Weekly Round-up in Snooker

The weekend is approaching and there has been another seven days on the baize to provide us with several things to talk about.

Mark Selby is Back

The English Open concluded on Sunday with Mark Selby thrashing David Gilbert in the final.

His opponent, who was bidding for a maiden ranking success, was allowed just one solitary frame after a one-sided contest ended 9-1 in favour of the former world number one.

The evening prior, Selby had demonstrated all of his trademark fighting qualities to come back from behind to deny Mark Allen in a semi-final decider.

But it was his impressive display in the title decider that got people talking about his credentials again.

Selby has struggled for the last couple of years to replicate the kind of form on the baize that saw him capture three world titles.

There were definite signs that the “Jester” was on his way back, though, as he claimed a first trophy on home soil since his last glory at the Crucible in 2017.

Scott Donaldson into Winners’ Group

Scott Donaldson emerged triumphantly from Group 4 in the Championship League on Thursday.

The Scot, who has gained an invite on the back of a rapid rise up the rankings in the last year or so, won five out of his six round-robin fixtures to top the group after the league phase.

In the last four, Donaldson edged Joe Perry in a decider before a 3-0 defeat of countryman Graeme Dott in the final sent him through to the Winners’ Group in March.

Donaldson joins Gary Wilson, who progressed from Group 3 on Tuesday, as well as Neil Robertson and Stuart Bingham.

Other Winners

There was the second staging of the Australian Women’s Snooker Open in Sydney last weekend.

Thailand’s Nutcharut Wongharuthai – known as Mink – earned her first ranking victory after a number of near final misses in the past.

Mink overcame defending champion and former world number one Ng On Yee in the final with a 4-2 scoreline.

At just 19, Mink undoubtedly represents the most exciting young prospect on the World Women’s Snooker Tour.

Elsewhere, former pro Ashley Hugill won the fourth event on the Challenge Tour series with a 3-1 defeat of Irish teenager Aaron Hill.

Hugill had a tough run to the final that also included matches against Ian Preece, Sean O’Sullivan, and Lukas Kleckers.

The £2,000 top prize helps Hugill rise to second in the Order of Merit, with Andrew Pagett remaining in first place and in prime position to receive the automatic promotion to the Main Tour.

Bit of balcony tweeting for old times sake? #UKSeniors pic.twitter.com/VYuGVUNpZP

— Matt (@ProSnookerBlog) October 24, 2019

What’s Coming?

The UK Seniors Championship concludes on Friday with the likes of Jimmy White and Stephen Hendry seeking to roll back the years on the baize.

White has a record five World Seniors Tour titles on his CV and enters the fray against Rory McLeod in the last eight.

Hendry, who is yet to reach a final at this level, edged Rodney Goggins in a dramatic decider on Thursday to make it to the last four.

Meanwhile, the next ranking event on the Main Tour begins on Monday with the World Open returning to Yushan.

Before that, several players are taking part in the Haining Open, an annual tournament in China that has been won by Mark Selby in each of the last two editions.