Yan Bingtao 6-1 Lukas Kleckers - As expected it was an easy kill in the end as a run of 57 to the yellow for Yan leaves Kleckers playing on again for far too many snookers without threatening to get them. You can't deny that it is a struggle for him out there and you have to feel a bit sorry for him because snooker is a tough game when things aren't going your way. Yan meanwhile has looked really solid today. Yes he has missed the odd pot here and there but when his good scoring chances have come he has taken all of them and made break building look pretty easy today. He's certainly a threat of he keeps that level of scoring up.
Just as the lights in the arena start flickering Yan gets himself in after a scrappy period in this frame. With all the reds wide open in the middle of the table this looks like the frame and match in waiting for Yan now.
Frame 7 - Once again an example of where Kleckers struggles. In first but he can only make 23 before an unforced error missing to the middle. It's been another pretty demoralising day for the youngster but on this occasion the miss hasn't cost him.
Frame Yan - Once that second good chance of the frame came it was all plain sailing for Yan. He has made the game look easy this morning amongst the reds and this time produces another 70+ contribution. A 77 clearance puts him four up with five to play at 5-1.
A good long red followed by the snooker behind the brown have produced the next chance for Yan who is not far away at all now from moving four frames clear.
Kleckers has just had a half chance but can only make 13. If you were picking faults with his game you would say he doesn't seem to score heavy enough, though you could say the same for a lot of lower ranked players like him.
Frame 6 - Once again Yan is in first in a frame as he looks to put himself on the edge of the winning line as quickly as possible. Playing a red on 23, he's opened a few more reds out of the bunch but needed to go into them again, does just that off the black but lands on nothing. Kleckers is hanging on at the moment and Yan plays safe on 31.
Frame Yan - The Chinese youngster had really found his stride now in this match which will make a Kleckers comeback really tough from here. Again Yan looked untroubled in that visit to the table and even though the cue ball had to do a little more mileage this time he didn't ever look like missing. A break of 70 left the German needing four snookers once again, which is too big of an ask really. 4-1 Yan now.
Frame 5 - This is really starting to get away from Kleckers now. He just can't keep it tight enough and Yan is taking full advantage. He's in again with reds nicely placed now to increase his lead further.
Frame Yan - After needing three or four chances in the last, Yan never looked like needing more than one this time. He's punishing Kleckers who hasn't really been at the races since that opening frame. Once again he made that break of 75 look easy and Kleckers attempts to play on for four snookers didn't really get off the start line. Been all Yan in the last three frames and he's strolled into a 3-1 interval lead.
Frame 4 - Yan in first once again here and looking pretty good. The black is up on the brown spot for now but he's just opened the pink up by getting that on the black spot for now and there are plenty of reds open and waiting to be picked off to make this a frame winning break.
Frame Yan - He ended up needing another chance to leave Kleckers needing a snooker but without doing anything special in frame three, he's put the frame on the board. Not a frame I'll remember for very long it has to be said. 2-1 Yan.
After a half chance for Kleckers, Yan is back in again but given how the reds are sitting near the bottom cushion, the German mat still have a lifeline in this frame but it looks pretty bleak now.
Frame 3 - A bad miss in the middle for Kleckers has allowed Yan straight back in again but instead of picking up where he left off in the previous frame he can only make 24 from it and now the pair will battle for the next opening.
Frame Yan - It certainly looks like Yan has warned up quickly. Maybe he's been reading my blog between frames. Never looked in trouble really in that break and he ends up with a superb break of 106. Kleckers will be under it if he keeps playing as he did in that contribution. 1-1
Frame 2 - Kleckers leaves a red to the middle for Yan early in frame two and it could prove costly. The youngster is nicely in and has just gone into the reds nicely. A great opportunity now to level the scores.
Frame Kleckers - Yan had a half chance at a clearance but he missed after the first red and allowed Kleckers to get the red and colour he needed to win this opening frame. Not the best start from Yan with a couple of poor shots, so he needs to warm up quickly. 1-0 to the German.
Kleckers initially played safe on 43 but gets back in after a well struck long pot but has just missed the black off it's spot. The lead is 59 but there's still plenty on for Yan to get back in the frame.
Frame 1 - It may have been a fluke that got Kleckers in but that's the sort of luck you need in these matches. After apologising to Yan he's set about his business but needs to get the pack open soon.
One for my German followers this morning as Lukas Kleckers faces a tough tie with Yan Bingtao.
Yan Bingtao hasn't quite kicked on this season just yet as some people might have expected, but he's still always dangerous. This time last year he came to the UK Championship having just made his first ranking final in Northern Ireland, losing 9-8 to Mark Williams. In many ways he's actually in a better place this year because that would have taken some getting over mentally.
Kleckers hasn't exactly had a great 18 months on the tour results wise, but it will have been tough playing on the main tour for the first time. The Riga Masters has been his best result both this season and last season as well, but unfortunately for him we can't play there every week. A win today would probably be the biggest of his pro career, but if Yan isn't on his A game this could certainly be a close contest.
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