10-17 January 2010

Wembley, London, England

Schedule of Play & Results

The Final

Ronnie O'Sullivan 9 - 10 Mark Selby

1st Session: 35(35)-81, 90(56)-34(30), 86(86)-7, 122(122)-0, 101(101)-4, 0-83(83), 0-112(112), 74(54)-33(33)
2nd Session: 0-117(54,58), 114(92)-8, 0-136(136), 74(49)-41(37), 0-78(78), 137(41,89)-0, 91(91)-3, 25-92(62), 8-109(109), 67-78, 0-65(27,37)

2nd Session:

Frame 19: I'm nervous just sitting watching so I've no idea how the players are coping! First chance falls to Selby who has smacked a long red in to start a break. He's made 27 but lost position. O'Sullivan has cannoned the blue off his safety and let Selby in again. Selby's break moves to 37 and he leads 64-0, he needs one more red... and he's missed it but got a good white in baulk. Selby has doubled the red he needs. Mark Selby is this year's MASTER. What an amazing comeback

Frame 18: What drama! Selby leads 53-29 with 4 reds left and Ronnie has played a brilliant shot to leave Selby snookered by the baulk pocket cushion. Selby's hit a red at third attempt but he's left it on. The last 3 reds are on the cushion. Ronnie played brilliantly to get the three reds but he's missed the yellow and has fluked a snooker. Ronie leads 65-53. Selby escaped and has a snooker himself now. Miracle shot by Ronnie, escapes and puts Selby in all sorts of trouble. O'Sullivan has missed the green, a last gasp chance for Selby. He's held his nerve to clear up and we're going to a decider. It's no less than this match and fabulous event deserved.

Frame 17: The tension is mounting. A long safety exchange going on. Not a ball potted yet in this frame. Eventually Selby found a red and what a gutsy break he's made. That's probably the best century he'll ever make. Pink and Black out of use for most of the break and he's pulled another frame back.

Frame 16: Selby claws back one frame. A total miscalculation by Ronnie on an attempted plant left Mark in amongst the reds.

Frame 15: A dreadful safety shot by Selby left the white amongst the reds and that was the only invitation O'Sullivan needed. He stands one frame from victory now

Frame 14: A frame dominated by O'Sullivan. He opened with 41, lost position trying to stay on the black. But his safety was so good that Selby hit the black before a red and let O'Sullivan back in to clear up.

Frame 13: Back come the players for the culmination of this year's final. Selby is quick out of the block again. A poor break off by Ronnie left a long red on and Selby has produced yet another gritty frame winning contribution.

Frame 12: O'Sullivan regains his two frame lead at the final interval and Selby is left seething. He was nicely in the balls on 37 when he got a big bounce off the cushion and had no shot. O'Sullivan slotted a near miraculous red to centre and made 49 before dumping Selby in a snooker.

Frame 11: It's one visit snooker at the moment, a poor break off by O'Sullivan, a good red to get started and a total clearance from Selby.

Frame 10: Selby could be left rueing a missed red down the rail with the rest. He potted a blistering red to get in, the white was tight under the baulk cushion. But he left Ronnie in and he's cleared the table with 92 to regain his two frame advantage.

Frame 9: A solid frame by Selby. O'Sullivan caught the brown with his safety, Selby slotted a long red and made 54 before tucking the cue ball up behind the brown. O'Sullivan missed his escape and Selby has cleared up.

First Session:

Frame 8: Ronnie takes a 5-3 lead into tonight's final session. But Selby will be kicking himself. He ran out of position on 33, let Ronnie in, who made 54 before missing pink to centre. Selby had a chance but missed the yellow and O'Sullivan cleared to blue.

Frame 7: Selby has left Ronnie scoreless again. Another one visit frame winning century. If Selby hadn't missed an easy black the last frame we'd have had 4 tons on the spin. High quality match.

Frame 6: All Selby and a great response after sitting out two centuries by O'Sullivan

Frame 5: Another imperious century from O'Sullivan

Frame 4: Ronnie has flown through the fourth to lead 3-1 at the interval with a brilliant century. He's looking in very good form now, Selby will have to find something when they resume.

Frame 3: O'Sullivan potted a delicate cut red to the corner, landed perfectly on the black and won the frame in one visit.

Frame 2: Selby had a great chance to punish O'Sullivan for a poor positional shot but only made 30. He then went in off and let Ronnie in to make 56. Selby got the snooker he needed but left the red on and Ronnie cleared up.

Frame 1: Selby takes the opener. Chances for both players. O'Sullivan lost ideal position on 35 and missed a red. Selby also lost position only 25 but laid a good snooker. Another good safety by Selby forced an error out of Ronnie and Selby mopped up the last two reds.

Semi Finals

Stephen Maguire 3-6 Mark Selby
4-78(46), 75(36)-8, 25-69(38), 140(140)-0, 8-120(84), 99(99)-0, 0-91(91), 7-77(51), 0-93(38,55)

Frame 9: Selby books his place in his third consecutive final. A missed long red and poor safety by Maguire let Selby in for the two visits he needed to clinch the match.

Frame 8: Maguire hit a safety shot far too thick and Selby's 51 secures a 5-3 lead.

Frame 7: Punch and counter punch. Maguire hit a long red attempt hard and it hit the pocket and bounced back up the table. Selby has taken full advantage to regain the lead.

Frame 6: This match is coming to the boil now. Maguire's turn to make a frame winning break.

Frame 5: It's odd how a player can pot a marvellous long ball and then miss the easier shot, but that's what Maguire did and Selby closed out the frame.

Frame 4: All square at the interval. A bit for both players to think about at the interval. Maguire's safety hasn't been the best so far but nothing wrong with his break building as Selby missed a long red and Maguire rattled in an excellent 140 break which equals the week's best.

Frame 3: Selby takes the frame. A useful mid frame 38 did the damage. Earlier he got Maguire 'chinesed' over the green. Two fouls and a warning before Maguire managed to hit the reds and he got them safe too. This match hasn't really taken off yet.

Frame 2: Maguire levels. A snooker forced two fouls from Selby and left Maguire a red and he did enough to take the frame.

Frame 1: First blood to Selby who looked very good amongst the balls. Maguire missed a couple of long red attempts.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-5 Mark Williams
0-107(107), 22-85(35), 93(86)-43(36), 99(99)-0, 63(39)-10, 0-132(132), 73(60)-27, 1-82(78), 14-96(96), 75(67)-15, 73(30,32)-37(32)

Frame 11: Here we go. Into a final frame shoot out. What a simply brilliant match this has been, of the very highest standard. Desperate bad luck for O'Sullivan. He split the pack off the pink and knocked two reds in. Williams has a chance 25 behind. The Welshman made 32 but missed a red to centre. O'Sullivan is back at the table. Williams needs two snookers on the blue. It's all over. Ronnie is through. One of the all time classic matches.

Frame 10: O'Sullivan has made a superb 67. Williams needs snookers with only 59 on. We should be heading to a decider.

Frame 9: A rare missed red by O'Sullivan was the only invitation Williams needed. He's made another brilliant break to win the frame and go 5-4 ahead.

Frame 8: A brilliant response by Williams and what a great match we've got on now. O'Sullivan knocked the brown clean off the table attempting it with power and Williams stepped in with 78.

Frame 7: O'Sullivan regains the lead. Williams lost position on 26 and went for a tough red and gifted O'Sullivan an opening to make 60. He missed a red but Williams didn't mount a come back.

Frame 6: Quite a long safety exchange to start the frame. Williams got the better of it and then produced a brilliant century break to level the match.

Frame 5: Two errors by Williams gave O'Sullivan the two chances he needed to take the lead for the first time.

Frame 4: A poor break off by Williams and O'Sullivan has made a frame winning break from it. 2-2 at the interval.

Frame 3: Williams played such a bad safety that he missed the red completely and O'Sullivan cleared the table.

Frame 2: Williams goes further ahead. Only a brace of thirties but he left O'Sullivan needing snookers. He did get one brilliant snooker behind the black but Williams' escape was equally good.

Frame 1: An amazing start by Williams. Ronnie missed a speculative long red to the yellow bag, Williams slotted a similar red to the green pocket and he's whistled through the frame with a brilliant break.

Quarter Finals

Mark Selby 6-5 Mark Allen

51-42, 68(67)-18, 139(46,93)-0, 8-120(114), 1-82(82), 52(52)-72(36), 63(50)-20, 16-85(52), 6-82(40), 66-25, 63-17

Frame 11: It looks very like Mark Selby has repeated last year's result to win 6-5. He's 61 up with 51 on, but Mark Allen will battle on. But to no avail as Selby gets the red. A brilliant match, played in a superb spirit.

Frame 10: We're going to a decider. That frame was a tale of lost position and important snookers. Both players missed chances but in the end Allen missed the last red and left it on.

Frame 9: This could be a long frame. The balls have gone very awkward. The yellow is the nearest colour to the black spot, pink is tied up and everything else is down the baulk end. More good banter when Allen snookered Selby at the start of the frame and after the Jester missed it three times, Allen came over and put his arm round him to console him! He got it perfect at the fourth attempt and did a war dance of delight around the arena! This match is not only very high stand, it's great fun as well. These boys are really putting a smile back onto the face of snooker.

Mark Allen goes ahead for the first time in the match and what a crucial time to do it. He's now 5-4 up. Selby made a few errors and Allen did the rest.

Frame 8: This has built up into a real thriller now. Anything Selby can do, back comes Allen and does it too. Selby played a bad safety and let Allen in to clear up.

Frame 7: Selby stops Allen's run. Allen missed a very tricky red using both the spider and the rest on top and Selby stepped in to make 50.

Frame 6: It's really game on now. Selby won the first three and Allen has come right back to win the next three. A good 36 clearance there after Selby missed a red on 52.

Frame 5: We're having a re-rack after the white got nestled in amongst the reds. Good chit chat between the two players going on. A very good spirit and the crowd are enjoying it and referee Michaela Tabb is struggling to keep a straight face at times. Mark Selby missed his first colour and Allen served up a brilliant 82, prevented from another possible ton by a kick.

Frame 4: Mark Allen will feel a lot happier as they head off to the interval. A superb break to get him into the match.

Frame3: Even better for Selby as he leaves Allen scoreless in his chair and clinches the frame in two visits with breaks of 46 and and a 93 clearance.

Frame 2: A far better frame, a good 67 by Selby.

Frame 1: A very scrappy opener but Mark Selby steals it. As they both missed shots Selby tossed a coin with Allen as to who would win the frame, much to the enjoyment of the audience!

Quarter Final 3

Stephen Maguire 6-1 Ryan Day

72(50)-25, 20-65(37), 83(55)-37, 67-66,98-26 62-53 (62) 76-46 (61)

Frame 7: Day spurned another good chance and Maguire came back from 46 behind to clinch the match with 61.

Frame 6: More mistakes from Day, who is having a nightmare afternoon. Nicely in the balls, he broke down on 44 and Maguire produced an excelled 62 clearance to the pink.

Frame 5: Maguire's form has improved slightly but Day's hasn't It took Maguire three visits of small contributions to seal the frame.

Frame 4: I think both players will head to the practice table! Day missed the yellow and Maguire cleared the colours, but it was another dire frame.

Frame 3: Maguire struggles over the line after a litany of errors from both players. It can only get better!

Frame 2: Again not the prettiest of frames with errors from both players, but Day made 37 and that was enough.

Frame 1: A scrappy opener as the balls went awkward. Maguire won it thanks to a 50 break but Ryan Day had all the bad running, he twice went into the reds and landed on nothing, then got a thumping kick on a colour and finally went into the reds again and went in off.

Quarter Final 2

Mark Williams 6-4 Shaun Murphy

43(43)-85(57), 76(76)-42(42), 109(53,56)-8, 75(71)-14, 86(62)-16, 0-100(100), 38-93(57), 0-103(97), 71(63)-32

Frame 10: Mark Williams wins a quite brilliant match. Valiant rearguard by Murphy but 63 from Williams took him to the snookers required stage.

Frame 9: Another brilliant break by Murphy off the back of a stunning red, and he's still in the match, in fact it's anyone's now.

Frame 8: Shaun Murphy pulled out a death or glory long blue to keep his break going and stay in the match. He followed that with a long pink and cleared up. He had been staring defeat in the face when he twice missed the thin edge of a red during a safety exchange, but he won the safety battle to earn his chance.

Frame 7: A frame with a few twists and turns. Murphy had the first chance but let Williams him. He made 31. Murphy added another 20 points but a good snooker by Williams gave him the chance to clear the last two reds and go 5-2 ahead.

Frame 6: Murphy has bounced back with a brilliant frame winning century break

Frame 5: Williams has a grip on the match at the moment. A run of 62 is enough to stretch his lead to 4-1

Frame 4: This is vintage Williams. The Welshman looks to be back to his best form. A smooth run of 75 gives him a 3-1 lead at the interval.

Frame 3: Williams got in first, made 53 before missing a very easy pink to the centre. Murphy missed an attempted plant and then went for an ambitious red and Williams cleared up

Frame 2: A class clearance by Williams. Murphy missed a red with the rest on 42 and the Welshman cleared with 76. Good stuff.

Frame 1: Murphy started very confidently. A good red from a poor break off by Williams, but he missed the black on 57. Williams countered with 43 before letting Murphy back in.

Quarter Final 1

Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-3 Peter Ebdon

92(92)-34, 76(53)-19, 95(74)-0, 97(55,32)-22, 37-70(34), 62(54)-73(38), 97(53,44)-12, 1-65(37), 106(106)-32

Frame 9: Ebdon couldn't keep O'Sullivan at bay for ever. He lost position on 32 and O'Sullivan cleared up in style to book his semi final place.

Frame 8: Ebdon hangs on by his fingertips. He made 37 but missed a red and left Ronnie a chance. He missed the black and Ebdon clinched the frame.

Frame 7: Ronnie regains the upper hand although Ebdon did have a chance after a good opening red but over cut a red and let Ronnie in to make another 50 plus and a poor safety from Ebdon let the defending champion in to clear up.

Frame 6: A gutsy frame by Ebdon. He was 43 behind with 43 on. He forced two fouls from O'Sullivan from a good snooker and got a free ball. Then calmly cleared with 38 to take it on the black.

Frame 5: Ebdon breaks his duck. Some astute safety and an amzing fluke on the last red sees him over the line.

Frame 4: Again Ebdon had chances in this frame. Ronnie broke down 55 ahead. Ebdon only made 21 before missing and he's 4-0 down at the interval

Frame 3: No chance for Ebdon in the third. Ronnie dropped a red to centre at dead weight and made 74 to leave Ebdon needing snookers.

Frame 2: First chance again to Ebdon but he only made 19. A good safety by O'Sullivan forced the error and he made 53 from the leave.

Frame 1: Two good chances for Ebdon but he only mustered 34 points and O'Sullivan cleared with 92.

Round One

Ryan Day 6-0 Joe Perry
82(52)-24, 74(67)-16, 68(66)-29, 74(53)-27, 74(48)-6, 81-45(45)

John Higgins 3-6 Mark Allen
71-53, 0-77(69), 0-73(46), 16-73, 70(39)-46(41), 6-124(51,73), 87(63)-47, 1-69, 0-108(49,57)

Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-4 Neil Robertson
1-78(65), 0-102(101), 68(63)-74(34,34), 114(114)-3, 70(57)-36, 87(87)-0, 79(49)-19, 0-140(140), 106(106)-14, 80(76)-8

Allister Carter 3-6 Mark Williams
0-98(98), 125(99)-0, 72(71)-8, 0-102(102), 3-66(48), 98(98)-0, 21-63, 22-46

Shaun Murphy 6-4 Stephen Hendry
78(59)-50, 0-114(114), 4-79(79), 73(61)-6, 66(36)-25, 81(81)-0, 0-104(104), 106(106)-0, 43-70(38), 62-41

Stephen Maguire 6-3 Mark King
55-63, 17-97(78), 63-18, 121(121)-9, 54(45)-66(51), 59-56, 78(78)-37, 92(87)-5, 93(82)-22

Mark Selby 6-1 Ding Junhui

59(36)-16, 66(60)-42(42), 69(45)-1, 97(54)-4, 94(64)-26, 58(53)-60(38c), 75(49)-48

Marco Fu 2-6 Peter Ebdon

81-1, 83(59)-18, (42)49-60, 52-60(47), 23-82(66), 21-71(63), 29-66(45), 0-93(93)

Wildcard Round

Mark King 6-2 Jimmy White
62-27, 58(56)-62, 72(64)-15, 68(56)-46(38), 27-65(48), 57(56)-16, 101(85)-29, 71(38)-41

Mark Williams 6-2 Rory McLeod
66(45)-21, 55(46)-66(36), 71(56)-40, 57-61, 102(64)-14, 58-55

All matches up to and including the Semi Finals will be best of 11 frames and the Final will be best of 19 frames (8/11).

Century Breaks

140 Neil Robertson

140 Stephen Maguire

136 Mark Selby

132 Mark Williams

122 Ronnie O'Sullivan

121 Stephen Maguire

114 Stephen Hendry

114 Ronnie O'Sullivan

114 Mark Allen

112 Mark Selby

109 Mark Selby

107 Mark Williams

106 Shaun Murphy

106 Ronnie O'Sullivan

104 Stephen Hendry

102 Mark Williams

101 Neil Robertson

101 Ronnie O'Sullivan

100 Shaun Murphy

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