UK Championship 2021 as it happened - Defending champion Neil Robertson suffers shock exit; Judd Trump cruises through
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
ByEurosport
Updated 25/11/2021 at 22:33 GMT
Neil Robertson's UK title defence is over after he lost 6-2 to John Astley in the first round, while Yan Bingtao thumped Hong Kong's three-time women's world champion Ng On Yee 6-0. Judd Trump was in blistering form as he dispatched David Lilley 6-1. Stream the UK Championship and much more top snooker action live and on demand on discovery+
'Oh Wow!' - O'Sullivan pulls off incredible fluke against White
That's us for today
Tomorrow we're bereft - there's no action - but we'll see you on Saturday, and every day through to next Sunday. Don't mind if I do, but ta-ra for now.
Around the tables
Allen 3-2 Judge
Bingham 4-2 Young
Craigie 4-2 Doherty
Day 2-4 Lines
Holt 4-2 Surety
Milkins 4-2 Heathcote
Vafaei 2-2 Junxu
Judd Trump beats David Lilley 6-1!
Naughty snooker returns for the colours - he doubles blue and black to complete a total clearance of 125, noising up the crowd while he's at it. He is good at snooker and meets Chris Wakelin next.
Trump 5-1 Lilley (60-0)
Judd is really forcing this, slamming in a pink, bridging down over a red to power-poke a different one home. He's had enough of this for tonight, and he doesn't care who knows it.
Trump 5-1 Lilley (13-0)
Oh man, Judd Trump. He hammers a red into the corner and follows through into the pack - that's not something you see often, but he wants to go back to the hotel. I daresay he'll be off thataway in five or so minutes' time.
Around the tables
Allen 2-2 Judge
Bingham 4-2 Young
Craigie 4-1 Doherty
Day 2-3 Lines
Holt 3-2 Surety
Milkins 3-2 Heathcote
Vafaei 2-2 Junxu
Trump 5-1 Lilley
David's had so many chances to make this close, but his cue-ball control hasn't been up to it and he knows he's done for.
Trump 4-1 Lilley (45-47)
So here comes David, chasing position about but potting well when he needs to. Until he gets straight on a pink and can't get onto a red, trying to play safe instead ... only for Judd to clip in a beautiful effort that's close to black cush and not far off centre. This is going to be 5-1 because none of the colours are difficult (for him).
Trump 4-1 Lilley (31-7)
Again, though, he can't take it, and if he loses he won't sleep soundly tonight because he can play much better than this. That's the pressure of meeting someone as good as Judd, who then takes advantage of a poor safety to smack a tricky red to right corner like it's nothing. Judd, though, floats a an even trickier pink towards right middle, and just when you think it's going to fade and drop, it carries on and bumps the far knuckle.
Trump 4-1 Lilley (30-7)
David misses a long red and leaves it; Judd might have to swerve round the blue to hit it but no, he plays delicately and dead straight, knocking home off the cushion. He's quickly about the black spot, and this is a chance to score some points ... until he digs into the pack, winds up on nowt, and hands David an opportunity with a poor safety.
Around the tables
Allen 2-2 Judge
Bingham 3-1 Young
Craigie 4-0 Doherty
Day 2-3 Lines
Holt 3-1 Surety
Milkins 2-2 Heathcote
Vafaei 2-2 Junxu
Trump 4-1 Lilley
Judd clears to the pink with 51, and David will be vex-up - he's had chances to make this a lot closer than it is.
Trump 3-1 Lilley (50-39)
But he can't take it! So Judd has a long think, cutting home a red and cannoning the pink - that's very clever - only to flicks the blue, on the side cushion, off the black. Pressure pot coming up, and he sinks it with ease. This is going to be 4-1.
Trump 3-1 Lilley (19-39)
Judd's cooled a little and he misses a red for no apparent reason; can David take advantage? Er, no. He misses a red, Judd sends one down, then spanks home a yellow with the rest ... only to miss the next ball! I think he's covered it with the green, then David nips off for a lag. I'm not sure I've ever seen that before, but he returns refreshed and gets to work. This is a great chance for 3-2.
Trump 3-1 Lilley (3-18)
Oh, Davey! He misses a simple enough red to right corner, raising cue above head in anguish, and Judd drains the plant that's been left for him. Cracking the pack was a good idea, because the only way David can win is by keeping yerman off the table, but now he's at it, there's a lot less work for him to do.
Trump 3-1 Lilley (0-10)
Hello David Lilley! He accidentally cuts in a red or plays a glorious pot, you decide - I think the former - taps home the blue that's over the middle, and clatters into the cluster off the cushion. He's away!
Around the tables
Allen 1-2 Judge
Bingham 2-1 Young
Craigie 3-0 Doherty
Day 2-2 Lines
Holt 2-1 Surety
Milkins 1-2 Heathcote
Vafaei 1-1 Junxu
Trump 3-1 Lilley
A succession of recovery pots keep David in frame and match, a run to the pink of 59 taking him into the mid-sesh feeling a bit better about life.
Trump 3-0 Lilley (40-22)
What? Judd runs a little out of position, so plays a lovely, delicate pot with a touch of right-hand side to guide home the next red, only to miss a simple black not dissimilar to the one that should've cost him last frame. This is a chance for David to at least pretend to himself he's in the match - 4-0 at the interval and it's over, 3-1 and who knows? Well, everyone, but you get me.
Trump 3-0 Lilley (18-2)
David cuts in a fine red and gets nowhere, then does it again - but played as a shot to nothing, the white landing tight to the baulk cushion. Presumably frustrated, he goes for a brown not dissimilar to the one Judd smoked home in frame two, misses it, and when Judd quickly splays the cluster, he's in big, big trouble.
Around the tables
Allen 1-1 Judge
Bingham 2-0 Yiung
Craigie 3-0 Doherty
Day 2-1 Lines
Holt 1-1 Surety
Milkins 1-2 Heathcote
Vafaei 0-1 Junxu
Trump 3-0 Lilley
Men and boys, except Trump is 32 and Lilley is the world seniors champ.
Trump 2-0 Lilley (36-21)
Eeesh, another poor shot from David sees him overcut a red, and that is going to cost him the frame, I shouldn't wonder. He's had his chances in this one, and he looks extremely aggravated with his behaviour. As I type, Judd is already nearly there.
Trump 2-0 Lilley (21-15)
David misses a red that looks likely to cost him, but Judd can only rustle up eight - I missed what he missed because my SkyGo crashed. David then nails a fine long red, and this is another presentable opportunity for him to get on the board.
Trump 2-0 Lilley (13-5)
David cuts in a very nice starter but doesn't get position, so we're back playing safety. But not for long: he then leaves a long tempter to right corner ... "Oh! Look at that!" coos Uncle Joe. "Not many people would've taken that on". You can deduce that Judd potted it, and this looks extremely ominous - the later stages of this competition are going to be absolutely banging. As it goes, he then misses a black and by a distance, leaving a red and a nicely-laid table for David. Can he take advantage?
Around the tables
Allen 1-0 Judge
Bingham 1-0 Young
Craigie 2-0 Doherty
Day 1-1 Lines
Holt 0-1 Surety
Milkins 1-1 Heathcote
Vafaei 0-1 Junxu
Trump 2-0 Lilley
In comms, Dave Hendon reckons Judd took on that brown on purpose to show how he plans to play tonight, a callback to the naughty snooker days of his youth. He raises his 10th ton of the season so far, 10 exactly, and Lilley is in all sorts.
Trump 1-0 Lilley (77-0)
Ah man, Judd is so so good. He gets into minor trouble again, and doesn't just slip a tricky red home, right in the heart of the pocket, he plays a cannon that gets him perfectly onto the black. This is gorgeous stuff.
Trump 1-0 Lilley (38-0)
Hope for the best, expect the worst: A poor break from David allows Judd to get his hand properly on the table, and he predictably despatches the red offered to him. Paradoxically, this looks like being both a long and a short night for David, and when Judd gets himself into trouble having split the pack, he glides an extremely nasty brown to middle. "Like so many great players, he's praying for a pressure shot," kvells Uncle Joe, and the frame is at his mercy now.
Trump 1-0 Lilley (0-0)
Trump misses the pink but he's already well out of sight - a break of 40 gives him the frame, 82-16.
Trump 0-0 Lilley (68-16)
Trump is flying now, and he's about to go 1-0 up.
Trump 0-0 Lilley (42-16)
Trump returns the favour, snookering Lilley behind the same blue after potting a long red. A foul on the black means Lilley has to go again; he also cracks the case second time round.
Trump 0-0 Lilley (34-16)
Lilley gets going with a deft plant. After a break of 12 he snookers Trump, who fouls once but gets his angles right at the second attempt.
Trump 0-0 Lilley (34-0)
Trump pots an outrageous red, though that's his lot on this visit. He half snookers Lilley, who can't extricate himself from trouble, but Trump then misses a tricky long red.
Trump 0-0 Lilley (33-0)
Trump's break ends at 33, and now we're into the safety dance.
Trump 0-0 Lilley (19-0)
Trump breaks, and he's in and amongst on his second visit. Three reds and three colours so far.
Trump and Lilley
Actually met last week in the Champion of Champions - Trump played poorly and still won 4-1, which is to say I fear for Lilley given how devastatingly yerman performing by the end of that. But Lilley is nae mug, so you never know.
Trump starts out
Judd Trump is the headline act on Thursday night as he bids to repeat his 2011 UK title success. The Champion of Champions winner faces world seniors champion David Lillley from 7:30pm (GMT). See you then.
Around the tables
- Neil Robertson 2-6 John J Astley
- Jordan Brown 4-3 Duane Jones
- Luca Brecel 5-2 Xu Si
- Yan Bingtao 6-0 Ng On Yee
- Ali Carter 5-2 Jimmy White
- Jimmy Robertson 4-4 Bai Langning
- Graeme Dott 6-3 Jamie O'Neill
- Martin O'Donnell 3-3 Lukas Kleckers
Robertson 2-6 Astley (0-0)
What a story! Astley slots brown off three cushions to the middle bag. In goes the blue and the pink. Brilliant stuff. Astley will face Mark Joyce in the last 64. The defending champion is out. Astley punching the air. No wonder. What a victory! Fully deserved too.
Robertson 2-5 Astley (34-53)
Robertson needing a snooker with five colours left up. Astley in behind the pink. But fails to escape. All very tense. Astley again needs match ball.
Robertson 2-5 Astley (27-51)
One red left on the table. Whoever pots the red will be favourite for the frame. Tension in the York Barbican.
Robertson 2-5 Astley (17-50)
Robertson wins a safety battle, but can he win the frame? Really struggling with his positional sense. Three reds left on table.
Robertson 2-5 Astley (0-50)
A mid-range red stays out from Astley. Decent effort, but Robertson still alive. Just. Three reds tied up on side cushions.
Robertson 2-5 Astley (0-23)
Astley has just grown in confidence the longer this match has progressed. Robertson in deep, deep trouble now.
Robertson 2-5 Astley (0-9)
Robertson toiling with a lot of his game. Astley with the chance to build a big lead at this visit. Remember just needs this frame to oust the defending champion.
Robertson 2-5 Astley (0-0)
A brilliant 119 break from Astley. A 5-2 lead for the man playing under amateur status. He needs one more frame to cause a huge upset. This would be quite something.
Robertson 2-4 Astley (0-56)
Has knocked in some lovely recovery shots today to keep break going. Just needs to mind his work and he will move 5-2 clear.
Robertson 2-4 Astley (0-26)
Robertson makes a mess of a safety shot and Astley is back among the balls. Decent chance to move 5-2 clear as he opens up the reds brilliantly off a black. Can he hold his nerve? All there for the taking.
Robertson 1-4 Astley (125-0)
A superb and timely response from the Aussie as he pieces together a quite glorious 124 break to close to 4-2 behind. Still plenty of work to be done, but that was a must-win frame.
Robertson 1-4 Astley (0-0)
Could we be seeing a major shock? Robertson looking well off the pace.
Robertson 1-3 Astley (30-83)
This has been fantastic from Astley. Robertson breaks down on 30 after missing a red and has been forced to sit and suffer his opponent in full flow. Would you believe this? An 83 run and a 4-1 advantage.
Around the tables
- Neil Robertson 1-3 John J Astley
- Jordan Brown 2-2 Duane Jones
- Luca Brecel 3-0 Xu Si
- Yan Bingtao 5-0 Ng On Yee
- Ali Carter 2- 1 Jimmy White
- Jimmy Robertson 2-2 Bai Langning
- Graeme Dott 2=2 Jamie O'Neill
- Martin O'Donnell 2-1 Lukas Kleckers
Robertson 1-3 Astley (0-0)
A highest break of only 38 by Robertson so far. Work to be done by the Melbourne man at the interval.
Robertson 1-2 Astley (23-67)
Another bad miss on a red by Robertson and that is going to cost him the fourth frame. Astley will lead 3-1 at the mid-session.
Robertson 1-2 Astley (13-54)
The 2010 world champion has yet to make 40 in this match. It has been slow, slow going out there, but Robertson at the table. 90 minutes gone.
Robertson 1-2 Astley (5-54)
Another safety error by Robertson and Astley continues his path toward eking out a 3-1 lead at the interval. A lead of 49 with seven reds left on table.
Robertson 1-2 Astley (5-30)
Nothing going right for the Australian as he buries a white to a centre bag from potting a black. Another chance for Astley to put some points on the board early in this frame.
Yan heading for last 64
Breaks of 67, 100, 107 and 92 sees Yan Bingtao open up a 4-0 lead over Ng On Yee in the first round. Don't expect much more action in this match with the former women's world champion contributing only nine points so far.
Robertson 1-2 Astley (0-0)
Robertson definitely needs to find a few gears here. He is toiling as he heads for the final frame before the mid-session interval.
Robertson 1-2 Astley (44-57)
Not slipping quietly into the night this frame, but Robertson missing chances. Astley has chance to win frame, but misses a straight black off the spot. He only needed the black. What a chance that was for Astley, but then Robertson can't clear up as he misses pink. Brilliant long pink from Astley and he somehow leads 2-1.
Robertson 1-1 Astley (26-46)
Shocking miss by Robertson on a black off the spot. How has he missed that? Really yet to get going in this contest with three reds left on the table.
Robertson 1-1 Astley (26-32)
Missed double by Astley on a red, but no major harm done. An early lead in this frame, but plenty of balls left for Robertson to rectify this situation.
Robertson 1-1 Astley (64-56)
Astley pays a heavy price for failing to cash in. Missed a long red and his opponent stepped in in style to clear up to the pink. We are level at 1-1. Disappointing end for the Gateshead man.
Robertson 0-1 Astley (39-56)
Robertson sees a red stay out with two reds left up, but Astley butchers a black off the spot seconds later. Real chance to win frame there not taken.
Robertson 0-1 Astley (1-55)
Error from Astley as break ends on 48. Red with a rest stays out. Missed that by a distance. Chance for Robertson to launch the counter attack.
Robertson 0-1 Astley (1-47)
Astley certainly going through this break well in the second frame. Enough reds in the open to move 2-0 clear.
Robertson 0-1 Astley (1-8)
Nice long red from Astley at the outset of the second frame. Looks like he fancies the job today.
Robertson 0-1 Astley (0-0)
A 74 break from Astley as he pockets the first frame. Nothing flash, but a very solid break to help him settle into the match.
Robertson 0-0 Astley (2-70)
Has taken these very well. Escaped from a few snookers earlier in the frame, but has been a lovely contribution from the underdog. Break moves to 70 and gives Robertson plenty to consider today.
Robertson 0-0 Astley (2-20)
A very sluggish start to this one. Bit of safety, but the first real scoring chance falls to Astley. Decent opportunity to put some clear water between himself and the UK holder.
Yan starts UK bid
Other action this afternoon sees the Masters champion Yan Bingtao take on the former women's world champion Ng On Yee while former UK champion Jimmy White faces Ali Carter.
Robertson 0-0 Astley (0-0)
We are off and running with this one then before an excitable crowd in the York Barbican.
Selby support for Murphy
Robertson and Mark Selby support Murphy's stand on amateurs playing at these events.
Robertson begins title defence
The Australian will fancy his chances of reaching the last 64 this afternoon. Robertson is up against Gateshead amateur John Astley in the race to six frames, but as we witnessed in Shaun Murphy's exit, facing an amateur does not really mean much. They can all play at this level. Boys on baize at 2:30pm (GMT).
'Anybody hurt?' - O'Sullivan smashes cue ball to scatter reds
Ronnie O’Sullivan almost seemed to allow his frustrations to get the better of him during his UK Championship first round match with Michael White.
The Rocket, gunning for his eighth title in York, saw a two-frame lead slip twice at 2-0 and 3-1 to allow White to level at 3-3 before restoring his advantage in the seventh.
Looking to go 5-3 up in the eighth, O’Sullivan found himself amid a cluster of reds and played an aggressive shot to scatter them, sending balls all over the table.
“Anybody hurt?” quizzed Joe Johnson on commentary. “He had no idea what was happening to the cue ball there”
“Very un-O’Sullivan like break this with the cue ball hurtling around the table," Phil Studd added.
O’Sullivan eventually went on to take the frame and closed out the match 6-3 to progress to the second round.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2021/11/24/3259882-66714908-2560-1440.jpg)
'Very un-O'Sullivan like' - Ronnie O'Sullivan smashes cue ball in White match
- - -
Stream the UK Championship and much more top snooker action live and on demand on discovery+
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement