Just back from spending a day at the qualifiers for a ranking event for the first time and what an interesting experience it was. Click below to read about my day, though much like my Premier League review last month, I have chosen to focus on things other than the matches themselves…
Today marks the start of the UK Championship qualifiers up at the EIS in Sheffield as those players outside of the top 16 begin their quest for big ranking points in what is the second biggest event of the year…
So it’s day one of the qualifiers for the new Bahrain Championship event and this morning’s six qualifying matches have now been completed. Click below for the results…
The full draw for this year’s UK Championship at Telford is now available, click below for more information…
With the qualifiers for the inaugural Bahrain Championship taking place next week, it is time to have a quick look at the recently released draw and explain the four first round byes that have been given…
With the second ranking event of the season just days away, now is a good time to have a look at the seven wildcards who will be in action on the first two days. Thanks again to Sina Snooker who have provided me with the following photographs to use:
The opening eight matches in the first qualifying round have been completed today in Prestatyn with eight more to follow this afternoon. Click below to read what has happened so far:
The qualifying draw for the 2008 Grand Prix has today been made available and be viewed here. As usual the matches will be held at Pontin’s, Prestatyn from the September 22-25 and the winners will then be drawn at random against the top 16 players for round 1 of the TV stages.
Unbeaten at Pontin’s so far this season, Jimmy White has been paired with reigning IBSF World U-21 champion and snooker ‘hotshot’ Michael Georgiou in round 1. Having lost his first two matches of the season Georgiou will be hoping for better against White, though given the Whirlwind’s current form it won’t be easy. Indeed there is nothing easy about this section of the draw with the winner facing David Gray in the next round, with Michael Holt and finally Michael Judge awaiting further down the line should they win that match. If Jimmy wants to reach the TV stages of a third straight event therefore then he will have to play at his very best once again.
At the very bottom of the draw in what is on paper the most intriguing match of the first round are the experienced Matthew Couch and promising Geordie youngster Stephen Craigie. Having both made the third round in the Shanghai qualifiers last week, both will be confident and it should be a close tussle between players with 16 years between them. If Craigie can prevail against someone with so much experience however, it will provide further evidence that he is the real deal as well as the reward of a match with the in-form Mark Davis in round 2.