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[Smallville22]

Snooker - Higgins blasts Johnson in bizarre rant after win over Burnett

John Higgins launched an astonishing attack on fellow former world champion Joe Johnson after completing a 6-4 win over compatriot Jamie Burnett in the third round of the UK Championship at York's Barbican Centre.
The 1986 world champion is a strong admirer of Higgins and has praised him as one of the game’s greats during his work as an analyst for Eurosport, but apparently felt that Higgins had been "searching for something that is not there" and "looking for someone or something to blame" this season.
Higgins seemed to agree with such as assertion after his win over fellow Scot Burnett that he has been struggling for form. He has changed his cue for a second time this season, and is chasing a fourth UK title to go with his four World Championship titles.
He described his performance as "continually s***” against Burnett but strangely turned his attention to Johnson, who produced one of the game’s greatest upsets in beating Steve Davis 18-12 to claim the world title in 1986 before losing to ‘The Nugget’ in the final a year later.
"The table's so tight," said Higgins, whose highest break was 92 in reaching the last 16. “That's twice I've played on that table and it's so tight.
"The old players would never have made 10 or 20. They're probably sitting there watching and giving you dog's abuse and they'll be saying it on camera.
"But when you see the buckets they used to play in in the 80s, these guys couldn't make 30 or 40.
"We're struggling big time. There are still record breaks and everything but I can just imagine what some of the older players are saying.
"I heard before the tournament Joe Johnson was slating me. If that guy isn't the worst commentator in the world, he's in the top three.
"How he ever got to be world champion, and he can say some of the shots that he does say...
"That game wasn't even on TV, thank God, but I can just imagine what they're all saying."
Judd Trump had no such problems with the tables as he knocked in three centuries (103, 102 and 133) on his way to a 6-2 win over Xiao Guodong, who made two tons of his own, that helped him into the last 16.
Stephen Maguire edged Liang Wenbo 6-5 to set up a meeting with Higgins on Tuesday.
Ronnie O'Sullivan completed a 6-3 win over Adam Duffy to join Higgins in the last 32 before hinting at another break from the game.
He said: "My goal is to get enough prize money so I can take another break from snooker. I can have a holiday, sit at home and chill again, which is great."
Mark Selby beat China's Tian Pengfei 6-3 while world number one Neil Robertson was never tested in a 6-1 win over Robbie Williams.
O'Sullivan will face Marcus Campbell in the third round with Trump meeting Michael Holt or Mark Allen for a place in the quarter-finals.

Third round (last 32) results

Liang Wenbo (Chn) 5-6 Stephen Maguire (Sco)

Graeme Dott (Sco) 6-3 Ali Carter (Eng)

Judd Trump (Eng) 6-2 Xiao Guodong (Chn)

Jamie Burnett (Sco) 4-6 John Higgins (Sco)

Noppon Saengkham (Tha) 2-6 Shaun Murphy (Eng)

Scott Donaldson (Sco) 3-6 Joe Perry (Eng)

Stuart Bingham (Eng) 6-2 Anthony McGill (Sco)

Gary Wilson (Eng) 4-6 Barry Hawkins (Eng)

Second round (last 64) results

Adam Duffy (Eng) 3-6 Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng)

Mark Selby (Eng) 6-3 Tian Pengfei (Chn)

Neil Robertson (Aus) 6-1 Robbie Williams (Eng)

Mitchell Travis (Eng) 6-4 Kurt Maflin (Nor)

Peter Lines (Eng) 2-6 Ricky Walden (Eng)

Mark Davis (Eng) 5-6 Scott Donaldson (Sco)

Luca Brecel (Bel) 5-6 Stephen Maguire (Sco)

Yu De Lu (Chn) 5-6 Matthew Stevens (Wal)

Andrew Higginson (Eng) 4-6 Li Hang (Chn)

Jamie Burnett (Sco) 6-5 Chris Wakelin (Eng)

Chris Norbury (Eng) 0-6 Anthony McGill (Sco)

Stuart Bingham (Eng) 6-2 Jimmy White (Eng)

Rory McLeod (Eng) 3-6 Mark Williams (Wal)

Judd Trump (Eng) 6-0 Dechawat Poomjaeng (Tha)

Liu Chuang (Chn) 5-6 Robert Milkins (Eng)

Rod Lawler (Eng) 1-6 John Higgins (Sco)

Mark Allen (NI) 6-3 Dave Harold (Eng)

Joe Perry (Eng) 6-3 Daniel Wells (Wal)

James Wattana (Tha) 1-6 Ding Junhui (Chn)

John J Astley (Eng) 1-6 Stuart Carrington (Eng)

Graeme Dott (Sco) 6-5 Nigel Bond (Eng)

Ali Carter (Eng) 6-0 Jimmy Robertson (Eng)

Gary Wilson (Eng) 6-3 Vinnie Calabrese (Aus)

Zhang Anda (Chn) 3-6 Barry Hawkins (Eng)

Sean O'Sullivan (Eng) 4-6 Noppon Saengkham (Tha)

Paul S Davison (Eng) 3-6 Shaun Murphy (Eng)

Xiao Guodong (Chn) 6-2 Jamie O'Neill (Eng)

Peter Ebdon (Eng) 1-6 David Morris (Ire)

Michael Holt (Eng) 6-4 Alan McManus (Sco)

Michael White (Wal) 4-6 Marcus Campbell (Sco)

Michael Leslie (Sco) 3-6 Liang Wenbo (Chn)

Fergal O'Brien (Ire) 6-3 Mark King (Eng)

 

[Smallville22]

Snooker - O'Sullivan continues progress at UK Championship

World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan was joined in the last 16 of the UK Championship by Neil Robertson and Ding Junhui at York's Barbican Centre.
O'Sullivan completed a comfortable 6-2 win over Marcus Campbell without ever finding his best form with former UK holder Ding Junhui making light work of Fergal O'Brien in a 6-1 success.
"Marcus didn't play anywhere near his best today and neither did I," said O'Sullivan.
"We both had to be patient and wait for something to happen. "I potted some good balls and made some breaks so there was a bit of fluency there but you could see Marcus was struggling; he can play a lot better than that."
Ding is bidding for a fourth straight ranking event success, and will meet Ricky Walden in the last 16.
Stephen Hendry was the last man to win four straight ranking titles back in the 1990s.
World number Neil Robertson was another comfortable victor in seeing of China's Li Hang 6-3 to set up a meeting with his practice partner Joe Perry.
The Sheffield amateur Mitchell Travis is out of the tournament after a 6-1 defeat to David Morris.
Defending champion Mark Selby will face Graeme Dott for a place in the quarter-finals after he completed a 6-2 win over Stuart Carrington of Grimsby.
O'Sullivan meets Robert Milkins in the last-16 on Wednesday.

 

[Smallville22]

Snooker - Maguire sends Higgins packing from UK Championship

Stephen Maguire became the first player to qualify for the quarter-finals of the UK Championship after dumping out John Higgins 6-3 in York.
On his way to victory Maguire compiled the tournament's highest break so far - a 142 - and will next meet either Neil Robertson or Joe Perry, who play on Wednesday.
"I wasn't quite sure what the high break was when I was on it," said Maguire. "I knew there had been a 139 and someone said that had been beaten today so I was trying to get as many blacks as I could.
"I felt good after the interval. John struggled all the way through the match but I was struggling over the first four. I should've been 3-1 up maybe even 4-0 with the chances I had.
"If I play Robertson, the world number one, it will be a good match if he manages to turn over Joe Perry but Perry's playing some good snooker at the moment. He won his first pro tournament in Asia and he's in the top 16 and fighting for the Masters as well so he'll be up for every single match.
"I've got a day off now though and I can watch the other boys try their hardest and I'll be totally refreshed for Thursday."
Joining Maguire in the last eight is Barry Hawkins, who saw off Shaun Murphy 6-5 in a late-finishing match at the Barbican.
Hawkins took advantage of a long red from Murphy in a deciding frame and he went on to make a break of 70 which was enough to seal victory.
Graeme Dott or Mark Selby await in the quarter-final.
"I got to about 48 and I just came a bit too far on the black," said Hawkins. "I was going to play a cannon and I talked myself out of it and just concentrated on winning the match because that is the most important thing.
"I didn't do that much wrong to be behind in the early stages and just dug in to come back to 2-2. Shaun could've been 3-1 up I suppose so I was delighted at 2-2.
"Dott is really back in form, he beat me in the PTC in Antwerp and he looked really good again so I think Selby has got a really tough game there."

Last 16 results:

Maguire 6-3 Higgins

Hawkins 6-5 Murphy

Remaining last 16 matches:

Selby v Dott

Trump v Allen

Walden v Ding

Robertson v Perry

Morris v Bingham

Milkins v O'Sullivan

 

[Smallville22]

Snooker - Walden ends Ding’s unbeaten run, surprise defeat for Trump

Ding Junhui’s hopes of winning a fourth straight rankings title were ended as he lost 6-4 to Ricky Walden in the last 16 of the UK Championship in York.
The world number three was comprehensively outplayed early on and trailed 3-1 at the interval, but hit back with breaks of 76 and 119 to draw level.
Walden then clinched the seventh frame on the final black before a 57 in the next left the Englishman just one away from victory.
And although Ding responded with a superb 135 clearance, Walden sealed a surprise victory by edging a topsy-turvy 10th frame.
"Ding's the man in form at the minute and it was great to notch a win over him," said Walden.
"It was pretty tense towards the end, we both had a couple of chances to win the tenth frame and mine was a match clinching one.”
Judd Trump looked on course to face Walden in the quarter-finals but threw away a 4-2 lead to Mark Allen to bow out with a 6-4 defeat.
There were no such problems for Mark Selby who comfortably beat Graeme Dott 6-2 while Stuart Bingham marched into the last eight with a 6-1 win over David Morris.
In the evening session Ronnie O’Sullivan dispatched of Robert Milkins in just 68 minutes to book his spot in the last eight – scoring a half century break in every frame as he sailed to a 6-0 victory.
"I played alright, scored ok and played some decent safety and didn't leave him any easy chances, so overall I was happy with my performance,” said O’Sullivan.
"I knew I was in for a tough match as Robert has been playing well and he's a confident guy. If he gets on a roll he can pot you off the table like he did with Neil Robertson at the World Championship last year.
Robertson made similarly light work of Joe Perry, progressing with a 6-1 win which included an impressive 111 in the fifth frame.

Quarter-final draw

Mark Selby v Barry Hawkins

Mark Allen v Ricky Walden

Neil Robertson v Stephen Maguire

Stuart Bingham v Ronnie O’Sullivan

Last 16 Results

Mark Selby 6-2 Graeme Dott

Barry Hawkins 6-5 Shaun Murphy

Mark Allen 6-4 Judd Trump

Ricky Walden 6-4 Ding Junhui

Neil Robertson 6-1 Joe Perry

Stephen Maguire 6-3 John Higgins

Stuart Bingham 6-1 David Morris

Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-0 Robert Milkins

 

[prateekbritdel]

Irn-Bru is a premium drink that is enjoyed by many people all around the world. Originally made in 1901, it has been a Scottish classic ever since. Find out more about this great drink here.

 

[tvstrip]

This needs to go mainstream. I love how the bull seems to be having just as much fun as the "balls"

 

[Orban89]

Judo: Uzbekistan takes two more golds at the Tashkent Grand Slam 2023​

 

[tvstrip]

Pool/Snooker/etc done right!

 

[Orban89]

Mongolia and Great Britain make waves amid Georgia's judo heroes​

 

[Orban89]

Triple Gold for Georgia's men on final day in Tbilisi​

 

[BCT]

How bout those Aztecs?

 

[Orban89]

Turkey strikes gold in third and final day of Antalya Grand Slam​

 

[Orban89]

Stump makes history with first-ever gold for Switzerland in World Judo Championships​

 

[Orban89]

France's Clarisse Agbegnenou secures sixth World Championship gold​

 

[Orban89]

Japan and Georgia take home gold at 5th day of the IJF​

 

[Orban89]

A shocking 6th day at the Doha World Judo Championships​

 

[Orban89]

The King Is Back. Teddy Riner wins his 11th world title!​

 

[Orban89]

Gold for Japan in final day of Judo World Championship​

 

[Concrete Cock]

Hey Orban, you take Martial Arts? I did a bit of Freestyle Wrestling back in my day. I wish I started younger. I did it off-season to help me as a Defensive Tackle on the football field. I had a low center of gravity being just over six feet tall and just under three hundred pounds.