After a predictably tense opening session of snooker it is Joe Swail who holds a narrow 5-3 lead against Ali Carter going into tonight…
Results
Allister Carter 3-5 Joe Swail
9-81(40), 90(89)-0, 55(41)-44, 10-103(43,60), 16-83(49), 49-63(43), 18-66(40), 78(54)-0
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Reports
As can often be the case with two players bidding for their first ranking event title it was a tight opening session this afternoon but it was Joe Swail who came out with a narrow 5-2 lead.
After four frames they were locked at 2-2, though having spurned a glorious opportunity at 1-1 to lead I imagine that Joe would have been the happier of the two players to be level. This showed afterwards as Ali continued to struggle, indeed he looked really out of sorts and it was crucial for Joe Swail that he pushed on and secured a lead going into the evening session.
Despite a couple of missed frame balls this is exactly what he managed to do as Ali failed to punish him and he won the next three to move 5-2 ahead and crucially secure a lead going into the evening session. Ali though managed to pinch the last of the session with a couple of small breaks, keeping him just about in touch going into tonight.
Judging by how the session went I would not at all be surprised to see andother 9-8 finish, indeed we have had four from the last five years at the Welsh Open so it would not be a one-off by any means. As for who will win it remains hard to say. Ali did not play well this afternoon and Joe deservedly took advantage, but Carter could easily find his form tonight and then we would have a real match on. Given how Joe struggled to close out the matches with Stephen Maguire and Neil Robertson on the way to this final, will he be able to do it for a third time?