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Welsh Open

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Course under scrutiny

01/06/2010: The Welsh Open gives players a chance to scout the Celtic Manor Ryder Cup course; Read more

Smooth Higgins claims Welsh Open

31/01/2010: John Higgins beat defending champion Ali Carter 9-4 in the Welsh Open final.Higgins, the reigning world champion who overcame Ronnie O'Sullivan in the semi-finals, surged into a 5-0 lead. The Scot built up breaks of 95, 101, 137 and 81 as he punished Essex's Carter ruthlessly for any mistakes and led 6-2 going into the evening session. The next four frames were evenly shared before Higgins snared the first frame after the mid-session interval with a superbly confident break of 76. Higgins, 35, …; Read more

Higgins trumps O'Sullivan in semi

30/01/2010: John Higgins will take on defending champion Ali Carter in the Welsh Open final after overcoming Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-4 at the Newport Centre.The Scot won the final three frames to book his place in Sunday's showdown as the world number one struggled late on. Carter is within one match of retaining his title after securing a 6-3 semi-final win over Stephen Maguire. The 30-year-old, who beat Joe Swail in last year's final, never relinquished control after taking an early 3-0 lead. "I feel as good…; Read more

Dominant O'Sullivan beats Allen

29/01/2010: Ronnie O'Sullivan eased to a 5-2 win over Mark Allen to set up a Welsh Open semi-final against John Higgins.The world number one twice came close to making a 147 maximum break, first in the fourth frame when he potted 11 reds and 11 blacks before missing. In the next, O'Sullivan cleared 15 reds and 15 blacks, but having potted the yellow he missed the green. Higgins beat Mark Selby 5-2 while the other semi-final sees Stephen Maguire take on reigning champion Ali Carter. Maguire had a comprehens…; Read more

O'Sullivan races to win over Cope

28/01/2010: World number one Ronnie O'Sullivan needed only 55 minutes to book a place in the quarter-finals of the Welsh Open with a 5-0 demolition of Jamie Cope.The 34-year-old, who won this tournament in 2004 and 2005, had breaks of over 50 in four of the five frames. Having reached the mid-session interval with runs of 60, 73 and 60, he broke down on 43 in frame five but after Cope missed he clinched the match with a 52. There were also victories for John Higgins, Mark Williams and Mark Selby. O'Sulliva…; Read more

O'Sullivan whitewashes Cope

28/01/2010: World number one Ronnie O'Sullivan needed only 55 minutes to book a place in round three of the Welsh Open with a 5-0 demolition of Jamie Cope.The 34-year-old, who won this tournament in 2004 and 2005, had breaks over 50 in four of the five frames. Having reached the mid-session interval with runs of 60, 73 and 60, he broke down on 43 in frame five but after Cope missed he clinched the match with a 52. John Higgins plays later on Thursday against his fellow Scot Graeme Dott. O'Sullivan was 37 a…; Read more

Holder Carter defeats Robertson

27/01/2010: Defending champion Allister Carter eased into the quarter-finals of the Welsh Open with a comfortable 5-2 victory over Australian Neil Robertson.Carter's victory included a fine break of 115 but three-time winner Stephen Hendry is out after losing 5-3 to Welshman Ryan Day in the second round. Earlier, world and Masters champions John Higgins and Mark Selby advanced to the second round, as did Mark Williams. But UK champion Ding Junhui was eliminated by Jamie Cope. Higgins began his match agains…; Read more

Williams advances in Welsh Open

27/01/2010: Two-time winner Mark Williams cruised into the second round of the Welsh Open with a 5-2 victory over Fergal O'Brien.The pair were tied at 2-2 at the interval with O'Brien drawing level with a break of 102 after Williams had won the third frame with a fluked blue. Welshman Williams then claimed the next two frames with superb century breaks of 102 and 112 to take a 4-2 lead. And Williams, who last won the tournament in 1999, closed out the game after winning a scrappy seventh frame. Williams wi…; Read more

O'Sullivan too good for Bingham

26/01/2010: Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Stuart Bingham 5-1 in a scrappy encounter to reach the second round of the Welsh Open.O'Sullivan cruised into a 3-0 lead but then lost his form when apparently on course to take the fourth frame. Bingham made it 3-1 but in frame five he missed a black when he only required the next yellow to make the frame safe. O'Sullivan cleared up to go 4-1 up and another Bingham error set him up for a spectacular winning break which ended with the white flying off the table. WELSH OPE…; Read more

Selby focused on Welsh Open glory

26/01/2010: Mark Selby says his joy at winning the Masters will quickly vanish if he loses his opening match at the Welsh Open.Selby stunned world number one Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final at Wembley last week, coming from 9-6 down to win 10-9. But the Leicester cueman, 26, who faces Judd Trump in the first round in Newport on Wednesday, said: "If I lose, the Masters will seem a long way away. "It was fantastic but wasn't a ranking event, so I've got to capitalise on my good form and put points on the boar…; Read more

Champion Carter through in Wales

25/01/2010: Defending champion Ali Carter eased into the second round of the Welsh Open with a 5-1 win over Mark Davis.Carter took the first frame with a 120 break and only needed a second-highest break of 57 to finish the job. Former world champion Peter Ebdon was whitewashed by Barry Hawkins, while world number nine Neil Robertson beat China's Liu Song 5-2. Widnes potter Andrew Higginson also reached the second round with a 5-2 win over world number eight Marco Fu. Qualifier Matthew Stevens reached the f…; Read more

Welshmen bid to improve home show

25/01/2010: Mark Williams and Ryan Day are bidding to improve "dire" displays by Welsh snooker stars at their home tournament.No Welshman has progressed into a Welsh Open semi-final since Dominic Dale was beaten by Ronnie O'Sullivan in 2004. Williams has won his home crown in 1996 and 1999 and was runner-up to three-time winner Stephen Hendry in 2003. "Over the last four or five years I think us Welsh players have let ourselves down and not progressed into the later rounds," Williams said. Current world nu…; Read more

Stevens targets top 16 in Wales

24/01/2010: Matthew Stevens has set his sights on breaking back into the world's top 16 with a good showing at the Welsh Open.The 2000 Masters winner, now 26th in the world, meets Englishman Barry Pinches in a qualifier on Monday for a place in the first round. Reigning champion Ali Carter opens his campaign against Mark Davis on Monday. Ronnie O'Sullivan begins against Stuart Bingham on Tuesday, while Masters champion Mark Selby starts his bid against Judd Trump on Wednesday. Jimmy White and Ken Doherty b…; Read more

Stevens set for Welsh qualifing

23/01/2010: Matthew Stevens faces a qualifier with Englishman Barry Pinches to become the fourth home hope at the Wales Open.The 2000 Masters winner, now 26th in the world, meets 52nd-ranked Pinches on Monday in a bid to face 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy in round one. Wales' best hope, world number six Ryan Day, plays Tony Drago on Tuesday while fellow countryman Dominic Day meets world number two Stephen Maguire. Ex-world number one Mark Williams faces Irishman Fergal O'Brien on Wednesday. Outsider Da…; Read more

Welsh Open wins new sponsor deal

22/01/2010: The Welsh Open will be sponsored by totesport.com in a one-year deal as Barry Hearn's impact on the sport continues to be felt.Hearn took over as World Snooker chairmen in December last year, and helped find a new sponsor for the Masters at Wembley in January. "It proves we're definitely moving in the right direction," said Hearn. "Having one of the biggest betting brands in the world sponsor the Welsh Open shows the appeal of snooker." Hearn added: "We've now got sponsors on board for four of …; Read more

Selby delight at Hendry 'scalp'

09/12/2009: By Jonny BryanThe Leicester star beat the seven-time world champion 9-5 and felt Hendry did not bring his top form to the table. But Selby told BBC Radio Leicester: "Obviously he is still a great scalp whether he is playing well or not. "Stephen played very well first session, but second session he didn't play as well as he is capable of." The 2008 Masters champion will now meet three-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan in the quarter-finals and Selby spoke highly of his opponent in the last …; Read more

UK Championship gets Pukka deal

12/11/2009: This year's UK Championship will be sponsored by Leicester-based food manufacturer Pukka Pies.The deal to back snooker's second biggest ranking event is initially for this year's tournament, which gets under way on 5 December in Telford. "It's a famous and successful British brand which makes it an apt sponsor for one of our biggest tournaments," said World Snooker boss Sir Rodney Walker. Pukka Pies replace electronics firm Maplin UK as the title sponsor. Snooker has faced a struggle to find s…; Read more

Rampant Robertson sees off Ding

11/10/2009: By Mark AshendenHis fourth title makes Robertson the most successful player from outside the British Isles in ranking tournaments. In an initially tight battle, he was 2-0 up after a 124 in the opener, then Ding led 3-2 with knocks of 80 and 112. Robertson levelled with 108 in the sixth and at 4-4 took an epic 58-minute ninth to edge ahead, before winning five straight frames as Ding wobbled. The 2006 Grand Prix champion's three previous final successes all came against men who were outside the…; Read more

Baby boy frees Carter for Glasgow

02/10/2009: The birth of son Max has ensured world number five Ali Carter a clean run at the weekend's Glasgow Grand Prix.The Welsh Open champion had expected to return home early from the Kelvin Hall event to attend the birth, but was surprised by Max's timely arrival. "I honestly thought I was going to be in Glasgow when I got the call and if so I had every intention to withdraw," he said. "Obviously I'd love to make it a double by winning in Glasgow." Fellow Englishman Robert Milkins will attempt to ove…; Read more