It was a good morning for Wales as both Ryan Day and Matthew Stevens moved into the last 16. Click below to read who they beat and how…
Ryan Day 5-2 Dave Harold
Provisional world number three Ryan Day continued his recent strong form with a very good win over Stoke’s Dave Harold this morning.
As you would expect between two players who have both enjoyed impressive starts to the new season, each making a ranking event final, the match was a high quality affair and at the interval looked like it could go either way at 2-2. The highlight of the first four frames in particular was a 117 century break from Dave Harold to bring him level and put Ryan under some pressure.
Without playing at his very best however, Ryan came out after the break in fine style, taking the next three frames with breaks of 33, 59 and 84 to win the match and book his place in the last 16. Having reached the final of the Grand Prix and won the Austrian Open recently, he must be full of confidence and will be a hard man to stop this week.
It is a shame for Dave that he could not go on another good run this week, but this was probably the hardest draw that he could have had so it is hard to be too critical. I’m sure that he will be back at the UK Championship next month, assuming that he qualifies.
Matthew Stevens 5-0 Stuart Bingham
One player in need of a win this week was Matthew Stevens and he got it this morning in fine style with a 5-0 win over Basildon pro Stuart Bingham.
Aside from an 83 break in the opening frame, it wasn’t a match full of big breaks, but I suspect that Matthew won’t care too much, he just desperately needed a win as he tries to retain a place in the top 32 after a poor season and a bit. Finishing up the match with 52 in frame five, he now plays fellow Welshman Ryan Day in what will be a tough match for Matthew. If he can somehow find his best form though, he is more than capable of causing an upset.
Stuart will be annoyed though as having started the season provisionally in the top 16 for the first time, he hasn’t really got going this season and is beginning to slip back down again. Like Harold, he will next be in action in the UK qualifiers in Sheffield next month.