World Open Day 1

15-year-old Lu Haotian added to his list of victims as he
defeated Simon Bedford 5-2.

Lu Haotian continued to underline his potential as one of the leading bright stars in Chinese snooker after he defeated Simon Bedford 5-2 in the Wildcard Round of the World Open. The 15-year-old, who reached the Quarter-Finals of the International Championship back in November, defied his opponents experience and looked in control for much of the match. He won the first two frames although Bedford pulled one back by taking the third however a break of 80 saw Lu lead 3-1 at the break. He had the chance to make it 4-1 but missed a black allowing the Bradford man to close the gap to 3-2. A 61 break in the next saw him go 4-2 up and sealed the match by taking the fifth to beat the world number 88 who had already had to win four matches to make the venue.

The evening’s only first round match saw an in-form Robert Milkins upstage Mark Davis 5-3 to progress to the last 16. Milkins, who is currently at his highest ever ranking of 20, took the opening three with top breaks of 55 and 66 although Davis was able to pull one back before the interval. Milkins edged a close fifth but a comeback looked on the cards as the Hastings man pulled two frames back, including a 100 in the seventh but Robert secured a close eighth frame to progress.

Jamie Cope needed a final frame decider to progress through his Wildcard round match against Wang Yuchen. Wang led 2-0 at one point although Cope drew level at the interval. A break of 77 put the Stoke man 3-2 up but Wang remained on his coattails, first drawing level at 3-3 and then again at 4-4. However Cop sealed the game in a tense decider on the last blue and pink.

The evening’s other wildcard match was finished in much simpler fashion as Dave Gilbert whitewashed 18-year-old Lu Ning. The Tamworth potter compiled top breaks of 75, 50, 81 and 53 on his way to victory.

The single First Round match in the afternoon session saw Ricky Walden defeat Peter Ebdon, despite him using the cue of Stephen Maguire as well as wearing the Scot’s waistcoat. Walden’s equipment had failed to turn up at the airport when he did and was not ready in time for the match so had to rely on his friend to lend him the necessaries. Despite the unfamiliar cue, Walden won the opening two frames although Ebdon squared it up by the interval by taking the next couple. The quality vastly improved after the break and Walden powered his way to victory by taking the next three, with top breaks of 125 and 84.

In the wildcard round matches, Mark Joyce staved off a fantastic comeback from Thai amateur Noppon Saengkham to defeat him 5-4. Joyce seemed to be cruising to victory, winning four of the first five frames with top breaks of 83, 55 and 66. However Saengkham pulled himself level by winning the next three but Wallsall’s Joyce avoided embarrassment by winning the final frame, with a 52 break.

Alan McManus also progressed through the wildcard stage thanks to a 5-3 win over Lin Shuai. McManus, who recently reached the Quarter-Finals of the Welsh Open, led 4-1 at one point and although Lin pulled it back to 4-3, McManus secure frame eight to secure the win.

It was a similar pattern in Monday’s other match as Nigel Bond defeated Zhu Yinghui 5-3. The World Seniors Champion made it 4-1 with an 83 in the fifth but Yinghui was only able to make it 4-3 as Bond progressed to the last 16 after Ali Carter’s withdrawal from the competition on health grounds.