UK Championship (2011) - Day 3

Trump is to meet O'Sullivan

The flukes continued to happen during the third day of this year's UK Championship so I suggest renaming the event as "The UK's fluke tournament". 

One of those who have benefited from an outrageous fluke was Judd Trump, the Bristol boy sending a red into a pocket by mistake, red that signed his comeback into the match against Dale and was partially the reason of his 6-4 victory over the Welshman.

On the other hand, we've also had a qualifier who saw off a Top 16 player, the second one after Marco Fu defeated Stuart Bingham 6-4. This time, it was Ricky Walden's turn, the 2008 Shanghai Masters champion managing to beat "The Bulldog" Stephen Lee 6-3.

Dom not quite there yet

As I said before, Trump can give his thanks for a fluked red brought him back into the match. Although the battle with Dominic Dale saw a very equilibrated action of the cues, the interval finding them at 2-2, after that Judd seemed to lose his focus and ended up being lead 4-2.

Dominic used breaks of 33, 41 and 61 to build a two frames advantage, while Trump was all over the place. But then it happened: a fluked red was going to help Juddy build himself a nice and steady 83 and pull back one frame. And that was not all, for it also helped the lad to break out of that dark zone he was in.

Runs of 53, 54 and 62 were enough to win the match 6-4, his next snooker meeting being with the one and only Ronnie O'Sullivan. If you remember well, these two met last during PTC 9 final, when Judd beat Ronnie 4-3. So ... what's going to be? The "new" Ronnie or the "old" one, who's going straight to the quarter-finals?

Mark Allen books himself a place in the Last 16

At the other table Mark Allen was seeing Adrian Gunnell in a match where the qualifier did his best to win as many frames as possible. Sadly for Adrian he could only get three.

Breaks of 77, 56 and 91 were putting Allen 3-1 in front at the interval, after the 15-minutes break the proud of Northern Ireland extending his lead at 4-1 with a 73.
However, Gunnell found the strength to pull back a frame, but Allen restored the two frames difference after clearing with a 68 during the 7^th frame.

The suspense was being prolonged by Gunnell's series of 24 and 46 that were making him trail 5-3, but "The Pistol" was sure to put an end to the battle of cues with a top break of 47. A final result of 6-3 and Allen is to see Ali Carter in the next round.

Walden causes the 2nd upset of the tournament

The evening session was going to bring the second upset of this tournament, a qualifier (aka. Ricky Walden) seeing off a Top 16 player (aka. Stephen Lee).

As in the majority of the previous matches the interval found the boys all square up at 2-2, a situation that was going to continue after the break with a 3-3 scoreline written on the board (Lee hit a 92 in the process, while Walden used a great 103 to draw level). 
However, that was everything that Lee could do for Walden fired in breaks of 98 and 54 for a clear victory of 6-3 and a Last 16 spot.

Not a good day for Stephen Lee

The last man to get over the bridge was Mark Williams, the Welshman defeating Joe Jogia after a very hard fought battle of cues.

Breaks of 75 and 74 were putting Williams 3-1 in front, while a classic 79 was extending his lead at 4-2 after the interval.

But something happened (Mark Williams statement says that "his legs fell off") and "The Welsh Potting Machine" started to miss easy balls. So easy that his opponent couldn’t' stay and watch, so he took advantage levelling the match at 4-4.

Williams struggled, but managed to get through

It was clear now that Williams was struggling to keep the fluency of his game, but as a true professional that he is, he managed to hit in runs of 52 and 66 and beat Jogia 6-4 for a meeting with Ricky Walden in the Last 16. A meeting that brings back memories, for as Williams says “I watched Ricky Walden playing tonight and he looks like he's playing well. He beat me in the PTC event last week so I know it won't be easy".

Below you can check Day 3 list of results:






Today the Last 16 round starts with:

12.30pm



7pm


*all hours are UK time

TV coverage:







You can watch the lads on action also online, at www.sportlemon.tv or by visiting mypremium.tv