The semi-finals of the World Championship get started on Thursday as both matches get going on their three-day journey inside the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield as we get closer to identifying the two finalists over the weekend.
We have three former champions left in the draw and a man who is a winner in waiting in the eyes of many so there is no reason to think that we are not in for a couple of cracking semi-finals on the one table left in the arena.
Zhao Xintong vs Ronnie O’Sullivan (Thursday 1pm, Friday 10am, Friday 7pm & Saturday 2.30pm)
The opening semi-final of the tournament could be considered the master against the apprentice when Ronnie O’Sullivan takes on a man who he has given plenty of guidance to in the early stages of his career in Zhao Xintong.
There is a clear experience gap between these two. Ronnie O’Sullivan has experienced a Crucible semi-final on 13 previous occasions whereas Xintong will be tasting the one-table setup for the first time. The Chinese player doesn’t strike me as someone that would worry about that gap though. I think he’ll relish the occasion although we will only know for sure once the match has got underway. One thing we do know is this isn’t an O’Sullivan firing on all cylinders. It might be that the relentless nature of the semi-finals brings a flow and a rhythm to his game but based on what we’ve seen in the tournament so far it is understandable why there is plenty of money for Xintong going into this semi-final. I’m not quite ready to support that yet but whether the Chinese superstar wins or he loses I think he’ll be gifted some chances to score here and we saw in qualifying where he made 12 tons in 40 winning frames that he can score big. Xintong hasn’t actually made a century in his last two matches but there was pressure on him there which there isn’t as much of here. When he is flowing there aren’t many sessions where Xintong doesn’t make a century so the fact we can have a dry one and still get his 2.5 centuries line in the books makes me think that is the first port of call for this semi-final while I assess it during the first session.
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Mark Williams vs Judd Trump (Thursday 7pm, Friday 2.30pm, Saturday 10am & Saturday 7pm)
The second semi-final is the one which includes two former champions looking to get back into the final for a shot at another world title when Mark Williams takes on the man who took the title from him in Judd Trump.
These two are no strangers to each other. They have met relentlessly through their careers and generally play out some tight matches, maybe none tighter than their semi-final here three years ago and the final in Saudi Arabia earlier in the season, both of which went to a deciding frame with the latter being won on the final black by Trump. The fact that the Saudi final was this season tells us that we should be in for a cracking contest between these two men, especially when both have shown their class to come through two tough looking matches in the last two rounds. Williams has seen off Hossein Vafaei and John Higgins while Trump has beaten Shaun Murphy and Luca Brecel and repelled strong challenges from both at various times. The Welshman has gone under the radar in this tournament because of all the talk about his eyes but he had a 90% pot success rate over 25 frames in his quarter final and that is world class snooker by the level of anyone. I think over three days, especially with the final day being a two-session day, that Trump will eventually win this semi-final but the fact Williams only has to play a session per day for the first two will allow him to keep this close and therefore over 28.5 frames appeals to me. That requires 17-12 or closer either way and gives us enough scores on our side to take the over.
Tips
Back Z.Xintong – Over 2.5 centuries for a 3/10 stake at 2.00 with Boylesports
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Back M.Williams vs J.Trump – Over 28.5 frames for a 3/10 stake at 1.91 with William Hill
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