The UK Championship is down to the last 32 stage and that begins on Monday with another two sessions of play. The sports arena is no more as far as this tournament is concerned so all the action is in the main arena from here on in.
Sunday was the day where we saw the big names decimated from the field with no fewer than three former champions biting the dust on a remarkable day of action inside the Barbican Centre in York. That is sure to elevate the focus of the big names on show on Monday.
Afternoon Session
The third round begins with the biggest name of them all being back on the baize when Ronnie O’Sullivan graces the TV table. He will have watched on and seen the likes of Neil Robertson and Mark Williams leave his half of the draw already and will be keen to overcome Mark King and move into the last 16. The other TV table sees the other remaining member of the ‘Class of 92’ on show when John Higgins meets Zhao Xintong in what should be a decent enough match.
The other two tables are available to watch on online streams either on the Eurosport Player or the bookmaker streams. Barry Hawkins is on show in one of those matches when he takes on a Cao Yupeng who is eyeing up a deep run in this tournament. The other match sees two of the surprise packages of the tournament battling it out for a place in the last 16 when Andy Hicks meets a fellow veteran in the form of Dominic Dale.
Special Offer
Sign up for a Boylesports account to get up to £25 in free bets! Perfect offer for this event! Click the image below for this great offer! New accounts only. 18+ T&Cs apply. Gamble Aware.
Evening Session
Kyren Wilson is the big name on show in the evening session and after complaining that he wasn’t on the TV table at the English Open recently, he’ll have no complaints here because he will be on it in this session. He meets the Chinese youngster Wu Yize for a place in the last 16. Jack Lisowski will be on the other TV table. He takes on the former world champion Graeme Dott in a match which could have huge implications for The Masters spots.
Stuart Bingham has lived a bit of a charmed life in this tournament so far and he’ll be on one of the outside tables when he goes up against the Thai ace Noppon Saengkham in what is very much a banana skin for the former world champion. The other match sees Ben Woollaston looking to build on a very good win over The Masters champion Yan Bingtao in the previous round. He meets Liam Highfield who himself saw off a competent challenger in the form of Gary Wilson.
Betting
There are a few outsiders that caught my eye over the course of Monday but the one I’m keen on is Cao Yupeng who always seems to push Barry Hawkins close if not actually beat him. He has either beaten Hawkins or lost in a deciding frame but I think he could beat him this time. Hawkins hasn’t started the season very well and we know by now that is nothing new. He has already lost to Michael Georgiou, Mark King and Robbie Williams this season and Yupeng is a level up on those.
It was well known that Cao had a point to prove when he returned to the tour this season and he’s been going along ok. In this tournament he has overcome a couple of challenging campaigners in Jamie Jones and Martin Gould with the minimum of fuss, scoring two centuries in each match. Yupeng should have beaten Selby in Northern Ireland but went down 4-3 but he’s playing well. He also has a win over Hawkins this season in the Championship League so he certainly doesn’t fear Hawkins and looks a fair price to take care of him.
Tips
Back C.Yupeng to beat B.Hawkins for a 3/10 stake at 2.20 with BetVictor
Back him here:
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2021
