In the Round of 16 of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, Top Contenders Experience Setbacks
The initial Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters tournament has commenced lately. Following a rigorous preliminary round, the last 32 round took place yesterday. A multitude of favorites have shone, yet some previous world champions have succumbed. Let's delve into the recent events and summarize the sport betting odds for the competition.
Prearranged quarter-finals bouts
Yesterday evening, the last 32 round of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters culminated. Consequently, the ensuing quarter-finals contests are prepared to unfold today:
- 1 PM: Gary Wilson – Neil Robertson
- 1 PM: Scott Donaldson – Xiao Guodong
- 1 PM: Shaun Murphy – Elliot Slessor
- 1 PM: Judd Trump – Jack Lisowski
- 7 PM: Si Jiahui – Pang Junxu
- 7 PM: Mark Williams – Stuart Bingham
- 7 PM: Kyren Wilson – Jimmy Robertson
- 7 PM: Ronnie O’Sullivan – Zhang Anda
Numerous engaging encounters loom ahead for snooker enthusiasts. The duel between Gary Wilson, 39, and Neil Robertson, 42, might prove particularly thrilling. Both competitors exhibit commendable form and have vanquished tough adversaries in the tournament. The confrontation between Judd Trump, 35, and Jack Lisowski, 33, could generate considerable tension as well.
Bookmakers' betting odds
Various players have presented compelling performances at the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. Major contenders have predominantly advanced to the quarter-finals, albeit some have already exited. Below are the current betting odds as offered by the bookmakers:
- Judd Trump: 3.50
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: 3.50
- Shaun Murphy: 7.00
- Kyren Wilson: 7.00
- Neil Robertson: 7.50
- Mark Williams: 14.00
The bookmakers consider Judd Trump and Ronnie O’Sullivan, 48, as the foremost favorites to triumph. An examination of the draw unveils that they might clash in the finale.
O’Sullivan, Murphy & Robertson excel
For the top 16 players in the world rankings, the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters only commenced yesterday. Snooker devotees didn'tGetter a chance to scrutinize the form of top-notch competitors after the Xi’an Grand Prix.
The reigning champion Kyren Wilson, 32, who clinched the tournament hardly a week ago, also left an indelible impression in his Saudi Arabian debut. He triumphed 5-3 against Liu Hongyu, 20, and crafted a century break during the process.
Shaun Murphy, 42, who has been delivering an exceptional display since the commencement of the ongoing season, also emerged victorious in his initial battle. He prevailed 5-2 over Yuan Sijun, 24.
Yesterday signaled the debut of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters for Ronnie O’Sullivan. In March, O’Sullivan demonstrated an impressive run at the first Saudi Arabian snooker tournament, the Riyadh Season World Masters, and triumphed with unparalleled flair. In his initial outing, he also showcased a remarkable performance, winning 5-1 against Lei Peifan, 21, and forged two century breaks.
However, O’Sullivan was not entirely pleased with his performance, as he opined on social media [English post]:
Translation: I took care of business today. However, it's not developing as I wish. I'm through, though, and will persevere to locate my groove.
Contrasting was Judd Trump's campaign. He squared off against Wu Yize, 20, yesterday and suffered a 0-4 setback. Subsequently, Trump wrestled five consecutive frames and claimed victory at 5-4. In the process, he sealed a century break yet appeared unsettled and failed to exhibit his customary strength. Trump faces a tough ordeal against Jack Lisowski in the quarter-finals.
Matthew Selt deregisters from tournament after cue breakage
The Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters have thus far provided an unexpected array of results, in addition to two unusual and unfortunate incidents that have sparked debate among snooker aficionados.
Matthew Selt, 39, embarked on a journey from the UK to Saudi Arabia. Unfortunatey, his cue broke mid-flight, as per Selt's social media sharing. Snooker players are barred from transporting their cues in the passenger cabin and must instead relocate them within the luggage compartment.
Selt then sought help from a specialist who salvaged Selt's fiercely damaged cue [English post]:
Translation: I've got 99 problems, but my cue ain't one! I'm relieved that I emerged victorious today after the local deity mended the stick, and I owe him sincere thanks for the incredible repair work he stuck to it, making it playable.
However, once a cue has succumbed to damage and undergone mending, the playing experience appears disparate. After vanquishing his first challenge, Selt faced off against Pang Junxu on Monday. He faltered in his attempt to sink a ball due to his cue's flawed nature and withdrew from the game in frustration.
A similar unfortunate incident transpired yesterday in the tussle between Ding Junhui, 37, and Stuart Bingham, 48. In the deciding frame, Ding's tip dislodged from his cue and brushed against a red ball, resulting in a foul. Ding then exited the arena to exchange the tip, and Bingham clinched the frame to progress to the quarter-finals.
In yesterday's action, notables like Trump, O'Sullivan, and Robertson made it to the quarter-finals. However, several title-holders took an early exit. Mark Selby, age 41, suffered a 3-5 defeat at the hands of Neil Robertson, and four-time world champion John Higgins, now 49, was shockingly ousted 2-5 by Jimmy Robertson. Higgins may slip out of the top 16 world rankings, forcing him to compete in qualifying rounds for numerous upcoming tournaments.
Last year's World Championship victor, Luca Brecel, 29, caught an untimely end too. He was bested 2-5 by Pang Junxu, struggled significantly throughout the match, and has failed to win a game since March 19. Currently ranked sixth, Brecel's rank may plummet further due to his recent losses.
What's in store for the tournament now?
All the quarter-finals will take place today at 13:00 and 19:00 CET. A few engaging matches will be broadcast live on Eurosport.
The tight timeline for the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters continues: The semi-finals are scheduled for September 5, and the final round is slated for September 7.
After an exhilarating tournament so far, online casinos in Germany might offer betting odds for the remaining matches. For instance, fans of Gary Wilson and Neil Robertson might find interest in the odds provided by these online platforms. Similarly, online casinos could offer odds for the Judd Trump vs. Jack Lisowski quarter-finals match, given the potential for high tension.
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