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Key events
“‘The WUmerang’” returns Andrew Goudie on a nickname for our leader. “He keeps coming back.”
I’m not sure this one works syntactically: Wu “The Wumerang” Yize is a bit like Mervyn “The King” King.
Shaun Murphy 5-7 Wu Yize Another red to Wu, making things even harder for Shaun, and he really needs the next frame to stick with the accelerating young genius. That’ll be easier said than done, and we’ll see if the interval affects momentum; see you in 15.
Shaun Murphy 5-6 Wu Yize (0-63) With 67 remaining, Wu plays for the black, just above the top cushion, and it’s frame-ball, so he goes at it softly, giving it every chance to drop, then plays safe with Shaun needing a snooker to tie.
Shaun Murphy 5-6 Wu Yize (0-33) Running out of position, Wu plays safe but playing without side, clips a stray ball, leaving a taxing mid-ranger … that Shaun wobbles into the jaws of left corner and out. So Wu sees it away, deliberately bumping a nearby red to stay in the middle of the table. From here, though pink and black are out of commission, he’’s a really good chance of winning the frame with blues.
Shaun Murphy 5-6 Wu Yize (0-13) A third-red break and a red left to left corner, perhaps for the first time in the tournament. The ball, though, still needs potting, and Wu steers home nicely, then sets about the table.
Shaun Murphy 5-6 Wu Yize Increasingly, it looks like we’re in for an arse-nipper. Let’s hope so.
Shaun Murphy 4-6 Wu Yize (73-35) Wu closes the gap, then puts the red near the blue and white behind the black; it’s not the hardest escape and Shaun deals with it easily enough. Soo n after, he nails a starter and this match is now of a standard.
Shaun Murphy 4-6 Wu Yize (72-0) Shaun secures the frame, and Ru will be wuing Wu will be ruing his poor break-off. Oh, but Shaun misses to middle so, with two snookers required, Wu returns to the table.
Shaun Murphy 4-6 Wu Yize (46-0) Very quickly, Shaun accumulates, both players now in flow. Consequently, neither dare miss.
Shaun Murphy 4-6 Wu Yize (15-0) A poor break from Wu leaves a starter to middle, Shaun quickly opens the pack, and this is a chance for him to establish his presence in the session.
Shaun Murphy 4-6 Wu Yize The pink stays out of both yellow and green pockets, leaving the break high and dry on 97 … then zooms around the angles and drops into right-centre! It’s all coming up Wu!
Shaun Murphy 4-5 Wu Yize (16-73) In comms, Uncle Joe rhapsodises Wu’s creativity in dealing with the last three reds, and rightly so. He’s started the session beautifully.
Shaun Murphy 4-5 Wu Yize (16-58) This is really good from Wu, the situation now assimilated into his sense of self, thus allowing his talent to take over. The last three reds aren’t as easy to access as the others, but he should find a way.
Shaun Murphy 4-5 Wu Yize (16-24) A fine blue to the yellow pocket is followed by an oblique red to the centre, then a cut-back black just about drops after thinking long and hard about stopping out. But still, Wu isn’t in prime position, slumping over the table to get at the next ball, and now he’s set.
Shaun Murphy 4-5 Wu Yize (16-9) Looking to dig into the pack, Shaun misses everything, so it’s back to baulk with a safety … but not for long, the white left short for Wu to punch in an opener. This time, the reds are nicely spread, so if he can keep a hold of the white, the frame is there for him.
Shaun Murphy 4-5 Wu Yize (8-3) Wu rattles a starter into left corner, and if he’s now over last evening, he’s in a great spot. Of course, as I type, adrenaline kicks in and he gives the white a little too much off the yellow, coming down the table with a safety … that allows Shaun to unload, a terrific opener earning him a chance to score. The pack will need attention, but there are some loose reds there to be going on with.
Shaun Murphy 5-4 Wu Yize No ton, but Wu is into the session.
Shaun Murphy 4-4 Wu Yize (1-67) Wu secures the frame and is now in search of a century. This has been a better break than any he made in racking up a 3-0 lead.
Shaun Murphy 4-4 Wu Yize (1-54) Back to the break, Angles noted before we started that Shaun’s gone third red 27 times, and on not one occasion has his opponent potted first go – though I guess it’d also help to know how many times they’ve taken a shot on, because they might just be cueing poorly. Anyroad up, Wu gets the pack open, the runs out of position; will he really attempt an oblique cut-back to middle? You betcha, and from here, the frame should be his.
Shaun Murphy 4-4 Wu Yize (1-9) The crowd are warned about phones – there was all sorts of noise during the first session – and breaking off, Wu shows why Shaun now targets the third red, hitting the bottom one and leaving a starter. Still, they’ve got to be dispatched and El Mago nails his pot, then … misses brown to middle, huffing about something. Wu, though, isn’t bothered and quickly gets to work.
Our players are ready to emerge, so here we go.
Evening all; we go again!
Shaun Murphy and Wu Yize finish the first session of the final level at 4-4
Shaun Murphy 4-4 Wu Yize It took both men a whole to get going, but they’re there now and I’m sure both are satisfied with 4-4. I can’t wait to see how things unfold this evening and happily there’s not long to go – we get going again just after 7pm, so I’ll be with you just before then. But until then, thanks for your company and comments; peace out.
Shaun Murphy 4-3 Wu Yize (32-67) Shaun lays his snooker, the escape is good enough., and though he’d rather keep a red on the table, hoping for a free ball, he opts to pot it then, seeking a snooker on the yellow, instead leaves a tickle to middle … which Wu sorts competently. We’re going to end a terrific session level.
Shaun Murphy 4-3 Wu Yize (24-65) Our players chase the final red, the situation compounded by the black, still over right corner. Shaun needs two snookers.
“I don’t know about The Surgeon,” writes David Wall, “but if he’s involved in any more frames where no balls are potted for almost an hour then The Anaesthetist might be more appropriate. Though perhaps Ebdon has already taken that.”
Shaun Murphy 4-3 Wu Yize (24-65) Wu goes at a long one, it doesn’t go in, and Shaun tidies, also from range, but again, doesn’t quite get his cannon. No matter: he goes again with a green across the table, and this time it not only moves but stops over left corner. The final red is on the right side, but he’s not got the angle to drop on it off the black, and when he leaves it on the lip, he needs two snookers.
Shaun Murphy 4-3 Wu Yize (19-65) Shaun has a go at the red off a black, the other two left stuck under the pink … and he gets close, but it remains where it is, so it’s a safety, seeking to develop balls … and has he left a plant? It’s frame-ball and Wu tries for it, but it’s not dead set and won’t drop, so on we go.
Shaun Murphy 4-3 Wu Yize (1-65) Not necessarily. A poor positional shot means he must jab over the black to send a red to which he’s dead close all the way down the table to the green bag … oh that’s very nice. But dare he take on a black to middle, keeping the mxi bid going, from the top rail? You know the answer to that, problem being he’s not that close, hitting the near jaw, and having offered an opener in the process, he’ll be concerned – though the red marooned on the side will be giving him life.
Shaun Murphy 4-3 Wu Yize (0-41) Lovely from Wu, sending a message to Shaun and the rest of us too: he’s here to win and he can handle the pressure …. but can he see out the frame? He’s still on a maxi, by the way.
Shaun Murphy 4-3 Wu Yize (0-17) It’s worth noting that, despite his scoring, Shaun hasn’t played no-miss snooker these last few frames – he’s needed a few chances and Wu’s had a few too. And immediately in this frame, a tester: will he attempt a long red knowing what might happen if he misses? You know the answer to that, and he flows it home beautifully, soon keeps the run going with a delicate black, and this is good work, a 147 still on.
Shaun Murphy 4-3 Wu Yize An 85, a 98, a 77 and a 109. Lovely behaviour from Shaun, who has now taken four frames on the spin.
Shaun Murphy 3-3 Wu Yize (103-1) An oblique yellow, punched from mid-range into its own pocket, raises the ton, Shaun’s tenth of the competition, and underlines just how nicely he’s playing now.
Shaun Murphy 3-3 Wu Yize (65-1) Before long, Wu needs snookers, and though he’d love the next frame, he’ll be delighted there’s only one to come in the knowledge that even if he loses it, he’s in an acceptable position from which to regroup and come again this evening.
Shaun Murphy 3-3 Wu Yize (44-1) Seeking a thin contact, Wu tries a roll-up, but he leaves an opener, and he’ll be a way behind when he next gets a go, I shouldn’t wonder.
Shaun Murphy 3-3 Wu Yize (9-1) Wu will be hearing John Williams’ legendary score as Shaun clips in another opener, adding the green, but, confident enough to go at a long red, he doesn’t get that close, not playing the kind of snooker that occasionally sees him eviscerate top players – as he did to Kyrizzle Wilson in Xian, for example. So Wu caresses home a cut-back, shot, snicks blue to middle … and runs off it into right corner. He doesn’t though, leave anything, so here comes a rare safety exchange.
Shaun Murphy 3-3 Wu Yize An 85, a 98 and a 77. Shaun’s momentum is building and when he’s feeling himself, there are few better – ever to have played the game.
Shaun Murphy 2-3 Wu Yize (63-24) To those asking, yes it is David Seaman in the photo at the top, and he’s presumably enjoying Shaun trotting through the balls once more. He’s not at his best yet, but he’s near enough to make himself a problem. Wu would, I imagine, be very happy to take one the two frames remaining this afternoon.
Shaun Murphy 2-3 Wu Yize (20-24) Ach, a pretty straightforward cut-back black – off its spot – stays on the lip, but then Wu misses the same ball to the same bag. Surely Shaun won’t let him away with that?
“It’s a pleasure to fire up the MBM (FBF?) for what is invariably one of the great sporting events in the calendar, writes Jim Crane. Nostalgia-driven? Perhaps – but what is professional sports-watching if not the most reliable of friends, always there when we turn to it, together through life (any excuse to continue the Dylan riff).
Funny you should mention the commentary conundrum. Who wouldn’t want to listen to Stephen Hendry’s thoughts on snooker? But – sacrilege as it may be – some of the Beeb lads could do with a bit of a refresh. And yes, Joe Johnson on TNT is simply a wonderful and unintrusive soundtrack to the main event – knows his onions, but never confuses himself for a lead protagonist (take note Mr Walker). Anyway, positive thoughts, this has the makings of an epic. Avanti!”
Oh, I love Uncle Joe, and how much he loves the game. But Dominc Dale is also excellent, so too Steven Hallworth and the currently-on Nealf.
Shaun Murphy 2-3 Wu Yize (5-23) Oh, but he soon runs out of position, a loose shot frustrating him so much he tries a double … and misses. Knowing when to call it quits, and feeling no ill will, is a crucial skill for a snooker player – Wu would do well to watch a bit of Mark J Williams, the most equanimous man ever invented – doing well to leave nowt. For all the good it does him, Shaun creaming a beauty from right side to left corner, and though he’ll need to deal with the pack sometime soon, he’s in for what is a serious smack-laying opportunity.
Shaun Murphy 2-3 Wu Yize (0-17) The Surgeon is so good from range, and he scythes a longun straight into left corner, then just about wobbles another down right-centre. He could do with a decent run to help him settle – despite the three frames won, he’s not really at it yet – and the hope is we’re on the cusp of that elusive peak: both players playing well simultaneously.
Shaun Murphy 2-3 Wu Yize An 85 and now a 98, a missed red to middle meaning no landmark. But Shaun is the better player now, and that’ll be enough for him.
Shaun Murphy 1-3 Wu Yize (84-0) A blue takes Shaun on to a red in what remains of the cluster, good shot, and, frame secure, he’ll want to convert this into a ton and that ton into a TC.
Shaun Murphy 1-3 Wu Yize (59-0) A fine black opens more balls, and this is the best either player has played so far today.
Shaun Murphy 1-3 Wu Yize (31-0) The only person who loves potting balls as much as Shaun is Neil Robertson, our man taking these with careful zealotry. He knows Wu didn’t play all that well for the 3-0 lead, and that if he gets on a roll, a lead is not beyond him.
Shaun Murphy 1-3 Wu Yize (1-0) Left on the bottom rail, Wu seems to think the ball runs off, his safety offering a cut-back that’ll necessarily take Shaun into the pack. Now confident, he barrels at it, sending balls all over, and already, the frame is there for him.
We go again…
Shaun Murphy 1-3 Wu Yize A missed red means no ton, but Shaun is on the board; we’ll see you again in 15 for the resumption.
Shaun Murphy 0-3 Wu Yize (72-0) After a protracted previous frame, a quick kill in this one, Shaun now fully into the match – as we cut to Wu rubbing his eyes, Perhaps they’re itchy, but he looks tired and with good reason. Still, he leads handily, and would, no doubt, happily split the four frames remaining this afternoon.
Shaun Murphy 0-3 Wu Yize (43-0) Shaun picks off loose balls, a blue punched into the yellow pocket keeping the run going. A few minutes ago, he needed the interval; now he’s potting his way into groove, I bet he’d do without it.
Shaun Murphy 0-3 Wu Yize (11-0) I thought Wu may start slowly given the physical and emotional energy he’ll have dumped playing till late last evening, and he’s not at maximum power yet. But he’s built a handy lead, and now Shaun must break-off knowing his last effort went very wrong. This time, though, he catches it nicely and, when Wu fouls seeking to escape a snooker, he leaves absolutely loads.
“I remember not so long ago Shaun Murphy suggested we bin off the option of playing for snookers,” writes Darrien Bold, “yet here he is going at it for the best part of half an hour. The Peter Ebdon influence perhaps?”
Possibly; let’s hope he doesn’t move from snooker-seeking to 9/11 conspiracies, though I’d love to see him with a ponytail.
Shaun Murphy 0-3 Wu Yize Shaun’s been chasing a snooker for half an hour now but then Wu gets one, and that’s the frame; Il Mago could really use the next, the last of the mini-sesh. I doubt we see many more like this one was.
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