World Grand Prix - Neil Robertson breezes past Noppon Saengkham, Judd Trump beats Ben Woollaston

ByEurosport

Updated 14/12/2021 at 22:44 GMT

The top 32 players on the one-year ranking list descend on Coventry for the World Grand Prix between December 13-17. Among those competing will be Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump, John Higgins and Neil Robertson. The unconventional seeding could lead to some heavyweight clashes early on in the tournament.

Neil Robertson

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That's us done for the day

Join me again tomorrow at 12.45pm GMT for a bit of Ronald Antonio O'Sullivan!

World Grand Prix

‘Me and Alex Higgins are a bit unpredictable’ – How snooker GOAT O’Sullivan regained golden touch

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Around the table

Mark Allen 4-1 Cao Yupeng

Neil Robertson beats Noppon Saengkham 4-0!

He meets Anthony Hamilton next.

Robertson 3-0 Saengkham (94-0)

Yup, you could see how this was going to end when Niel won frame two, and watching him at one with his game is a beautiful sight.

Robertson 3-0 Saengkham (60-0)

This has been a pretty good performance from Neil, who's barely given Noppon a sniff while gradually improving himself.

Robertson 3-0 Saengkham (17-0)

And might that be it? Noppon misses a straightforward starter to right middle, leaves plenty, and he might be done here. "He's intimidating to play against," says Stephen of Neil. "He just exudes that arrogance you need in s top player, the way he struts around the table ... it can really sap at your confidence."

Around the table

Mark Allen 3-1 Cao Yupeng

Robertson 3-0 Saengkham

Neil is much the better player now, and i'd expect him to complete the whitewash as soon as he's handed a chance.

Robertson 2-0 Saengkham (68-0)

Neil's shot-time is up on his average because he's not perfectly grooved, but also because the balls are tricky; "He's stubbornly refused to leave the table," says Stephen admiringly. So as he prepares to address frame-ball with the rest, he's really earned the advantage. Down it goes, but again, the next ball - the black - is difficult, along the top rail. he jawses it, leaving it and another red over the corner bags ... but Noppon concedes.

Robertson 2-0 Saengkham (43-0)

Perhaps spooked by Neil, Noppon tries a long one, trying to get his retaliation in first, missing and leaving a starter to middle. He bags it, and though a yellow doesn't go in the middle of the pocket, making the next ball harder, a lovely cannon on the blue opens the frame out. He's looking good now, and will soon be three up with four to play.

Around the table

Mark Allen 3-1 Cao Yupeng

Robertson 2-0 Saengkham

Through Noppon's break, he deliberately didn't play for the black because the red near it didn't. Well it actually did because Neil just sorted it, and he now leads by two.

Robertson 1-0 Saengkham (53-28)

Eventually Noppon has to play a tricky pot, a red down the side rail, and he misses it; Neil's error won't cost him the frame, but he's not won it yet either.

Robertson 1-0 Saengkham (53-5)

They end up tapping about the cluster, and feart of a re-rack, Neil blows the doors off - a significant misjudgement that goes terribly, handing Noppon the table. Can he capitalise?

Robertson 1-0 Saengkham (53-1)

left with yellow and pink blocking his route up the table, Noppon misses his chosen red five times, then Neil sinks another belting long red. This time, it's in behind the yellow, and 2-0 is a matter of time.

Robertson 1-0 Saengkham (36-1)

Neil boshed five of six long pots in that frame, which is bad news for Noppon, who kisses in a long red but can't find a colour.Neil then clatters home a long one and spends a long time planning a run that sees him take control of the frame. But when he digs into the pack, he lands on nowt, and an eight-minute 36 is less than he was hoping to achieve.

Around the table

Mark Allen 1-1 Cao Yupeng

Robertson 1-0 Saengkham

It takes 29 minutes but we get there in the end.

Robertson 0-0 Saengkham (66-9)

Neil resolves things nicely, ramming home the pink having removed all the loose reds; now he needs a difficult one to secure the frame, and he's got an alright angle on one sat close to the side cushion. He drains it with the rest and adds the pink - Noppon now needs two snookers - then on 54, he misses the next red, so we'll have a bit of chasing before accepting the inevitable.

Robertson 0-0 Saengkham (17-9)

It's a right scrappy one is this, all the colours off their spots, most of them down in baulk, and the reds gathered at the top, near the cushion and blocking each other. As I type that, Neil misses a blue to the yellow pocket by miles - in comms, Stephen is scathing - only for Noppon to go in-off. This allows Neil to ram home a long one in beautiful style, can he pick a route through the mess?

Robertson 0-0 Saengkham (1-4)

This one shouldn't be dull, featuring two of the best, quickest and most natural potters in the game. Noppon is in nick - he made just two tons last season and already has 16 this, but was dreadful in losing to John Higgins last week. Neil, meanwhile, pulled out with tinnitus so we don't know where he's at, and this is a slow start

We're away!

Judd speaks

He thinks the match turned on Ben's missed blue, and says he prefers to play top-ranked players all the way through as he can struggle to get up for matches otherwise.

Coming up next

Neil Robertson v Noppon Saengkham

Judd Trump beats Ben Woollaston 4-2!

The defending champ was made to work for it - Woollaston played really well - but still had too much. He faces Tom Ford next.

Trump 3-2 Woollaston (66-0)

The players exchange decent safety shots, until a good one from Judd incites Ben to leave a red over left corner. He catches it thin, so the blue us harder than necessary - will he send it safe? No. he smacks it in the middle bag, and this is game over.

Trump 3-2 Woollaston (53-0)

Judd is desperate to secure f&m at this visit, but he runs out of reds on 53 with 67 left so satisfies himself with that and sticks the brown safe.

Trump 3-2 Woollaston (24-0)

Ben's done really well to make this a match, but Judd's in again and picking his way to victory. As I type that, though, he strokes a red to right corner, ruffling the pack and dislodging a few more in the process.

Around the table

Anthony McGill 0-4 Stephen Maguire

Trump 3-2 Woollaston

Ben's making Judd fight for this, but Judd is a fighter, so here we are: he's one up with two to play.

Trump 2-2 Woollaston

He misses the penultimate red, though, so Ben returns needing two snookers. That's a long shot, but you never know.

Trump 2-2 Woollaston (27-13)

Ben chucks everything at a red to middle, misses, and knocks the pink in for extra aggravation. That will, I think, cost him the frame, because Judd is at the table and there's nothing difficult on it.

Trump 2-2 Woollaston (20-13)

But he quickly breaks down, initiating a safety exchange that will probably settle the frame. The white is at the business end, the reds scattered between black spot and baulk line.

Trump 2-2 Woollaston (20-2)

Ben sinks a red but no more, than Judd rattles one into the bag with the table more invitingly set. It's the kind of lie Ronnie would work his way through with systematic genius, that Judd tends to resolve with recovery-pot genius ... but not here! He misses a red with the rest, and this is a chance for Ben!

Trump 2-2 Woollaston

This is a fascinating ball-game.

Trump 1-2 Woollaston (64-1)

On 52, Judd plays a fine rescue pot, manufacturing an angle with side to send a red careering diagonally to left corner, then coming back down the table for the blue. Both players are hitting it nicely,which means we're in for a belting best of three, but Ben will be feeling extremely unwell given the blue he just botched.

Trump 1-2 Woollaston (6-1)

Ben is buzzing, drilling diagonally to send a starter to left corner ... only to miss a dolly blue to left middle! This game! Judd will make him suffer for that.

Around the table

Anthony McGill 0-2 Stephen Maguire

Trump 1-2 Woollaston

Judd's in a match here. Ben is potting beautifully, and seems to be playing with a really clear mind - it takes stones to punish mistakes with frame-winning contributions, and he's done it twice on the spin.

Trump 1-1 Woollaston (44-63)

As he did in frame two, Ben takes these nicely; there are two reds left now, both available to the middle via cut-back, both eminently missable. But he wobbles home the first, sinks the brown so the second is now a comfy slot, and with the colours on their spots, it'd take something silly for him to give this frame up.

Trump 1-1 Woollaston (44-7)

Whaaaaat?! On 44, Judd misses a red to middle, one that never looks like going close, and there are balls in position for a counter...

Trump 1-1 Woollaston (23-0)

Judd clumps home a starter, rams the pack off the black to send balls in all directions, and losing that frame seems to have focused his mind. There are a lot of points out there, but he plays for the pink just as I'm wondering if there's a maxi in the offing.

Around the table

Anthony McGill 0-2 Stephen Maguire

Trump 1-1 Woollaston

Judd's whitewashed Ben thrice, but not tonight, not not not tonight.

Trump 1-0 Woollaston (37-72)

Left the yellow over left corner, Judd drains it and tries to arrange his snooker off the green - the other balls are on their spots, so helpful for his purpose. He can't make it happen though, leaves it next go, and we're all square.

Trump 1-0 Woollaston (35-65)

This excellent work from Ben, who'll have to remove a red close to the side cushion, but is flowing nicely enough to make it happen. He runs out of position on 64, following an excellent double, so sticks Judd in a snooker - behind the black - when he needs one to win the frame. Just the colours are left.

Trump 1-0 Woollaston (35-21)

Yeah, good luck Benjamin old mate. Judd clouts home a started following the break and gets right back to work ... until, on 24, he surprisingly misses a red down the rail with the rest. Ben responds with a run of one, then Judd has another little go, but it's Ben in control when he get his hand on the table and splatters the cluster very nicely indeed. If he can get the black back on its spot, he's really in business - it's currently close to the top cushion - and he quickly gets behind it, sending it down beautifully, and this is a huge chance for 1-1.

Around the table

Anthony McGill 0-0 Stephen Maguire

Trump 1-0 Woollaston

Except he then misses a pink into the side. Still, it gives him 1-0 and he'll take it.

Trump 0-0 Woollaston (70-1)

It's not quite the terrifying blitz with which Judd started the early rounds last week, but it's plenty good enough, a gorgeous cannon removing a red off the side.

Trump 0-0 Woollaston (35-1)

It's Ben in next, crunching a long red to left corner only to miss a regulation blue. If Judd can nudge the first black along the top cushion, then clip home a cut-back, he'll be a long way towards taking the frame ... and that's what happens.

Trump 0-0 Woollaston (20-0)

Ben's never beaten Judd in a ranking competition, but make no mistake, he can play. He makes an error first up though, leaving the white short and allowing yerman to get away; he'll still be smarting at how he lost to Dave Gilbert in the last 16 of the Scottish Open, and I'd not surprised if Ben bore the brunt of his displeasure. He soon misses a red though, and is fortunate to see it land on the side cushion.

And while they baize

I should let you know that Ali Carter beat Dave Gilbert 4-1 earlier, and Stuart Bingham beat Ricky Walden 4-3.

The boyz are baizing...

Evening all!

And what an evening this should be.

That's us done for the afternoon

Join me again at 6.45pm GMT and we'll enjoy the evening sesh - which is tasty.

19:00 - Judd Trump v Ben Woollaston
19:00 - Anthony McGill v Stephen Maguire
20:00 - Neil Robertson v Noppon Saengkham
20:00 - Mark Allen v Cao Yupeng

Around the table

Dave Gilbert 1-2 Ali Carter

Tom Ford beats John Higgins 4-2!

He finishes it with a total clearance too, a 130 installing him as the tournament's highest break-maker so far. He meets Ben Woollaston or Judd Trump next, and at least John can console himself with the thought that if you lose in round one, you can't lose the final.

Higgins 2-3 Ford (0-86)

Superb from Tom, rattling home a black off its spot to secure the match barring snookers. He's done a superb job here, he really has, winning from the front and wearing that missed blue for 3-1, responding with two conclusive and framewinning breaks.

Higgins 2-3 Ford (0-48)

A red to middle sets Tom away, and this is the chance he'll have craved. The head-to-head is 7-1 Higgins, so this will be a huge win if he can pull it off. And here comes the split ... he plays it well .... but the black to left corner is still a toughie, because he's high on it and close to the side cushion. But he plays it with power and control, committing to it fully, and the match is right there for him! Can he hold it down?

Around the table

Dave Gilbert 0-2 Ali Carter

Higgins 2-3 Ford

Tom breaks down on 71 when a red won't go long to the yellow pocket, but he nudges in front for the third time, and has a decent chance of bringing this home.

Higgins 2-2 Ford (0-58)

I guess we've seen the Tom that we know: amazing pots, amazing misses. But he's taken this opportunity really nicely, and will soon be one up with two to play.

Higgins 2-2 Ford (0-26)

I wondered if that blue would be a turning point, but it's Tom in first in frame five, and when he separates reds by potting the pink, he's in a really strong position.

Around the table

Dave Gilbert 0-2 Ali Carter

Higgins 2-2 Ford

No ton for John, who can't sink a red to middle, but he's back level and you'd expect him to close out from here.

Higgins 1-2 Ford (74-1)

Tom will be extremely distressed with that blue he missed - it was so easy I'd have expected to pot it - because 3-1 in a best of seven is a phat lead, and instead, John is going to be level with a big break to his name.

Higgins 1-2 Ford (13-1)

Is John in trouble?! Playing gently up the table, he catches his red, but a double-kiss sticks Tom in! Still, he can only fluke a red that seems simple - it flicks in off another one close by - and then he misses a straight blue! Surely he's not getting away with that? Maybe he is! All that's available is one sent long to the green pocket ... and he punishes it hame. There are some points on here.

Around the table

Dave Gilbert 0-1 Ali Carter

Higgins 1-2 Ford

He got there in the end.

Higgins 1-1 Ford (33-58)

John misses a long one to left corner by a distance and Tom sorts it, but the final red on black cush will decide the frame ... and he sorts that too! This will surely be the frame.

Higgins 1-1 Ford (33-45)

After draining a fine red, Tom underhits a blue and that's end of break; he'll be spewing at that, because the frame was at his mercy. But when John goes in-off trying playing a stray red, he's got a simple starter and the chance to sort things properly ... but oh my days! He screws back into the middle pocket! What an oversight! John, though, can't capitalise, and nor can Tom when he sinks a fine long red, a careless laying of a snooker wasting an opportunity to dictate the play. This is still in the balance, and there's no better sneak-thief in the game than the Wizard o' Wishaw.

Higgins 1-1 Ford (29-34)

Tom gets two bites in quick succession. He takes only red-pink from the first one, but he's back in quickly after John misses a red to left middle and leaves it on to the yellow pocket. This is such a chance; Tom quickly navigates back to the black spot, and this frame is all there for him with the remaining reds all nearby and open. He takes out John's lead in this frame, and should now restore his own in the match.

Higgins 1-1 Ford (29-0)

There's mither here for Tom, as he misses a long red to the bottom left by such a distance in the third that both it and white land in the D for a tap-in for John. It's a chance, though with not too many available reds the pack will need a bash shortly. When the time comes John is too high on the blue, so has to try and split the reds off two cushions after potting the brown. The line is good, but the white welds itself to the contact red and it's end of break.

Higgins 1-1 Ford

It needs the aid of all the extensions for John to drop in frame ball red, but he loses position on the black slightly and misses it to the left middle. Tom plays on, two snookers needed, but misses a simple red to the bottom left. John dispatches it and we're done in frame two.

Higgins 0-1 Ford (51-0)

John is now playing like a man who's reached four finals this season. He cruises to a half-century, and with three reds in the wide open he should have this one tidied up toot sweet.

In other news Stuart Bingham is through, beating Ricky Walden in a decider with a break of 124.

Higgins 0-1 Ford (16-0)

An excellent safety from John, white behind the yellow, leaves Tom with no option but to try and pot the only red he can see. It goes close but jaws out of the bottom left, and John is left with an easy starter. That goes, and John then recovers position after a loose shot off the pink with an authoritative pot on a red to the left middle. Now he's in control.

Higgins 0-1 Ford

Tom mops up the lot for a 75 to take the first frame.

Higgins 0-0 Ford (4-48)

Here's a chance for John, as Tom misses a red to the right middle and sends the white straight into that pocket instead. From the D he tries a long red to bottom left but cues across it badly and misses it, putting Tom back in with a straight red to right middle. This should be end of frame, as there are lots of reds open and all high value colours are available.

Higgins 0-0 Ford (0-35)

Tom runs out of position on 35 and turns down a dicey blue to preserve his lead, sticking the broon safe in the process.

Higgins 0-0 Ford (0-20)

In some ways, poor old John is the tour's form player - he's made four finals this term - problem is, he's also lost four finals, and you can be certain that will be nausing him up something fierce. But it also means he's in terrific nick ... but it's Tom in first with a fine red. He can't make much of it though, running out of position on 12, so a safety exchange doth ensue ...until Tom finds a tremendous pot to right middle! The way the balls are, this is a very nice opportunity.

And here we go!

Coming up next

John Higgins v Tom Ford

Around the table

Ricky Walden 2-3 Stuart Bingham

Mark Selby beats Barry Hawkins 4-1!

He's just so hard to get one over on, up there with the toughest competitors in all sport. He meets Mark Allen or Cao Yupeng next.

Selby 3-1 Hawkins (58-1)

Oh man, Mark is so ... Mark. Thirty points to the good, he finds himself in a sticky situation, and pretty much every other top player tries to pot their way out of it, all the more so a frame from round two. Not our Selbz. He plays safe and shonuff elicits the foul, refuses the put-back and is now back at the table potting balls. Bazza's played ok today, but Mark has punished his errors with customary ruthlessness.

Selby 3-1 Hawkins (12-1)

Oh Baz! Again, he gets a starter, then misses an easy green thinking too hard about getting back up the table. That hands Mark an opportunity, and though he's not playing so well you assume he'll make a matchwinning contribution, he's more than capable. When he swings the white around three cushions, he winds up tight to the top, but a cut-back red to a blind pocket lands in him on the blue, and he's looking much more like himself now.

Selby 3-1 Hawkins

Mark is so so good at doing just enough, and he's a frame away despite having played nowhere near his best.

Selby 2-1 Hawkins (64-9)

Mark makes an error on 54, and the frame still looks as good as his because the reds aren't nicely located. Barry, though, plays a couple of nice shots so that he's able to cannon two of three reds on the top cushion ... only to forget about the pot, jawsing the black. He'll now have to win three straight, or he's off hame.

Selby 2-1 Hawkins (34-0)

Mark gets in and out, red, brown and done, and with the black and two reds snugglds by left corner, we might be here a while ... or not. Mark finds a route through, and though the black winds up on the green spot, it's because the pink is in its gaff, making this is now a really good chance for 3-1.

Around the table

Ricky Walden 1-3 Stuart Bingham

Selby 2-1 Hawkins

A 53 seals the frame, and Mark leads once more.

Selby 1-1 Hawkins (53-15)

Mark doesn't dig into the white as he needs to when potting a red, so on 52 that's end of break. He plays to the baulk cushion, but a poor safety from Barry hands him another chance ... and he misses a long one to left corner by a distance. So Barry, vanishes a starter to left middle, then a tricky black opposite. But a dreadful shot on the yellow sees it shoot up the table, splatter the cluster of reds that was keeping him in the frame, and that'll be the end of that.

Selby 1-1 Hawkins (23-0)

More safety to begin the frame, and this time it's Mark in first as, in commentary, Philip Studd notes that the highest break so far is a princely 28 .. right as position is lost on 14. Barry then has a go at one and, in comms, Joe Perry reckons that if he gets close, he should get the white safe. But he doesn't get the connection he's after, leaving the red with the cue-ball below the baulk line. The reds are all on the right of the table, but various are blocking various, so Mark will need to be careful in picking a route through them. I daresay he will be.

Around the table

Ricky Walden 1-2 Stuart Bingham

Selby 1-1 Hawkins

Well done Barry Hawkins.

Selby 1-0 Hawkins (0-79)

Mark leaves an easy red, Barry sees it away, and this is a really good response to the misery he inflicted upon himself not 15 minutes ago.

Selby 1-0 Hawkins (0-54)

But on 54 he finds himself faced with a difficult red to left corner, cueing over another red while trying to manufacture an angle. As such, he takes on the pot with safety in mind, missing it by plenty - but leaving the white close to the baulk cushion.

Selby 1-0 Hawkins (0-22)

But Mark leaves a tight clip to right corner and Bazza drains it well; suddenly, things open up a little, and it looks like redemption will be swift.

Selby 1-0 Hawkins (0-0)

Already, this frame looks like another long job, the reds open but blocking each other and the standard of safety play high.

Around the table

Ricky Walden 1-1 Stuart Bingham

Selby 1-0 Hawkins

Urgh, Barry will need a moment, and quite possibly a bucket. I bet mark takes a break to leave him stewing, after a 48-minuter that he tossed in a skip.

Selby 0-0 Hawkins (73-68)

Again, it's Mark who concedes the first chance, leaving a long blue, and Barry will have to take this on. He slides home a beauty to left corner and look at the position he gets on the pink! It's a perfect diagonal into the same pocket, but somehow he misses it! That was so much easier than the ball he potted, and he is going to feel very very poorly when Mark punishes him. Down goes the pink, and the black is a tap to middle away! This game!

Selby 0-0 Hawkins (67-63)

It's a real mindbender this frame, two top players trying to trip each other up with impeccable geometry. Yellow is now back in play, and green is not far from it's own pocket, but blue is on the side and Bazza will need it. He plays a really nice yellow, gets natural position on the green, and has a decent angle to get behind the blue ... but doesn't come far enough, and he won't try and jam in behind to propel it along the rail. A terrible shot from Mark then looks likely to leave it, but it lands tight to bit of cushion just before the knuckle, and when it ends up stuck to the black shortly afterwards, we're no nearer resolution. This is the most riveting tactical battle I've seen in time.

Selby 0-0 Hawkins (67-44)

Barry is doing well matching Mark's safety, but he can't do much about the colours that are making their way towards the cushions - at the moment, it's yellow and green, but presumably others will follow. Or not! Mark leaves a red on the bottom cushion and the position of the white allows it to be caressed home from behind, and the frame is now in the balance!

Selby 0-0 Hawkins (63-37)

Mark then compiles a run which takes him to within a point, dictates the safety exchange that follows, then clips home a long plant from middle to right corner and will fancy himself to win the frame or get close at this visit. Bazza does have a decent hope but - there's a red punkt in the middle of black cush that Mark need - and a less then brilliant positional shot forces him to address it with one other still on the table, and in typical style he plays safe.

Selby 0-0 Hawkins (4-37)

You need to settle quickly in these best of sevens, and Mark hasn't yet. A poor safety leaves Barry a shot to nothing, which he makes, and Mark returns to the table tucked in tight behind the green. It takes three attempts to escape, shipping eight points as a result, but Barry hands four straight back when he sails the white serenely into the yellow pocket.

Selby 0-0 Hawkins (0-28)

Mark's first shot is a wild attempt at a long red to the bottom right, which misses by a wide margin and leaves Barry in. A good recovery pot on the blue keeps him going early in the break, but after ticking the pack open he can't locate position on his next red and Barry's break is nixed on 28.

Boyz II Baize

Our MC Tahir Hajat announces the players into the arena. Barry, who won this event in 2017, strides in first and is soon followed by the Jester. Here we go then, first to four for a place in the next round.

Heads up

Selbz might have the four world titles, but between the two it's the Hawk that has the edge, albeit just about. Barry has landed butter side up in 17 of their 32 meetings. It was Mark that emerged victorious in their only ever final though, when he hosed down Barry 11-3 in the 2018 China Open, and he'll be the favourite today. It's best of seven mind, brief and breezy, so anything could happen.

Good afternoon!

Welcome to the Grand Prix where you won't be scratching your head on a Sunday evening, confused about how it's been decided. We've got more action from Coventry for you today, with two lively ones in this afternoon session. Ricky Walden and Stuart Bingham will cross swords on table two, and we'll keep you update on that while we focus on our feature match, Mark Selby versus Barry Hawkins.

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'I’ll treat Ronnie to dinner' – Gould thanks O'Sullivan after shock victory over Zhao

Martin Gould has vowed to treat Ronnie O'Sullivan to a slap-up meal as a thank you for helping him secure the final spot at the prestigious World Grand Prix in Coventry.

The 'Pinner Potter' admitted he was sitting with a cup of tea on Friday after losing 4-2 to John Higgins in the last 16 of the Scottish Open in Llandudno on Thursday with no thoughts of playing in the Grand Prix this week.

But his practice partner O'Sullivan's 5-4 victory over Li Hang in the Scottish Open last eight denied Hang the remaining spot at the coveted year-ending event with Gould taking full advantage as he completed a 4-2 win over top seed Zhao Xintong in the first round.

How to watch the event

In many European territories, although not in the UK, you can stream the 2021 World Grand Prix live and on-demand on discovery+

You will also be able to follow all the latest action from the event with our live updates, reports and stories on the Eurosport app and at eurosport.co.uk.

Qualification

The Scottish Open was the final event in the race to qualify for the World Grand Prix.

Only the top 32 on the one-year ranking list at the end of the Scottish Open final were able to progress to Coventry.

The seeding is unconventional as it goes off the one-year list, leaving UK Championship winner Zhao as the top seed and the likes of O’Sullivan (seventh) and Trump (13th) way down the charts.

That could mean some tasty matches before the business end of the tournament.