The final day of the WST Classic has arrived with the tournament being played down from the quarter finals to our champion on a bumper day of action inside the Morningside Arena in Leicester on Wednesday.
Eight players remain in the tournament all looking to be the man to win the title and claim the riches which go with it. We’ll preview the morning quarter finals but time restrictions will deny us the chance to go into the semi-finals and final. We do still have an outright bet running though so hopefully he will keep us interested in them.
John Higgins vs Mark Selby
The pick of the quarter finals will take place on the main table and it will see two men who have four world titles each going at it when the Championship League winner John Higgins meets the English Open champion Mark Selby.
This is a big match for both men but there could be an air of Selby playing with a bit of freedom here because he has done what he needed to in order to qualify for the Tour Championship next week and anything from here on in is a bonus. Higgins is in a good groove right now though and while he won’t be in Hull for the Tour Championship, he is going to go to Sheffield feeling good about things. If he can win three more matches on Wednesday he will go there flying high. Selby had to really battle in the last 16 against Robbie Williams and against Zhang Anda two rounds earlier so I don’t think he’s at his best but we know Selby can win when not being at his best. Higgins has only dropped six frames all week and looks in much better order. I’d probably side with him at even money but he is my remaining outright bet and so I’m happy to ride that rather than get involved again.
Stuart Bingham vs Ali Carter
Table two will see two more top 16 players battling it out when Stuart Bingham looks to continue to return to form when he takes on the German Masters champion Ali Carter in what looks like a tasty all-Essex clash.
I’ve watched a couple of Bingham matches this week and while he has won them he has not looked comfortable and has missed a number of pots but hasn’t been punished. If Carter is afforded those opportunities then with the form he is in I expect him to take them. Carter wasn’t at his best against James Cahill in the last round but he battled through but I just think being in the latter stages of a few tournaments in 2023 gives Carter an edge. I’m not convinced that Bingham is playing as well as his results have shown this week. I would have Carter as a clearer favourite than he is so I’ll take the Captain to come out on top in this one.
Special Offer
Sign up for a Boylesports account and bet £10 to get up to £20 in free bets! Perfect offer for this tournament! Click the image below for this great offer! New accounts only. 18+ T&Cs apply. Gamble Aware.
Gary Wilson vs Lukas Kleckers
The third quarter final on Wednesday morning is a big match for both competitors when Scottish Open champion Gary Wilson meets a Lukas Kleckers who is in the quarter final of a ranking event for the first time in his career.
That makes this a huge occasion for Kleckers who has played some pretty nice snooker this week. He has only dropped five frames this week and looks to be hitting the ball really nicely. You sense this match is about Wilson though because he is extremely motivated going into this match. He knows he needs to win this quarter final and then his semi-final too in order to be at the Tour Championship next week and secure automatic qualification for the Crucible which would be a huge thing for him. Wilson has looked in good order this week and should have too much for the German but the odds more than reflect that so I’ll leave this alone.
Pang Junxu vs Oliver Lines
The other quarter final offers up a huge opportunity for two lower ranked players to make it into a ranking semi-final when Pang Junxu takes on an Oliver Lines for whom this week has already gone a long way to securing his tour survival.
Pang reached the semi-final of the Welsh Open last month so he has been beyond this stage before. Lines has too but not for a while but you have to think he is going to be able to free up and play with a bit of freedom here. He is pretty much safe on the tour now so can set about winning a first title and all that comes with it. He has beaten Neil Robertson already this week but what has really impressed me with him is he didn’t then lose in the next round like some often do. In Lyu Haotian and Scott Donaldson after Robertson, Lines has seen off three very good challengers. Pang is yet to meet anyone in the top 70 in the rankings this week and while Jimmy White is playing well, he clearly ran out of steam in their last 16 clash. Pang has made his way through the draw but I sense he’ll need his best stuff here. Lines has scored well this week and if he can do that here quotes of 2/1 could look quite big.
Tips
Back A.Carter to beat S.Bingham for a 3/10 stake at 1.91 with William Hill
Back him here:
Back O.Lines to beat P.Junxu for a 3/10 stake at 3.00 with Boylesports
Back him here:
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2023
