Snooker

Congratulations Judd Trump on winning the Wuhan Open - a 10-7 win over Ali Carter.

Next is the Northern Irish Open which will begin on 22nd October, so a week of rest.

Start of the Northern Ireland Open today.

Still got a few of the qualifiers to finish up, involving the top 16 players before the draw for the last 64 is cemented but this is what it looks like at the minute.

Mark Allen/Ben Mertens v Andres Petrov
Graeme Dott v Xing Zihao
Ricky Walden/Ben Woollaston v Dominic Dale
Stuart Bingham v Xu Si
Dean Young v Matt Selt
Jackson Page v Jack Lisowski/Rebecca Kenna
Aaron Hill v Fan Zhengyi
Dylan Emery v Cao Yupeng
Shaun Murphy/Ryan Thomerso v Marco Fu
Zak Surety v Sean O'Sullivan
Ma Hailong v Martin O'Donnell
Chris Wakelin v Alfie Burden
Rod Lawler v Stan Moody
Lukas Kleckers v Gary Wilson/Louis Heathcote
Jamie Clarke v Yuan Sijun
Jordan Brown v Neil Robertson
Judd Trump v Julien Leclercq
Ian Burns v Ken Doherty
Anthony McGill/Jimmy White v Robbie McGuigan/Muhammad Asif
Noppon Saengkham v Barry Pinches
Michael White v Joe Perry
Anton Kazakov v Hossein Vafaei/Mark Joyce
James Cahill v Stephen Maguire
Hammad Miah v Kyren Wilson/Sam Craigie
Mark Williams/Tian Pengfei v Robbie Williams
Zhang Anda v Thor Chuan Leong
Barry Hawkins/Elliott Slessor v Jiang Jun
Jimmy Robertson v Peng Yisong
Matthew Stevens v Dave Gilbert/Joel Connolly
Lyu Haotian v Tom Ford/Haydon Pinhey
Mark Davis v Jak Jones
Ross Muir v Rory McLeod/Ahmed Aly Elsayed

He's in great form having won the last two tournaments and he's got a really good recent history in Belfast so I'm gonna go for Trump to win this week.

As an outside bet, Aaron Hill looked good in China the other week and has got a draw he'll be happy with for the first couple of rounds if he progresses.

Final of the Wuhan Open today between Trump and Carter.

Only just spotted this, really want to ask if they were using bats instead of cues

Only just spotted this, really want to ask if they were using bats instead of cues

I’m guessing this is some reference to the Yankee presidents that has gone a little over me head.

Hometown hero Mark Allen lost yesterday 4-3 to Estonian Andres Petrov while Neil Robertson's absymal run of form continued with a 4-1 loss to another Ulsterman in Jordan Brown.

The top half of the draw is all but complete for the last 32, just waiting on Dominic Dale and Ricky Walden for the right to play Stuart Bingham.

The bottom half should be wrapped today.

Draw for the last 32 is complete apart from one match, which is currently taking place now between Mark & Robbie Williams where the winner will play Zhang Anda. And my outside pick of Aaron Hill has already progressed to the last 16 with a whitewash victory over young Welshman Dylan Emery.

Draw in full then;

Andres Petrov v Xing Zihao
Ricky Walden v Stuart Bingham
Matt Selt v Jack Lisowski
Aaron Hill 4-0 Dylan Emery
Shaun Murphy v Sean O'Sullivan
Martin O'Donnell v Chris Wakelin
Stan Moody v Gary Wilson
Yuan Sijun v Jordan Brown
Judd Trump v Ian Burns
Anthony McGill v Noppon Saengkham
Joe Perry v Hossein Vafaei
Stephen Maguire v Sam Craigie
Robbie Williams v Zhang Anda
Barry Hawkins v Jimmy Robertson
Dave Gilbert v Lyu Haotian
Jak Jones v Rory McLeod

EDIT: A well deserved victory for, Wallasey born, Robbie Williams has seen three time champion, and namesake, Mark leave this years Northern Ireland Open.

Last 16 matches are confirmed with;

Xing Zihao v Ricky Walden
Aaron Hill v Jack Lisowski
Shaun Murphy v Chris Wakelin
Stan Moody v Yuan Sijun
Judd Trump v Noppon Saengkham
Joe Perry v Stephen Maguire
Robbie Williams v Barry Hawkins
Dave Gilbert v Rory McLeod

And by the end of today we will know our quarter finals.

Today's semi finals;

Jack Liswoski v Chris Wakelin
Judd Trump v Barry Hawkins

Today's semi finals;

Jack Liswoski v Chris Wakelin
Judd Trump v Barry Hawkins

Lisowski just can't quite do the job. Frustrating as hell.

Lisowski just can't quite do the job. Frustrating as hell.

It's a problem with Jack that has plagued his entire career. He still hasn't really worked out how to win when playing well below par. And unfortunately it's highly unlikely that you'll win a tournament playing well every single round.

He was boss in the quarter finals against Walden but the next round he's below par and doesn't have that "b" or "c" game that can grind out a win. It's something that Trump had levelled at him a lot and he turned it round, Lisowski still hasn't.

First two frames have been split in the final. Trump won the opener after Wakelin missed a tricky black before Judd cleared the colours and the second Wakelin took needing a couple of chances but got over the line to level the score.

1-1.

Didn't watch the rest of the session due to us playing but looks like somebody stuck a rocket up Judd's arse.

A 6-2 lead going into the final session tonight looks like he's gonna win his third consecutive tournament. And that's a F***ing achievement that very few get. He'll be hoping that this form can continue.

First frame of the evening;

Judd breaks off, leaves a long red.
Wakelin goes for the long red and misses, leaving Trump an easy starter.
Trump pots the red and hits a century to go within two of the title.

7-2.

Now he's just one frame away from becoming champion (again).

Wakelin got in first in this frame but broke down on six, then Trump hit six and missed a reasonably easy red but a poor safety from Wakelin left Trump in again and he clears the table with another century.

8-2.

Comebacks have to start somewhere as the saying goes and Chris Wakelin's is starting here. Needed a couple of chances after Trump landed on nothing having gone into the pack on 31 but he won't care how many chances it takes if he keeps winning the frames.

8-3.

He's in great form having won the last two tournaments and he's got a really good recent history in Belfast so I'm gonna go for Trump to win this week.

Picked him at the start of the week and he hasn't let me down.

Congratulations to Judd Trump who has won the Northern Ireland Open

Wakelin breaks off and Trump knocks in a long red and proceeds to clears up with his third century of the night.

Three consecutive titles in three different countries and all within one month. What a F***ing player Judd Trump is.

Next up is the International Championship (starts 5th November) back in China, which was last played in 2019 and won by Judd Trump. So he'll be looking to defend his title while he's in the form of his life.

Well done to Chris Wakelin as well. He's done himself proud this week and can be happy with how he's played. He's just come up against the best player in the world right now.

International Championship started this morning in Tianjin.

Looks like there's only two qualifying matches left - O'Sullivan against Doherty and Trump against Wang Xinzhong. Some of the first round matches have been completed already as well but here's the draw;

Trump/Xinzhong v Michael White
Stephen Maguire 6-4 Joe O'Connor
Ryan Day 6-5 Jackson Page
Hossein Vafaei v Ross Muir
Wang Xinbo v Dylan Emery
David Grace v John Higgins
Jordan Brown 6-3 Dave Gilbert
Elliot Slessor 2-6 Kyren Wilson
Mark Selby v Stuart Carrington
Jimmy Robertson v Xiao Guodong
Marco Fu 6-0 Sanderson Lam
Tom Ford v Cao Yupeng
Jamie Jones v Ricky Walden
Tian Pengfei 0-6 Barry Hawkins
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh v Matthew Selt
Oliver Lines 3-6 Mark Allen
O'Sullivan/Doherty v Mark Joyce
Si Jiahui v Jak Jones
Jack Lisowski 6-4 Scott Donaldson
Anthony McGill v Sam Craigie
Matthew Stevens 5-6 Stuart Bingham
John Astley v Ali Carter
Anthony Hamilton v Zhou Yuelong
Daniel Wells v Neil Robertson
Shaun Murphy v Dominic Dale
Chris Wakelin 1-6 Lyu Haotian
Mark Williams v Zhang Anda
Noppon Saengkham v Liam Pullen
Robbie Williams v Gary Wilson
Long Zehuang v Ding Junhui
Pan Junxu v Fan Zhengyi
Mark Davis v Luca Brecel

Given his form of late, it's impossible not to make Judd the clear favourite for this event but to win four tournaments on the spin is almost impossible - especially in todays game. And for that reason I won't be Trump this week. Ronnie always enjoys playing in China as well so I'm expecting a good week from him.

There's a chance for somebody to get into the Champion of Champions next week if they win this event and haven't already qualified and that's why I'm going for Kyren Wilson to win here in China. He's not qualified for Bolton yet so I think he'll be doubly determined to lift this one. It'd be a real change in fortune for Kyren to win as he's not even reached the first round of the last three tournaments, losing in the qualifiers of the English, Wuhan and Northern Ireland Opens - but he is here to China and he's already into the second round so that's my pick.

If it's not a new winner this week then Ding will keep his place in the Champion of Champions for winning the Six Red World Championships back in March.

Last 64 is complete now with World champ Luca Brecel going out to Mark Davis and Neil Robertson's abysmal form continues for another tournament. Mad to think that in 7 ranking tournaments so far this season, he hasn't gone past the last 64 in any of them.

Judd Trump 6-0 Michael White
Stephen Maguire 6-4 Joe O'Connor
Ryan Day 6-5 Jackson Page
Hossein Vafaei 5-6 Ross Muir
Wang Xinbo 4-6 Dylan Emery
David Grace 1-6 John Higgins
Jordan Brown 6-3 Dave Gilbert
Elliot Slessor 2-6 Kyren Wilson
Mark Selby 6-2 Stuart Carrington
Jimmy Robertson 3-6 Xiao Guodong
Marco Fu 6-0 Sanderson Lam
Tom Ford 6-0 Cao Yupeng
Jamie Jones 3-6 Ricky Walden
Tian Pengfei 0-6 Barry Hawkins
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 6-5 Matthew Selt
Oliver Lines 3-6 Mark Allen
Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-3 Mark Joyce
Si Jiahui 4-6 Jak Jones
Jack Lisowski 6-4 Scott Donaldson
Anthony McGill 6-3 Sam Craigie
Matthew Stevens 5-6 Stuart Bingham
John Astley 5-6 Ali Carter
Anthony Hamilton 0-6 Zhou Yuelong
Daniel Wells 6-1 Neil Robertson
Shaun Murphy 3-6 Dominic Dale
Chris Wakelin 1-6 Lyu Haotian
Mark Williams 3-6 Zhang Anda
Noppon Saengkham 5-6 Liam Pullen
Robbie Williams 4-6 Gary Wilson
Long Zehuang 4-6 Ding Junhui
Pang Junxu 6-5 Fan Zhengyi
Mark Davis 6-3 Luca Brecel

Which leaves the last 32 as follows;

Judd Trump v Stephen Maguire
Ryan Day v Ross Muir
Dylan Emery v John Higgins
Jordan Brown v Kyren Wilson
Mark Selby v Xiao Guodong
Marco Fu v Tom Ford
Ricky Walden v Barry Hawkins
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh v Mark Allen
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Jak Jones
Jack Lisowski v Anthony McGill
Stuart Bingham v Ali Carter
Zhou Yuelong v Daniel Wells
Dominic Dale v Lyu Haotian
Zhang Anda v Liam Pullen
Gary Wilson v Ding Junhui
Pang Junxu v Mark Davis

Last 64 is complete now with World champ Luca Brecel going out to Mark Davis and Neil Robertson's abysmal form continues for another tournament. Mad to think that in 7 ranking tournaments so far this season, he hasn't gone past the last 64 in any of them.

Judd Trump 6-0 Michael White
Stephen Maguire 6-4 Joe O'Connor
Ryan Day 6-5 Jackson Page
Hossein Vafaei 5-6 Ross Muir
Wang Xinbo 4-6 Dylan Emery
David Grace 1-6 John Higgins
Jordan Brown 6-3 Dave Gilbert
Elliot Slessor 2-6 Kyren Wilson
Mark Selby 6-2 Stuart Carrington
Jimmy Robertson 3-6 Xiao Guodong
Marco Fu 6-0 Sanderson Lam
Tom Ford 6-0 Cao Yupeng
Jamie Jones 3-6 Ricky Walden
Tian Pengfei 0-6 Barry Hawkins
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 6-5 Matthew Selt
Oliver Lines 3-6 Mark Allen
Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-3 Mark Joyce
Si Jiahui 4-6 Jak Jones
Jack Lisowski 6-4 Scott Donaldson
Anthony McGill 6-3 Sam Craigie
Matthew Stevens 5-6 Stuart Bingham
John Astley 5-6 Ali Carter
Anthony Hamilton 0-6 Zhou Yuelong
Daniel Wells 6-1 Neil Robertson
Shaun Murphy 3-6 Dominic Dale
Chris Wakelin 1-6 Lyu Haotian
Mark Williams 3-6 Zhang Anda
Noppon Saengkham 5-6 Liam Pullen
Robbie Williams 4-6 Gary Wilson
Long Zehuang 4-6 Ding Junhui
Pang Junxu 6-5 Fan Zhengyi
Mark Davis 6-3 Luca Brecel

Which leaves the last 32 as follows;

Judd Trump v Stephen Maguire
Ryan Day v Ross Muir
Dylan Emery v John Higgins
Jordan Brown v Kyren Wilson
Mark Selby v Xiao Guodong
Marco Fu v Tom Ford
Ricky Walden v Barry Hawkins
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh v Mark Allen
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Jak Jones
Jack Lisowski v Anthony McGill
Stuart Bingham v Ali Carter
Zhou Yuelong v Daniel Wells
Dominic Dale v Lyu Haotian
Zhang Anda v Liam Pullen
Gary Wilson v Ding Junhui
Pang Junxu v Mark Davis

What on earth has happened to Neil Robertson?

What on earth has happened to Neil Robertson?

No idea mate, absolutely fell off a cliff in terms of success. He's ranked number 80 on the one year list, which is F***ing staggering. But he's still currently number 6 in the overall rankings because of his success - more in the 21/22 season though and the points for winning the English Open, Players Championship and Tour Championship in that season will be coming off him this year so he needs to find some form and quickly otherwise he will be tumbling down the rankings.

Last 32 matches are complete now and we have finally seen somebody put a stop to Judd Trump's winning ways with Stephen Maguire beating him 6-3 to move into the last 16. Also my tip Kyren Wilson bowed out after losing 6-4 to Jordan Brown. O'Sullivan was given a little scare by Jak Jones but eventually won 6-4 and will face Anthony McGill in the next round who keeps Jack Lisowski waiting for a ranking event after the Scot won 6-2. Barry Hawkins continued his good season as well with a 6-4 win over Ricky Walden.

Judd Trump 3-6 Stephen Maguire
Ryan Day 6-1 Ross Muir
Dylan Emery 1-6 John Higgins
Jordan Brown 6-4 Kyren Wilson
Mark Selby 6-2 Xiao Guodong
Marco Fu 3-6 Tom Ford
Ricky Walden 4-6 Barry Hawkins
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 6-3 Mark Allen
Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-4 Jak Jones
Jack Lisowski 2-6 Anthony McGill
Stuart Bingham 4-6 Ali Carter
Zhou Yuelong 1-6 Daniel Wells
Dominic Dale 3-6 Lyu Haotian
Zhang Anda 6-3 Liam Pullen
Gary Wilson 5-6 Ding Junhui
Pang Junxu 6-3 Mark Davis

Which means the last 16 looks like;

Stephen Maguire v Ryan Day
John Higgins v Jordan Brown
Mark Selby v Tom Ford
Barry Hawkins v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Anthony McGill
Ali Carter v Daniel Wells
Lyu Haotian v Zhang Anda
Ding Junhui v Pang Junxu

Last 16 is all done with former world champs John Higgins and Mark Selby bowing out while in-form Barry Hawkins overcame a scare against Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ali Carter breezed past Anthony McGill and Daniel Wells respectively to set up a clash with each other - elbows at the ready. And Zhang Anda will take on Ding Junhui in the other quarter final to guarantee one Chinese player in the last four.

Stephen Maguire 6-4 Ryan Day
John Higgins 3-6 Jordan Brown
Mark Selby 3-6 Tom Ford
Barry Hawkins 6-5 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-2 Anthony McGill
Ali Carter 6-1 Daniel Wells
Lyu Haotian 3-6 Zhang Anda
Ding Junhui 6-2 Pang Junxu

And that leaves the quarter finals looking like this;

Stephen Maguire v Jordan Brown
Tom Ford v Barry Hawkins
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Ali Carter
Zhang Anda v Ding Junhui

Three of the four favourites went out in the quarter finals with only Ronnie making it to the last four.

Stephen Maguire 5-6 Jordan Brown
Tom Ford 6-4 Barry Hawkins
Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-4 Ali Carter
Zhang Anda 6-3 Ding Junhui

Leaving the semi finals as;

Jordan Brown v Tom Ford
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Zhang Anda

And should anyone other than O'Sullivan win the tournament then Ding will miss out on the Champion of Champions tournament that starts on Monday. But if Ronnie wins, then Ding keeps his place in that event and goes up against The Rocket in the opening round.