It has felt like a long wait since Neil Robertson won the last ranking event back in October but tomorrow (Monday), sees the start of the UK Championship qualifiers as 79 of the 96 main tour players will be in action over the next eight days.
Continue reading this article for my preview and the Order of Play for the qualifiers…
The second-biggest event on the calendar, the UK Championship is always one of my favourite events because I do much prefer the longer frame, best of 17 matches that we see as opposed to the normal best of nines that we see in most of the other ranking events.
Last year I was lucky enough to be able to go along to watch most of the UK qualifiers in Sheffield, notably the match between Joe Swail and Liang Wenbo, but this year they are back in Prestatyn and so out of range for me. To compound the problem of course is the news that 110sport.tv do not look to be in a position to provide coverage of the event over the internet, as they have done so far this season. You can read their most recent statement here.
Still, despite this problem and the fact that Jimmy White will not be in action, instead choosing to participate in the latest series of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, there are a number of eye-catching matches in prospect this week.
Of the first round ties I am most looking forward to seeing the all-Neath battle between Michael White and Daniel Wells, two of the most promising young players on the tour at the moment. In addition it will be interesting to see how the tie between Matthew Selt (qualifier for both Shanghai and Glasgow already this season), and David Gray unfolds, while the winner of the Ben Woollaston/Ian Preece match will receive a bye through to the last 64 so there is even more to play for there. Finally Li Hang’s match with Tony Drago could be a close contest, both having reached the third round of the Grand Prix.
Looking further ahead, Stuart Pettman will be hoping to reach the venue stage of an event for the first time since his run to the China Open semi-finals earlier in the year though it will not be easy against the likes of Tom Ford and Barry Hawkins. Ken Doherty also has a tough run if he looks to maintain his 100% record at Prestatyn this season as he will come up against Jamie Cope should he win his opening round match.
One man in real need of a win is Judd Trump and with the likes of David Gilbert and Mark Davis in his section, will have to play at his very best if he is to win his first ranking event of the season and arrest his slide down the provisional rankings. He has played very well in the Premier League recently but perhaps having played on the big stage regularly this season he is finding it more difficult back in the cubicles of Pontin’s.
As ever I shall be keeping you up to speed with results, as well as updating the latest provisional rankings as the matches come to a conclusion. If you cannot wait however, you can of course follow the results live over at Global Snooker.
The full order of play is as follows:
Monday 23th November 2009
*denotes final session
10am
Match 1 – Chris Norbury v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Match 2 – Lee Spick v Jordan Brown
Match 3 – Lee Page v James Wattana
Match 4 – Matthew Selt v David Gray
Match 5 – Xiao Guodong v Zhang Anda
Match 6 – Craig Steadman v Andrew Norman
Match 7 – Ben Woollaston v Ian Preece
Match 8 – Patrick Wallace v Mark Boyle
4pm
Match 1* – Chris Norbury v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Match 2* – Lee Spick v Jordan Brown
Match 3*– Lee Page v James Wattana
Match 4* – Matthew Selt v David Gray
Match 5* – Xiao Guodong v Zhang Anda
Match 6* – Craig Steadman v Andrew Norman
Match 7* – Ben Woollaston v Ian Preece
Match 8* – Patrick Wallace v Mark Boyle
Tuesday 24th November 2009
10am
Match 9 – Atthasit Mahitthi v Mei Xi Wen
Match 10 – Li Hang v Tony Drago
Match 11 – Bjorn Haneveer v Sam Baird
Match 12 – Matthew Couch v Brendan O’Donoghue
Match 13 – Daniel Wells v Michael White
Match 14 – Stephen Rowlings v Jimmy Robertson
Match 15 – Noppadol Sangnil v David Hogan
Match 16 – Simon Bedford v Joe Jogia
4pm
Match 9* – Atthasit Mahitthi v Mei Xi Wen
Match 10* – Li Hang v Tony Drago
Match 11* – Bjorn Haneveer v Sam Baird
Match 12* – Matthew Couch v Brendan O’Donoghue
Match 13* – Daniel Wells v Michael White
Match 14* – Stephen Rowlings v Jimmy Robertson
Match 15* – Noppadol Sangnil v David Hogan
Match 16* – Simon Bedford v Joe Jogia
Wednesday 25th November 2009
10am
Match 17 – Rod Lawler v Winner of match 1
Match 18 –Andy Hicks v Winner of match 2
Match 19 –Robert Milkins v Winner of match 3
Match 20 – David Roe v Winner of match 4
Match 21 –Peter Lines v Winner of match 5
Match 22 –Barry Pinches v Winner of match 6
Match 23 –Jimmy White (withdrawn) v Winner of match 7
Match 24 –John Parrott v Winner of match 8
4pm
Match 17* – Rod Lawler v Winner of match 1
Match 18* –Andy Hicks v Winner of match 2
Match 19* – Robert Milkins v Winner of match 3
Match 20* – David Roe v Winner of match 4
Match 21* – Peter Lines v Winner of match 5
Match 22* – Barry Pinches v Winner of match 6
Match 23* – Jimmy White (withdrawn) v Winner of match 7
Match 24* –John Parrott v Winner of match 8
Thursday 26th November 2009
10am
Match 25 – Liu Song v Winner of match 9
Match 26 – David Gilbert v Winner of match 10
Match 27 – Joe Delaney v Winner of match 11
Match 28 – Mark Joyce v Winner of match 12
Match 29 – Jin Long v Winner of match 13
Match 30 – Paul Davies v Winner of match 14
Match 31 – Tom Ford v Winner of match 15
Match 32 – David Morris v Winner of match 16
4pm
Match 25* – Liu Song v Winner of match 9
Match 26* – David Gilbert v Winner of match 10
Match 27* – Joe Delaney v Winner of match 11
Match 28* – Mark Joyce v Winner of match 12
Match 29* – Jin Long v Winner of match 13
Match 30* – Paul Davies v Winner of match 14
Match 31* –Tom Ford v Winner of match 15
Match 32* – David Morris v Winner of match 16
Friday 27th November 2009
10am
Match 33 – Alan McManus v Winner of match 17
Match 34 – Mike Dunn v Winner of match 18
Match 35 – Martin Gould v Winner of match 19
Match 36 – Rory McLeod v Winner of match 20
Match 37 – Ian McCulloch v Winner of match 21
Match 38 – Marcus Campbell v Winner of match 22
Match 39 –Jimmy Michie v Winner of match 23
Match 40 – Dominic Dale v Winner of match 24
4pm
Match 33* – Alan McManus v Winner of match 17
Match 34* – Mike Dunn v Winner of match 18
Match 35* – Martin Gould v Winner of match 19
Match 36* – Rory McLeod v Winner of match 20
Match 37* – Ian McCulloch v Winner of match 21
Match 38* – Marcus Campbell v Winner of match 22
Match 39* –Jimmy Michie v Winner of match 23
Match 40* –Dominic Dale v Winner of match 24
Saturday 28th November 2009
10am
Match 41 – Adrian Gunnell v Winner of match 25
Match 42 – Mark Davis v Winner of match 26
Match 43 – Michael Judge v Winner of match 27
Match 44 – Ken Doherty Winner of match 28
Match 45 – Jamie Burnett v Winner of match 29
Match 46 – Anthony Hamilton v Winner of match 30
Match 47 – Stuart Pettman v Winner of match 31
Match 48 – Andrew Higginson v Winner of match 32
4pm
Match 41* – Adrian Gunnell v Winner of match 25
Match 42* – Mark Davis v Winner of match 26
Match 43* – Michael Judge v Winner of match 27
Match 44* – Ken Doherty Winner of match 28
Match 45* – Jamie Burnett v Winner of match 29
Match 46* – Anthony Hamilton v Winner of match 30
Match 47* – Stuart Pettman v Winner of match 31
Match 48* – Andrew Higginson v Winner of match 32
Sunday 29th November 2009
10am
Match 49 – Gerard Greene v Winner of match 33
Match 50 – Joe Swail v Winner of match 34
Match 51 – Stephen Lee v Winner of match 35
Match 52 – Fergal O’Brien v Winner of match 36
Match 53 – Nigel Bond v Winner of match 37
Match 54 –Graeme Dott v Winner of match 38
Match 55 – Stuart Bingham v Winner of match 39
Match 56 – Michael Holt v Winner of match 40
4pm
Match 49* – Gerard Greene v Winner of match 33
Match 50* – Joe Swail v Winner of match 34
Match 51* – Stephen Lee v Winner of match 35
Match 52* – Fergal O’Brien v Winner of match 36
Match 53* – Nigel Bond v Winner of match 37
Match 54* – Graeme Dott v Winner of match 38
Match 55* – Stuart Bingham v Winner of match 39
Match 56* – Michael Holt v Winner of match 40
Monday 30th November 2009
10am
Match 57 – Matthew Stevens v Winner of match 41
Match 58 – Judd Trump v Winner of match 42
Match 59 – Steve Davis v Winner of match 43
Match 60 – Jamie Cope v Winner of match 44
Match 61 – Liang Wenbo v Winner of match 45
Match 62 – Dave Harold v Winner of match 46
Match 63 – Barry Hawkins v Winner of match 47
Match 64 – Ricky Walden v Winner of match 48
4pm
Match 57* – Matthew Stevens v Winner of match 41
Match 58* – Judd Trump v Winner of match 42
Match 59* – Steve Davis v Winner of match 43
Match 60* – Jamie Cope v Winner of match 44
Match 61* – Liang Wenbo v Winner of match 45
Match 62* – Dave Harold v Winner of match 46
Match 63* – Barry Hawkins v Winner of match 47
Match 64* – Ricky Walden v Winner of match 48