Snooker

Quarter Finals;

Daniel Wells v Tom Ford (my pick)
Liam Highfield v Dominic Dale
Michael Holt v Julien LeClercq
Chris Wakelin v Michael White

Well my pick has finally fell, Daniel Wells beat him quite convincingly.

Dominic Dale becomes the second man into the semi finals with a big win over Liam Highfield.

Julien LeClercq makes his way to the last four after beating Holt, despite a scare after missing an easy red towards the end of the frame but the Hitman couldn't take advantage.

Chris Wakelin completes the semi final quartet with a nervy win over Michael White.

Semi Finals;

Daniel Wells v Chris Wakelin
Dominic Dale v Julien LeClercq

Chris Wakelin is the first finalist with an assured performance, despite going in-off early in the frame. Wells scored 23 but it was nowhere near enough as Wakelin just nursed home his victory once he got in front.

And Julien LeClercq makes up the other half of the final after such a mature performance from the 19 year old Belgian. Poor Dominic didn't really have a pot to go at for the first six and a half minutes.

Final

Chris Wakelin v Julien LeClercq

A very quiet opening couple of minutes with no points scored but Wakelin eventually broke the deadlock after a sloppy safety from LeClercq and didn't look back with a break of 119 - which also earns him an extra five grand for the high break. On top of the fifty grand winning prize.

Congratulations to Chris Wakelin on winning your maiden ranking title

Up next is the German Masters starting on the 1st February. But seeing as I'm back in work as of tomorrow morning, after me fortnight off, I won't be able to watch as much of that as I have the last couple of tournaments.

German Masters

Backed Tian Pengfel at evens 1.5 + and 7.5+ frames also at evens  v Anthony McGill.

Obviously the on-going suspensions for certain Chinese players has left the German Masters a bit short in term of numbers and it also means that defending champion, Zhao Xintong, won't be able to defend his championship. There's four matches in total already been decided because of the current situation regarding match-fixing and those involved.

Full draw;

Zhao Xintong v Tom Ford
Tian Pengfei v Anthony McGill
Jimmy Robertson v Zhao Jianbo
Sam Craigie v Kyren Wilson
Peng Yisong v Jimmy White
Jack Lisowski v Zhang Anda
Xiao Guodong v Fan Zhengyi
Elliott Slessor v Joe O'Connor
Neil Robertson v Joe Perry
Chris Wakelin v Si Jiahui
Matthew Stevens v Luca Brecel
Rob Milkins v Daniel Wells
Louis Heathcote v Cao Yupeng
Li Hang v Ali Carter
Ricky Walden v Yan Bingtao
Pang Junxu v Ross Muir

Very few "big" names in this tournament, Robertson and Wilson aside. Jimmy White is in it, imagine him winning. And plenty of players who could be on the cusp of breaking through. It's becoming tiresome talking about Lisowski finally winning a ranking title and this may just be as good a chance as any for him given how few other top 16 players are there with him. He's also got a fairly favourable draw up until the semi finals at least, where you'd expect him to play Kyren Wilson.

My tip though is gonna be Ali Carter. I think he's due a victory, having not won anything for a number of years now and he was looking in good knick in the Shootout.

From what I've gathered the whole match fixing thing centres around Liang Wenbo who has been 'getting involved' in the other Chinese players matches and getting them to throw games with threats made against players families.

That is what one of the banned players has alleged on the Chinese social media site Webo anyway.

I doubt Wenbo himself was the big cheese in the operation and it all probably stems back to organised crime groups in China with Wenbo who is of questionable character already after being banned for assault no more than a willing puppet.

That all these players are Chinese with their families back home in China suggests to me there is a lot of truth in the rumours of bully boy tactics somewhere.

From what I've gathered the whole match fixing thing centres around Liang Wenbo who has been 'getting involved' in the other Chinese players matches and getting them to throw games with threats made against players families.

That is what one of the banned players has alleged on the Chinese social media site Webo anyway.

I doubt Wenbo himself was the big cheese in the operation and it all probably stems back to organised crime groups in China with Wenbo who is of questionable character already after being banned for assault no more than a willing puppet.

That all these players are Chinese with their families back home in China suggests to me there is a lot of truth in the rumours of bully boy tactics somewhere.

The big cheese as you call him still in the mix, and yes bully boy tactics are involved.

I picked Tom Ford to win the last tournament (Shootout) and he’s got to the final of the German Masters and he’ll play the man I picked to win this - Ali Carter.

Rob Milkins hit a maximum and Jack Lisowski has failed again to win a ranking event, even though very few top players were in Germany this week. Neil Robertson and Kyren Wilson must be looking at this as an opportunity missed to get another trophy in their cabinets as well.

But good luck to two former American presidents today when Ford and Carter face off to decide who’ll be lifting the German Masters this year. And if Carter does win I’ll have a cob on that I throw a tenner on him at the start of the week

6-3 to Carter at the end of the afternoon session.

Ford took the opening two frames then completely went to pot as Carter turned on the style and won six on the trot but Tom picked up the last of the session to give himself a sniff when they return this evening.

A poor frame in terms of quality to open up this evening's session but Carter got a decent chance following yet another missed black by Ford and cleared up to take a four frame lead.

7-3.

A wild attempt from Ford saw the red come back up the table and leave Carter an easy starter over the middle. The Captain took full advantage and made it 8-3 with a solid break of 75.

Two frames away now.

The German crowd are doing all they can to get Tom Ford motivated. They're cheering like F**k for him throughout that battling break of 40 odd but he could never really get in prime position no matter how many pots he got. After breaking down, he got a second chance after a poor safety from Carter but could only muster one good long red and a pink in baulk but he caught the yellow trying to come back down the table. Carter then made a meal of his chance but got lucky by covering the red he missed with the blue. Ford then tries to play in behind the black but ends up twatting the black with the red and leaves the other red that Carter had initially covered. Now it's Carter's time to struggle positionally as makes his way up to the colours but two great pots on the yellow and green have seen him get in perfect position. Poor pot on the pink though leaves a tricky black but he pots it anyway.

9-3 and probably match over.

And there we have it.

A good break of 63 has seen Ali Carter get over the line and win the match 10-3. Victory puts him back into the top 16 as well with the World Championships just around the corner, that could be a huge deal for Ali.

Congratulations Ali Carter on winning the 2023 German Masters

Up next is the Welsh Open, which starts a week tomorrow. Still a fair bit to go for that before we know who's actually gonna be in the last 64 but it should be a cracker.

Welsh Open starts today.

Most of the top names have all qualified, with only Stuart Bingham (and those suspended) missing out from the top 16. Nice to see Stephen Maguire back, had a quiet time of it of late so pleased to see him make it back to the televised stages of events.

It's also mad to think that we've had 10 ranking tournaments this year and not one has been won by Trump, Robertson, O'Sullivan, Higgins or Williams. It's hard to think that will continue much longer. They're not the sort of players to go entire seasons without anything.

And my money is on Ronnie to break his duck this week. Normally I don't like picking O'Sullivan because he starts every tournament as the favourite anyway but I've just got a feeling for him in Wales. Only John Higgins has won the Welsh Open more than the Rocket and it seems like he wants every record possible, so he'll be eagerly chasing down his longtime rival.

As things stand, he's not in the Players Championship either with that only being the top 16 on the 1 year list and he's currently down at 26. But a good showing here could see him sneak into that top 16. If he doesn't then this might be the last tournament for him before the Worlds depending on whether he plays in the new WST Classic (taking the place of the Turkish Masters) or not.

It's hard to believe that John Higgins is down at number 60 on the one year list, due to his best showing in a ranking tournament this year being one last 16 round in the English Open. I think if he drops out the top 16, possibly more next season with this year's poor performances, then he'll retire - which would be a shame as he's my all time favourite player and a complete legend of the game.

Draw in full;

Joe Perry v Mark Joyce   
Liam Davies v Robbie Williams   
Stuart Carrington v Andy Lee   
Graeme Dott v Joe O'Connor   
Hammad Miah v Aaron Hill   
Pang Junxu v Kyren Wilson   
Julien Leclercq v Jordan Brown   
Jak Jones v Mark Williams   
Judd Trump v Louis Heathcote   
Matthew Selt v Daniel Wells   
Shaun Murphy v Peng Yisong   
Anthony McGill v Sam Craigie   
David Lilley v Ricky Walden   
Ryan Thomerson v Jack Lisowski   
Yuan SiJun v Stephen Maguire   
Dominic Dale v Neil Robertson   
Mark Selby v Si Jiahui   
Robert Milkins v Dean Young   
Barry Hawkins v Ben Woollaston   
Hossein Vafaei v Ken Doherty   
Cao Yupeng v Ding Junhui   
Elliot Slessor v Luca Brecel   
Andy Hicks v Wu Yize   
Mitchell Mann v Mark Allen   
John Higgins v Martin Gould   
Mohamed Ibrahim v Sanderson Lam   
Tian Pengfei v Jimmy White   
Ali Carter v Ian Martin   
Chris Wakelin v David Gilbert   
Ben Mertens v Jackson Page   
Matthew Stevens v Rod Lawler      
Ross Muir v Ronnie O'Sullivan

It's also mad to think that we've had 10 ranking tournaments this year and not one has been won by Trump, Robertson, O'Sullivan, Higgins or Williams. It's hard to think that will continue much longer. They're not the sort of players to go entire seasons without anything.

It's another one that has passed Robertson by as the Aussie went out 4-0 to Dominic Dale. O'Sullivan snuck through with a 4-3 win over Ross Muir.

It's also mad to think that we've had 10 ranking tournaments this year and not one has been won by Trump, Robertson, O'Sullivan, Higgins or Williams. It's hard to think that will continue much longer. They're not the sort of players to go entire seasons without anything.

Another tournament has gone for the lot now Ronnie has been knocked out 5-0 by Tian.

Rob Milkins won the Welsh Open - hardly watched a ball of it with one thing or another getting in the way - beating Shaun Murphy 9-7 in the final.

Players Championship starts today;

Mark Allen v Joe O'Connor
Luca Brecel v Jack Lisowski
Ali Carter v Judd Trump
Rob Milkins v Tom Ford
Kyren Wilson v Zhou Yuelong
Ding Junhui v Gary Wilson
Mark Selby v Shaun Murphy
Ryan Day v Chris Wakelin

Hard to pick a winner in this because it's the top 16 on the one year list, so all are playing reasonably well. But I'm gonna go for Selby, although I wouldn't be surprised if he goes out first round against Murphy - who himself is playing the best he has for years. Got a maximum in the Welsh Open, the frame before he'd got a 145 as well.

But if Selby can past his longtime rival then I think he'll go far in the tournament.

Ronnie O'Sullivan has had a pop at the WST..World Snooker Tour. Claiming the game is in 'the worst place it's ever been in' and it's becoming a 'pub sport and has been cheapened'. Lot of other stuff along the same lines.

https://www.thesportsman.com/articles/ronnie-o-sullivan-rips-into-snooker-s-bosses-in-his-most-explosive-interview-yet

Think he's right. Only a couple of tournaments with top prise over £100k. Possibly only top 15-16 making decent money, taking into account they are professional sportsmen. The rest are just about earning a living. Game has been undersold.

It's not box office anymore but it still has an audience.

Ronnie O'Sullivan has had a pop at the WST..World Snooker Tour. Claiming the game is in 'the worst place it's ever been in' and it's becoming a 'pub sport and has been cheapened'. Lot of other stuff along the same lines.

https://www.thesportsman.com/articles/ronnie-o-sullivan-rips-into-snooker-s-bosses-in-his-most-explosive-interview-yet

Think he's right. Only a couple of tournaments with top prise over £100k. Possibly only top 15-16 making decent money, taking into account they are professional sportsmen. The rest are just about earning a living. Game has been undersold.

It's not box office anymore but it still has an audience.

There’s probably more money in darts now isn’t there? Surprising really as a lot more skill to play snooker than darts.

There’s probably more money in darts now isn’t there? Surprising really as a lot more skill to play snooker than darts.

Prize money is totally dependant on how much fans are prepared to pay to watch it, together with what levels of cash the various sponsors/and or broadcasters will chuck at it.

Prize money is totally dependant on how much fans are prepared to pay to watch it, together with what levels of cash the various sponsors/and or broadcasters will chuck at it.

True but they do seem to be under selling it. Tobacco sponsorship of Snooker was big back in the day but now they scrub around for sponsors. O'Sullivan was basically telling it like it is. WST just don't like to be told their under selling it. Other problem is there is no new kid on the block setting the game alight.

WST would argue the high interest just isn't there.

True but they do seem to be under selling it. Tobacco sponsorship of Snooker was big back in the day but now they scrub around for sponsors. O'Sullivan was basically telling it like it is. WST just don't like to be told their under selling it. Other problem is there is no new kid on the block setting the game alight.

WST would argue the high interest just isn't there.

You're correct in identifying the game needs some maverick star talent to raise it's appeal. The players on the current tour have been around quite some time and it's all gone a bit stale...it's all too repetitious with the same faces year after year and so audiences just lose interest.

World Championship underway in Sheffield. Murphy going well, as is Robbo from down under. Mark Allen another who is well fancied. Going for Neil Robertson the Aussie.

Some crackpot jumped on the table and emptied a bag of orange powder all over the table. Throw the whole tournament into chaos..

Foul.  4 points.

https://twitter.com/ILoveSnooker_/status/1648030861705506828