Defending Champion Allen Storms Through
Defending champion Mark Allen produced a dominant display to ease past Mark Davis 6-1 in their last 32 clash at the International Championship in Daqing.
Northern Ireland’s Allen looks to be in superb touch this week. The 33-year-old’s win today is a third successive 6-1 victory in the event.
Last year Allen put on a break building masterclass in claiming the title, with 14 centuries throughout the tournament. He displayed impressive scoring form again today, composing runs of 101, 64, 63, 54, 56 and 64 on his way to the win. The Pistol will face Ali Carter in the last 32, who came through a 6-3 winner against Kurt Maflin.
World Champion Judd Trump is just one match away from becoming world number one for the first time since March 2013 after a hard fought 6-4 win over Scott Donaldson.
The Ace in the Pack won his maiden Crucible title back in May with a stunning 18-9 demolition of John Higgins in the World Championship final.
He is now within one match win of taking Ronnie O’Sullivan’s place at the top of the world rankings, with the Rocket having not entered this week. Next up for Trump is a meeting with Joe Perry in the last 16.
2006 World Champion Graeme Dott came from 3-0 down to beat 2015 Crucible king Stuart Bingham 6-3.
Scotland’s Dott admits that a fist pump from Bingham when he claimed the third frame acted as a catalyst for the fightback.
Dott said: “When he won the third frame on the black, he punched the air and that gave me a gee-up that I didn’t think I was going to get. Until that moment I was kind of accepting my fate that it was going to be one of those games for me. At 3-0 up in a first to six I thought it was a little bit strange. There is nothing wrong with it. It helped me though.”
Triple Crown winner Shaun Murphy held off a spirited fightback from teenage Riga Masters champion Yan Bingtao to come through a 6-4 victor.
The Magician had stormed to a 5-0 advantage, restricting his opponent to just eight points in the process. However, Yan battled back to trail by just a single frame at 5-4 before Murphy got himself over the line.
Victory for Murphy acts as a significant boost to his chances of staying in the world’s top 16 and qualifying for the Shanghai Masters, with the ranking cut off at the end of this week’s event.
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Mark Selby, twice a winner of the International Championship, produced an impressive display to see off fellow Leicester cueman Ben Woollaston 6-3. While China’s top player Ding Junhui thrashed compatriot Xiao Guodong 6-1.
Neil Robertson edged out Ricky Walden 6-5 in a thrilling contest and John Higgins defeated Elliot Slessor 6-3 to progress.