World Championship 2013 Preview

It's that time of the year again. Time for the gripping and tense 17 days at The Crucible for the World Championship. This promises to be one of the best World Championships ever, with there being 10 winners of the 10 ranking events so far this season. Having looked at the first round draw, I think there is the possibility of it being a strong year for the seeds, unlike last year where 8 went out in the first round.

First Round Preview

Ronnie O'Sullivan Vs Marcus Campbell (20th April 10am and 7pm) -

I like everyone else I would suspect, have no idea how Ronnie is going to play. He hasn't played in a ranking event since the last World Championship, but if he turns up he could turn everyone over and walk off with the title. Marcus Campbell will offer him a stern first round test and could well win the match quite easily too. Without seeing Ronnie, but knowing he's being practicing hard and will be fresh for this I have to go for him.
Prediction: Ronnie O'Sullivan

Ali Carter Vs Ben Woollaston (22nd and 23rd April 7pm)- Ali Carter has a good record at The Crucible and has a good season so far, winning the German Masters and reaching the UK semi-finals. He will be a hot favourite against the debutant from Leicester and is a good outside bet for the title after being a losing finalist twice in his 5 previous campaigns. It's hard to know what to expect from Crucible debutants, but I think Ben will adapt well, already having a lot of experience on TV behind him, in a lot of PTC events. However, Ali should have the experience to get through.
Prediction: Ali Carter

Stuart Bingham Vs Sam Baird (24th and 25th April 7pm) - Stuart Bingham hasn't always played his best at The Crucible, but that doesn't mean this year won't be different. He was totally outplayed last year by Hendry in the first round last year, but Bingham has come on a lot more this season. At the Welsh Open he came very close to winning his first title in the UK and could well have a good run here. As for Baird, this is his Crucible debut but I don't see him adapting as well as someone like Woollaston. Baird is short of TV experience and doesn't really have any big results against top players to call upon.
Prediction: Comfortable Bingham win

John Higgins Vs Mark Davis (21st and 22nd April 2.30pm) - John Higgins hasn't had his greatest season ever, but that won't stopping winning a fifth world title. He has the Crucible experience and knows exactly how to win this title. He couldn't have had a much worse draw though, in Mark Davis. Davis is of course the top 16 player that had to go through the qualifiers, because of Ronnie being the top seed. Davis has had his best season yet and made the semi-finals in the UK Championships, beating Higgins in the second round. I still have to fancy Higgins for the job though.
Prediction: Tight win for John Higgins.

Shaun Murphy Vs Martin Gould (20th April 2.30pm and 21st April 7pm) - Shaun Murphy has had a consistent season, but as he said at the end of the China Open, he doesn't want quarter-finals and semi-finals - he wants titles. No ranking wins for 2 years doesn't really do him justice. He's a quality player who had good runs at the UK and Masters as well as the International Championship and China Open making at least the semi-finals in all four. As for Martin Gould, he has had a good year outside of the ranking events, winning the Shoot-out and the Championship League. On his day he's one of the best potters and break builders at the moment, and will be full of confidence. Gouldy has Crucible experience, but isn't a stranger to squandering leads in big games, as he did in the World Championship against Robertson in 2010 and in the UK's to Dott this season. Therefore a Murphy comeback might be how this one is determined.
Prediction: Very close, but Murphy win.

Graeme Dott Vs Peter Ebdon (21st and 22nd April 10am) - This one could be a very lengthy encounter and one where match play will definetly be a factor. These two have experience by the bucket full and this is in fact a repeat of the 2006 World Championship final where Dott was the victor. This year though it is a very different story. Both players have been badly struggling for form and first and second round loses for Dott especially have been no stranger. Ebdon's win against Maflin to qualify was his first of 2013 and he has struggled badly all season and has dropped down the rankings badly as a result. Due to the poor form of both, it's very difficult to tip a winner of this, however I just fancy Dott to win it and put behind him his "worst ever" match at the Crucible from last year.
Prediction: Dott win

Matthew Stevens Vs Marco Fu (23rd April 10am and 24th April 2.30pm) - This one is a repeat of last year's first round match that Stevens won comfortably on his way to a semi-final appearance. Since there fortunes have switched around completely. Stevens had a pretty good run last year and was in good nick, while Fu's form all year had been very patchy and he struggled to get results. This season though Stevens has struggled at times for results and threw in one he would want to forget at The Masters and was recently a first round loser to The Dentist in Beijing. As for Fu he has a good year that has included a quarter-final appearance in the PTC Finals, along with a great run to the German Masters final, where he beat Stevens in the quarters. Fu definetly has the edge on form, but that counts for nothing at The Crucible where Stevens has twice been a runner-up. I just don't fancy that this will be the Welshmen's year.
Prediction: A tight victory for Marco Fu.

Judd Trump Vs Dominic Dale (23rd April 2.30pm and 24th April 10am) - This is another repeat of a first round match from last year, where Trump was the winner and has been on all four occasions that these two have met. However, Dale could have won 3 of those matches at last years World Championships, the UK championship last season and at this years Welsh Open. Dominic has just never been able to get over the line, but every time they meet it appears that Dale is getting closer and was 3-1 up on Trump at the Welsh Open before losing 4-3. He will offer Trump a close match, who struggled himself in the other 2 Triple crown events this year, losing at the first round in the UK and only just avoiding the same fate at The Masters. This should be an intriguing contest but one that will probably go the way of the world No.3.
Prediction: Trump win 10-7.

Neil Robertson Vs Robert Milkins (24th and 25th April 2.30pm) - Neil Robertson is in fantastic form ahead of the World Championship. He won the China Open, was runner-up in the PTC Finals, The Masters and the International Championship this season. Neil also knows exactly what is needed to win the World Championship having done it 3 years ago and he will desperate to repeat that feat this year. Milkins meanwhile will probably be in the top 16 by this time next year, but hasn't played at the Crucible for a number of years. He has what it takes to beat Neil, but his temperament does occasionally let him down. Robertson though, has only lost in the first round twice since his World Championship in 2005, losing in that year and 2011 to Trump as defending champion.
Prediction: Neil Robertson 10-7 or 10-6 win.

Ricky Walden Vs Michael Holt (20th and 21st April 10am) - Ricky Walden has only ever played at the Crucible twice previously losing in the first round on both occasions. He has a reasonable season but couldn't really build on his victory in the Wuxi Classic, the years first ranking event. As for Michael, he hasn't really had his best season. He failed to qualify for the PTC Finals and whiling qualifying for a number of events he has been unlucky not to win more of his first round matches, coming close to beating Ding in Haikou and Maguire in Beijing. He did however, make the quarters of the German Masters and will offer a really test of Waldens ability who, up until now, has failed to produce the goods in UK events.
Prediction: Walden to steal it in a decider.

Mark Williams Vs Michael White (20th April 7pm and 21st April 2.30pm) - Mark Williams has really struggled this season and his best ranking performances this year were a semi-final appearance at the Shanghai and quarter-final appearances in the China Open and the Wuxi Classic. However, this is no time to write off the Welshmen but a series of first round exits this season suggest no reason why he could be World champions this year. Michael White is a real promising talent who really thrashed Andrew Higginson, who is one of the best players in that section of the qualifying draw in my opinion, 10-4 in a similar fashion to Jamie Jones' victory against Ricky Walden a year ago. I think that White has a great chance to cause an upset here and I think the youngster could be up to the job on his Crucible debut.
Prediction: Michael White win 10-8

Stephen Maguire Vs Dechawat Poomjaeng (22nd and 23rd April 2.30pm) - Stephen Maguire was a semi-finalist at the World Championships last year after being a losing finalist at the China Open. This year he arrives in Sheffield to face a Crucible debutant for the second successive year and he was a losing semi-finalist in Beijing, and but for an inspired Neil Robertson performance, i'm sure he would have won the whole thing. With renewed confidence from his Welsh Open win, there's no reason why he couldn't take the biggest title there is. I have to admit to never seeing Dechawat Poomjaeng before, but from what I've read, and from the victories he got in reaching the last 32 here and in the China Open qualifiers he seems like a good talent but I don't think he will be a match for Maguire.
Prediction: Stephen Maguire win 10-6 or better.

Mark Allen Vs Mark King (22ns April 10am and 7pm) - Mark Allen has played well most of the year, but has run into form players in most tournaments by the second round or quarter-final stage. He was unlucky in The Masters where his last shot in the decider was to snooker Neil Robertson. He came across eventual champion Robertson at the China Open, an on fire Barry Hawkins in Germany  and 147 maker Ding Junhui in the PTC Finals. As for Mark King, this has not been his most sparkling year ever, but he did make the last 16 in both the UK Championships, Shanghai Masters and the German Masters. King can be a match for a most players when on form but he has struggled to show that this season and on Allen's form he may struggle to do so again.
Prediction: Comfortable Mark Allen win.

Ding Junhui Vs Alan McManus (23rd and 24th April 10am) - Ding Junhui hasn't had his greatest year ever, and has been quite inconsistent all season. His best runs came in winning the PTC Finals and as a losing semi-finalist in Newport. He had a disappointing defeat to Ryan Day last year having been 9-6 in their first round match, and he lost to Day again in York. His struggles in China continue, with his best in his home country coming in the World Open where he lost in the quarter-finals. He has recently admitted that he does struggle with the pressures of being China's No.1, but has also said he thinks he is ready to win the World Championships. The only reason why he might not this year is that he has landed in the quarter of death with Allen and Selby. Alan McManus will provide a good game for Ding, and has had to beat Tom Ford to get to The Crucible and he got to the Welsh Open quarter-finals so he could well shock Ding. Whether he still has enough to beat a top 16 player over the best of 19 frames is another story, and his best chance would be to frustrate Ding. As long as the Chinamen comes to Sheffield with a good temperament, he could well go far.
Prediction: Ding Junhui win by 10-7 or better.

Barry Hawkins Vs Jack Lisowski (20th April 2.30pm and 21st 7pm) - Barry Hawkins has had a great year, firstly winning his first ever ranking event (the Australian Open) and then breaking into the top 16. This has given him even more confidence than he had last year when he beat the injured Mark Selby in the first round. Hawkins however is the weakest seed in the quarter of death and it is hard to see him getting any further than the second round. He has also landed the toughest draw, the young man Jack Lisowski. Jack has had good wins in the last 2 ranking events. First he beat Selby in the PTC Finals which gave him the confidence to beat Judd Trump and Mark Davis on the way to the China Open quarter-finals. Even though this is his Crucible debut, that won't faze the confident young player who has finally found his feet on TV. Hawkins is going to have to keep it tight in this match and not leave Lisowski anything easy to go at, otherwise he will be in trouble with Lisowski's scoring power.
Prediction: Lisowski to win 10-8.

Mark Selby Vs Matthew Selt (23rd and 24th April 7pm) - Mark Selby is one of the favourites to win at Sheffield over the 17 day marathon. There are several things that point to him as this years World champion, like his great safety play, break building, his ability to grind out matches, his comeback ability and finally his great ability to win matches when he is nowhere near his best. Those last 2 have been a big factor in him winning The Masters and UK Championship this season. We only saw small glimpses of his best in the UK Championship as he came from 3-0 down to beat Ryan Day 6-4 and in beating Neil Robertson from 4-0 down in the round after. The best he played in either of those 2 tournaments was in the first session of the Masters final where I thought he was fantastic. His ability to stay in sessions when he isn't playing well will be key to his success in this Championship. He is probably my pick to win this year. That doesn't really give poor Matt Selt much hope and to be fair he had to play 2 very good and close matches to get through against Thirapongpaiboon and then surviving a Ken Doherty fight back from 9-4 down to 9-9, but Selt played a good decider. I don't think he will be a match for an in form Selby, so Selt will have to play flawlessly to win and that will probably be beyond him on his Crucible debut.
Prediction: Mark Selby win 10-5.

Predicted Final stages line-up

Quarter Finals:
Ali Carter Vs John Higgins - Carter might just edge that as I don't think John is in the form he would need to be to win this year.
Shaun Murphy Vs Judd Trump - This could be a cracking encounter if it were to happen and one that I Murphy might take by the odd frame as his experience could show at the vital time.
Neil Robertson Vs Stephen Maguire - If this one were to happen, and be anything like there China semi-final then will be in for a feast of big breaks, with whoever makes the most going through and that would probably be Robbo.
Mark Selby Vs Ding Junhui - This one would be very tense if it took place as both players would want to go the extra step towards their first World title. They're both great scorers, but I think Selby might just edge the scrappy frames and that'll be all important in the end.

Semi-finals:
Ali Carter Vs Shaun Murphy - This would be very tense, but unfortunately Murphy has a poor record of losing in semi-finals, but he wouldn't underestimate Carter like some people do. Carter wouldn't give Murphy much to go at and that could be key.

Neil Robertson Vs Mark Selby - This would be so hard to call if it happened, never mind now. They've met a lot this season and I believe the wins have been shared 2 apiece in the big matches. The sheer determination of both players and the battling qualities make them hard to split and if I had to pick one name, it would be Selby because of his great comeback ability and record in close, big matches this season.

Predicted Final:

Ali Carter Vs Mark Selby - Both great players on there day, but unfortunately Carter has a already lost in 2 finals and won't want it to be third time unlucky. Selby has looked for me like a picture of a World Champion this season in his all round game and will be desperate to put this on his mantle. Another reason for him to do it this year is for him to complete the Triple Crown in the same season and I have thought since he in mind has been my pick for a while before this.

Tournament Prediction: Mark Selby win.

I have been looking forward to this event for a long time and now that we are within touching distance of it's start, it has the feeling like it will be the best tournament yet. I will be keeping you updated with my views and reviews throughout the 17 days and good luck to everyone involved in the 2013 World Snooker Championships.

Pressure hits at World Qualifiers

The pressure has been switched on as some real tense matches have taken place in the World Championship Qualifiers. There are 32 players left to battle out over the weekend for the 16 remaining spots at The Crucible.

Final Qualifying Round Preview

Ryan Day Vs Ben Woollaston - Saturday morning (completion in evening)
Ryan Day is going to have a really tough match on his hands as he plays Ben Woollaston for a Last 32 spot. Ryan hasn't had the best season, but he did beat Ding Junhui to get to the Last 16 of the UK Championships, and was a quarter-finalist in this event last year. However, Ben scored a comfortable 10-3 win against Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in the last round, scoring quite heavily and that makes him my pick.
Prediction: Ben Woollaston win, 10-7.

Andrew Higginson Vs Michael White - Saturday morning/evening
This has been a really tough match for me to call. I'm a big fan of Andrew Higginson and often find myself disappointed as he loses big matches from winning positions. Michael White is a talented youngster and beat Zhang Anda comfortably in the last round, making 2 centuries and scoring generally well. He qualified for the UK Championship earlier this season and was unlucky to meet Mark Selby in the first round. Experience could tell here though and I have to go with Higginson
Prediction: 10-8 to Higginson

Ken Doherty Vs Matthew Selt - Saturday afternoon/ Sunday afternoon
At first glance, it's fair to say that there's only one winner: Ken Doherty. He has the experience of the long matches and loves the big matches. Selt though is a good player and played well against Thirapongpaiboon in the last round. He could really give Ken a run for his money here but I still only see one winner.
Prediction: Doherty to win 10-7

Fergal O'Brien Vs Jack Lisowski - Saturday morning/evening
Can Fergal stop the runaway Lisowski train? Probably not. Will he give it a go? Absolutely. O'Brien has experience of these matches, and that is the only thing that could send this match his way. Lisowski is fearless and beat Wattana in the last round, and is scoring for fun and that should be enough for him to qualify.
Prediction: Lisowski to win 10-6 or better

Jamie Cope Vs Dechawat Poomjaeng - Saturday morning/evening
Poor old Jamie Cope is really struggling for form at the moment, and he's on such a poor run that I can't see him winning a match. This for me is a great chance for Dechawat who has already beaten Michael Leslie, Liu Chuang and Anthony Hamilton and is playing quite nicely. I can only see one winner here unfortunately.
Prediction: 10-8 to Poomjaeng

Michael Holt Vs Mark Joyce - Saturday morning/evening
This is an intriguing match, and one that I make Holty a big favourite for. Joyce has played well at times this season, especially against Trump in the UK's. However, Holt has come close to some big victories this season, and I fancy him to cause a shock at The Crucible - should he make it. Which for my money he will do.
Prediction: 10-7 to Holt

Marco Fu Vs David Gilbert - Saturday morning/evening
Fu is in the best form of all the qualifiers this season. He's upset a lot of top 16 players in the first round, as well as getting to the German Masters final, and he appears to have found his form he showed a couple of years ago. Gilbert meanwhile is a player I enjoyed watching last year when he beat Martin Gould, and if he could upset Fu here it wouldn't be surprising. He came through a tough test in the last round, and ended Tony Drago's good run. It should be close, but the Hong Kong man should take it.
Prediction: 10-7 to Fu

Tom Ford Vs Alan McManus - Saturday afternoon/Sunday afternoon
Ford will be a hot favourite over Angles here, but there's no reason why McManus couldn't win it. The scot has so far come through scrappy affairs against Mehta and Bond. Tom Ford will be full of confidence after his semi-final appearance in the PTC Finals, and as long he doesn't get bogged down by Angles he should comfortably head through.
Prediction: Ford to win 10-7 or better

Martin Gould Vs Rod Lawler - Saturday afternoon/Sunday afternoon
Gould will have lots of confidence after Championship League and Shoot-out titles going to him so far in 2013 and could easily cause some damage at The Crucible. Don't underestimate Lawler though, who has had an incredible comeback season. After coming through Q School, he has won a PTC event and is already in the top 64. Lawler's best chance of victory will have to be by keeping it tight and frustrating Gould, who i'm sure will score big given the chance. I can't see that happening and Gould should be the winner on this occasion.
Prediction: 10-6 win for Martin Gould

Mark Davis Vs Liang Wenbo - Saturday afternoon/Sunday afternoon
Mark Davis is the unfortunate, world No.16 who has to qualify because of Ronnie O'Sullivan being the No.1 seed. He hasn't been given an easy ride through qualifying either, and could have hard work ahead of him in Liang Wenbo. Wenbo showed fantastic form, hitting 9 50's and a century break against Jimmy Robertson. On his day he could beat anyone and will hand a tough match to Mark, but I still think he'll go on through to the World Championships.
Prediction: 10-8 to Davis

Sunday Matches

Mark King Vs Yu DeLu
This should be a very close match, and Yu has played very well so far making 3 centuries in his last match. King will have a tough match here and I think that DeLu will do enough to win
Prediction: 10-8 to Yu DeLu

Marcus Campbell Vs Liam Highfield
This could be a tougher match than Marcus may have expected here, Highfield is playing well and has showed some fantastic fighting qualities from 4-0 down against Simon Bedford and 8-5 down against Jamie Jones. However, Highfield has had some long matches this week and if it goes close again, I don't think he would come through.
Prediction: Campbell to win 10-9

Joe Perry Vs Sam Baird
Perry is a big favourite for me to win his one, despite the good form shown in Baird's victories over Chen Zhe, Lines and McLeod so far. Perry has had a decent season and will want to end it by getting to The Crucible and getting to the Last 16 as he did last year. Experience could be a big factor in this one as Baird has never qualified for the World Championships before.
Prediction: A Perry victory, 10-6.

Dominic Dale Vs Alfie Burden
Dominic Dale hasn't really shone in any tournament this season, qualifying for events without really causing any upsets and he'll want to put that right. Alfie will be no walkover, as he has showed against Paul Davison and Dave Harold, coming from 4-0 down against Davison. The Welshmen should be the stronger on this occasion though and will fancy his chances of qualifying.
Prediction: 10-8 win for The Spaceman.

Peter Ebdon Vs Kurt Maflin
This time last year, Peter Ebdon came into the World Championship qualifiers having won the China Open, and then whitewashed Alfie Burden 10-0. This year, he hasn't won a single match in 2013. As much as he can practice for this, his form isn't there. Kurt Maflin on the other hand is in fantastic form. In the last round he beat Steve Davis 10-7, making 3 centuries in the process and he's made 4 centuries in total, in this years qualifiers. If Peter Ebdon plays how he has done in the back half of this season, he's in trouble.
Prediction: 10-7 to Maflin

Robert Milkins Vs Jimmy White
Jimmy White is one match away from the Crucible and i'm sure everyone will be cheering him on. He's looked good so far and has scored reasonably well in winning his first 2 matches. However, Robert Milkins has the quality of a top 16 player, and i'm sure he'll climb the few places he needs to next season to get there. Milkins has beaten quite a few players this season, most recently John Higgins at the China Open. Therefore, Jimmy unfortunately should be no match for him, but don't write him off yet.
Prediction: Milkins to win 10-7

World Championship Qualifiers Round 1

Time for the qualifiers for the biggest event on the calendar, the World Championship. After the members not on tour qualifiers the two players that have come into the main draw are Joe Swail and Justin Astley.

There are 16 matches in the first round of qualifying which are played across two days at the English institute of sport in Sheffield. In this blog I'm going to be picking out some matches to look out for and trying to predict the winners of all 16 matches.

The long(ish) road to The Crucible

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh Vs Scott Donaldson - This should be a close match this one and the best of 19 matches give the opportunity for the talented guys down the rankings to show more of their potential. Un-Nooh from Thailand has showed us glimpses of his potential already this season and he has a good chance of being an outside qualifier. As for the Scot Scott Donaldson, he hasn't gone as well as Un-Nooh this season, but may shine over the longer format. However I just see this one going the way of Thepchaiya, but it will be close so should be around 10-7.

Luca Brecel Vs Fraser Patrick - This particular match could be a lot closer than a lot of people may think. Of course Luca will be fancied by many to go on another run, but the draw hasn't been kind to him overall and I don't think the feat of last year will be repeated. Fraser Patrick may not be on the tour, but he has still played in plenty of qualifiers this year and has notable scalps to his name, such as young Michael White and even Martin Gould. I still think that Brecel will be too strong for Fraser and that he does prefer the longer format, as he showed in the UK Championship this season, and last seasons World Championship qualifiers. Therefore I think Brecel will take a 10-6 or 10-5 victory.

Pankaj Advani Vs Joe Swail - This is probably the tie of the round and will be a quality encounter which could also produce a shock result. World Billiards champion Advani will be the favourite for this one, and I think that if he can get through this match he could go on a run here. I was incredibly impressed with how Advani played in the Welsh Open to get to the quarter-finals, especially in his victory over Shaun Murphy. However, Joe Swail looked good in the amateur qualifiers and in some of the PTC events, so he will give Advani a challenge. My prediction though, is for a 10-7 Pankaj Advani win.

Qualifying Round 1 draw

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh Vs Scott Donaldson - Un-Nooh win
Zhang Anda Vs Passakorn Suwannawat - Zhang Anda 10-6 win
Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon Vs Jamie O'Neill - Easy enough win for Thira
Michael Wasley Vs Sean O'Sullivan - Close but I think Wasley will edge it
Dechawat Poomjeang Vs Michael Leslie - A win for Poomjaeng
Pankaj Advani Vs Joe Swail - Advani win
Tony Drago Vs Mohamed Khairy - Easy win for Drago, 10-3 or 10-4
Aditya Mehta Vs Daniel Wells - Close but Mehta edges it 10-8
Luca Brecel Vs Fraser Patrick - Luca Brecel victory
Robbie Williams Vs Li Yan - Going for a 10-6 Williams win
Ian Burns Vs Joel Walker - Burns is in decent form so 10-6 to him
Liam Highfield Vs Simon Bedford - Going for Highfield to get a run going, starting with a 10-7 win
Chen Zhe Vs Sam Baird - Close match and one for a decider. Baird edges it.
Paul Davison Vs Justin Astley - Astley to cause a possible upset as he likes this format
Craig Steadman Vs David Grace - Have to go for 10-8 to David Grace
Tian Pengfei Vs Martin O'Donnell - Will be going down to the wire, but 10-8 to Pengfei is my prediction

Best bet: Zhang Anda (No value in Brecel or Drago)

Well I have been looking forward to this as we're now full steam ahead as we will find out in the next 10 days, the qualifiers for The Crucible.

Robertson takes China Crown

Neil Robertson won his first ranking event since the 2010 World Open and his first in China, beating world no.1 Mark Selby 10-6 in the China Open final in Beijing. The win now puts Robbo up to number 2 in the world and drops him into Selby's half of the draw for the World Championship.

Final Review

Mark Selby started ok with breaks of 58 and 42 in the first frame, but unfortunately for the Jester there was nothing much to laugh about as he found himself 6-1 down at the end of the first session, that was cut down due to some lengthy fourth, fifth and sixth. Robertson made breaks of 50 and 91 to take a 2-1 lead and did not look back taking a serious of scrappy and long frames.

The second session was much more entertaining as Mark Selby began to make a fightback turning a 6-1 defecit around to only being 6-4 down. This came after early breaks of 81, 125 and 66. Neil held his nerve before the final mid-session interval, as he took a 7-4 lead with a nicely made 110. He took the next two as well including a 90 in the thirteenth, to go 9-4 ahead and one frame from victory. As always though, Selby battled on and attempted to reduce the defecit. He did so to start with as Robertson didn't score in the next two frames as Selby made contributions of 116 and 63 to get it back to 9-6. He couldn't keep it going though and Robertson did enough to take the title 10-6, despite the scare of Selby needing 5 snookers and reducing the defecit to only 1 until the Aussie potted the green.

This was a well deserved victory for Neil Robertson (the man that i predicted would win before the tournaments begining). It also meant a lot to him and after a series of final defeats this season that will be a huge relief and confidence boost to him before the World Championships. Selby will also be pleased to reach the final after some disapointing results in recent events before the and will boost his World Title hopes. Stephen Maguire showed good form in the semi-finals as he hopes for his first Crucible win. Shaun Murphy will be pleased to reach the semi's as well, after some poor tournaments since The Masters. The comeback against Lisowski will give him confidence, and to make the semi-finals when not playing well will be a boost to him, and makes him a dark horse for the worlds. Disapointing results for Judd Trump, John Higgins and Matthew Stevens will give them something to think about as well as Graeme Dott who has not been in form at all this season, and the scot will need to improve massively or face a similar result to last year's embarrassing performance against Joe Perry.

Of course their will be much more build-up before the start on April 20th of the biggest tournament of the season. This will include updates and analysis of the world qualifiers and then a good luck at the main Crucible draw. Less than 3 weeks left and i'm sure everyone in the snooker world is looking forward to the 17 day event.

Selby and Robertson in China final

Mark Selby and Neil Robertson will contest the final of the China Open, the last event before the World Championship. The match will see a repeat of their Masters final back in January which was won by Mark Selby 10-6.

Semi-Final Round-Up

Shaun Murphy had more semi-final woes as he missed many chances on the way to a 6-2 loss to Mark Selby. Murphy started badly missing the yellow with the rest and the chance to steal the first frame. He missed a red with the rest in the next frame, and Selby cleared with 68. After Selby won the next frame and took a 3-0 lead, The Magician never looked likely despite going into the interval only 3-1 down after Selby was distracted while playing a the last red with the rest. A break of 63 restored Selby's 3 frame advantage and missed reds gifted Mark the chance for a 5-1 lead. Murphy began to go into attack mode and determined as ever, he got a frame back at 5-2. After Selby made an early 55 it looked like he was going to take out the match, until he missed a simple match ball red to the middle. Murphy had the chance to steal but couldn't get on the last red and Selby potted it for the match.

In the other semi-final Neil Robertson came from 4-2 and 5-4 down to beat 2012 China open runner-up Stephen Maguire 6-5. It was all square at the interval but it should have been 3-1 to Robertson. Maguire made a break of 52 to take a 1-0 lead, but Robbo hit back with breaks 78 and 80 to go 2-1 up and was looking good on 57 until he missed a tight pink as the Scot made 67 of his own to square the contest. He won the next two as well with a break of 67 in the sixth frame. Maguire had the chance for a 5-2 lead but once Neil made it 4-3 he was back into his stride. He punished Stephen again in the eighth making 87 to get right back in it at 4-4. Maguire was unaffected and retook the lead with a break of 82. The contest was deserving of a decider and it got it as Robertson made the first century of the contest, a 110 making it 5-5. Neil Robertson gave himself the opportunity for his first ranking since 2010, an 81 in the decider giving him a 6-5 victory.

Final preview

Mark Selby and Neil Robertson have met 3 times already this season, and once already in a best of 19 frames Masters final which Mark won 10-6. He also won their UK quarter-final 6-4 after finding himself 4-0 down. Since then i think Robertson has really improved and has started coming into form at the right time ahead of this tournament and of course the Worlds. Robertson also won their most recent meeting in China at the 2013 Haikou World Open as he came from 3-2 down to win 5-3.

I think that Robertson has played better this week than Mark Selby and has scored heavily, especially when he's needed to. My prediction for the final would be a very close one with Robertson taking a tense final 10-9 in a decider.

Still this should be a great way to spend Easter Sunday and don't forget that the two sessions begin a 7.30am and 12.30pm as the clocks go forward tonight.

Semi-Final time at China Open

Four of the provisional top five in the world rankings make up a cracking line-up for semi-finals Saturday at the China Open. Mark Selby, Neil Robertson and Stephen Maguire all scored comfortable quarter-final victories, while Shaun Murphy came from 4-2 down to end Jack Lisowski's great run.

Quarter-Final Round-up

Mark Selby scored a comfortable win over Mark Williams beating the Welshmen 5-1 in a similar fashion to their Masters quarter-final this year. Both men had chances in the first frame but Selby took it and an early lead. A break of 54 was enough for Williams to equalise, and he again had chances to take the third frame and lost. A break of 53 wasn't enough for him to take the last before the interval, as Selby made 64 to steal. The Jester from Leicester took the next frame and sealed his last 4 spot with a break of 72.

He will now play Shaun Murphy who came from 4-2 down and really struggling, to scrape through 5-4 against Jack Lisowski. Young Lisowski took the first frame thanks to an early break of 62. Murphy hit back with a 137 total clearance. In the next frame, Murphy came back from needing 3 snookers and managed to get an incredible fluke on the black to lead 2-1. After Murphy missed a tough early black, Lisowski made 71 to equalise at the interval. He took the next 2 as well to take a 4-2 advantage. Murphy went into comeback mode though as Lisowski missed chances to win 5-2 and 5-3 as the provisional world number 4 forced the decider. Lisowski had chances in the decider as well but after he missed the green off of the spot Murphy managed to pull off the comeback and reach the semi-finals.

Stephen Maguire and Stuart Bingham really failed to shine as Maguire took out a scrappy encounter 5-1. Maguire made a 102 break in the opener and took the next two as well to lead 3-0. Bingham got his first and only frame on the black in the fourth. A break of 73 in the fifth made it 4-1 to Maguire and after Bingham missed opportunities in the sixth, the Scotsman got through to the last 4.

Neil Robertson will now meet Maguire in the semi-finals, after a 5-2 victory over Marcus Campbell. A break of 50 gave Campbell the first but breaks of 87 and 89 put Robbo in front, 2-1. The Scot managed to take the fourth and would have been thrilled to go into the interval at 2-2. The Aussie made a 50 break to reinstate his lead, and that advantage was doubled as Robertson made a fabulous 113 to put him one frame from advancing. It didn't take him long to seal the match as he punished Campbell for missed opportunities and made it through to the next round.

Semi-Final draw and Predictions

6.30 am UK Time

Mark Selby Vs Shaun Murphy - Murphy will need to play much better in this one otherwise it will be a comfortable win for Mark Selby, but don't write Shaun off.

11.30 am UK Time

Neil Robertson Vs Stephen Maguire - Maguire will need to play better than in his last two matches if he is to make consecutive China Open finals, but he is well capable of producing much more. Otherwise it should be a final spot for the in-form Neil Robertson.

So a cracking line-up for Easter Saturday in Beijing in what promise to be 2 close encounters.

Robertson sets marker ahead of quarter-finals

Neil Robertson set down a big marker for the other seven players remaining in the China open in his magnificent 5-1 victory over Mark Allen. Also through on day 4 were Mark Selby, Mark Willliams, Shaun Murphy, Stephen Maguire and Stuart Bingham. Meanwhile, Jack Lisowski overcame Mark Davis and Marcus Campbell beat fellow Scotsman Graeme Dott

Round-up on Day 4

Starting with Robertsons 5-1 victory over Allen, and Allen actually took the first frame with a break of 75. However, the Aussie began to show form as his first real chance resulted in a 118 break to level the match, and then he took the lead with a fantastic 138 total clearance. A lucky fluke on the blue helped Robbo take the fourth frame and a 3-1 interval lead, when it should've really been 2-2. Another fluked red in the next frame helped Neil on the way to a frame clinching 51 break, putting him 1 frame from victory. That frame turned out to be the next as Robertson was on a maximum break, until he ran out of position and missed a double into the middle for the tenth red. An in-off in the middle pocket later on for Allen was enough for him to concede frame and match.

Mark Williams made a magnificent comeback today against Ali carter, showing some old form from 4-2 down to win 5-4. A break of 51 in the first frame wasn't enough for Williams to win it as Carter took an early lead. Williams took 2 close frames to edge 2-1 ahead. A well compiled 78 break levelled the match 2-2 at the interval. Carter came out and won the next 2 before the potting machine switched on. From 4-2 the Welshmen made runs of 136, 81 and 79 to clinch the match and a quarter-final with Mark Selby.

Selby, didn't quite show his first round form but still played well enough to win 5-2 against Ricky Walden. Selby opened with 91 and took a longer second frame to march 2-0 ahead. A nice little 51 put Walden back in the match at 2-1, but Mark regained the 2 frame cushion in the fourth. Walden took the first after the interval and looked like levelling when he made an early 50 in frame six, but it wasn't enough as Selby made 67 to steal and move 4-2 up. Walden couldn't take an early chance in the seventh and a 75 break gave Selby the match.

Jack Lisowski came from 4-2 down to beat Mark Davis 5-4, with top runs of 67, 71, 80, 81 and 91. The defeat now means that Davis must qualify for The Crucible.

He will now play Shaun Murphy, after he saw off an appointment with the Dentist with highs of 66, 99 and a 124 to seal a 5-3 victory.

Stuart Bingham turned around a 3-1 mid-session defecit to beat Robert Milkins 5-3. Bingham made high breaks of 84, 91 and a 134 to go with a 70 and a 109 from Milkins.

Bingham now meets Stephen Maguire, who saw off Barry Hawkins 5-1,  in a scrappy encounter where the scots highest break was 50.

In the final 2nd round match, an all Scotish clash between Graeme Dott and Marcus Campbell went down to the wire. Dott was 2-0 and 4-3 ahead but Campbell stuck at it and made best breaks of 50, 56, 68 and 93 to secure a 5-4 and a meeting with Neil Robertson.

Quarter-Final draw and Predictions

6.30 am UK Time

Mark Selby Vs  Mark Williams - Selby win
Shaun Murphy Vs Jack Lisowski - Will be very close but i have to say victory for Murphy

11.30 UK Time

Neil Robertson Vs Marcus Campbell - Based on today a simple win for Robertson
Stuart Bingham Vs Stephen Maguire - Another tight won but Bingham should just edge it for me.

Looking great ahead of the easter weekend and should be great drama ahead of Sunday's final.