Snooker

Judd has won the first frame of the evening to claw one back.

Still a comfortable lead for Mark Allen though.

7-3

Back to five frames ahead for Allen.

8-3.

And now Mark Allen is just one frame away from the title.

9-3.

Congratulations to Mark Allen on winning the 2023 Champion of Champions

To beat Judd Trump so comfortably the way he's been playing recently is some achievement from The Pistol. He's had a fairly quiet season so far, so to win this with the UK Champs just around the corner will give him a huge boost heading to York. And his pursuit of becoming World number one will continue.

Judd should look at this as his 4th Champion of Champions of final in the last 5 years - including three in a row. But he's only won one of those four. It's also his fourth final in the last five events and a sixth for the season so far so he has to be happy with his performances. Hopefully he has a good run in York as well although he's only gone past the last 16 once in the last 8 years there. And he may just be on the come down from his great form that saw him win three ranking events in a month.

Round 2 of the UK Championships is now complete;

Ashley Carty 2-6 Daniel Wells
Robbie Williams 6-1 Jenson Kendrick
Michael White 6-5 Mink Nutcharut
Martin Gould 6-0 Stuart Carrington
Andy Hicks 6-4 Mohamed Ibrahim
Ben Mertens 4-6 Marco Fu
David Grace 6-5 Ryan Davies
James Cahill 6-2 Xing Zihao
He Guoqiang 6-4 Ross Muir
Dominic Dale 6-5 Stan Moody
Julien Leclercq 6-5 Peng Yisong
Jamie Clarke 6-4 Oliver Sykes
Xu Si 6-1 Ma Hailong
Dylan Emery 6-2 Robbie McGuigan
Jackson Page 4-6 Jiang Jun
Zak Surety 6-3 Allan Taylor
Lukas Kleckers 6-3 Rod Lawler
Ben Woollaston 6-1 Ryan Thomerson
Sanderson Lam 5-6 Andy Lee
Mark Joyce 6-5 Iulian Boiko
Oliver Lines 6-3 Long Zehuang
Ashley Hugill 6-3 Dean Young
Tian Pengfei 3-6 Alexander Ursenbacher
Ken Doherty 6-3 Duane Jones
David Lilley 6-3 Sean O'Sullivan
Elliot Slessor 6-1 Louis Heathcote
John Astley 1-6 Hammad Miah
Liam Highfield 0-6 Ian Burns
Mark Davis 6-4 Gao Yang
Aaron Hill 2-6 Craid Steadman
Scott Donaldson 6-2 Rory Thor
Liu Hongyu 5-6 Martin O'Donnell

Not too many shocks in there, with only 9 of the lower seeded players winning.

We did get our first maximum of the tournament though in this round from Xu Si on his way to comfortably beating his fellow Chinaman, Ma Hailong.

Third round is under way and will be completed by the end tonight but this is what the draw look likes;

Ding Junhui v Daniel Wells
Matthew Stevens v Robbie Williams
Si Jiahui v Michael White
Fan Zhengyi v Martin Gould
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh v Andy Hicks
Ricky Walden v Marco Fu
Wu Yize v David Grace
Noppon Saengkham v James Cahill
Anthony McGill v He Guoqiang
Anthony Hamilton v Dominic Dale
Dave Gilbert v Julien Leclercq
Jordan Brown v Jamie Clarke
Lyu Haotian v Xu Si
Matt Selt v Dylan Emery
Jamie Jones v Jiang Jun
Gary Wilson v Zak Surety
Ryan Day v Lukas Kleckers
Cao Yeupeng v Ben Woollaston
Joe Perry v Andy Lee
Xiao Guodong v Mark Joyce
Joe O'Connor v Oliver Lines
Stephen Maguire v Ashley Hugill
Yuan Sijun v Alexander Ursenbacher
Chris Wakelin v Ken Doherty
Stuart Bingham v David Lilley
Graeme Dott v Elliot Slessor
Zhou Yuelong v Hammad Miah
Jak Jones v Ian Burns
Pang Junxu v Mark Davis
Jimmy Robertson v Craid Steadman
Sam Craigie v Scott Donaldson
Hossein Vafaei v Martin O'Donnell

Round 3 finished off last night with the following results;

Ding Junhui 6-4 Daniel Wells
Matthew Stevens 5-6 Robbie Williams
Si Jiahui 5-6 Michael White
Fan Zhengyi 6-3 Martin Gould
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 6-2 Andy Hicks
Ricky Walden 6-5 Marco Fu
Wu Yize 6-2 David Grace
Noppon Saengkham 6-5 James Cahill
Anthony McGill 6-3 He Guoqiang
Anthony Hamilton 6-3 Dominic Dale
Dave Gilbert 6-1 Julien Leclercq
Jordan Brown 4-6 Jamie Clarke
Lyu Haotian 6-2 Xu Si
Matt Selt 6-4 Dylan Emery
Jamie Jones 6-4 Jiang Jun
Gary Wilson 3-6 Zak Surety
Ryan Day 2-6 Lukas Kleckers
Cao Yeupeng 4-6 Ben Woollaston
Joe Perry 6-2 Andy Lee
Xiao Guodong 2-6 Mark Joyce
Joe O'Connor 6-5 Oliver Lines
Stephen Maguire 6-4 Ashley Hugill
Yuan Sijun 6-5 Alexander Ursenbacher
Chris Wakelin 4-6 Ken Doherty
Stuart Bingham 2-6 David Lilley
Graeme Dott 3-6 Elliot Slessor
Zhou Yuelong 6-4 Hammad Miah
Jak Jones 2-6 Ian Burns
Pang Junxu 6-4 Mark Davis
Jimmy Robertson 5-6 Craid Steadman
Sam Craigie 1-6 Scott Donaldson
Hossein Vafaei v Martin O'Donnell

Few more surprises in this round with 13 of the lower ranked players progressing to the fourth and final qualifying round. Big up to Craig Steadman, who isn't on the tour this season and is playing as an amature yet has made it to the last 48 and is just one game away from reaching York. At the other end of the spectrum, Ryan Day was the highest ranked player (19) to miss out on the fourth round.

The final round of qualifying is;

Ding Junhui v Robbie Williams
Michael White v Fan Zhengyi
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh v Ricky Walden
Wu Yize v Noppon Saengkham
Anthony McGill v Anthony Hamilton
Dave Gilbert v Jamie Clarke
Lyu Haotian v Matt Selt
Jamie Jones v Zak Surety
Lukas Kleckers v Ben Woollaston
Joe Perry v Mark Joyce
Joe O'Connor v Stephen Maguire
Yuan Sijun v Ken Doherty
David Lilley v Elliot Slessor
Zhou Yuelong v Ian Burns
Pang Junxu v Craig Steadman
Scott Donaldson v Hossein Vafaei

Fourth round is complete and so is the draw for the last 32, which starts tomorrow with Mark Allen v Ding Junhui.

Fourth round results;

Ding Junhui 6-3 Robbie Williams
Michael White 5-6 Fan Zhengyi
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 6-3 Ricky Walden
Wu Yize 4-6 Noppon Saengkham
Anthony McGill 6-2 Anthony Hamilton
Dave Gilbert 5-6 Jamie Clarke
Lyu Haotian 3-6 Matt Selt
Jamie Jones 6-4 Zak Surety
Lukas Kleckers 1-6 Ben Woollaston
Joe Perry 4-6 Mark Joyce
Joe O'Connor 6-3 Stephen Maguire
Yuan Sijun 6-3 Ken Doherty
David Lilley 3-6 Elliot Slessor
Zhou Yuelong 6-5 Ian Burns
Pang Junxu 6-2 Craig Steadman
Scott Donaldson 4-6 Hossein Vafaei

Last 32 draw;

Mark Allen v Ding Junhui
Tom Ford v Noppon Saengkham
Mark Williams v Fan Zhengyi
Kyren Wilson v Jamie Clarke
Mark Selby v Mark Joyce
Barry Hawkins v Ben Woollaston
Jack Lisowski v Jamie Jones
Judd Trump v Pang Junxu
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Anthony McGill
Rob Milkins v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
John Higgins v Joe O'Connor
Neil Robertson v Zhou Yuelong
Shaun Murphy v Hossein Vafaei
Ali Carter v Matt Selt
Zhang Anda v Elliot Slessor
Luca Brecel v Yuan Sijun

Now that we know who the final 32 are, it's time to pick a winner and I'm gonna go for Mark Selby. He had a decent start to the season but has been quiet of late. He's also due a good run in York, having not gone further than the quarter finals since he last won it in 2016. He's got a nice draw to open up with, ending up with the lowest ranked player still in the competiton - Mark Joyce.

Potentially Hawkins in the last 16, Trump in the quarters and Mark Allen in the semis. So he could deffo be facing some of the form players of the season if he is to win it.

From the bottom half of the draw, I think Shaun Murphy has a good chance of going far if he can past Vafaei in the opening round.

Fascinating opening day at the Barbican as we saw three final frame deciders, including one in which defending champ Mark Allen went out.

He lost 6-5 to Ding after leading 4-2. Tom Ford fought back from 5-1 down to win his deciding frame against Noppon Saengkham and world number 60 Jamie Clarke fought back from the scoreline to beat Kyren Wilson, whose rather poor season continues.

In the only game that didn't go the distance, Mark Williams went through against Fan Zhengyi with a 6-4 victory. He'll now play Clarke in all-Welsh last 16 tie. While world numbers 16 (Ford) and 17 (Ding) will face off in the next round. The winners of those two matches will meet in the quarter finals.

Today sees World champ Luca Brecel go up against Yuan Sijun and Zhang Anda take on Elliot Slessor while in the evening it's Ali Carter against Matt Selt and Shaun Murphy facing off with Hossein Vafaei.

I said Shaun Murphy could have a good tournament if got past Hossein Vafaei but unfortunately (for him) he didn't with the Iranian winning 6-4. Can't say I'm disappointed because he's really one of my worst players. He's such a smug looking arrogant c**t.

Vafaei will now play Matt Selt, who got past Ali Carter with a 6-3 victory. World champ Luca Brecel looks to have finally got his season underway with a 6-4 victory over Yuan Sijun and he'll face the surprise man of the season, Zhang Anda, who won the fourth final frame decider of the tournament over Elliott Slessor.

This afternoon sees Barry Hawkins taking on Ben Woollaston as well as Judd Trump against Pang Junxu before this evenings matches of Jack Lisowski versus Jamie Jones and my pick for the tournament, Mark Selby, going up against Mark Joyce.

Well we have our first whitewash of the UK Championship and it's my tip Mark Selby who beats Mark Joyce 6-0.

Trump won 6-1 against Pang and Barry Hawkins beat Ben Woollaston 6-4 in the afternoon matches.

In the final match of the night, Jamie Jones knocked out Jack Lisowski with a 6-4 victory to set up a match against Judd Trump in the last 16.

Lisowski one of the best potters on the tour but lacks a bit of bottle. Robertson looks strong. His A game is one of the best but like plenty of others his B game lets him down at times. Ronnie going 4-2 up on McGill. Ronnie never out of it despite his moods. Now 5-2 best of 11.

This afternoon saw two of the all-time greats progress to the last 16 with Higgins beating Joe O'Connor 6-3 and O'Sullivan beating McGill 6-2.

This evening saw Neil Robertson's abysmal season continue with yet another first round exit after losing 6-2 to Zhou Yuelong.

Leaving just Un-Nooh and Milkins to finish before we know the last 16 draw. And this is going to a deciding frame, the fifth of this round.

Ding v Ford
Williams v Clarke
Selby v Hawkins
Jones v Trump
O'Sullivan v Un-Nooh/Milkins
Higgins v Zhou
Vafaei v Selt
Zhang v Brecel

Milkins won the deciding frame to set up the match with O'Sullivan.

First two quarter finals are confirmed now and all four men are previous UK Champ winners.

Ding will play Mark Williams after Ding beat Tom Ford 6-3 and Williams beat fellow Welshman Jamie Clarke 6-4. And in the other it'll be Judd Trump against Mark Selby after Judd won with a whitewash victory over Jamie Jones who really didn't turn up today. And after his own whitewash victory in the first round, Selby went the distance this time with Barry Hawkins in a really good match.

The deciding frame took nearly an hour and had everything in it. But I'm happy that my pick is still in it.

Tomorrow afternoon will be John Higgins v Zhou Yuelong and Ronnie O'Sullivan v Rob Milkins with the winners of those matches facing each other in the quarters. And in the evening it'll be Luca Brecel v Zhang Anda and Hossein Vafaei v Matt Selt with the winners of those two matches facing off in the other quarter final.

Different results to the two legends today.

O'Sullivan managed to avoid a comeback from Rob Milkins and win the deciding frame to reach that last 8. Neither player played that well and it ended up with Milkins making too many mistakes rather than Ronnie actually winning it.

For Higgins, he didn't play that well either but his opponent was on his game and Zhou Yeulong went through 6-3 to set up the quarter final tie with Ronnie.

Didn’t see last nights matches due to us playing but the results were Zhang defeating Brecel 6-4 as the World champ continues to disappoint this season but Zhang’s impressive year goes on.

And in the other game Hossein Vafaei beat Matt Selt 6-1 to set up a quarter final with Zhang.

This afternoon is that match between Vafaei and Zhang as well as O’Sullivan against Zhou.

This evening sees Trump against Selby and Williams taking on Ding.

You seen any of Ronnies Documentary DLS?

You seen any of Ronnies Documentary DLS?

Aye mate, it's a good watch. You seen it yet?

Trump was talking after one of his matches that he'd be interested in doing one as well so it might start a trend.

For the second consecutive round, O'Sullivan survives a final frame decider. He went three up then four-one up and ended up five-four down after playing like a pub player but in the final two frames he was back to looking boss.

He'll play Hossein Vafaei in the semi finals, who won 6-4 against Zhang Anda in a match that had a lot of quality in it. Be interesting to see how Vafaei and O'Sullivan interact with each other after their previous meetings.

Well my pick for the tournament, Mark Selby, has bowed out at the quarter final stage after a 6-3 defeat to Judd Trump.

Trump raced into a four nil lead going into the mid-session interval and that was that basically. Selby fought back but was too far behind in the end.

Trump's opponent in the semi final is still unknown as Ding and Williams are still playing, with Ding holding a slender 4-3 lead. Though Williams is in front by 15 in the eighth frame with only the colours remaining.

Trump looking in very good form, will be very hard to beat.

 I love watching Mark Williams so hoping he takes the next frame against Ding. That hour long frame was great to watch and although he made quite a few fouls pulled out some daring escape shots.

Great reply from Ding, deciding frame here we go.