Home Nations £1m tournament

Big Bob turned Dave Gilbert over, so some nice surprises this week. Even Marco Fu has won a match or two, which had become a rare event.

Fu finally succumbed to a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Martin O'Donnell.
Mark Allen entertained Robbie Williams to an expert display of break building as he whitewashed him 4-0.
Scottish Open champion Gary Wilson whitewashed outgoing Welsh Open champion Robert Milkins 4-0.

Full Quarter Final line-up:
Mark Allen v John Higgins
Dominic Dale v Elliot Slessor
Gary Wilson v Anthony McGill
Martin O'Donnell v Luca Brecel

The 5 players not in the top 16 on the 1YRL have to win the Welsh Open to qualify for the Players Championship, getting to the final is not enough. But the way Mark Allen was playing yesterday I don't see anyone of them beating him.

Wilson v McGill looks the stand out match to me aside from the obvious Allen v Higgins.

Milkins and Fu both overperformed to get that far. I can well see McGill making the final to bore me senseless.

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday Allen comprehensively thrashed Robbie Williams, while John Higgins struggled against Matthew Selt and beat him 4-3 in a close deciding frame. Today it's Higgins who's emerged the stronger player as he comfortably beat Allen 5-2.

Is it me or is Elliot Slessor a spitting image of Michael van Gerwen?

Gary Wilson thrashed Anthony McGill 5-0.

And Minister of Defence Martin O'Donnell maintained his remarkable perfect record against World champion Luca Brecel with a tremendous 5-3 victory.
It sets up a semi final clash with Elliot Slessor thereby guaranteeing a new ranking event finalist. Congrats to him.

Semi finals:

Elliot Slessor v Martin O'Donnell

John Higgins v Gary Wilson

I don't know who Van Gerwin is. I'm still trying to decide whether Martin O'Donnell looks more like Nigel Planer, or the bloke that played Sir Percy in Black Adder.

The final is guaranteed to have one player not in the current top 16 on the 1YRL. If Slessor or O'Donnell win the final they won't only win their first ranking event, they will also get to play in the Players Championship next week.

(16-02-2024 18:37 )Snooks Wrote:  Is it me or is Elliot Slessor a spitting image of Michael van Gerwen?

Well, it isn't him, so it must be you He looks more like he has to be back in East 17 before midnight, or else.

Pleased for Wilson, an even better result than Pinches v Murphy. McGill, who resembles an angry Van Morrison crossed with Jasper Carrott, seemed to be cruising to a title win and inevitable eulogising as a future world champion.

Lucky Luca's luck ran out, he seemed a bit put off that O'Donnell kept up with him. Again another HN semi-finalist complete surprise.

You'd expect a Higgins-Wilson final, I think.