2020 World Championship Thread

[CaledonianCraig]

First topic message reminder :

How about a thread to discuss the 2020 World Snooker Championships at The Crucible.

The delayed tournament starts today with a limited audience allowed in to watch the matches. The draw is as follows:-

Judd Trump (1) v Tom Ford
Yan Bingtao (16) v Elliot Slessor
Stephen Maguire (9) v Martin Gould
Kyren Wilson (8) - BYE
John Higgins (5) v Matthew Stevens
David Gilbert (12) v Kurt Maflin
Jack Lisowski (13) v Anthony McGill
Mark Allen (4) v Jamie Clarke
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Mark Williams (3) v Alan McManus
Stuart Bingham (14) v Ashley Carty
Ding Junhui (11) v Mark King
Ronnie O’Sullivan (6) v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Mark Selby (7) v Jordan Brown
Shaun Murphy (10) v Noppon Saengkham
Barry Hawkins (15) v Alexander Ursenbacher
Neil Robertson (2) v Liang Wenbo

Anthony Hamilton who suffers from asthma and qualified for the tournament has withdrawn due to COVID-19 and the fact there will be fans attending. This means Kyren Wilson gets a bye through to the Second Round.

This year there are five players making their Crucible debuts those being Elliot Slessor (England), Jordan Brown (Northern Ireland), Ashley Carty (England), Alexander Ursenbacher (Switzerland - the first Swiss player to play at the Crucible) and Jamie Clarke (Wales).

[CaledonianCraig]

Sloppy safety shot in a tight 5th frame by Robertson and Hawkins could take the lead here.

[CaledonianCraig]

But Hawkins jaws a long green and now Robertson should take this now. That will hurt Barry Hawkins. Robertson leads 3-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

A great opening session of the tournament for Kyren Wilson. Another 50+ break from him but misses a makeable red. A Goulden chance here. Can Gould steal this?

[CaledonianCraig]

Very good from Gould. He'll be delighted to get out of that session trailing 5-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

On the other table Robertson ended up leading Barry Hawkins 5-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

This afternoon's matches sees O'Sullivan resume at 4-4 against Ding. On the other table Jamie Clarke resumes 6-2 up on Anthony McGill.

[CaledonianCraig]

Clarke moves 7-2 ahead. McGill in big trouble. Very tight end to frame on the other table which both players have had their chances.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ronnie takes the tight, scrappy frame and leads 5-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

A 50+ break from Ding and he pulls level at 5-5. Tactical frame on the other table in the balance. McGill needs it desperately.

[CaledonianCraig]

A century break from Ding and he edges into a 6-5 lead against O'Sullivan.

[CaledonianCraig]

Needle between Clarke and McGill. McGill not happy Clarke standing in his eyeline whilst down on his shot. Words exchanged and ref has to step in.

[CaledonianCraig]

Impressive from Ding. Another century and he leads Ronnie 7-5 at their mid-session interval.

[CaledonianCraig]

And to rub salt in McGill's open wounds Clarke steals a frame McGill should have bagged. Clarke leads 8-2 and has one foot in the QF's on his Crucible debut.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ref chats with both players before the start of the 11th frame. Clarke in control.

[CaledonianCraig]

McGill really going through the mill. If he is not careful it could be over a session early. Clarke in with a chance to make it 9-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

But Clarke misses a mid-range red. McGill handed a chance he falls short of winning in one visit.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ronnie hits back with a break of 90 and Ding leads 7-6.

[CaledonianCraig]

And McGill takes the 11th frame but still trails 8-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ding on a break has an unfortunate in off and Ronnie comes top the table and clears up and we are level at 7-7.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ronnie now with the upper hand with a 50+ break and leads 8-7.

[CaledonianCraig]

And the needle continues. Clarke telling McGill to sit down and ref steps in again.

[CaledonianCraig]

Another frame McGill should have won appears to have slipped away but Clarke misses a gift.

[CaledonianCraig]

Sloppy safety from McGill and another chance for Clarke.

[CaledonianCraig]

Another chance missed. Its tense out there......very tense.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ding levels at 8-8 to end their session. On the other table McGill finally takes a long and tense 12th frame and they head to their break to cool off with Clarke leading 8-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

McGill clawing his way back into the match. Breaks of 36 and 42 sees Clarke's lead reduced to 8-5.

[CaledonianCraig]

Clarke snatching at chances now and looking edgey. A chance for McGill here to win his fourth frame on the bounce but the way he is playing I won't hold my breath.

[CaledonianCraig]

McGill's break of 47 should get him across the line. Barring snookers it is 8-6 to Clarke.

[CaledonianCraig]

And McGill does take the frame.

[CaledonianCraig]

Another tense and tight frame is won by Anthony McGill and they are pulled off a frame early as the evening session beckons. Clarke leads 8-7 having led McGill 8-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

This evening sees two Second Round matches playing their second sessions. Kyren Wilson resumes 5-3 ahead of qualifier Martin Gould and on the other table Neil Robertson is also 5-3 ahead against Barry Hawkins.

[CaledonianCraig]

Robertson and Wilson both off to good starts this evening as they stretch their leads to 6-3 over Hawkins and Gould respectively.

[CaledonianCraig]

Wilson punishes Gould's missed chance and pinches the frame to extend his lead to 7-3. Hawkins, like a limpet, is hanging in there. He hits back with a break of 95. Robertson's lead reduced to 6-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Hawkins playing a solid game and scoring decently when in and he pulls another frame back. He trails 6-5. On the other table Wilson going off the boil and Gould has a chance to steady the rocking ship and win this frame. He really must win this one.

[CaledonianCraig]

But Gould can't get the job done and Wilson pinches the frame and now leads 8-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

Hawkins misses a red he'd expected to have got and Robertson needs to counter. On the other table Gould's turmoil continues. More chances for him which he fails to take and Wilson looking set to pinch this 12th frame and go 9-3 up.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Wilson heads into his mid-session interval leading 9-3. Four frames from the QF's with four frames left to play in this session. On the other table a tactical frame now that could go either way.

[CaledonianCraig]

A marathon 12th frame this between Robertson and Hawkins. Now over 40 minutes long with two reds left on the table and a safety battle ensuing.

[CaledonianCraig]

Finally, it is taken by Barry Hawkins and he squares it up at 6-6 after a 50 minute frame.

[CaledonianCraig]

The writing is on the wall on the other table. Wilson back in and a century break gives him the frame and he leads 10-3. This could still be over tonight a session early.

[CaledonianCraig]

So late last evening Robertson and Hawkins swapped frames to finish level at 8-8. On the other table credit to Martin Gould who was teetering on the brink of losing his match in two sessions but he dug in and managed to win the two of the last three frames of the session and Wilson takes a 11-5 lead into that final session.

There are no morning matches today but this afternoon (from 1pm) both the above matches are played to a finish.

[CaledonianCraig]

A sloppy safety shot from Hawkins and Robertson pounces to take the first frame of the session to lead 9-8. On the other table Martin Gould building a decent break and looks good to pull it back to 11-6.

[CaledonianCraig]

Robertson does lead 9-8. Gould with a break of 57 then breaks down but he ends up winning the frame to trail 11-6.

[CaledonianCraig]

Gould in with a golden chance to pull another frame back.

[CaledonianCraig]

But Gould runs out of position on 38 and has to play safe. Robertson looking good to go 10-8 ahead after a missed Hawkins opportunity.

[CaledonianCraig]

But Wilson cannot punish Gould and the Pinner Potter gets another frame on the board. Wilson leads 11-7 having led 9-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Robertson does make it 10-8.

[CaledonianCraig]

At their mid-session intervals Robertson leads Hawkins 11-9 and Wilson leads Gould 12-8.

[CaledonianCraig]

Got to admire the fight from Gould. A break of 73 and he stays in the match but still trails 12-9.

[CaledonianCraig]

Kyren Wilson gets over the line after a little scare to win 13-9. Next up he will play Judd Trump.

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