Selt takes the slow boat to China
Matthew Selt, the only survivor from Round One, beat Steve Davis 5-4 in an epic struggle, to book a match against John Higgins in Shanghai.
A day of high drama and high scoring in the Last 48 of the Shanghai Masters, ended with Matthew Selt potting the blue to secure a superb victory over Steve Davis.
The match fluctuated to and fro for nearly four hours, as Davis, the master tactician, first of all tied Selt up in knots, but then gifted him openings with unaccountable missed pots.
The pattern was set in a thirty-seven minute opener, which Davis stole on the pink. Selt returned the favour in the second.
The six times world champion, starting his 32nd season in the professional ranks, overturned a run of 52 by Selt in the third, taking the frame on the black. A colours clearance by Selt brought them level at the interval.
Selt opened with 45 in the next, but went in off twice before eventually winning another thrity-seven minute frame on the brown.
Davis found some fluency to take the next two frames, with 61 in the seventh, but Selt rattled in 105 to send the match into the decider.
Both players had decent chances and both squandered them, but Selt's efforts of 28 and 24 left Davis needing snookers and it was all over when Selt sank the blue.
"I'm really thrilled", said Selt. "It's the first time I will have qualified for the TV rounds of a tournament.
"It's the best I've ever felt in a match. The cameras and playing Steve, who's such a legend gave me a real buzz."
"I played shots I've never played before. Steve is the best of tacticians and I got sucked into it a bit.
"I'm 24 now, not 17 anymore, so I've really got to stand up and make it count this season."
Another former world champion, Graeme Dott, has been forced to come back to Pontin's to qualify, having suffered a slide down the rankings.
Dott was involved in another thrilling and high quality match against Jimmy Robertson, who, like Selt, had come through from round one.
Robertson carved out a 4-1 lead, with runs of 62 and 57, and that seemed to spur Dott into action, as the pocket dynamo fired in 113 and 72 to level the match.
The decider was close, both players knocked in thirties and it went down to the final colours. Dott forced the error and cleared blue to black for victory.
And now Dott will face Ronnie O'Sullivan in Shanghai. "I'll look forward to that match", commented Dott.
Rumours of damage to Dott's cue at an airport have proved unfounded. "I don't know where people get these stories", said the Scot.
"My cue was making a funny noise, so I've had a new one made."
So how hard is it for these stars to come back to their roots and play in the minefield of the qualifiers? "I don't intend to be here long. I either get back into the Top 16 or I'll pack it in", Dott declared.
"I haven't been here for 15 years." Dott's last visit was as a Junior on the Scottish team in the Home Internationals. So lost was Dott that he had to ask directions to the Tournament Office!
If anyone is is any doubt as to just how much these matches mean to the players, they only had to listen to Nigel Bond after his hard fought 5-4 win over Dominic Dale. Bond's scream of delight could have been heard all over Prestatyn!
And what a match it was. Dale contributed breaks of 83 and a 138 total clearance, while Bond countered with 52, 50 and 65.
Bond needed a snooker and a free ball in the decider to stay in the match. He got both and ended the nail-biting fifty-three minute frame by clearing blue to black.
Dale was doubly disappointed after the match to discover that his 138 wouldn't stand as the pre-tv high break, as due to Liang Wenbo's match being held over to Shanghai, today's Last 48 matches are deemed to be part of the tv stages of the tournament.
Northern Ireland rookie Jordan Brown, picked up the £500 pre-tv high break prize for his 129 made against Patrick Wallace in Round One.
