Hot on the heels of Stuart Bingham’s Premier League success on Sunday evening, the last two days have seen the Munich Open (or ET6), played down from 128 to 32, at the EIS in Sheffield. Click below for a round-up of the key results…
- Click here to view all of the results from the ET6 qualifiers
As was the case with the Gdynia Open tournament earlier this season, the decision has been taken here to hold the first couple of rounds at the EIS in Sheffield, with the last 32 taking place over three days in Germany next year.
On a personal level as a fan at home, I think that the format translates well onto television, while the UK-based players at least will no doubt benefit from the reduced expenses that will no doubt be incurred by them. On the other hand however, it does take something from the events in terms of allowing the local amateurs the opportunity to compete, which is one of the positive aspects of the European based events.
Such amateurs could have learned something from the performance of world number two (and recent PSB interviewee), Mark Selby, who whitewashed both Daniel Wells and Scott Donaldson to qualify for the final stages. Restricting young Donaldson to just two points and firing in three centuries in the process in particular, Mark can only have taken confidence from such a performance and will next be in action against Michael White at the UK Championship next week.
Of the other big names, Neil Robertson, Graeme Dott, Stephen Maguire, Ricky Walden, Matthew Stevens and Ken Doherty were among those to join Mark in the last 32, while 2012 UKPTC winners Rod Lawler and Martin Gould were also able to join them.
It was not to be however for 2011 PTC champion Shaun Murphy, who fell to the top-16 chasing Mark Davis in second round yesterday. Also losing out was Ding Junhui, who was defeated by countryman Liang Wenbo, who having also successfully qualified for the final stages of the UK Championship in recent days, appears to be hitting a run of form and could be worth keeping an eye on over the coming weeks.
Other notables names to fall included world finalist Ali Carter, as well as Stuart Bingham, who having won the Premier League title for the first time less than a day earlier, can be forgiven for feeling the effects of fatigue as he lost to former professional Justin Astley.
On the subject of the amateurs involved, with the race for the eight main tour spots available to the best performing amateurs on the PTC Order of Merit this season now rapidly approaching its conclusion, every win counts for those in the hunt. Among those to make a move this week was Kyren Wilson, who coming into the event tied with Michael Wild for the final place, was able to recorded a couple of hugely impressive victories against professionals Marcus Campbell and Jamie Jones, to make it through to Munich.
Others to win at least one match included Allan Taylor and John Astley, as well as Ashley Carty and former professional Adam Wicheard. Joe Swail was another who made it through to the last 64 before losing to Matthew Stevens, though he has already done more than enough to be sure of a main tour card for 2013/14.
Finally, a word also for Ian Burns, Thanawat Tirapoingpaiboon and Michael Wasley, who all made it through to Munich and like Liang Wenbo, appear to be in a rich vein of form at the moment.
Next stop, Sheffield again as the German Masters qualifiers kick off tomorrow…