and another red near the bottom rail, but it doesn’t pay off.
ALLEN 4-4 SI (8-26)
Allen turns the tables with an excellent long red of his own and that enables him to play the snooker behind the green. Si plays another great escape shot and we remain finely poised in this deciding frame.
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'Outrageous fluke!' - Si enjoys good fortune against Allen at Wuhan Open
ALLEN 4-4 SI (7-26)
Si knocks in a red to the bottom right after a miscue on a plant from Allen.
A brown to the green pocket and a rasping red to the right corner again leaves him with limited options, but he does get to play the safety and try to keep the momentum.
ALLEN 4-4 SI (7-20)
Allen can’t do much but chalks up a quick seven before playing in-behind the green with the pink and blow also offering obstacles.
Si’s safety hasn’t been that solid today, but he responds with the right cut on a red to retreat to baulk without any issues.
ALLEN 4-4 SI (0-20)
Another long red puts Si back in with another chance to secure a superb comeback win but he blows a pink and it gives Allen a real opportunity.
It’s perhaps fitting that this match isn’t won by someone just putting together a run. There have been a few twists and turns throughout most of the frames.
ALLEN 4-4 SI (0-13)
Si makes the first move with a long red to the bottom right corner. A brown down to the middle left is followed by a sharp red with the rest back to the bottom right.
He takes a green to its own pocket and screws back for a red south west of the pack, but he’s unlucky when another green to its home bag sees a fine attempt at the split leave him with nothing on.
ALLEN 4-4 SI
Allen needed a response – and he delivers.
A run of 69 sees Si needing a snooker with four reds still in a mini pack. The Chinese doesn’t even contemplate attempting a comeback and concedes the frame.
We are heading into a decider!
ALLEN 3-4 SI
It is indeed four on the spin for Si as he tucks away a long red to the green pocket to pretty much end Allen’s hopes.
A black to bottom right ends the discussion with two reds remaining, but it's academic as Allen stays glued to his chair.
Si was in all sorts of trouble early on but is now just one away from the last 16.
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‘Effortless’ - Si makes century break to narrow deficit against Allen
AROUND THE TABLES
Result - Zhou Y 3-5 Highfield
ALLEN 3-3 SI (16-67)
It looks like being four in a row for Si but a cannon off the black on a red pot to bottom right makes the black too tough a cut. He still needs another red and opts for safety, clipping the pink left of centre to retreat to baulk.
AROUND THE TABLES
- Result - Carty 2-5 Yuan
- Zhou Y 3-4 Highfield
ALLEN 3-3 SI (16-46)
Ouch. Allen’s not quite where he wants to beat the moment and he chalks up just the six with a miss on a very make-able red to the bottom left.
Si can’t make the most of it and we move from intrigue to a bit of scrap in this frame.
ALLEN 3-3 SI (10-46)
We are back in an attritional safety exchange and it’s usually Allen who comes out on top in these.
It could be the case in this frame too as Si looks for a thin touch on the red furthest left. He fouls twice and has to hit it the third time. He goes for a shot to nothing on the pot instead and opens the table for Mark to try and take advantage.
AROUND THE TABLES
- Carty 2-4 Yuan
- RESULT - Jones Jam 1-5 Hawkins
- RESULT - Milkins 2-5 Ford
- Zhou Y 3-3 Highfield
- RESULT - Zihao X 1-5 Maguire
ALLEN 3-3 SI (0-46)
Once again it’s Si who takes charge of the table. When he gets into his groove he’s an enjoyable watch and he marches to a break of 46 before coming up short with a long miss on the final stray red. The majority of the pack is still pretty secure, so there’s nothing for Allen to take advantage of at present.
ALLEN 3-3 SI
Si makes major inroads into Allen’s lead, mopping up the remaining reds, including one superbly cued attempt to the bottom right via the rest.
The colours are relatively routine and he clears up to the black to level matters from 3-0 down!
ALLEN 3-2 SI (46-0)
Mark gets in again but his attempt to split a cluster of reds remaining from the pack goes slightly awry when he lacks the pace to disturb enough following a pot on the green to its home pocket.
A delightful long red up to the yellow pocket gets him back on track but he again needs to pull off a classy pot via the rest to produce a fine cut on a red to the bottom left.
However, a hard-earned run ends when a red to the bottom left refuses the invitation and perhaps Si could get some level of revenge with a steal of his own after being on the receiving end early doors?
ALLEN 3-2 SI (8-0)
That’ll hurt for Si. After working so hard to get back into this match, he plays a loose safety and gifts Mark a simple red to middle right. The World No.3 eases down to the black but his positional play for the next red is surprisingly slack and its’ end of break!
That could have been really bad news for the Chinese, but he’s been handed a bit of a reprieve here.
AROUND THE TABLES
- Carty 2-4 Yuan
- RESULT - Jones Jam 1-5 Hawkins
- Milkins 2-4 Ford
- Zhou Y 3-3 Highfield
- Zihao X 1-4 Maguire
ALLEN 3-2 SI
That’s a lovely way to open as Si executes another excellent long red and then sizzles the brown down to middle left.
It paves the way for him to gobble down some routine loose reds south of the pack with a nice helping of the black.
It looks like his first break is going to end prematurely (again) with a red to the bottom left that crashes back off the jaw – but it makes a beeline up the left rail before rocketing into the centre of the yellow pocket!
‘That’s an outrageous fluke!’ exclaims the Eurosport 1 Comms team and isn't it just, but Si makes it count with the first century of the match - his sixth of the campaign - and a 120 clearance up to a foul on the pink via the in-off moves him to within one frame of parity.
AROUND THE TABLES
- Carty 1-3 Yuan
- Jones Jam 1-4 Hawkins
- Milkins 1-3 Ford
- Zhou Y 2-3 Highfield
- Zihao X 1-3 Maguire
ALLEN 3-1 SI
This time there is to be no steal. Si comes unstuck on a couple of occasions but gets the rub of the green via a fluke and fortune that doesn’t leave anything on for Allen when another short run ends via a miss.
The Chinese youngster can’t end it in style though, leaving three reds on the table, but with a lead of 81 there’s no chance of Allen returning.
Off we go into the interval!
ALLEN 3-0 SI (0-26)
Si can’t quite lure a long red into the yellow pocket, but Allen doesn’t take advantage as he hits the near jaw trying to poop a different red to middle left.
Si does seize the initiative from there with a red-blue-red-blue nudging the board nicely as he looks to open up the table.
A red up the left rail lands him on the blue again and it tees him to take a red down the right cushion via the rest.
It moves him to a routine black but he’s careless with position and a red along the bottom rail is then very tricky. He is bold but can’t pass the jaws and Allen again survives to set up a potential comeback.
AROUND THE TABLES
- Carty 1-3 Yuan
- Jones Jam 0-4 Hawkins
- Milkins 0-3 Ford
- Zhou Y 1-3 Highfield
- Zihao X 0-3 Maguire
ALLEN 3-0 SI
Si had done all the hard work there, but that miss leaves a lovely, open table for his opponent.
Allen clips in a red down the middle right and quickly takes care of the remaining reds.
The pink is on the brown spot, close to the brown itself, but it’s not enough to be tricky.
Allen just needs the pink and he glides it into the yellow pocket to somehow race into a 3-0 lead.
ALLEN 2-0 SI (5-48)
This time it’s Mark who has an early chance but after nicking in red, green, red, he loses position on the blue.
He takes it on to the green pocket but comes up short. He thinks the blue is covering a stray red up in baulk, but Si thunders it down from left to right, squeezing through a tiny gap to wrestle the momentum back his way.
The Chinese youngster is clearly a major talent but does have a propensity to lose the cue ball quite often and need a special pot to get back on track.
A long red up to the yellow pocket is a great example of that and lands him on a routine black to bottom left to keep the run going – but then he lands too straight on the black a moment later. Another super recovery on a red still leaves him chasing and when he misses a black exploding into the pack, it opens the door for Allen to try and pull off ANOTHER steal.
AROUND THE TABLES
- Carty 1-2 Yuan
- Jones Jam 0-2 Hawkins
- Milkins 0-3 Ford
- Zhou Y 1-2 Highfield
- Zihao X 0-2 Maguire
ALLEN 2-0 SI
Si goes for another shot for nothing and leaves the blue up by the green pocket.
Allen slams it in to tie the board but there’s pretty much no chance of him taking the pink.
It’s a two-ball shoot-out now…. And it’s Allen who comes up with the goods!
A stunning pot on the pink up to the green pocket leaves him on the black to clinch it. The frame lies on this shot and he carefully rolls the cue ball along the bottom rail to plant the black into the right corner.
ALLEN 1-0 SI (46-51)
On we go!
Allen makes a bit of a move as he sinks yellow, green and brown but the blue is awkwardly placed, tight to the left cushion. He doesn’t quite get the angle to try a double and again opts for the caution that has served him well in edging his way, slowly, back into this frame.
ALLEN 1-0 SI (37-51)
We are not quite sure he meant that, but Allen earns a ripple of applause as he comes off the baulk cushion and the right rail to pot the final red in the middle left pocket. If it is fortune, it doesn’t quite work out positionally and this intriguing in-frame battle continues.
ALLEN 1-0 SI (36-51)
Once again it’s Mark who breaks the impasse with a clipped red to bottom right.
He could take on a brown across the baulk cushion to the yellow pocket but that ball, the blue and the green are all way off their spots and the final two reds close to the bottom rail are awkward, so he doesn’t feel it’s worth the risk. Instead, he plays a smart snooker behind the blue, close to the upper left cushion.
Si can’t find the answer to it and fouls, leaving on a red across the bottom rail. Allen sinks that and screws back to take down the black to the same pocket.
Once again he plays astute snooker, leaving Si in a pickle with the cue ball under the black and the final red obstructed in baulk.
The 21-year-old Chinese fouls on a couple of occasions and it’s very much anyone’s frame now.
ALLEN 1-0 SI (15-51)
There’s some excellent safety on show with both players demonstrating their appreciation of each other’s hard work in restricting potting opportunities to nil.
It takes its toll on Si in the end as he cannons into the back of a red and the black tied together off the bottom rail and opens up the chance for Allen. It all came after superb length from Mark left Si cueing awkwardly over the brown in baulk.
The World No.3 gets on the board with a red up to middle left and pink to the bottom right. After such a defensive stand-off the balls are not nicely placed and it’s all about trying to get as close to Si’s score as he can before laying a trap.
He only reaches 15 as a red up to the green pocket fails to drop.
ALLEN 1-0 SI (0-51)
Allen attempts to lay the trap but Si produces a magnificent shot to nothing up to baulk to clip in a tough red to the yellow pocket.
The Chinese starlet nudges in-behind the green close to the right rail, but Mark manages to escape and nudge into the red on the bottom cushion.
ALLEN 1-0 SI (0-50)
Si takes aim on a long red up to the yellow pocket but it’s nowhere near to be honest.
Mark then misses a similar mid-range red to bottom left that he couldn’t convert at the start of the opener and it leaves Si with a simple pot on a red hovering over the opposite pocket.
A green and a red to the green pocket sets him up to blast in the brown to the yellow pocket and cannon into the pack. It’s not perfect, but there is one red that loosens that’s available to bottom right.
He glides a pink to middle left and when he makes another attempt to split the pack it’s far more successful. Indeed, a frame-winning chance presents from here, but there’s more than a sense of déjà vu as he eventually runs out of position again and there’s still hope for Allen here.
AROUND THE TABLES
- Carty 0-1 Yuan
- Jones Jam 0-2 Hawkins
- Milkins 0-2 Ford
- Zhou Y 0-1 Highfield
- Zihao X 0-0 Maguire
ALLEN 1-0 SI
Ouch.
Si finds himself snookered below the black with the green out of sight close to the brown in baulk. His attempt at the escape fails and to top it off he ends up leaving Allen with a free ball.
The World No.3 clips in the blue close to the green pocket and then takes care of the colours on their spots to get off on the front foot.
ALLEN 0-0 SI (65-50)
Well, this has gone very messy.
Si produces an excellent pot to the right corner along the bottom rail and with all colours bar the blue on their spots, it looks like frame over for Allen.
But, wait. Si completely misjudges his pot on the yellow and ends up snookered on the green! He then fouls by clipping the brown and there’s a major lifeline for Mark now.
ALLEN 0-0 SI (61-41)
Allen opens his account with a clinical pot on a red down the left rail and sets about making inroads on Si’s lead.
The Northern Irishman moves ahead and cleans up to the final red, which is likely to be the decisive ball in the outcome of this first frame.
It’s tight to left side of the bottom cushion and Mark needs a supreme positional shot to land on it via a pot off the yellow to its home pocket. He ends up coming unstuck as his path to the red is hindered by the black.
He’s snookered and simply has to try and hit the red, but ends up teeing up a chance for his opponent.
ALLEN 0-0 SI (6-41)
That’s a slightly awkward one for Si. He was in the driving seat but Allen seizes some of the initiative with a decent safety. The Chinese doesn’t want to leave anything on, but in trying to play a smart riposte he ends up clipping the pink off two cushions.
It takes a while to re-spot everything but he clips the red nearest the pink spot as intended on his second attempt.
There could be an opening for Allen from here though…
ALLEN 0-0 SI (0-41)
Well, that’s a surprising miscue to kick us off. Allen leans into a medium-range red from right to left but misses the bottom corner by some distance.
Si takes full advantage mopping up the red and then executing beautiful positional play in despatching the green to its home pocket, gaining lovely side to venture down to the pack and prey upon the stray reds along with the black.
He looks to be in the groove, happy to use the full table to keep the run going, knocking in a brown to the green pocket to come off the baulk cushion and land neatly on the red furthest right of the pack.
However, he finally makes a misjudgement sinking the black and landing too high above the red furthest south of the pack. There’s nothing he can do and he has to retreat to baulk with a safety.
Coming up at 07.30 BST
The boys will be at the baize very soon. Allen v Si is an eye-catching clash but we've also got a number of other encounters taking place across the tables.
- Carty v Yuan
- Jones Jam v Hawkins
- Milkins v Ford
- Zhou Y v Highfield
- Zihao X v Maguire
Latest results as Trump cruises through
Judd Trump featured as part of the first matches on Wednesday in Wuhan and he was in fine form in seeing off Oliver Lines 5-2.
- Anda Z 5-1 Saengkham N.
- Chenzhi G 4-5 Guoqiang H.
- Day 2-5 Yize W.
- Lines 2-5 Trump
- Mertens 1-5 Haotian L.
- Si X 0-5 Xiao G.
Good morning!
Hello and welcome to our live updates from the 2023 Wuhan Open. We'll be focusing on World No.3 Mark Allen shortly as he faces Si Jiahui with Ronnie O'Sullivan against Junxu Pang later.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan cruises into third round with another big win
Ronnie O’Sullivan cruised into the third round of the Wuhan Open after claiming a comfortable 5-1 win over Mark Davis.
It was a second successive 5-1 victory for the Rocket after beating Ken Doherty on Monday, with breaks of 69, 101 and 62 doing the damage.
O'Sullivan will next face Pang Junxu on Wednesday.
The Rocket won the first frame after Davis left a long green over the centre pocket, which he potted, before moving onto the brown and blue to move 1-0 ahead.
That lead was doubled with a break of 69 after Davis relinquished his hope of restoring parity after missing a black, and the Rocket potted the yellow and green.
The world No. 1 was motoring towards a whitewash victory when he extended his advantage with a break of 101 to claim a first century appearance of the week.
Those hopes of a whitewash were extinguished though, as O'Sullivan could only watch Davis build up a very respectable frame-winning break of 75 to get off the mark.
Davis then left a red over the middle pocket and Ronnie motored to break of 68, only to be thwarted be a red himself and give Davis a chance to save the frame.
It would be a brief reprieve though, as Davis failed on a pink, and O'Sullivan cleared up the remaining reds and all the colours up to the black to move one frame away from victory.
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