snookerAt the World Snooker Championships in Sheffield, yesterday Judd Trump (WS-4) took the lead in the semi-final against Welshman Mark Williams (WS-8). With breaks of 70, 70, 54, 62 and 53, the 32-year-old Englishman won the first round 7-1. Only the fourth frame went to Williams.
Trump and Williams continue their best of 33 today. Williams will have to make an extra effort to get a fourth session out of the fire. Then it will be completed on Saturday afternoon. Higgins and O’Sullivan also stick to one Friday (afternoon) session. Their third and fourth sessions are scheduled for Saturday morning and Saturday evening.
Ronnie O’Sullivan (WS-1) and John Higgins (WS-6) kept each other even in the semifinals. O’Sullivan came off the starting rails especially rusty. With 50 and 58 breaks, Higgins took advantage of crowd-favorite errors to advance 3-0. Then the “rocket” wave broke out. Breaks 70, 54, 116, 55 and 107 only gave him four tires, and Higgins still steals seventh.
For the first time, The Crucible features four semi-finalists who have won the World Cup before. O’Sullivan has done it six times (2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020), Higgins four times (1998, 2007, 2009, 2011) and Williams three times (2000, 2003, 2018). Trump has to make do with one world title (2019) right now.
The final will be played at best 35 times on Sunday and Monday. The weight of the new world champion will increase by 500,000 pounds (593,000 euros), and the vice world champion will receive 200,000 pounds (237,000 euros). In addition to the world title, the first place in the Order of Merit is also at risk. O’Sullivan must win the championship to remain number one. Higgins only becomes number one if he wins the final against Williams. For Trump, a place in the final is enough, if Higgins is the other finalist. If Williams wins the World Cup, outgoing champion Mark Selby will become number one again. Luca Briselle, knocked out in the first round in the Crucible, drops from 11 to 12.
Semi-finals – Best 33:
Ronnie O’Sullivan (Eng/1) – John Higgins (Sch/6) (4-4)
53-76, 46-69 (50), 32-87 (58), 70 (70) -7, 99 (54) -1, 116 (116) -10, 55 (55) -66, 127 (107) -0
Judd Trump (M/4) – Mark Williams (Wall/8) (7-1)
78-46, 70(70)-28, 100(70)-8, 34-72, 73-28, 84(54)-21, 91(62)-22, 94(53)-4
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