We’ve reached the quarter final stages of the English Open with all four matches taking place on Friday. Three of them are on the main table with the other one on the streamed table so the outside arena is no longer in use. We’re up to the best of nine frames inside the Metrodome in Barnsley so there is a feel the tournament goes up a notch or two from here on in.
A number of big names bit the dust across the two rounds on Thursday but we still have a competitive quarter final line up to enjoy throughout the course of Friday.
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Afternoon Session
Anthony McGill vs Neil Robertson
The opening quarter final is the pick of the match in terms of combined ranking as Anthony McGill, runner up in the Indian Open earlier in the year, takes on Neil Robertson who is eager to keep winning to make it into the Masters in the New Year.
McGill has been made to work hard this week. His last two wins have both come in a deciding frame against opponents who you would have expected him to make shorter work of. Robertson on the other hand has been in really good form this week. Of the 16 frames he has won to date 14 of them have been done so with the assistance of a 50+ break which shows he is scoring well. That is usually a barometer of where his game is at.
Generally when Robertson makes it to this tournament he elevates his game to another level like the great players do. I think he’ll come through this test and do it with a little to spare. I’ll take him to cover the handicap.
Hossein Vafaei vs Kyren Wilson
The second quarter final of the day was expected to be Stuart Bingham vs Mark Selby going into Thursday but it is Hossein Vafaei and Kyren Wilson who survived the two rounds of matches and will meet each other.
Vafaei saw off Bingham in the last 32 and then beat Andrew Higginson in the last 16 to make it into what is his first quarter final of the campaign. Wilson powered past Thor Chuan Leong and Xiao Guodong for the loss of just one frame on Thursday and looks good heading into another major quarter final.
I think Wilson will come through this match but the handicap line is probably set about right. I wouldn’t want to be taking too short a price on the Englishman given the competence of Vafaei so I’ll sit this one out.
Evening Session
Jack Lisowski vs Ronnie O’Sullivan
Both the quarter finals in the evening session take place at the same time. On the TV table Ronnie O’Sullivan will be out to entertain again having seen off John Higgins on Thursday night. He takes on a Jack Lisowski who dumped Mark Williams and Judd Trump out on Thursday in what looks an entertaining quarter final.
I’m already on Lisowski outright and if he can find a way through this test you’ve got to think there is a good chance he could go all the way at a monster price so I’ll sit this one out and hope that Lisowski finds a way through.
Michael White vs Alexander Ursenbacher
On the streamed table the sole quarter final on that table will see Michael White meeting Alexander Ursenbacher for the right to face either Kyren Wilson or Hossein Vafaei in the semi-finals on Saturday. There is no doubt that these two will see a very big chance to go deep ahead of them.
White goes in search of a second title of the season in this match while the Swiss star Ursenbacher will be competing in his first quarter final. I don’t expect Ursenbacher to get stage fright or anything like that but he might just play into the hands of White who is scoring very well this week.
Both men look in good touch so while I would fancy White to win the match we’ve seen enough from Ursenbacher to suggest this one will go beyond 7.5 frames before the final ball is potted.
Tips
Back N.Robertson (-1.5 frames) to beat A.McGill for a 4/10 stake at 1.80 with Betfred
Back him here:
Back M.White vs A.Ursenbacher – Over 7.5 frames for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Paddy Power
Back it here:
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