Ding Junhui is into his first World Championship final after defeating Alan McManus 17-11 in the last four in Sheffield. The Chinese superstar compiled an incredible seven centuries – a record in a Crucible match – as he held off a gutsy challenge from the Scottish 45 year-old. Resuming 14-10[Read More…]
Tag: Alan McManus
It’s There! Tipping Point
Returning after the success of last year is our inconspicuous snooker aficionado, Free Ball. Throughout the World Championship, this unnamed follower of our beloved sport will provide a few musings on some of the not so well documented happenings in Sheffield – mostly from the luxury of his/her own settee. The[Read More…]
Crunch Time in Semi-Finals
By the end of Saturday the two finalists in the 2016 Betfred World Championship will be known. A dramatic penultimate day of semi-final action on Friday has left both encounters delicately poised, but China’s Ding Junhui has one foot in the showpiece final. The 11-time ranking event winner has conjured[Read More…]
Crucible Contenders Down to Final Four
What started as 144, now stands as quite simply the last four. One of Mark Selby, Marco Fu, Ding Junhui or Alan McManus will be crowned the 2016 Betfred world champion on Monday. For Selby and Fu, they have each already won 36 frames of snooker to get to this[Read More…]
Ding Junhui Powers into Last Four
Ding Junhui became the first man into the semi-finals of this year’s World Championship after thrashing Mark Williams 13-3 in Sheffield. The Chinese no.1 required only two out of the scheduled three sessions to oust the twice former champion as he sent out a message to the other contenders for[Read More…]
World Championship: Quarter-Final Preview
From 144, only eight remain in the hunt to claim the 2016 Betfred World Championship in Sheffield. It’s certainly not the octet that most people predicted to be featuring at this stage of proceedings at the Crucible Theatre. Several of the expected heavy hitters have fallen by the wayside but[Read More…]
Grinding Win for Mark Selby
Mark Selby held off a stern challenge from qualifier Sam Baird to reach the quarter-finals of the World Championship in Sheffield. After a tight opening exchange in which there was never more than a frame between them right up until 6-6, the 2014 champion appeared to gain control of the[Read More…]
Marco Fu into Quarter-Finals
Marco Fu became the first name into the quarter-finals of the Betfred World Championship after a 13-9 victory over Anthony McGill on Friday. The Hong Kong 38 year-old was in control of the contest after somewhat fortuitously emerging from the second session with a two-frame lead intact despite his opponent[Read More…]
Murphy and Maguire Beaten in Sheffield
Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire both exited the 2016 Betfred World Championship on Sunday at the Crucible. Opening day Saturday had witnessed the defending world champion Stuart Bingham knocked out in dramatic fashion and Murphy, the player who Bingham beat in last year’s final, followed suit after a 10-8 defeat[Read More…]
Carter Conquers Champion in Cliffhanger
Ali Carter beat the defending champion Stuart Bingham 10-9 as the opening day of the World Championship began in thrilling fashion at the Crucible. There had been much hype surrounding the build-up to this tie with the obvious queries concerning the Curse of the Crucible whereby there has never been[Read More…]