Murphy Exits But Shocks Prove Rare
Day one of the new 12Bet.com World Open saw 2005 world champion, Shaun Murphy head home after defeat to Dave Harold, but overall the new shortened format did not produce the shocks that it had been predicted to.
The Glasgow event is the first time in professional snooker history that world ranking points have been up for a grabs in best-of-five-frames matches.
Some of the game’s big names led by Stephen Hendry have expressed concerns that the shorter matches are “a leveller” and will give lesser players more of a chance.
World champion, Neil Robertson got the action underway at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in a re-run of the Crucible final earlier this year, against local favourite, Graeme Dott.
Shorter matches put a premium on mistakes so rather than the fast and furious matches which promoter, Barry Hearn had anticipated, the early exchanges were more cautious and defensive.
The Australian won the first two frames and when Dott required two snookers in the third, he looked set to book his place in the next round.
However, tenacious Dott got the snooker with a free-ball and cleared up to stay alive in the match.
Dott's stay of execution was a temporary measure as Robertson wrapped up victory with a 103 break in the fourth.
As well as the reduction in frames, the World Open also introduces a random FA Cup style draw, so the world champion will have to wait until 2pm on Sunday to find out his next opponent.
Another innovation is the one-table arena using a roll-on, roll-off format.
Fifteen minutes after the Robertson match was over, newly crowned Shanghai Masters champion, Allister Carter was in action against Thai youngster, Thepchaiya Un Nooh.
The former IBSF world champion shared the first two frames but Carter made his experience show by winning three-frames-to-one.
Next up was another home-favourite, Stephen Maguire against Stuart Pettman. The best match so far as both players a pair of 50-plus breaks each to force a deciding frame. The Preston potter looked on course to cause the first upset when on a break of 40. He broke down and once again, experience played a vital role and Maguire gave the local fans something to cheer.
Former world champions, Steve Davis and Peter Ebdon were next up.
Ebdon won a tight opening frame before adding the second with a highest break of 47. Davis rallied in the next and reduced the deficit to just one but Ebdon ran out the winner with a superb 94 in the next.
Seasoned campaigner, Dave Harold was delighted with his win, the first time he had beaten Murphy in major competition.
The Stoke potter carved out his victory by taking a tentative opening frame before preventing his opponent troubling the scorers further making breaks of 67 and 76 to get his name into the hat for Sunday’s draw.
