Quarter-final classics light up Berlin

Every single one of Friday night's quarter-final matches went to deciding frames as we saw four awesome matches that gave the crowd at the Tempodrome plenty of value for their money as well as an awesome line-up for Saturday's semi-finals. On the outside table Judd Trump made a maximum 147 break against World Champion Mark Selby and he came from 1-3 behind to force a decider in the end but it was Mark who was still able to get over the line. Liang Wenbo got through in the battle of the two remaining non-top 16 players as he won his second decider of the day against Ryan Day to get into only his second ranking event semi-final. An absolute classic on the TV table between UK champion Ronnie O'Sullivan and Masters champion Shaun Murphy saw a match that swung every which way as Murphy looked good in taking a 2-0 lead, but then had to sit and watch doing very little wrong as Ronnie O'Sullivan won all of the next four frames to lead 4-2. Shaun won the next two frames with good breaks to force the deciding frame, but it was Ronnie who was in position to win it leading by 32 with just 35 remaining, but after the pair both missed shots on the final red it was Murphy the potted it and went on to make a superb 34 clearance to take out the match 5-4. Finally, Neil Robertson was ahead at basically every stage of his match with Stephen Maguire at 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 and 4-3 before Stephen forced a decider and it looked like Neil would win the match as he left the Scotsman needing snookers, but he got the snookers and a good clearance somehow saw him beat Neil Robertson on the black to win 5-4.


Quarter Final Results:

Liang Wenbo 5-4 Ryan Day
Shaun Murphy 5-4 Ronnie O'Sullivan
Stephen Maguire 5-4 Neil Robertson
Mark Selby 5-4 Judd Trump

Semi-Final Preview: (Picks in Bold)

Shaun Murphy Vs Liang Wenbo - This looks like being a very tough and a very close semi-final to start the last 4 off tomorrow afternoon as Shaun Murphy takes on Liang Wenbo in a repeat of Liang Wenbo's only other ranking semi-final, where he beat Shaun 6-5. Both players had to play their last 16 and quarter-final matches on Friday and both players won both of those matches in close style 5-4. In fact they have played the exact same amount of frames at the venue after their Last 32 matches ended up in 5-1 victories. Liang's record against Shaun is pretty solid with their last proper meeting seeing a Wenbo comeback in last years Welsh Open Last 32. However, Shaun is right on top of his game right now as he had to be to beat a Ronnie O'Sullivan that was at the very top of his and a Mark Allen earlier today who has been close to his best form at times this season, and is always very defiant. Another thing that just stands in favour of Shaun Murphy is that he simply has been involved in more of these big semi-finals in the past than Wenbo and has played in the German Masters one-table set-up when he lost to Maguire back in 2012. Liang has been playing very well this week and his form has somewhat come out of nowhere, while Murphy has been on a very good run now for a very long period of time, and if he comes out firing again tomorrow then I just fancy Shaun to edge this encounter.

Mark Selby Vs Stephen Maguire - Both of these guys again have been pushed hard throughout this week, not just with their deciders today, but with their matches earlier on in the week as well which saw Selby beat McGill and Ebdon in long drawn out games while Maguire won tough affairs with Gilbert and King. Tonight's display from Maguire showed just how gritty and determined the Scotsman is as he was just able to hang in there in a match that never really looked like going his way against Neil Robertson, but somehow he was able to come through. Mark meanwhile showed what he can do on top form tonight as he beat Judd Trump with some really great breaks in that match that was very much a quick fire match where Selby was able to take his chances and out score Judd. Selby's form has been building throughout the tournament and that is what you want if you have aspirations of going all the way in an event, and the fact that he came here with no form on a snooker table will not faze him at all. Stephen however has been in good form in the lead up, but in the major tournaments has just fallen short at the big hurdles in the big matches which is a shame for him, but not something that Mark Selby does a particularly large amount of by comparison. Selby has been in the slightly better form this week, and when he is playing well I'd fancy him to beat anyone, so you have to fancy him to edge out Maguire tomorrow.


It's a fantastic line-up now for the last 4 of the German Masters with four players that thoroughly deserve to be playing at the one table set-up at the Tempodrome in Berlin, and it's still all to play for because I really can't call a tournament winner. I'll have a go though tomorrow or on Sunday morning when we're down to the final two of this years event and I come back for my Final preview. Otherwise, it should be an equally enjoyable end to the tournament as we've already seen this week, and today in particular.