It is semi-final day at the Welsh Open in Cardiff on Saturday as the tournament at the Motorpoint Arena comes down to one table and gets very serious. Both matches are over the best of 11 frames and at the end of it we will know the two men who will be contesting the latest ranking event final.
With all the shocks that have taken place this week so far nobody could have seen this semi-final line up but with that comes a fair degree of intrigue – and for the favourites plenty of pressure.
Scott Donaldson vs Judd Trump
You’d have spent a lot of money on guesses for the line up of this opening semi-final but it has been that sort of week. Scott Donaldson will be competing in his first ever last four match in a ranking event while Judd Trump will be looking to make it into a third final of the season.
Donaldson made it into this semi-final with a superb 5-0 win over Zhou Yuelong in the quarter final in a match where he was very solid and didn’t really give his Chinese opponent a look in. He took the scores that were there and then shut up shop frustrating Yuelong to the full.
Trump had to come through an epic deciding frame to see off Barry Hawkins in the quarter final and now this tournament is probably his to lose. He isn’t playing his very best stuff but when the chances come along he has made full use of them so far this week.
The Asian line on the handicap is -3 which just doesn’t look big enough to me. I respect that Donaldson has played well to come this far but Mark King is the highest ranked player he has faced so far. This is a different level and I don’t see the Scot winning four frames here. If he wins three we get a refund but Trump has handed out a couple of one sided beatings already this week and I suspect this will be another. I expect Trump to win with a lot in hand.
Stuart Bingham vs Robert Milkins
The second semi-final looks a more competitive one on paper as Stuart Bingham takes on the resurgent Robert Milkins. It is fair to say that up until now Milkins’ season had been pretty ordinary but he has found his form to come through this week.
Bingham’s first four frames in his semi-final were of the highest class but then the way he fell away and eventually had to fall over the line was a big concern. That said he is a big game player so we should expect him to be at his best here.
I fancy this match will be close. The two met in the English Open earlier in the season when Milkins wasn’t playing well and it went to a deciding frame. I’ve a feeling Milkins wins this match but the better bet appears to be over 9.5 frames in a semi-final where both will be desperate to take the opportunity that is in front of them.
Tips
PUSH – Back J.Trump (-3 frames AH) to beat S.Donaldson for a 5/10 stake at 1.85 with Bet365
Back him here:
Back S.Bingham vs R.Milkins – Over 9.5 frames for a 4/10 stake at 2.38 with William Hill
Back it here:
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2017
