China Open 2009*

Format of Play

www.worldsnooker.com

Beijing University Students Gymnasium

Monday 30 March
2.30pm
WC1 – Tang Jun v Judd Trump - 5-3
WC2 – Cao Kaisheng v Ricky Walden - 0-5
WC3 – Cao Yupeng v Stuart Pettman - 2-5
WC4 – Yu Delu v Rod Lawler - 5-3

7.30pm
Q1 – Liang Wenbo v Robert Milkins - 2-5
WC5 – Cao Xinlong v John Parrott - Parrott has withdrawn from event
WC6 – Tian Pengfei v David Gray - 5-1
WC7 – Xiao Guodong v Michael Holt - 5-3

Tuesday 31 March
10am
Q2 – Joe Swail v Robert Milkins (Leo Scullion) - 4-5

2.30pm
Match 1 – Stephen Maguire – Dave Harold (Eirian Williams) - 0-5
Match 13 – John Higgins v Anthony Hamilton (Michaela Tabb) - 5-4
Match 2 – Peter Ebdon v Tang Jun (Deng Yueyuan) - 5-2
Match 3 – Joe Perry v Ricky Walden (Lu Kangming) - 2-5

7.30pm
Match 15 – Ding Junhui v Xiao Guodong (Eirian Williams) - 3-5
Match 12 – Ryan Day v Jamie Cope (Michaela Tabb) - 5-2
Match 5 – Allister Carter v Nigel Bond (Deng Yueyuan) - 5-0
Match 10 – Neil Robertson v Gerard Greene (Lu Kangming) - 5-4

Wednesday 1 April
2.30pm
Match 14 – Marco Fu v Tian Pengfei (Michaela Tabb) - 2-5
Match 9 – Shaun Murphy v Cao Xinlong (Eirian Williams) - 5-1
Match 7 – Graeme Dott v Yu Delu (Deng Yueyuan) - 5-3
Match 6 – Mark Allen v Stuart Pettman (Lu Kangming) - 3-5

7.30pm
Match 16 – Ronnie O’Sullivan v Fergal O’Brien (Michaela Tabb) - 5-3 :-)
Match 8 – Mark Selby v Stephen Lee (Eirian Williams) - 5-1
Match 11 – Mark King v Mark Williams (Lu Kangming) - 5-2
Match 4 – Stephen Hendry v Robert Milkins (Deng Yueyuan) - 5-3

Thursday 2 April
2.30pm
Match 23 – John Higgins v Tian Pengfei (Eirian Williams) - 5-2
Match 17 – Dave Harold v Peter Ebdon (Leo Scullion) - 3-5
Match 18 – Ricky Walden v Stephen Hendry (Deng Yueyuan) - 4-5
Match 19 – Allister Carter v Stuart Pettman (Lu Kangming) - 2-5

7.30pm
Match 24 – Xiao Guodong v Ronnie O’Sullivan (Leo Scullion) - 3-5 :-)
Match 20 – Graeme Dott v Mark Selby (Deng Yueyuan) - 5-1
Match 21 – Shaun Murphy v Neil Robertson (Eirian Williams) - 5-1
Match 22 – Mark King v Ryan Day (Lu Kangming) - 2-5

Friday 3 April
2.30pm
QF1 – Peter Ebdon v Stephen Hendry (Leo Scullion) - 5-1
QF2 – Stuart Pettman v Graeme Dott (Michaela Tabb) - 5-2

7.30pm
QF3 – Shaun Murphy v Ryan Day (Leo Scullion) - 0-5
QF4 – John Higgins v Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eirian Williams) - 5-4 :-(

Saturday 4 April
2.30pm
SF1 – Peter Ebdon v Stuart Pettman (Michaela Tabb) - 6-1

7.30pm
SF2 – Ryan Day v John Higgins (Eirian Williams) - 4-6

Sunday 5 April
2.00pm
Final – Peter Ebdon v John Higgins (Michaela Tabb) - 5-4

7.30pm
Final - Peter Ebdon v John Higgins (Michaela Tabb) - 10-8

Higgins Scraps To Down Rocket

www.worldsnooker.com

John Higgins edged a 5-4 victory over Ronnie O'Sullivan in the clash of the titans at the Bank of Beijing 2009 World Snooker China Open.

The tussle between two of snooker's all-time greats didn't quite live up to its billing, as both players surprisingly missed a host of easy chances in the closing stages. But that will not bother Higgins as he came out on top to set up a semi-final with Ryan Day.

Tomorrow's best-of-11 semi will be a repeat of October's Royal London Watches Grand Prix final which the Wizard of Wishaw won 9-7.

World Champion O'Sullivan started impressively with a break of 97 in the first frame but Higgins won the next three with 55, 73 and 75.

The Scot opened frame five with a run of 62 but O'Sullivan fought back to steal it on the black. A 44 clearance gave Higgins frame seven before O'Sullivan levelled in a scrappy eighth.

The Rocket faltered on an easy black early in the decider and Higgins made 39 before failing on a close-range green. O'Sullivan slotted home a long red to give himself a clear opporunity, only to over-cut a black to a top corner by several inches. This time Higgins made no mistake, adding 32 to secure his third semi-final in the six ranking events he has contested this season.

"It was exicting, but the standard was really bad," admitted two-times World Champion Higgins. "I didn't know what I was going to miss next, so I'm sure the crowd felt the same. I was bad, and just lucky that Ronnie was a little bit worse. If I play like that tomorrow, Ryan will beat me.

"I'm one step closer to the title but still far away. I've only won one tournament in China and that was in Shanghai so I would love to win one in Beijing."

Chigwell's O'Sullivan said: "It was rubbish. We were both terrible. I didn't feel like potting anything, let alone clearing up. I didn't think I'd be able to leave John chances, but I gave him many and he still missed. It was a night to forget."

Drawsheet of qualifying

China Open 2009 Qualifiers

www.worldsnooker.com

Information regarding the draw and format for the qualifiers, being played on 21-24 January 2009, at Pontin’s, Prestatyn Sands Holiday Centre, Prestatyn is now available.

Qualifying Format

Wednesday 21 January 2009
10am
Match 1 - Lee Spick v Stephen Craigie - 4-5
Match 2 – Kuldesh Johal v Michael Georgiou - 5-0
Match 3 – Simon Bedford v Liu Chuang - 5-4
Match 4 – Paul Davison v Andrew Pagett - 2-5
Match 5 – Scott MacKenzie v Declan Hughes - WO
Match 6 – Peter Lines v Chris McBreen - 5-0
Match 7 – Daniel Wells v Wayne Cooper - 5-2
Match 8 – Jamie Jones v Jin Long - 2-5

4pm
Match 9 – Supoj Saenla v Robert Stephen - 1-5
Match 10 - Matthew Selt v Andy Lee - 3-5
Match 11- James McBain v Stefan Mazrocis - 5-0
Match 12- Matthew Couch v Atthasit Mahitthi - 2-5
Match 13 – Patrick Wallace v David Grace - 5-3
Match 14 – Lewis Roberts v Vincent Muldoon - 5-2
Match 15 – Rodney Goggins v Aditya Mehta - 3-5
Match 16 – Jimmy White v Li Hang - 3-5

Thursday 22 January 2009
10am
Match 17 – Andrew Norman v Stephen Craigie - 5-4
Match 18 - Barry Pinches v Kuldesh Johal - 4-5
Match 19 – Andy Hicks v Simon Bedford - 5-2
Match 20 – Robert Milkins v Andrew Pagett - 5-1
Match 21 – Mark Joyce v Scott MacKenzie - 3-5
Match 22 – Stuart Pettman v Peter Lines - 5-2
Match 23 – Rod Lawler v Daniel Wells - 5-4
Match 24 - David Morris v Jin Long - 1-5

4pm
Match 25 – Liu song v Robert Stephen - 4-5
Match 26 – Paul Davies v Andy Lee - 2-5
Match 27 – Mark Davis v James McBain - 2-5
Match 28 – Ian Preece v Atthasit Mahitthi - 3-5
Match 29 – Joe Delaney v Patrick Wallace - 3-5
Match 30 – David Gray v Lewis Roberts - 5-3
Match 31 – David Roe v Aditya Mehta - 1-5
Match 32 – Martin Gould v Li Hang - 5-1

Friday 23 January 2009
10am
Match 33 – Jimmy Michie v Andrew Norman - 5-4
Match 34 – Judd Trump v Kuldesh Johal - 5-3
Match 35 – Ricky Walden v Andy Hicks - 5-1
Match 37 – Jamie Burnett v Scot MacKenzie - 5-3
Match 38 – Alan McManus v Stuart Pettman - 3-5
Match 39 – Arian Gunnell v Rod Lawler - 2-5
Match 40 – Tom Ford v Jin Long - 4-5

4pm
Match 41 – John Parrott v Robert Stephen - 5-3
Match 42 – Gerard Greene v Andy Lee - 5-1
Match 43 – Dave Gilbert v James McBain - 4-5
Match 44 – Mike Dunn v Atthasit Mahitthi - 5-1
Match 45 – Rory McLeod v Patrick Wallace - 4-5
Match 46 – Marcus Campbell v David Gray - 3-5
Match 47 – Michael Holt v Aditya Mehta - 5-4
Match 48 – Andrew Higginson v Martin Gould - 5-4

Saturday 24 January 2009
10am
Match 49 – Dave Harold v Jimmy Michie - 5-4
Match 50 – Ken Doherty v Judd Trump - 0-5
Match 51 – Michael Judge v Ricky Walden - 4-5
Match 53 – Nigel Bond v Jamie Burnett - 5-1
Match 54 – Steve Davis v Stuart Pettman - 2-5
Match 55 – Matthew Stevens v Rod Lawler - 4-5
Match 56 - Stephen Lee v Jin Long - 5-3

4pm
Match 57 – Stuart Bingham v John Parrott - 2-5
Match 58 – Dominic Dale v Gerard Greene - 1-5
Match 59 – Mark Williams v James McBain - 5-4
Match 60 – Jamie Cope v Mike Dunn - 5-3
Match 61 – Anthony Hamilton v Patrick Wallace - 5-1
Match 62 – Barry Hawkins v David Gray - 0-5
Match 63 – Ian McCulloch v Michael Holt - 3-5
Match 64 – Fergal O’Brien v Andrew Higginson - 5-4

Matches 36 and 52 to be held over and played in China.

All matches will be the best of 9 frames.