Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters

Started today in Green Halls, Riyadh. Ends on Saturday 7th September. There is a field of 144 players, so all the players with a tour card and a considerable number of wildcards, mainly asian by the looks of it. Day 1 qualifying was mainly between lower ranked players and wild cards, giving the female players a chance to play someone they can beat.

Reanne Evans lost 4-0, Bai Yulu was 2-0 up but lost 4-2. Baipat Siripaporn was 3-1 up against Egypt's leading amateur Mohamed Elkhayat, but lost 4-3. There was one female victory as Mink Nutcharut beat her first male player this season, Kusai Hamed, 4-1.

Wins also for new professionals Allan Taylor, Chris Totten, Artemis Zizins, Ka Wei Cheung, Anton Kowalski and Bulcsu Revesz.

Jimmy White beat Mohamed Shebab 4-2

Mink Nutcharut lost 4-2 to Anthony Hamilton but she got £4000 for getting into the 2nd round so that can't be too bad.

Chris Totten and Ka Wai Cheung also lost.

Fantastic 4-3 win for Artemus Zizins against Xu Si
Fantastic 4-3 win for Bulcsu Revesz against Mark Davis
Fantastic 4-0 win for Anton Kowalski against He Guoqiang

Jimmy White beat Andrew Higginson 4-1
Stuart Carrington beat Farakh Ajaib 4-2

Players just below the top 16 like Milkins, Robertson and Lisowski start tomorrow.
Players in the top 16 start on Tuesday.

Fantastic 147 break from Noppon Saengkham in his 4-1 demolition of Amir Sarkhosh. Noppon is inline to win £50,000 for his 147 but if any other player makes a 147 they share the prize with him. if Noppon makes a 2nd 147 his prize will increase to £147,000.

Jimmy White made a good fist of it on TV, with the beautiful Tatiana as referee, but lost 4-2 to Sia Jiahui.

Thepchaiya Un Nooh was too strong for Artemijs Zizins, as Zizins slumped to a 4-1 defeat. Revesz and Kowalski also lost.

Maguire was on excellent form, getting a break of over 60 in every frame in his 4-0 whitewash of Ben Mertens. Wins also for Bingham, Vafaei, Neil Robertson, Lisowski, Gilbert and Pang Junxu (who beat Stuart Carringtom 4-3).

Rory Thor thundered in the decider against Milkins to beat him 4-3. McGill lost 4-1 to Ashley Carty.

Neil Robertson looked a bit uncertain when his nobody opponent levelled at 1-1, but he managed to bust through 5-1 in the end.

Its the 1st round proper, and matches are now best of 9.

In a tense deciding frame, Yuan Sijun defeated Noppon Saengkham 5-4, making a 33 clearance when he was 29 points down to win on the black.

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh also won in a deciding frame, coming back from 4-2 down to win 5-4. In the deciding frame Un-Nooh was 52-0 down but made a 75 break to clinch the match.

Wins also for Si Jiahui, Bingham, Lisowski and Gilbert.

Maguire lost a close, deciding frame to Wu Yize. Vafaei also lost.

The top 16 enter the fray from tomorrow.

Trump needed a decider to see off Wu Yize, having trailed 0-4. Allen, Carter and Hawkins all exited.

Yes, happily Hawkins and Craptain Carter are out. Mark Allen's exit means he won't reclaim the no.1 spot. Higgins is also out so he will be out of the top 16 at the start of the British Open.

The Juddernaut's unstoppable comeback means he plays Lisowski in the last 16, as Lisowski beat Jak Jones 5-3.

Ronnie comfortably beat Lei Peifan 5-1 and capped his victory off with a 131 total clearance, but he left Peifan several chances and he won't find it so easy against Zhang Anda in the next round. Anda got 4 centuries in 5 frames to demolish Ben Woollaston 5-0.

Wins also for Robertson, Tubbs, Gary Wilson, Kyren Wilson, Mark Williams, Bingham and Si Jiahui, who beat Tom Ford 5-2.

With the stakes getting higher, matches are now best of 11.

With all the friends Ronnie made last time he was in Riyadh watching, Ronnie knew he didn't want to lose by making errors. Ronnie played technically perfect snooker with skilful potting and safety and he managed to win 6-5 despite Zhang Anda winning 2 frames by making a fluke at the start that proved crucial. Ronnie won the decider with a brilliant pot red into the baulk pocket and making a frame and match winning 78 break.

Ronnie plays the winner of the Si Jiahui/Pang Junxu match, and the 2 Chinamen are currently level at 5-5.

A place in the final would give Neil Robertson a huge ranking boost, and he got one step closer by thrashing Gary Wilson 6-1. But his next opponent is Judd Trump who thrashed Lisowski 6-1.

Jimmy Robertson beat an out of sorts Kyren Wilson 6-4

Full Quarter Final Line up

Neil Robertson v Judd Trump
Xiao Guodong v Tubbs Murphy
Mark Williams v Jimmy Robertson
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Si Jiahui/Pang Junxu

Si Jiahui was on such good form, Ronnie was reduced to a spectator at times as Si shot to a 5-2 lead. Ronnie froze him out of the next 2 frames, but Si only needed one chance in frame 10 to wrap up the match 6-4.

In a high quality match with a break of over 50 in every frame, Judd beat Neil Robertson 6-3. Ronnie losing means Judd will leave Riyadh as World no.1 whatever happens next.

I was hoping Tubbs would have such a bad season he would resign from snooker. My hopes were dashed as Tubbs beat Xiao Guodong to reach the semi final and a big Saudi payout of at least £100,000 that should ensure he remains in the top 16 for a long time; and it's only the start of the season!

Semi Final Line up

Judd Trump v Tubbs
Mark Williams v Si Jiahui

It's probably still too early to talk of inevitability, but who better to be the first recipient of a fortune in Saudi money than the hypocrite par excellence?