On Tuesday, running through Wednesday, he finished the race in the top 16 places in the UK Snooker Championships, the sport’s second most scoring tournament. Of the former world champions, only Ronnie O’Sullivan, the 46-year-old legend at the time of Sunday’s final, took part in the race.
| Ronnie O’Sullivan in great shape (Photo: yorkpress.co.uk) |
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The main event of the UK 128 was packed with classics, but after three laps, only Ronnie O’Sullivan is the only world champion still competing.
Seven-times World Cup winner Stephen Hendry, who returned to active play last year, said goodbye to the first round and was knocked out by Thailand’s dream game Thepchaiya Un-Nooh – five hundredths broken. Defending Australian Neil Robertson did not reach the first round either, and was invited by amateur John Astley.
Welsh “Sleeping” Mark Williams went on tour but didn’t own Anthony Hamilton after that. Judd Trump, Sean Murphy, Ken Doherty, Stuart Bingham, John Higgins, Graeme Dott and world champion Mark Selby said goodbye, with the latter beating Iran’s Hosei Vavai 6-2.
Partly as a result of a stellar fall, as well as the British and Chinese dominating snooker in the new millennium (although one remains in the tournament), Thailand, Iran and Belgium are among the top 16. Luca Briselle also knocked out Stephen Maguire by one sweeper in the third round.
Gary Wilson made his biggest break to date, his 147th limit, even in a 64-game match — but he’s no longer in the race either.
Sunker, UK Championship, York
Round 3 (according to branch scheme)
Mark Joyce (English) –Jordan Brown (Northern Ireland) 3-6
Anthony McGill (Scottish)-Zhou Ju-long (China) 6-5
Ricky Walden (English)– Anthony Hamilton (English) 4-6
Luca Prisl (Belga) –Stephen Maguire (Scottish) 6-0
Keren Wilson (English)–Vu Ji-cö (Chinese) 6–3
Ben Woollaston (English)– Liam Highfield (English) 6-4
Noppon Saengkham (Thailand)– Stuart Bingham (English) 6-5
Mark King (English) –Ronnie O’Sullivan (English) 3-6
Judd Trump (English) –Matthew Celt (English) 3-6
Barry Hawkins (English)– Cao Yuping (Chinese) 6-2
David Gilbert (English)Mark Allen (Northern Ireland) 6-5
Andy Hicks (Angola)Dominic Dale 6-5
John Higgins (Scottish) –Zhao Xin Tong (Chinese) 5-6
Sam Craigie (English) –Peter Lines (English) 3-6
Jack Lisowski (English)Grim Dott (Scottish) 6-2
Xiao Ku Tong (Chinese) –Hossain Vafaei (Iran) 2-6
