Snooker Thread 2015/16

[Panda]

A month after the World Championship ended, the new snooker season got underway this week with qualifying for the Australian Open. This is one of the few tournaments left where the top 16 seeds qualify automatically, though quite a few of the top ranked players haven't entered.

These are the 16 who've come through qualifying:
Jack Lisowski
Ian Burns
Joel Walker
Andrew Higginson
Martin Gould
Gerard Greene
Mark Joyce
Matthew Selt
Mark King
Jamie Jones
Hossein Vafaei Ayouri
Ali Carter
Jamie Burnett
Ben Woollaston
Michael Georgiou
Fergal O'Brien

They join the 16 seeded players in the main tournament which starts on 29th June:
Judd Trump
Stuart Bingham
Mark Selby
Neil Robertson
Shaun Murphy
Joe Perry
Ricky Walden
Marco Fu
Mark Allen
John Higgins
Stephen Maguire
Robert Milkins
Michael White
Mark Davis
Xiao Guodong
Michael Holt


The first Asian Tour event is due to take place in China next week, ahead of the World Cup, starting on the 15th.

[-Big Dan-]

Willie Thorne has revealed that he is battling prostate cancer.

www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/snooker/snooker-legend-willie-thorne-reveals-5837711

I can't stand him as a commentator frankly, but obviously I hope he pulls through this.

[suedehead]

Jun 7, 2015 23:12:35 GMT 1 -Big Dan- said:

Willie Thorne has revealed that he is battling prostate cancer.

www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/snooker/snooker-legend-willie-thorne-reveals-5837711

I can't stand him as a commentator frankly, but obviously I hope he pulls through this.

Agreed on both counts.

[Panda]

World Cup starts tomorrow.

Monday's matches:

GROUP A
China 1 v India
Norway v Singapore
Malta v Austria

GROUP B
Hong Kong v Malaysia
Scotland v Iran
Brazil v Belgium

GROUP C
Australia v Qatar
Wales v Pakistan
Poland v Northern Ireland

GROUP D
England v Thailand
Ireland v China 2
UAE v Germany


All group matches are played over five frames (four singles and one doubles). The group standings are based on total frames won, with head-to-head used as a tie-breaker. In the knockout stages, all matches will be best-of-7.

[Panda]

Monday scores:

GROUP A
China 1 3-2 India
Norway 3-2 Singapore
Malta 5-0 Austria

GROUP B
Hong Kong 3-2 Malaysia
Scotland 4-1 Iran
Brazil 2-3 Belgium

GROUP C
Australia 3-2 Qatar
Wales 5-0 Pakistan
Poland 0-5 Northern Ireland

GROUP D
England 1-4 Thailand
Ireland 1-4 China 2
UAE 2-3 Germany


Tuesday's matches:

GROUP A
China 1 v Singapore
Norway v Malta
India v Austria

GROUP B
Hong Kong v Iran
Scotland v Brazil
Malaysia v Belgium

GROUP C
Australia v Pakistan
Wales v Poland
Qatar v Northern Ireland

GROUP D
England v China 2
Ireland v UAE
Thailand v Germany

[Panda]

Tuesday's scores:

GROUP A
China 1 5-0 Singapore
Norway 0-5 Malta
India 5-0 Austria

GROUP B
Hong Kong 3-2 Iran
Scotland 2-3 Brazil
Malaysia 0-5 Belgium

GROUP C
Australia 2-3 Pakistan
Wales 4-1 Poland
Qatar 1-4 Northern Ireland

GROUP D
England 3-2 China 2
Ireland 5-0 UAE
Thailand 3-2 Germany


Standings: (based on total frames won, head-to-head will be used as a tie-breaker)

GROUP A
1. Malta 10
2. China 8
--------------
3. India 7
4. Norway 3
5. Singapore 2
6. Austria 0

GROUP B
1. Belgium 8
2. Hong Kong 6
-----------------
2. Scotland 6
4. Brazil 5
5. Malaysia 3
6. Iran 2

GROUP C
1. Northern Ireland 9
1. Wales 9
-------------------
3. Australia 5
4. Pakistan 3
4. Qatar 3
6. Poland 1

GROUP D
1. Thailand 7
2. China 6
-------------------
3. Ireland 6
4. Germany 5
5. England 4
6. UAE 2


Wednesday's matches:

GROUP A
China 1 v Austria
Norway v India
Singapore v Malta

GROUP B
Hong Kong v Belgium
Scotland v Malaysia
Iran v Brazil

GROUP C
Australia v Northern Ireland
Wales v Qatar
Pakistan v Poland

GROUP D
England v Germany
China 2 v UAE
Ireland v Thailand

[Panda]

Wednesday's results:

GROUP A
China 1 5-0 Austria
Norway 0-5 India
Singapore 3-2 Malta

GROUP B
Hong Kong 2-3 Belgium
Scotland 4-1 Malaysia
Iran 1-4 Brazil

GROUP C
Australia 3-2 Northern Ireland
Wales 4-1 Qatar
Pakistan 2-3 Poland

GROUP D
England 4-1 Germany
China 2 5-0 UAE
Ireland 2-3 Thailand



Standings:

GROUP A
1. China 13
2. India 12
-----------------
2. Malta 12
4. Singapore 5
5. Norway 3
6. Austria 0

GROUP B
1. Belgium 11
2. Scotland 10
-----------------
3. Brazil 9
4. Hong Kong 8
5. Iran 4
6. Malaysia 3

GROUP C
1. Wales 13
2. Northern Ireland 11
------------------
3. Australia 8
4. Pakistan 5
5. Poland 4
5. Qatar 4

GROUP D
1. China 2 11
2. Thailand 10
-------------------
3. England 8
3. Ireland 8
5. Germany 6
6. UAE 2



Thursday's matches:

GROUP A
China 1 v Norway
India v Malta
Singapore v Norway

GROUP B
Hong Kong v Scotland
Malaysia v Brazil
Iran v Belgium

GROUP C
Australia v Poland
Wales v Northern Ireland
Pakistan v Qatar

GROUP D
England v UAE
China 2 v Thailand
Ireland v Germany

[Panda]

Thursday's results:

GROUP A
China 1 5-0 Norway
India 3-2 Malta
Singapore 2-3 Austria

GROUP B
Hong Kong 1-4 Scotland
Malaysia 1-4 Brazil
Iran 2-3 Belgium

GROUP C
Australia 4-1 Poland
Wales 4-1 Northern Ireland
Pakistan 4-1 Qatar

GROUP D
England 5-0 UAE
China 2 3-2 Thailand
Ireland 4-1 Germany


Standings:

GROUP A
1. China 18
2. India 15
------------------
3. Malta 14
4. Singapore 7
5. Austria 3
5. Norway 3

GROUP B
1. Belgium 14
1. Scotland 14
------------------
3. Brazil 13
4. Hong Kong 9
5. Iran 6
6. Malaysia 4

GROUP C
1. Wales 17
2. Australia 12
------------------
3. Northern Ireland 12
4. Pakistan 9
5. Poland 5
5. Qatar 5

GROUP D
1. China(2) 14
2. England 13
-------------------
3. Thailand 12
4. Ireland 12
5. UAE 7
6. Germany 2



Friday's matches:

GROUP A
China 1 v Malta
Norway v Austria
India v Singapore

GROUP B
Hong Kong v Brazil
Scotland v Belgium
Iran v Malaysia

GROUP C
Australia v Wales
Pakistan v Northern Ireland
Qatar v Poland

GROUP D
England v Ireland
China 2 v Germany
Thailand v UAE

[Panda]

Friday's results:

GROUP A
China 1 3-2 Malta
Norway 4-1 Austria
India 4-1 Singapore

GROUP B
Hong Kong 5-0 Brazil
Scotland 2-3 Belgium
Iran 4-1 Malaysia

GROUP C
Australia 2-3 Wales
Pakistan 4-1 Northern Ireland
Qatar 3-2 Poland

GROUP D
England 3-2 Ireland
China 2 5-0 Germany
Thailand 4-1 UAE



Standings:

GROUP A
1. China A 21
2. India 19
--------------------
3. Malta 16
4. Singapore 8
5. Norway 7
6. Austria 4

GROUP B
1. Belgium 17
2. Scotland 16
---------------------
3. Hong Kong 14
4. Brazil 13
5. Iran 10
6. Malaysia 5

GROUP C
1. Wales 20
2. Australia 14
---------------------
3. Pakistan 13
4. Northern Ireland 13
5. Qatar 8
6. Poland 7

GROUP D
1. China B 19
2. Thailand 16
---------------------
3. England 16
4. Ireland 14
5. Germany 7
6. UAE 3



Quarter-finals:
China A 1-4 Scotland
Belgium 1-4 India
Wales 4-1 Thailand
China B 4-2 Australia


Semi-finals: (semis and final take place on Sunday)
Scotland v India
Wales v China B

[Panda]

Semi-finals:
Scotland 4-3 India
Wales 3-4 China B

Final:
Scotland 1-4 China B


China's B team of Zhou Yuelong and Yan Bingtao beat Higgins and Maguire to win the World Cup.


Next up is the first ranking event of the season, the Australian Open, starting on the 29th.

[Panda]

Draw for the Australian Open, starting on Monday:

Wildcard round:
Matthew Selt v Ben Judge
Ben Woollaston v Adrian Ridley

1st round:
Judd Trump v Jack Lisowski
Xiao Guodong v Ian Burns
Stephen Maguire v Joel Walker
Ricky Walden v Andrew Higginson
Marco Fu v Martin Gould
Michael Holt v Gerard Greene
Mark Allen v Mark Joyce
Neil Robertson v Selt/Joyce
Mark Selby v Mark King
Mark Davis v Jamie Jones
Michael White v Hossein Vafaei Ayouri
Shaun Murphy v Ali Carter
Joe Perry v Jamie Burnett
Robert Milkins v Woollaston/Ridley
John Higgins v Michael Georgiou
Stuart Bingham v Fergal O'Brien

[Panda]

Australian Open results:

Wildcard round:
Matthew Selt 5-0 Ben Judge
Ben Woollaston 3-5 Adrian Ridley

1st round:
Judd Trump 5-0 Jack Lisowski
Xiao Guodong 3-5 Ian Burns
Stephen Maguire 5-0 Joel Walker
Ricky Walden 5-3 Andrew Higginson
Marco Fu 4-5 Martin Gould
Michael Holt 5-0 Gerard Greene
Mark Allen 2-5 Mark Joyce
Neil Robertson 4-5 Matthew Selt
Mark Selby 5-1 Mark King
Mark Davis 4-5 Jamie Jones
Michael White 5-3 Hossein Vafaei Ayouri
Shaun Murphy 4-5 Ali Carter
Joe Perry 5-3 Jamie Burnett
Robert Milkins 5-1 Adrian Ridley
John Higgins 5-2 Michael Georgiou
Stuart Bingham 4-5 Fergal O'Brien

2nd round:
Judd Trump 5-2 Ian Burns
Stephen Maguire 5-4 Ricky Walden
Martin Gould v Michael Holt
Mark Joyce v Matthew Selt
Mark Selby v Jamie Jones
Michael White v Ali Carter
Joe Perry v Robert Milkins
John Higgins v Fergal O'Brien

[Panda]

Australian Open 2nd round:
Judd Trump 5-2 Ian Burns
Stephen Maguire 5-4 Ricky Walden
Martin Gould 5-3 Michael Holt
Mark Joyce 4-5 Matthew Selt
Mark Selby 1-5 Jamie Jones
Michael White 5-4 Ali Carter
Joe Perry 5-3 Robert Milkins
John Higgins 5-1 Fergal O'Brien

Quarter-finals:
Judd Trump v Stephen Maguire
Martin Gould v Matthew Selt
Jamie Jones v Michael White
Joe Perry v John Higgins

[Panda]

Quarter-finals:
Judd Trump 1-5 Stephen Maguire
Martin Gould 5-1 Matthew Selt
Jamie Jones 5-4 Michael White
Joe Perry 3-5 John Higgins

Semi-finals:
Stephen Maguire v Martin Gould
Jamie Jones v John Higgins

[Panda]

Semi-finals:
Stephen Maguire 1-6 Martin Gould
Jamie Jones 4-6 John Higgins (Jones led 4-0, Higgins had four breaks over 89, including two centuries, in the last five frames)

[oasisbobo]

Great to see Higgins in another ranking final! Hopefully he can take the title tomorrow!

[Panda]

Even though he's closer to the end of his career now, I still always feel like he has another big year left in him and maybe even another world title. Could it be this year?

[Panda]

Australian Open final:
Martin Gould 8-9 John Higgins


Higgins' 27th ranking title, putting him joint-3rd on the all-time list with Ronnie and just one behind Steve Davis.

[ligerdog7]

thanks dude posting lists when next snoker bbc itv4 sky sports etc hows ronnyes playing along

I herd trying get snooker next

olympiks nuts

yooo

wufyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

upppg

g

[Panda]

There's a few tournaments on Eurosport in the next few months. The next one on ITV4 will be the Champion of Champions in November, followed by the UK Championship on BBC.