Saturday is semi-final day at the China Championship with both matches taking place across the one day out in Guangzhou with the format going up a notch to the first to six frames. A spot in the final on Sunday is the reward on offer.
We have three former world champions left in the field as well as a player who could make a major breakthrough over the next couple of days so everything is set up for a couple of cracking semi-finals on Saturday.
Morning Session
Mark Williams vs Hossein Vafaei
The opening semi-final sees the former world champion Mark Williams looking to make it back to another major final when he goes up against a Hossein Vafaei who will be bidding to reach the first one of his career.
Williams powered into this semi-final coming past Luca Brecel and Dave Gilbert for the loss of just two frames in the last two rounds while Vafaei has been made to battle hard against Anthony McGill and Joe Perry. To be fair to Vafaei, when the chances have come his way he has made full use of them but I wonder how many Williams will be giving him with his excellent safety play and nous. Vafaei will give this a good go but I expect Williams to come through. I’m not so sure that he’ll cover 2.5 frames. I’m not so sure I want to be siding with Vafaei to get four frames either though so I’ll sit this one out.
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Mark Selby vs Shaun Murphy
The second semi-final looks an absolute cracker as Shaun Murphy goes in search of a third successive Chinese final having made it to the last leg of the International Championship and the Shanghai Masters. Standing in his way is the defending champion Mark Selby.
I’m convinced Selby is not on top form this week but he continues to make it through. How he saw off Barry Hawkins in the quarter final I’ll never know. At 3-3 Hawkins missed a simple frame ball pink and then won the next frame which would have given him the match at 5-3. As it was Selby cleared up in the decider to win 5-4 but he has to play better to beat a Murphy who looks in supreme form at the minute.
I’m already on Murphy to win this match having taken him to win the tournament before a ball was hit in it so I’m happy to let that ride but I think taking over 9.5 frames is the way to play this match. The one thing we know about Selby is that he’ll dig in and fight the whole way. I think Murphy will win but 6-4 or 6-5 would seem the natural scoreline.
Tips
Back M.Selby vs S.Murphy – Over 9.5 frames for a 4/10 stake at 2.38 with William Hill
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