After a busy Thursday out in the Shanghai Masters we are left with just four men to battle it out for the title and the massive £150,000 first prize in the Chinese city. Despite the rushed nature of the event we have three of the best in the game through to the semi-finals and another who is perfectly capable of winning two more matches so we are set for a top class conclusion to the event.
We are now up to the best of 11 frames for the two semi-finals on Friday with the four men left looking to make it into Saturday’s final for a shot at the bumper prize.
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Jack Lisowski vs Judd Trump
The opening semi-final of the two sees good friends and stablemates Jack Lisowski and Judd Trump opposing each other in what should be a very high quality contest. These two met at the English Open last month in what was a great game.
Trump is in the middle of a real purple patch this week. He has played 20 frames in the tournament and has won the whole lot but Lisowski has been very impressive himself even if he has had to come through a couple of deciding frames. The fact he has come through a couple of battles under pressure might help Lisowski if he can push Trump close.
I’m already on Lisowski at 40/1 for this match courtesy of backing him outright before the tournament began and I’ll settle with that for an interest in the result but even at 8/11 I can’t ignore the over 6.5 50+ break line. When these two met in Barnsley last month every frame had a 50 break in it and the way they have scored this week I would expect close to the same. I would expect more than seven frames so the breaks should land.
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John Higgins vs Ronnie O’Sullivan
For the second time in eight days two genuine top drawer class acts meet over the best of 11 frames when John Higgins takes on Ronnie O’Sullivan. In the Champion of Champions last week it all went pear-shaped for Higgins as he lost 6-0 so he’ll be out for much better here.
Both men have played well to make it this far in the tournament but O’Sullivan really has looked like he is a man in top form. He surprisingly lost the final in Coventry last week and has seemed a man on a mission this week with dazzling scoring and scintillating safety play.
Higgins has come through the draw nicely but a lot of the time he has got in first in a frame he has fallen down around the 50 or 60 mark and if that trend continues he could be in trouble as O’Sullivan is scoring really well. We always get high quality when these two meet but O’Sullivan looks like he has just a little too much at the present time.
Tips
Back J.Lisowski vs J.Trump – Over 6.5 50+ breaks for a 4/10 stake at 1.73 with Paddy Power
Back it here:
WON – Back R.O’Sullivan (-1.5 frames) to beat J.Higgins for a 4/10 stake at 2.10 with Coral
Back him here:
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