The quarter final line up at the European Masters will be determined on Thursday when the second round concludes with four more tasty matches on the main table in Bucharest. The last 16 began with an excellent day of snooker on Wednesday and with some stellar names on show on Thursday we are set for much more of the same.
As with Wednesday we have two sessions which each contain two matches which will be played over the best of seven frames to set up our quarter final line up.
Mark Davis vs Liang Wenbo
The opening match of day sees Mark Davis and Liang Wenbo in action to determine who will face Ronnie O’Sullivan in the quarter finals. Davis came good against Shaun Murphy in the first round earlier in the week while Wenbo eased past the amateur Zak Surety to set this match up.
Having backed him I’m glad that Davis beat Murphy but we shouldn’t kid ourselves into thinking that he played all that well. Murphy wasn’t at the races and Davis took advantage but I think the Englishman will need to significantly improve if he is going to come through this match.
Liang Wenbo played well in beating Surety and he has won his last two against Davis so he is a worthy favourite and I’ll take him to win this opening match of the day.
Anthony McGill vs Scott Donaldson
This all Scottish battle concludes the afternoon session with the winner playing Neil Robertson in the last eight. McGill is in excellent form at the minute but Donaldson isn’t too far behind him so this one is nicely set up.
With how well the two are playing the difference between them could just be experience at this level of a tournament and familiarity with the bright lights and the TV cameras and that would be in favour of McGill. I’m already on him outright though so I’ve no need to go in again at a short price.
Andrew Higginson vs Judd Trump
This should be a decent watch as they both like to get on with it and make decent breaks and with a quarter final against John Higgins the reward for winning there is a decent incentive on the line as well.
Trump is a warm favourite and based on their past meetings that is probably right and really the question appears to be how many frames Trump will be win. You’d think Higginson will get chances to take a couple of frames but there isn’t much value in any of the lines so I’ll sit this one out.
Mark Selby vs Barry Hawkins
The final match of the second round is the best match of the day on paper as the world champion Mark Selby takes on the former World Championship finalist Barry Hawkins for the right to face Alfie Burden in the quarter final on Friday.
We haven’t really had what you would call a major shock in this tournament yet and there is a chance we might get it here but Selby looked very good earlier in the event so I wouldn’t want to put money on a shock here. This is another one for me to sit out but I have a suspicion for Hawkins.
Tips
Back L.Wenbo to beat M.Davis for a 4/10 stake at 1.73 with Skybet
Back him here:
