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Snooker

Today the completion of the last 128 and start of the last 96. Event of the day was a much improved effort from new Woman's World Champion, Panchaya Channoi, who managed to take 3 frames off clear top rated in the round, Jiang Jun. But he managed to get his form together from 3-2 down. Now bottom rated of the professionals is fellow newcomer, Paul Norris, the oldest ever first timer. Phil O'Kane the other of the 3 lowest rated players. As I don't have a lot of games for these players there ratings can fluctuate a lot more than others.

Bai Yulu was 4-2 up on last weeks' Champions LEague last 8 player, Dylan Emery, but somehow he managed to get his form together and scramble home. But a win for Reanne Evans over Ukranian newcomer Mykhailo Larkov.

Round 2 games so far. Those in yellow held over to Shanzhen. The ones in dark green are still to complete their first round games, playing today.

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A disappointing effort from Chang Bingyu in his 1 hour demolition of Chatchapong Nasa, only 4 centuries! 109,134,83,147 and 135. Not the first time in the last season and a bit he has done this. The maximum his 3rd in career and surely will win a tournament soon. Still ranked in the 40s but only has one season form compared to those with two.

I am sure the match will be on youtube soon - saw most of the maximum and he never looked like missing with some quality position play.

Great to see he still has the form of last season.

Three maximums this season so far amongst all players.
 
A typical complicated draw for the last day of the Shenzhen Open qualifying. So we have 4 games from the last 96 held over to Shenzhen for wildcard entrants. There are then 16 games from this round tomorrow, the last 64 held over as the main players are saved qualifying.

The remaining games over 8 frames below. Obviously the game of the day is Slessor v Chang, both will soon surely be in the top 16 and another tough draw for Slessor as he has become used to in the bigger events.

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The game of the day didn't disappoint. Another 3 centuries for Chang Bingyu, but 2 for Slessor were enough to see him win a decider. Definitely two top 16 players in the near future.

Zak Surety was also in much better shape than the first set of qualifiers as he saw off a below par Lisowski 5-1. Jack has yet to fire this season.

Tomorrow we move on to the British Open, over 7 frames. 48 games, this previous random draw has managed to see the top 16 seeded to the finals in Cheltenham later on. We seem to be heading back to the elite sport of the past as the only way to keep the TV stations happy. Even of interest is that Shenzhen event were the 4 wildcard players all drew a top 16 player in the next round allowing the top 16 no games until the finals, (not impossible I know if it's random draw but probably a condition).

So just these games the next 2 days in this event. Bingyu in game of the round again, Bingham the unlucky draw this time. Robertson beat Yuelong today and has had a great start to the season so a rematch tomorrow looks interesting.

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These the top prize money/ points earners so far this season including this morning. Not strictly prize money as players earn it if they have a bye to that round but don't get the ranking points if they lose their first game in the event. As mentioned the top 16 players are still on their holidays.

Gilbert leads the way having won every game except the Champions League Final.

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Liam Highfield made his first tournament maximum today against Stephen Maguire. Oddly Maguire seemed happier than anyone! Highfield went on to win 4-1 and continues in impressive shape, he was favourite to win the match which shows his much improved form this time on his tour return.

Chang a little disappointing with only one century today but an impressive whitewash of Bingham. Some big names out so far.

Ian Burns has withdrawn from all 3 events, apparently the medical fate of many snooker players. Said he is suffering from back spasms and struggling to even walk. Good luck to the guy. Tom Ford also withdrew today though not seen why yet.

We move on to the English Open first 2 qualifying rounds the next couple of days, 7 frames again. Then the season should step up a gear.

Phil O'Kane won his first game on tour today and has another good opportunity against Quinn but I think Quinn looks the better of the 2 in a low level game.

Sean O'Sullivan won as well today, an interesting interview on youtube with him saying he is in the process of moving to Derby and missing a lot of practice. Had a few goes on tour but maybe the move will help him. He beat Jimmy White today, sho needs to step up a gear against Cheung Ka Wai. Bai Yulu won today and has another great chance against Baranowski tomorrow,

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Still playing in the English, Chang Bingyu scrambled home as did Moody. Jamie Clarke did a quick double over Ryan Day.

Tomorrow though for those with TNT sees the start of the season for the top 16 as the Shanghai Masters starts in the night. There are 24 players so this is a sort of qualifier with those rated 9-16 against the next 4 Chinese players in the rankings and 4 Chinese wildcards in the top 4 games, not many results for them so tentative ratings.

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The top heavy season takes a break. Already we have had qualifiers for 5 tournaments that are ongoing and one completed minor ranking event. So far most of the top 16 have played no games until the Shanghai Masters, starting today. Ding has had 4 centuries today in his game against a wildcard player.

So after those 6 events these are the ranking points for the new professionals in their world ranking points order. Many are still iun cmpetitions and Jamie Clarke and Liam Davies were the star of the show last week winning all their games to make it to 3 final venues later in the season. Clarke is obviously a top 64 player and was just outside the top 32 before his demise and dropping off the tour that led to him missing last season. The reason perhaps was that he was setting up his own snooker club and maybe that distracted him from practise and concentration. Clearly he should have no problems making the top 64 on his 2 year card. It is also good to see that Liam Davies has stepped up a gear this time after regaining his card in the summer. Clearly has the potential to retain his card and move to the higher parts of the rankings.

Figueiredo has yet to play any games explaining his lowly ranking.

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Two remaining games in first round tomorrow and then the 2nd round begins.

Xiao Guodong won the last 4 frames to come from 5-2 down in what would have been the shock of the season. Four centuries for Ding, but Xintong for him now.

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A rusty Williams and Robertson come back from early deficits to win deciders. Earlier wins for Lisowski and Si.

Highlight of the day another maximum.

China's Xiao Guodong thrilled the home crowd by firing in his fourth career 147 break at the Shanghai Masters.

The current back-to-back Wuhan Open champion crafted the perfect run in the third frame of his last 16 clash against Australia's Neil Robertson.

It's Xiao's second maximum of the calendar year, having also made one at the Championship League last season. He now places himself in line for the £10,000 high break prize on offer this week.

The magical break is the 245th maximum in snooker history and the fifth made at the Shanghai Masters.
 
Wu Yize continues in top form and Xintong too good for Ding with centuries in the last 5 frames between the twoo of them.

World Final repeat tomorrow for Wu and Murphy. Still 11 frames.

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Quality action today. Xintong whitewashes Robertson, Trump the same to Higgins. Wu wins a decider over Murphy who missed his chance in the last frame and Kyren Wilson won the last 3 to beat Williams in a decider.

Now whole day matches over 19 frames in the semis and final in the next 3 days.

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Trump and Wilson victorious for the English and a quality final looks set to happen. So far Wilson has finished the games off in to pform and at his best usually outpoints Trump. But overall the odds favour Trump. Wilson has won this event twice before including last year so a favourite venue for him.

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Past winners as an invitation event. Wilson won as well as a ranking event.

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After Trump's impressive win against Wilson and a few days off the first proper ranking event of the season starts on Saturday in China. The China Open with a £250,000 first prize. Sort of a replacement for the Saudi money making event but a lot less cash on offer for the players.

The event has already progressed well and just 32 players remain with the to 16 having been seeded this far, There are 2 wildcards entering this stage and play a sort of qualifier against McGill and Vafaei. This is the last 32 in draw order with the 2 qualifiers as well. McGill faces a player I have no results for many years so perhaps he is making a comeback to the sport.

Best of 11 frames. A tough start for Neil Robertson who was well off his game last week.

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2 whitewashes in the wildcards and further good news for Hossein. Hope Allen is ok.

Mark Allen has pulled out of this month's China Open and Wuhan Open for personal reasons.

In the China Open in Taiyuan, Allen was due to face Hossein Vafaei or Liu Linhao on Tuesday August 11th. Instead, Vafaei or Liu will receive a bye to the last 16.

In the Wuhan Open, Allen was due to meet Michael Holt on August 23rd. Holt will receive a bye to the last 32.

Allen said: "I am gutted to miss these two events in China and my apologies to the fans and promoters in Taiyuan and Wuhan. I love playing in China and appreciate the support we always get there, but there are personal reasons why I can't make it this time. I hope to be back playing in China later this season."
 
Ding, Williams, Hawkins and Trump out. Saengkham at 7/1 in decent form against a below par Trump. O'Sullivan looked good after a rusty couple of frames to start. But performance of the event so far from Shaun Murphy whitewashing Selt and earning the below report on World Snooker.

Shaun Murphy broke the long-standing record for the most unanswered points in a professional match with an extraordinary display against Matthew Selt in the first round of the China Open on Sunday.
Former World Champion Murphy opened the tie with breaks of 18, 61, 132, 103, 139 and 113, then at the start of frame six he made 41 before playing safe. That gave him a new record of 607 points without reply, before Selt finally ended the sequence by potting a red. Murphy's tally surpassed the previous record of 556, set by Ronnie O'Sullivan during a 6-0 win over Ricky Walden at the 2014 Masters.
Murphy also equalled the record for the most consecutive centuries with four, and he has now achieved this twice in his career - a feat matched only by Mark Allen and Neil Robertson. In the last frame of the contest the Englishman had a chance for a new record five tons in a row, but lost position on 41. His break of 113 in frame five could have been a 147 had he not missed a difficult thin cut on the 15th black. He went on to win the match 6-0 to reach the last 16.
"I can't believe it, I'm over the moon,"said Murphy, runner-up to Wu Yize at the Crucible in May. "I knew I was close - at the interval I didn't want to go looking on any websites to check what the record was. If you find yourself in the bubble and in the flow, you just want to stay in it. It was a delight to play for a great crowd out there and put on a good show. I haven't set that many records throughout my career and I am sure someone will go out and beat this one at some stage. But to be part of snooker history in this way is a great thrill.
"It's my first time in this city of Taiyuan and I'm celebrating my birthday tomorrow, I've got the day off and so I'll be out seeing the sights. If anyone wants to give me a glass of wine I'll be happy to take it!"
 
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