Fairy story or dream week for Thai Noppon Saengkham, 30 years previous, solely thirty second in the hierarchy, who on Thursday evening certified for the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix, in Cheltenham (England) by successful the Welshman Mark Williams, 47 years previous. previous, quantity seven in the hierarchy and three-time world champion (2000, 2003 and 2018), by 5-3, in the first sport of the ‘quarters’ to complete.
Three video games, three World champions defeated and sacred monsters of the most media variant of billiards went ‘to the mat’ in Cheltenham in three video games with a breeze at the fingers of the Asian sensation: in ’16avos’, he beat the Englishman that Mark Selby, quantity two in the rating and four-time world champion (2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021) by 4-1.
In the ‘eighth, and in the second match, Noppon Saenkham changed the title of event champion (2022), primary in the rating and seven instances world champion (2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 and 2022) , the Englishman Ronnie O’ Sullivan, 4-2. On this Thursday evening, ‘OkO’ additionally, in his fingers, ‘The Welsh Potting Machine’ (Mark Williams).
Ask for higher? Impossible. Found the feeling of the event. Three champions who collectively add as much as 14 world titles. And you will see the fourth world champion … the 2019, however solely at the finish, the 33-year-old Englishman Judd Trump.
So far, Saengkham has equaled his greatest efficiency on the circuit, reaching the semi-finals, his greatest report on the circuit, for the fifth time, having misplaced in the earlier 4 (World Six Reds in 2015/16, Open de Wales 2017/18 , World Open 2018/19 and British Open 2022/23).
Saengkham will now face North Irishman Mark Allen, 36 years previous, fifth in the hierarchy, on Friday, the twentieth of this month (7 pm), in the first semi-final, after the latter defeated the dwelling participant (born in Cheltenham ), the Englishman Jack Lisowski, 31 years previous, twelfth in the hierarchy, in ‘black’ (5-4) in one other match of the ‘quarters’ in the night session of this present day.
The World Grand Prix, the World Snooker’s 2023/24 season occasion reserved for the ‘high 16’ of the rating for a 12 months, will happen at The Centaur, grand corridor of the Cheltenham Racecourse (England) till the twenty second. (€434,137) in prizes, of which £100 thousand (€114,247) will go to the future champion and can be despatched to Portugal (EuroSport).
The final two matches of the ‘quarters’, on Friday, at 13:00 – Shaun Murphy towards Anthony McGill, and Judd Trump with Xiao Guodong will nonetheless be performed in the greatest of 9 partials: the first to win 5 goes to the ‘ half ‘ (5-0 to a attainable 5-4).
The semi-finals – and it ought to be famous that, if Allen and Noppon play the first on Friday evening, the second can be performed on Saturday evening (7 pm) – can be the greatest of 11 ‘frames’: they are going to go on to Sunday’s last was the first to win six frames (from 6-0 to a attainable 6-5).
The last of the World Grand Prix, on the twenty second of this month, can be performed in two periods (13 and 19 hours) with the greatest 19 ‘frames’: eight sections can be performed in the afternoon, and probably which continues to be 11 at evening. The first to win ten can be the champion (from 10-0 to a attainable 10-9).
Round of 16 (chosen in black):
Noppon Saengkham, Tai – Ronnie O’Sullivan, Eng, 4-2
Zhou Yuelong, Chn – Jack Lisowski, Ing2-4
Mark Allen, IrN – Joe O’Connor, Eng, 4-3
Mark Williams, Gal – Ding Junhui, Chn, 4-0
Xiao Guodong, Chn -Ryan Day, Gal, 4-1
Luca Brecel, Bel – Judd Trump, Ing0-4
Sam Craigie, Eng- Anthony McGill, Esc0-4
Kyren Wilson, Eng- Shaun Murphy, Ing2-4
Last quarter:
Mark Allen, IrN -Jack Lisowski, Eng, 5-4
Noppon Saengkham, Tai – Mark Williams, Gal, 5-3
Shaun Murphy, Eng – Anthony McGill, Esc (sixth, 1pm)
Judd Trump, Eng – Xiao Guodong, Chn (Friday, 1pm)
Semi finals:
Mark Allen, IrN – Noppon Saengkham, Tai (Friday, 7pm)
Shaun Murphy, Eng / Anthony McGill, Esc –Judd Trump, Eng / Xiao Guodong, Chn (Sat, 7pm)
.