Just one win away from a place in Telford, the 32 players involved during the next couple of days will be trying their utmost to get the job done and one man who has impressed all week is Mark Joyce, a late night winner against Marcus Campbell last night and now well-placed against Steve Davis following a good morning session…
Evening Session
Matthew Stevens 9-5 Rob Milkins
Gerard Greene 2-9 Tom Ford
Martin Gould 9-8 James Wattana
Stephen Lee 9-4 Dave Gilbert
Steve Davis 2-9 Mark Joyce
Judd Trump 9-7 Xiao Guodong
First qualifier through to the last 32 this evening is Leicester’s Tom Ford who won the three frames he needed in under an hour to complete a comprehensive 9-2 victory against Gerard Greene. The result consolidates Tom’s position inside the top 32 and secures him a re-match with Mark Allen on Saturday who he lost to in the opening round of this year’s World Championship in Sheffield. On that occasion Tom just could not reproduce his form from the qualifiers and was made to look quite poor by Mark, but the Northern Irishman has not quite found his form so far this season and could find it to be a tougher contest this time around.
Soon to follow Tom is Mark Joyce, a shock 9-2 winner against Steve Davis, wasting no time in taking the three frames required on their resumption this evening. Having fallen out of the top 64 at the last seedings revision, to come here and defeat Jak Jones, Alfie Burden, Marcus Campbell (9-8 from 7-5 down), and now Steve Davis is very impressive indeed. Up to 54th on my latest list with very little to defend between now and May, there is every chance that Mark could move up into the top 48 in the near future if he can maintain this level of consistency.
For Steve meanwhile the result is one that means that he will now be ranked no higher than 40th following the post-tournament seedings revision, meaning that he will now have to win two qualifying matches in the next two events if he is to appear at the venue stages. Is this the beginning of the end for Steve or will he bounce back yet again?
The next men through to the venue stages are Matthew Stevens and Stephen Lee, both comfortable winners this evening against Robert Milkins and David Gilbert respectively. Whilst I had expected Robert to win a few more frames than the five that he did, Matthew has been in pretty decent form this season and at the time of writing at least shoots up four places to 19th in the latest seedings list. He will now face defending champion Ding Junhui in Telford while Lee will meet the returning John Higgins in what is bound to be a fascinating clash.
It feels like it has been a while since we have seen Judd at a venue but he will be making an appearance in Telford after a tense 9-7 victory against talented Chinese youngster Xiao Guodong this evening. It was tight throughout but the two frame cushion that Judd opened up to lead 6-4 this evening ultimately gave him the breathing space required and was a gap that he could maintain to the conclusion of the match. Judd will now face Jamie Cope in the last 32 while Xiao has at least ensured that he will move up the rankings to 68th (at the time of writing).
And the last man through today is somehow Martin Gould who came through what looked to be a thrilling clash with Thailand’s best ever player James Wattana following a deciding frame. All night Martin seemed to trail, first 5-4, then 6-5, 7-6 and 8-7 but when it mattered it was the Pinner Potter who came through to take the final two frames and book a last 32 clash with Graeme Dott in the process. Spare a thought for James though, it was a great effort from him to reach the venue having started way back in the first round but he couldn’t quite manage to get over the line.
Afternoon Session
Barry Hawkins 6-2 Fergal O’Brien
Stuart Bingham 5-3 Peter Lines
Ken Doherty 5-3 Rod Lawler
Ricky Walden 4-4 Liu Chaung
The afternoon session was almost as close as the morning session as although Fergal O’Brien could do nothing to stop Barry Hawkins securing a 6-2 overnight lead, the other matches all remain hard to call. Former world champion Ken Doherty leads Rod Lawler by a couple of frames at 5-3 in what is proving to be a slow match, while Liu Chuang is continuing his strong form by holding Ricky Walden to a 4-4 scoreline.
Morning Session
Matthew Stevens 4-4 Rob Milkins
Gerard Greene 2-6 Tom Ford
Martin Gould 4-4 James Wattana
Stephen Lee 5-3 Dave Gilbert
Steve Davis 2-6 Mark Joyce
Judd Trump 4-4 Xiao Guodong
Having recovered from 7-5 down last night to oust in-form Scot Marcus Campbell at approximately midnight, I was not convinced that Mark Joyce would be fully prepared for his morning session with six-time UK Champion Steve Davis this morning but that could not have been further from the case as he secured a 6-2 mid-session lead. With all of his experience, Davis is far from out of the match but he will have to find something special and hope that his opponent falters if he is to qualify for yet another crack at the title.
Also well-placed is Tom Ford who leads Gerard Greene by the same scoreline heading into the evening session. up to 30th on my latest list, Tom is already well-placed to move up into the top 32 for the first time at the next seedings revision and a win today would surely secure that position. Gerard did show at the Crucible earlier this year against Shaun Murphy however that he is well capable of digging in and making life difficult for an opponent just a few frames from victory.
Elsewhere however the other matches are extremely well-poised, Judd Trump and Xiao Guodong level at 4-4, the Chinese player having come oh-so-close to a 147 break before breaking down on the final pink. Matthew Stevens and Robert Milkins are also predictably level, as are Martin Gould and James Wattana.
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6 comments
dannyboy
November 30, 2010 at 8:32 pm (UTC 0)
I said last season before the worlds that I fancied Steve to have one last big match! He had two, King 10-9 and then a fabulous 13-11 win against the champion! Today Joyce thrashed him and SD’s slip down the rankings like many before him seems certain. He will be outside the top 32 now for good, I cant see him playing well enough or playing all the events to climb back to the top 24 or so. Whether he plays 1 or 2 more seasons in the top 64 is to be seen. I think Steve will go all out for another Sheffield trip but he will have to win 2 matches and given the standard will do well to get to the Crucible. Im so pleased he had that big week in April as it made all his effort to continue playing snooker over the past 10 years seem worthwhile. Now I sense his time in the bigtime has come to an end. I enjoyed the ride Mr Davis, your career has lasted the longest. I watched Mcenroe and Borg at Wimbledon, Faldo and Seve on the fairways and the rise of snooker on the colour TV. Long after all my other sporting heroes have finished I watched a 52 year old legend almost defying his own logic, walk out of an arena on a Saturday lunchtime to a standing ovation. Commentators hugged him, people cheered and a smile of satisfaction came over SD’s face. Hazel Irvine and JP just smiled. Once a champion, always a champion. Mr Davis thank you for the ride. The last of my childhood sporting heroes is about done. Thanks for the memories.
Nige
November 30, 2010 at 9:23 pm (UTC 0)
Nice words Dannyboy. I’m proud to say I was there for that memorable Saturday in April, captured the great man’s arrival into the arena with my own video camera footage from the crowd “….they used to call him Nugget, now he is simply Legend….”, and also at the end when he finished off Higgins – the noise from the crowd was like I’ve never experienced, and as he made his way from The Crucible to the Winter Gardens, the crowd parted and he walked on through like a messiah. Ironic that the man who pushed him into the limelight, is the same man under whose chairmanship the powers that be have decided to now play all qualifying rounds in private. The net result – we will probably never see him compete again.
matt2745
November 30, 2010 at 9:26 pm (UTC 0)
I think that we will see him again but I agree with Danny insofar as I think his top 32 days are probably gone now. Don’t think that he will quit anytime soon though, unless of course he stops enjoying it which may be more likely to venue if he starts to make fewer venues.
Witz78
Twitter: witz78
December 1, 2010 at 12:07 am (UTC 0)
Likewise with Nige and Matt, im so glad i was present for that epic match in April now as it seemed like a last hurrah at the time, and now seems to be proving to be so.
Steves lack of PTC appearances despite championing the PTC tour when Hearn took over, made me think he had possibly decided his time was up and at 53 years old hed done all he needed to fo and didnt need the hassle of playing every weekend in cubicles.
We will get to see him in at least one more venue (albeit for maybe only 10 mins) at the Sky Shootout in Blackpool.
I have to admit its hard to see him rising back up the rankings but one more Crucible appearance aint as impossible a prospect as it may seem. He should get more favourable opening games, obviously as a result of being lower down, but assuming he relaxes in these and gets s a win and confidence under his belt, not to mention a favourable draw in the last 48, then his experience and nous could yet set up one more glory day at Sheffield.
PS – Sooner they get some sort of facility for spectators at the Academy or elsewhere the better, a joke these games are off limits to the public, both in person and on a stream, 110sport really should bury the hatchet and move on from the defeat to Hearn last year.
ddrIII
December 1, 2010 at 2:42 am (UTC 0)
I think SD will retire if he follow John Parrott’s route – drop out of the tour and not receiving a wild card. Otherwise he will still be here.
tazmania
December 1, 2010 at 2:12 pm (UTC 0)
Matt good snow effects!