Home Nations £1m tournament

Maybe Gary's name IS on the trophy? Either way, good to get some different names at the business end of the tournament. And an Australian.

Neil Robertson beat Mark Selby 5-2 this evening and set up a semi final clash with Joe O'Connor who trounced Ricky Walden 5-1.

Hope the crowds enjoyed the rare Saturday spectacle of Gary Wilson v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh anyway. Gary won 6-4 in a good match; even Ronnie was complimentary afterwards.

Joe putting up a fight against Neil; 2-2 at the interval.

Absolutely stunning performance from Joe O'Connor. Faced with a triple salvo of centuries from Neil Robertson the response was simply incredible.
A series of frame winning contributions enabled O'Connor to claim an utterly stupendous 6-3 victory.

That ranks as the best performance I have seen in 2022. Sensational.

I wonder what the odds for a Gary Wilson v Joe O'Connor final were a week ago ?

The winner tomorrow will pick up £80,000 and the same number of ranking points.
A huge boost in an attempt to close in on a top 16 spot and a place at The Crucible.
Also a guaranteed spot at the 2023 Champion of Champions event.
What incentive for both players.

What a Scottish Open it's been.
Incredible.

Credit to Joe O'Connor, he didn't let any resemblance to Ralf Little hold him back. Neil must begin to wonder if he'll ever recover his former glory.

I did kinda tip Gary after he beat Ronnie, so I'll be hoping for him to get it done tonight. As Snooks says, a career high for whoever does win.

Gary Wilson is the champion after a resounding 9-2 victory over Joe O'Connor.
The turning point if indeed one could be claimed was frame 3 where O'Connor missed a straightforward pink to middle on 64 from which Wilson cleared to go 2-1 up. From there Wilson dominated and cruised to a maiden ranking title.

Yeah, at 6-2 after the first session, it looked inevitable. Frame 10 might have changed things. A convincing first title win, and an emotional interview after. That tag about "best player never to win a ranking title" presumably belongs with someone else now. Well done to both of them, really, hopefully they both kick on, as they say.

English Open a week tomorrow, they might easily meet again in round 1.

Wilson moves up to 18th in the world rankings with that victory.