Saudi Arabia Masters 2024 snooker recap – Stan Moody beaten by Ryan Day after Jimmy White knocked out by Si Jiahui

Ryan Day has stormed to the finish line as he produces a century break of 112 to clinch a 4-2 victory over Stan Moody in the third round.

Some moments of real quality from the Welshman, particularly in those two century breaks, that made the difference against the 17-year-old opponent whose run in Riyadh comes to an end.

After a series of nice positional shots, Day fails to land topside of the blue forcing him into a mid-distance red but he makes no mistake and lands nicely on the black to canon into the reds and pot what should be the deciding ball.

Stan Moody breaks off in this sixth frame which he needs to win to keep his hopes of a comeback alive. But a really poor containing safety shot leaves Day with a long red and the Welshman punishes the mistake. Day loses the cue ball though as he pots a red thin but he produces a phenomenal pot low on the black to keep the break going.

Playing it so thin he brought a number of reds into play and is now in a great position to close out this match.

• Ryan Day 3-2 Stan Moody
• Scott Donaldson 3-0 Tian Pengfei
• Haotian Lyu 4-3 Marco Fu
• Noppon Saengkham 4-1 Amir Sarkhosh
• Elliot Slessor 1-0 Haydon Pinhey
• Guodong Xiao 2-3 Duane Jones
• Yuan Sijun 4-1 Sanderson Lam
• Zhou Yuelong 4-2 Jiang Jun

Moody establishes a 51 point lead with 43 remaining so Day continues to play for snookers. A sublime long pot brings that to an end though and it’s 3-2.

Day and Moody both go close with tricky pots before Day puts one away with a shot to nothing. The Welshman drops the black into the right centre to land close to the reds but there is no pot on so he plays safe. The three remaining reds are gathered together on the top cushion now.

Moody catches his safety shot way too thick but leaves Day in an awkward position tight to the left cushion, although you would still fancy the 44-year-old to find the middle pocket. He misses though and it’s an easy shot for Moody now to clinch this fifth frame.

He goes into that cluster off the pink and looks to be okay. He has to dig down on a red with the rest but manages to screw out for the pink and this now looks a wonderful chance for 3-2. A mid-range yellow with the rest is needed but it’s in the heart of the pocket.

The following red which was sat over the pocket isn’t though! He hits it so thick but it wriggles in, though he is now way out of position. End of break. 51 the lead with 59 on the table.

An unintended canon leaves Moody with a tricky shot down the top cushion and he clips the near jaw to end that chance, which looked a great one just moments before. It goes unpunished before the youngster pulls off an outrageous three-ball plant while hampered by the brown. Can he capitalise on that remarkable pot?

Still work to do in this frame though with a cluster of five in the centre of the table and one red tight to the right cushion. There are a couple of loose reds but he will need some sort of canon in the next few shots.

Day gets things underway in what he hopes will be the final frame of this match. The Welshman is straight up from a safety shot knowing he played it too thick but it’s really poor from Moody who with the cue ball way down the table collides with the blue on his way back to baulk.

But this time it goes unpunished as Day misses the long blue – a shot that was key to his break in the last frame. Moody gets himself in and produces a wonderful long pot on the green, pumping the cue ball round the angles to land on a red.

• Ryan Day 3-1 Stan Moody
• Scott Donaldson 3-0 Tian Pengfei
• Haotian Lyu 3-3 Marco Fu
• Noppon Saengkham 4-1 Amir Sarkhosh
• Elliot Slessor 0-0 Haydon Pinhey
• Guodong Xiao 2-2 Duane Jones
• Yuan Sijun 4-1 Sanderson Lam
• Zhou Yuelong 3-2 Jiang Jun

He made that look easy! One poor safety shot from Moody and in a flash Day is 3-1 up thanks to a century break of 125 taking him just one frame away from the finishing line.

Moody will know that he cannot afford anymore sloppy errors if he is to get himself back in this one. He needs three in a row now to make it through and secure what would be the biggest jackpot of his career.

Day lands low on a loose red below the bunch so that he can screw off the pack to free some more reds while keeping position on the black. A great shot that has really opened things up to take this third frame with no more canons needed.

Following a short delay after that third frame, Day kicks things off in the fourth. The dreaded double-kiss from Moody leaves Day a red into the green pocket and he is able to get nicely on the blue to play down for a red that by potting frees up the black. They’re in a lovely position now for a sizable contribution

A couple of loose shots from Day forces him into taking a long blue but suddenly he is back in prime position.

• Ryan Day 2-1 Stan Moody
• Scott Donaldson 2-0 Tian Pengfei
• Haotian Lyu 3-2 Marco Fu
• Noppon Saengkham 3-1 Amir Sarkhosh
• Elliot Slessor v Haydon Pinhey
• Guodong Xiao 1-2 Duane Jones
• Yuan Sijun 4-1 Sanderson Lam
• Zhou Yuelong 3-2 Jiang Jun

Moody goes on to clear up playing a phenomenal shot on the final red down the cushion. He crunched it in! The frame was wrapped up but nevertheless a superb shot from the 17-year-old.

Moody looks to have settled down and is starting to take these nicely. With a 33 point lead there are four reds in the open for him to pick off now to clinch this frame.

But an unforgivable miss on a red hands the chance back to Day who himself misses an easy red! He will be livid he hasn’t punished Moody there who will be grateful that the frame was handed back to him.

Moody looks to seize the opportunity and plays a nice red into the yellow pocket to get things going. This is a big chance for the youngster and one you feel he has to take for this game to not run away from him.

Moody hits a shot to nothing well on the thick side to leave the cue ball close to the blue and Day with an easy starter to the left centre. The 44-year-old looks to build a break but gets a canon wrong early on and leaves himself low on the black so is forced to nestle into it.

After a loose safety shot Moody is lucky to leave Day with just a long red but the Welshman makes no mistake and plays a lovely canon on a red to land on the black. He misses a simple red into the middle though just when the break looked ready to take off.

• Ryan Day 2-0 Stan Moody
• Scott Donaldson 1-0 Tian Pengfei
• Haotian Lyu 3-1 Marco Fu
• Noppon Saengkham 3-1 Amir Sarkhosh
• Elliot Slessor v Haydon Pinhey
• Guodong Xiao 1-1 Duane Jones
• Yuan Sijun 4-1 Sanderson Lam
• Zhou Yuelong 3-2 Jiang Jun

After Moody continues to play for snookers he goes in-off the pink and Day has doubled his lead!

Moody has definitely got the run of the ball in this exchange as he flukes a couple of snookers but he eventually leaves a tester for Day on the yellow into the green pocket. He hits it thin and it’s Day’s turn for a slice of luck as it runs safe.

Moody is going for everything though and tries to play a thin yellow down into the right corner pocket. He leaves a mid-range pot for Day who strikes it beautifully and backs it up with a lovely green too. Day thinks he’s won it with the brown but it goes just wide of the left centre. It’s in on the next attempt though and we are in snookers required territory.

Moody loses position as the cue ball runs to the side cushion. He looks to float the black in but it snicks a red on the way leaving a chance for Day. The Welshman gets off the mark using the black as a pocket-widener while getting it into play.

The 44-year-old picks off the awkward reds but he will need the yellow which is tight onto the left cushion. He tries to give himself an angle off the pink to go into it but he leaves it too thin and instead plays safe onto the top cushion. He has an 18 point lead with 27 left on.

After Moody goes close to an in-off in the right corner pocket, Day fails to take the opportunity as he misses a red thick.

Moody plays an extremely attacking pot on the red as he crashes into the pack but he is unlucky to not land on anything straightforward. But he rifles the pink into the yellow pocket… What a shot! He follows it up two shots later with a thin green. Two good recovery pots from Moody to gain some confidence perhaps.

It’s the 17-year-old to get proceedings underway in the second frame and he will be keen to get a frame on the board sooner rather than later. But he leaves a red on from the break and Day rifles it into the right corner pocket before going round the houses to land on the green to the left centre pocket.

He then misses by a long way on a relatively routine brown but missed it by so much that he leaves Moody out of position and without a pot.

• Ryan Day 1-0 Stan Moody
• Scott Donaldson v Tian Pengfei
• Haotian Lyu 2-0 Marco Fu
• Noppon Saengkham 2-1 Amir Sarkhosh
• Elliot Slessor v Haydon Pinhey
• Guodong Xiao 0-1 Duane Jones
• Yuan Sijun 3-1 Sanderson Lam
• Zhou Yuelong 2-2 Jiang Jun

And it’s the first of the tricky reds that Day slips on but a break of 53 is enough to seal the opening frame. A couple of early hiccups but a convincing end to the frame from the Welshman.

Day doesn’t need the two tougher reds to get to snookers required and just like that he has the opening frame all but one.

Day is left with a straightforward opener and after a trickier red into the yellow pocket, he is top-side of the blue and in prime position to make a frame-winning break now.

The black is tied up but the pink goes to both corner pockets and there are a number of free reds to pick off.

It’s Moody who pots first, after going in-off moments before, with a good pot into the left centre. He lands high on the blue which allows him to go thundering into the pack but he is incredibly unlucky to see a red fly into the green pocket.

Day pots an easy red before playing safe tight to the baulk cushion forcing Moody into a poor safety shot. But the youngster somewhat gets away with it, leaving a tricky cut along the top cushion. Day rattles the jaw leaving the red over the pocket and giving Moody a chance to make a contribution but he quickly breaks down on a thin pink.

The players are out and it will be Day to break off in the opening frame of this best of seven clash. The winner of this one will take on the victor of Scott Donaldson v Tian Pengfei.

Ryan Day and Stan Moody have met once before in the German Masters and it was the Welshman who ran out 5-3 winner on the day.

A number of the later games are now underway too so here’s an early update from those as well as a reminder of the fixtures yet to get going.

• Ryan Day v Stan Moody
• Scott Donaldson v Tian Pengfei
• Haotian Lyu 2-0 Marco Fu
• Noppon Saengkham 2-1 Amir Sarkhosh
• Elliot Slessor v Haydon Pinhey
• Guodong Xiao 0-1 Duane Jones
• Yuan Sijun 3-0 Sanderson Lam
• Zhou Yuelong 2-1 Jiang Jun

With that, let’s take a look at the rest of the scores from this evening’s early matches:

• Jordan Brown 2-3 Bulcsu Revesz
• David Gilbert 4-0 Alfred Burden
• Jack Lisowski 4-3 Andrew Pagett
• Stephen Maguire 4-0 Ben Mertens
• Jackson Page 2-4 Gong Chenzhi
• Neil Robertson 4-1 Paul Deaville
• Matthew Stevens 3-3 Martin O’Donnell
• Wu Yize 4-0 Antoni Kowalski

Jack Lisowski has come through his decider with Andrew Pagett in dramatic fashion. The momentum was consistently shifting in the seventh and final frame that lasted almost 40 minutes before the Jackpot won it on the pink.

Ryan Day v Stan Moody is up next!

It has come to down to the colours in a topsy-turvy decider between Lisowski and Pagett. It’s 59 each with the players down to just the brown.

Noppon Saengkham has kicked things off in his match with Amir Sarkhosh with a maximum. Incredible moment for the Thai player who leads 2-1.

After Pagett was presented the opening chance in the decider and made a break of 40, Lisowski now has his turn and has the reds all in the open to clear up. Can he hold his nerve?

A reminder that coverage of Ryan Day v Stan Moody is on the way.

But before that mouth-watering contest, we must await the conclusion to the match between Jack Lisowski and Andrew Pagett which has just entered a decider.

Our second match of this evening’s session sees 17-year-old Stan Moody take on the highest-ranked player of the round in Ryan Day.

Moody has enjoyed an excellent start to the tournament here in Riyadh dropping just one frame in the opening two rounds against Ziyad Alqabbani and familiar rival Liam Pullen. The youngster is looking to establish himself in the sport in his second season as a professional after his maiden campaign saw him reach the round of 16 in the Northern Ireland Open.

As for Day, he will be looking at this tournament as an opportunity to break into the top 16, currently sitting just one place below it as he is on the hunt for a fifth-ranking title. The 44-year-old has been somewhat of a late bloomer having picked up the first his four trophies in 2017 with his most recent ranking triumph coming in the 2022 British Open.

Aside from Jack Lisowski, it’s the big names that have already stormed to victory with David Gilbert and Stephen Maguire breezing through their respective fixtures without dropping a frame.

• Jordan Brown 0-3 Bulcsu Revesz
• David Gilbert 4-0 Alfred Burden
• Jack Lisowski 3-2 Andrew Pagett
• Stephen Maguire 4-0 Ben Mertens
• Jackson Page 2-3 Gong Chenzhi
• Neil Robertson 4-1 Paul Deaville
• Matthew Stevens 1-3 Martin O’Donnell
• Wu Yize 4-0 Antoni Kowalski

Following another succession of safety bouts and missed chances by Deaville, Robertson eventually wraps things up as he picks off the final red and clears up the colours.

A really sloppy final frame from both players you have to say with plenty of wasted chances but you always felt it would be the former world champion to prevail.

The Australian has racked up a fair few foul points now before Deaville evenutally finds a red but leaves another one on for Robertson. He takes it but then plays safe once again. Both players have really struggled to get any sort of break going in this frame.

Deaville gets off the mark with an easy shot on the rest into the green pocket and should be able to make a reasonable contribution with the remaining reds scattered. Having said that one is tied up next to the black near the right middle while another is tight to the top cushion so by no means an easy frame-winning chance. Especially when you miss reds like that! Another chance goes begging as Deaville misses a fairly straightforward pot into the right corner pocket breaking down on seven.

An extremely lengthy safety bout eventually comes to end with an excellent long pot from the 2010 world champion but is immediately resumed as he tucks up his opponent in behind the brown that is now close to the baulk cushion. Hard to see an easy way out of this one with the reds scattered.

Deaville controls the opening pot well to land on the black but then leaves the cue ball in no mans land. Just a break of eight for the youngster who it feels just can’t get into a rhythm.

A slack safety from Robertson though presents yet another chance which finishes with a break of one. With the reds in a tight cluster other than one tight to the right cushion, Deaville felt he just couldn’t get onto one from any colour there.

Having said that, he is forced to play another recovery blue into the same yellow pocket but it’s much harder this time with the cue ball further down the table and he rattles the jaw before nearly fluking it into the green pocket and seeing his break cut short at 26.

Deaville pots one but misses a black off the spot. Robertson goes so close with a long red into the yellow pocket and leaves a slightly awkward rest shot for Deaville to get up and running.

Robertson breaks off and has Deaville immediately snookered but the Englishman can go off one cushion and roll up to the pack with relative ease. Moments later though and the 19-year-old is snookered again this time much tighter in behind the green. He leaves a sighter for Robertson into the left centre that he takes well to land on the black before firing into the pack sending reds across the table. Great shot.

He is quickly forced into a recovery shot on the blue but dispatches it into the heart of the pocket and looks in a great position to take this fifth frame.

The Aussie misses the final red but a break of 42 sees him take this fourth frame.

In a flash Robertson has this fourth frame out of sight and looks to cueing nicely with the pressure off. He can still make a fairly sizable break here which he will want to do to just give him that bit of confidence.

Robertson under-screws a red though as he looks to flick off the bottom of the pack and onto the black and he has to play safe off the yellow. He will be disappointed with that just as he looked to be gaining some momentum but it’s a solid safety leaving Deaville on the baulk cushion.

The youngster does pot a red though with a shot to nothing but the white flies into the yellow pocket and Robertson makes no mistake with the resulting long red to pick up where he left off. Ominous now for Deaville.

Robertson takes a lengthy break out of the arena before returning for the fourth frame and it’s Deaville that gets us underway. The 19-year-old knocks a red of the left corner pocket to give Robertson an easy-in to this fourth frame.

He hits it with power again somewhat leaving position to luck but gets on the green before taking a red in the baulk end to get a break up and running. The Aussie is soon in prime position on the black.

Deaville tries to squeeze an angle on the black to free up the remaining reds but sees the black rattle out. It doesn’t matter now though, a break of 49 has the Englishman back in this one.

Deaville is able to pick off the easier reds to establish a lead off 66 with 67 remaining. It’s a tricky one along the top cushion to seal the frame but he makes no mistake and it’s looking like 2-1!

Robertson gets a lucky kiss on the brown to tuck in behind the blue leaving Deaville in a spot of bother. It’s an immaculate response though from the 19-year-old who goes off two cushions before glancing off a red and getting Robertson tucked right up behind the green.

The Australian looks to play into a couple of reds on the top cushion but finds a gap not much bigger than the cue ball and leaves Deaville an easy opener. Can he make it count? The reds are slightly awkward but the black and pink are wide open.

Deaville seemed content with picking the loose reds off rather than going into the pack and left himself an incredibly tricky pot on the final one on offer. He rattled the jaws of the left corner pocket while potting the cue ball, leaving Robertson an easy starter.

The Australian wraps the cue ball back round into baulk before snookering Deaville behind the yellow. After a series of safety shots a wayward one from Robertson tempts Deaville into a tricky plant which he again leaves over the pocket. But again Robertson can’t capitalise by getting position on a colour.

Robertson gets this third frame underway and a superb long red from Deaville after a Robertson foul has suddenly changed the outlook of this one with the youngster now in a great position to put his mark on this frame. Two reds, two blacks… Far too early, I apologise.

• Jordan Brown 0-1 Bulcsu Revesz
• David Gilbert 2-1 Alfred Burden
• Jack Lisowski 1-1 Andrew Pagett
• Stephen Maguire 2-0 Ben Mertens
• Jackson Page 1-1 Gong Chenzhi
• Neil Robertson 2-0 Paul Deaville
• Matthew Stevens 0-1 Martin O’Donnell
• Wu Yize 1-0 Antoni Kowalski

A break of 44 from Robertson and he has doubled his lead here in the early stages. He will be disappointed with the poor positional shot that caused him to break down on 34 but it was a measured response once the chance was gifted back to him from Deaville who is yet to show anything that would trouble the 42-year-old.

A solid safety from Robertson causes the youngster to get his response all wrong and he’s straight back in here to take the second frame by the looks of things.

A really nice positional shot down from the green leaves Robertson in prime position here to take a two frame lead. The Australian slightly overcooks a shot as he looks to play up for the blue but a nice recovery pot on the blue into the left corner pocket keeps the break going. A solid safety from Robertson causes the youngster to get his response all wrong and he’s straight back in here to take the second frame.

With the pink on the brown spot though, a really sloppy positional shot leaves Robertson snookered from the black and that is end of break.

An aggressive safety from Robertson knocks a ball over the right corner pocket and Deaville makes no mistake for his first pot of the match but he can’t quite control the cue ball to finish on the black and has to accept a safety off the green. It forces another chance though but his long red is wayward and Robertson should be in again here.

With those issues seemingly solved, the second frame gets underway. Deaville will want to make sure this match doesn’t run away from him early on.

A foul from Robertson as he tries to snick the outside of a red does no harm as the ball drifts back into baulk. He does the same on the second attempt though and he will be warned that a third miss here would concede the frame given he is not snookered. Sensibly he opts for the containing safety shot onto the top cushion.

To everyone’s benefit – including mine – they are taking a moment hear to fix the issues with the scoreboard. It was almost immediately wrong in that frame after awarding Robertson four points for an early green before disappearing completely about halfway through.

World Championship semi-finalist David Gilbert has taken the opening frame in his clash against Alfie Burden. Roberson 1-0 Deaville

That was short-lived however and Deaville quickly concedes meaning Robertson takes this opening frame in fairly routine fashion.

And just like that the Australian looks set to take the opening frame. The reds were in a nice position for Robertson to pick off and while he wasn’t in prime position for the entire break he looks to have shaken off the cobwebs and found some early confidence after a somewhat shakey start.

An incorrect and then absent scoreboard has made this one slightly tough to keep score of but Robertson has put this frame beyond doubt. Having said that he breaks down on 66 and with a 71 point lead (I think) and 59 on the table Deaville continues.

Robertson takes on a tricky plant into the right pocket and despite missing he removes the three reds from a pottable position and leaves Deaville with nothing easy. The youngster goes for a long red but misses and leaves Robertson in prime position for a significant contribution.

Deaville takes on a speculative red into the left centre pocket from the top cushion but it hits the near jaw and presents a chance for Robertson. The Aussie misses though with a fairly routine rest shot on the red but gets away with it. A slack safety shot gives the 42-year-old a second chance and he pots a straight forward red into the green pocket.

It looks like a great chance for a sizable break for Robertson but a poor positional shot on his second red leaves him low on the black and he has to play safe off the pink. Looking a little bit rusty perhaps in these early stages, the former world champion.

The start of this opening frame has involved some astute safety play from either player. It’s Deaville who has the first chance with a long red into the yellow pocket but the youngster hits it slightly on the thin side.

Robertson hits a safety shot too thick off the pack and gives Deaville a chance to get his hand on the table but his shot to nothing is also on the thick side with the cue ball not reaching baulk. The Australian turns down the pot though and the safety battle ensues. Cagey start!

The players have been ready for quite some time now but eventually it will be Robertson to break off in this opening frame. Remember it’s first to four so both players will be keen for a quick start.

The jackpot for winning the Saudi Arabia Masters is a whopping £500,000 meaning it matches the World Championship as the joint-most lucrative tournament on the circuit.

Our first match this evening sees the five-time Triple Crown winner Neil Robertson take on the unranked Paul Deaville in the third round in Riyadh. The 42-year-old has slipped outside the top 16 following a difficult couple of seasons which is why he joins the tournament at this stage, along with the other players ranked from 17-48.

The Australian will have fond memories of playing in the middle-east having won the last major ranking event to take place in the region in the 2008 Bahrain Championship. Robertson’s 19-year-old opponent this evening has had a promising start to the tournament having beaten Mitchell Mann 4-3 before whitewashing Ian Burns in the second round.

Victory this evening has the incentive of ranking points and will set up a fourth-round clash with either Wales’ Jackson Page or Gong Chenzhi of China.

There are a host of big names and mouth-watering clashes lined up for us this evening with the likes of Jack Lisowski, Stephen Maguire, and David Gilbert joining proceedings.

In one of the later games, world number 17 Ryan Day will be taking on teenage sensation Stan Moody who has looked in imperious form in his opening two matches.

• Jordan Brown v Bulcsu Revesz
• David Gilbert v Alfred Burden
• Jack Lisowski v Andrew Pagett
• Stephen Maguire v Ben Mertens
• Jackson Page v Gong Chenzhi
• Neil Robertson v Paul Deaville
• Matthew Stevens v Martin O’Donnell
• Wu Yize v Antoni Kowalski

• Ryan Day v Stan Moody
• Scott Donaldson v Tian Pengfei
• Haotian Lyu v Marco Fu
• Noppon Saengkham v Amir Sarkhosh
• Elliot Slessor v Haydon Pinhey
• Guodong Xiao v Duane Jones
• Sijun Yuan v Sanderson Lam
• Yuelong Zhou v Jiang Jun

• Stuart Bingham 4-2 Xing Zihao
• Zhengyi Fan 3-4 Jimmy Robertson
• Jamie Jones 2-4 Anthony Hamilton
• Anthony McGill 1-4 Ashley Carty
• Robert Milkins 3-4 Thor Chuan Leong
• Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 4-1 Artemijs Zizins
• Chris Wakelin 4-2 Robbie McGuigan
• Ricky Walden 1-4 Liu Hongyu

• Si Jiahui 4-2 Jimmy White
• Sam Craigie 0-4 Grame Dott
• Joe O’Connor 4-3 Louis Heathcote
• Junxu Pang 3-3 Stuart Carrington
• Joe Perry 0-4 Ben Woollaston
• Matthew Selt 4-3 Allan Taylor
• Hossein Vafaei 4-1 Ishpreet Chadha
• Robbie Williams 3-4 Lei Peifan

Day three has seen the players ranked from 17-48 enter the fray and there has been no shortage of entertainment. The 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham got off to a winning start beating Xing Zihao of China 4-2 before Jimmy White’s run was brought to a halt by the talented Si Jiahui by the same scoreline.

Welcome along to LIVE coverage of the evening session on day three of the Saudi Arabia Masters.

Thanks, as ever, for following along with our coverage. We will be back shortly with action from the evening session in Riyadh.

And that’s it. Si wins with a break of 72 and sets up a meeting in the last 32 with former world champion Graeme Dott.

For Jimmy, while he might be disappointed, he should be pleased with his run this week.

The balls are now perfectly spread. It would be a real surprise if Si does not take this chance and send Jimmy home.

A loose safety from Jimmy leaves a red over the middle pocket and gives Si an easy opener. His positional play is not perfect but he continues to knock in pressure balls as he closes on victory.

Joe O’Connor 1-3 Louis Heathcote

Robbie Williams 2-2 Lei Peifan

Hossein Vafaei 1-1 Ishpreeet Chadha

Pang Junxu 1-1 Stuart Carrington

Joe Perry 0-2 Ben Woollaston

Matt Selt 1-1 Alan Taylor

Yup, Jimmy does enoguh to secure the frame and, contrary to popular (my) belief, this match isn’t over yet.

Not for lonig, Jimmy quickly back at it, and he won’t need the red on the baulk rail to close the gap to one.

Oh James. Oh Whirlwind. He can’t slot to left corner so we’re back playing safety.

A poor safety from Si allows Jimmy a shot at nicking one into left corner but again he cannot. Si, though, can’t drill it down, leaving plenty in the process.

He cannot, running out of position and playing safe off the cluster.

Ooooh, another miss to the middle from Si, the green directed into the near jaw, and you feel Jimmy must make this opportunity count.

Pair of trousers for Si, who cuts back a starter into left corner only to take the white into left middle. But Jimmy jawses his attempted pot … only for Si to soon leave him chance to the green … which he can’t sink. So the young Chinese gets a way to left corner, and could this be curtains/ There’s a lot of work to do, bt there’s a handy lead out there at worst.

Joe O’Connor 1-2 Louis Heathcote

Robbie Williams 1-2 Lei Peifan

Hossein Vafaei 10 Ishpreeet Chadha

Pang Junxu 1-0 Stuart Carrington

Joe Perry 0-2 Ben Woollaston

I hate to say it because Jimmy is a hero, but also, I love to say it because Si could become a hero: the difference ebetween the players is stark.

Jimmy leaves a starter to the yellow, Si stiokes it home, and when he comes up the table off the brown to drop into right corner, you know the frame is did.

Yes you can! One of the best middle-pocket potters in the game misses to the middle, overhitting slightly such that the ball disappears then pops back up again. With nothing on, though, he’s still a big favourite to take the frame.

Si scores so quickly and it’ll take a bad miss to allow Jimmy back into the frame. You can’t see it.

The problem Jimmy has is that Si has a better safety and potting game, earning the next chance before running out of position. The remiaing reds, save on, are still clustered … or were, si breaking them via attacking safety. Check to James, who wobbles a red in the jaws of left corner, a double-kiss allowing Si a decent opportunity.

Jimmy caresses a starter to left corner but can’t get on a colour, then Si knucks one to right and makes his way back up the table from baulk via brown. But looking to nudge in a second red, black close by, he can’t connect at the anlge he needs; no matter, because Jimmy leaves it over the bag … but Si runs into the blue after draining it, and we’re back playing safety.

Jamie Jones 2-4 Anthony Hamilton

Joe O’Connor 1-2 Louis Heathcote

Robbie Williams 0-1 Lei Peifan

Hossein Vafaei 0-0 Ishpreeet Chadha

Pang Junxu 0-0 Stuart Carrington

Joe Perry 0-0 Ben Woollaston

It feels like Jimmy needs to get in and clear early doors, because if he doesn’t, Si will make or take a chance.

And Si is just the man to take them. He quickly disappears the frame and Jimmy needs to find something, problem being I’m not sure what.

It’s Si in first in frame three and I like the way he’s playing here – because i like the way he plays. He’s so smooth and confident at the table and though he runs into the pack and out of position, he doesn’t leave anything and I’d not be surprised to see him win 4-1. And, as I type, a gorgeous long red to left corner gets him back away; the way the balls are, there are points to be had here.

Zhengyi Fan 3-4 Jimmy Robertson

Jamie Jones 2-3 Anthony Hamilton

Anthony McGill 1-4 Ashley Carty

Joe O’Connor 0-2 Louis Heathcote

Robbie Williams 0-1 Lei Peifan

Hossein Vafaei 0-0 Ishpreeet Chadha

Jimmy leaves the green to left-centre, Si sinks it, and that’s 1-1.

Si misses a nasty red to left corner and by a way, allowing Jimmy back to the table with a starter on and a snooker required. He quickly removes the remaining reds, adds the yellow, and plays his snooker off the green; Si hits easily enough.

Si will have to break the pack at some point, but he removes loose balls, a gorgeous pink to left-centre despatched ike it’s nothing. He’s into this now, the next red also a jazzer, and my sense is that Jimmy is in trouble.

It’s Si in first in frame two and he slides a decent blue to the yellow bag and looks in decent shape.

Zhengyi Fan 3-3 Jimmy Robertson

Jamie Jones 2-2 Anthony Hamilton

Anthony McGill 1-3 Ashley Carty

Robert Milkins 3-4 Thor Chuan Leong

Chris Wakelin 4-2 Robbie McGuigan

Joe O’Connor 0-1 Louis Heathcote

Robbie Williams 0-0 Lei Peifan

It takes a while – it’s not flowing – but Jimmy eventually secures frame one.

Jimmy slides a starter to left corner and, putting everything into the pot, eschews the broon to roll up behind the yellow … but with heavy hands, such that he doesn’t get the snooker. The frame remains in the balance.

Good work from Jimmy, but after easing a blue to right-middle he ends up nowhere near where he intended, missing the next red, to left corner, but a way, and he slinks back to his seat with a useful but retrievable lead.

Ach Jimmy jawses a red to left corner and it’s not that easy to work out a way he wins this – Si is just such a good potter, so well-placed to capitalise on any errors. But after tapping down the starter he’s left, he can’t drain the black thereafter. So the Whirlwind gets back in, both players looking edgy, and methodically elminates balls.

It’s so so good to see Jimmy on the match table and enjoying his snooker – he’s been a pro sincde 1980! But it’s Si in first with a terrific opener … only to miss the black looking to break the pack. He doesn’t leave anything easy … but Jimmy slots a fine red to left corner and gets to work.

Zhengyi Fan 3-2 Jimmy Robertson

Jamie Jones 2-1 Anthony Hamilton

Anthony McGill 1-2 Ashley Carty

Robert Milkins 2-3 Thor Chuan Leong

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 4-1 Artemijs Zizins

Chris Wakelin 3-2 Robbie McGuigan

Ricky Walden 1-4 Liu Hongyu

He didn’t playh especially well and xing showed just how much potetial he has, but he couldnt maintain his level and was, in the end, well beaten. Next for Bingham: Anthony Hamilton or Jamie Jones.

Xing eases a red into left corner but the last one it marrooned on the baulk rail, just off centre; he tries to float up to it, doesn’t get close enough but plays the pot anyway, leaves the ball over the bag and when Stuart taps it home, there’s a handshake.

No matter: I’m afraid Xing has gone, those back-to-back tons seeming a long time ago. So Stuart gets back in, increasing his lead before playing safe, and with only one more ball required, this is five to over.

And his safety is poor, allowing Stuart back in, and this is a chance to finish the match. Except he contrives to leave white behind blue with so much margin for error it’s silly … redeeming himself by sending it spinning into the green bag from close by it … only to msis an easier but not straightforward red into the same pocket!

Xing isn’t so confident now and he leaves a red over left corner, but Stuart soon jawses one to right, grimacing with displeasure. So his opponent sinks a starter and you feel this chance is do or die for him and he breaks the pack off the black … only to land on nowt.

Zhengyi Fan 2-2 Jimmy Robertson

Jamie Jones 2-1 Anthony Hamilton

Anthony McGill 0-2 Ashley Carty

Robert Milkins 1-3 Thor Chuan Leong

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 3-1 Artemijs Zizins

Chris Wakelin 2-2 Robbie McGuigan

Ricky Walden 1-3 Liu Hongyu

Yup, Stuart goes one up with two to play. Brt he’s not at one with his game, so who knows what happens next.

And now it’s Xing hanging heed, missing pink to middle, and Stuart will be well relieved. I’d be staggered if he didn’t secure the frame at this visit.

“Needs the cue-ball to slow down … oh no! Nooooo!” says Ken as Stuart runs out of position.And seconds later, he’s hanging his head, missing the yellow he attempts to tickle and leaving a very significant opportunity for Xing. But can he clear under pressure?

It’s Stuart in at the start of frame five and this looks a lot like going all the way. But in the meantime, he sustains hois break with a nice red, breaks pack off black, and is he on one? Just about, to left-mddle, and he glides it home beautifully.

Zhengyi Fan 1-2 Jimmy Robertson

Jamie Jones 2-1 Anthony Hamilton

Anthony McGill 0-2 Ashley Carty

Robert Milkins 1-3 Thor Chuan Leong

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 3-1 Artemijs Zizins

Chris Wakelin 1-2 Robbie McGuigan

Ricky Walden 1-2 Liu Hongyu

It takes loger that it ought to have done, but Stuart removes the green and that’s enough for the frame.

Xing leaves a clip to the yellow, Stuart sticks the yellow into it, and that should be enough; but with only one snooker required, this isn’t over yet, and shonuff a fluked snooker, pink blocking green, makes in interesting … and Ballrun misses his escape! If Xing clears up, the frame is his!

Oh Stupot. Left a taxing safety, he leaves a starter, and Xing has a chance to steal – and Stuart knows it because his disappointment is palpable. We’ve seen Xing break-build in favourable ciorcumstances, but can he clear under pressure? Er he plays a miserable shot off the final red, but gets lucks and slots the brown … but it’s replaced to partially block his route to the yellow. Still, though, there’s a pot there … but Xing can’t sink it. This is very tense now.

I was probably a little hasty there, there’s more work to do than I led youse to believe; Stuart has to break the pack with three reds left, he’s on nowt, and the frame remains in the balance.

This is getting a little scrappy and Stuart is struggling a little. But he chips one in, returns for the black by way of check-side, and this should be 2-2.

Xing quickly runs out of position – is he cooling? – and running out of position, he opts to take o a double to middle, getting close but not close enough, leaving nothing.

Stuart rams a starter into right corner but an infelicitous kiss – we’ve all had em! – means a tricky broon to maintain the run. He drains it nicely, sticks in another ncie red, and he’s crafting a chance here – but needs to break the cycle of recovery-potting … and he can’t,catchjung the cushion and he tries to tickle home a ball from on top, leaving it in the jaws and, with the black on its spot available to both bags, Xing can score here.

Zhengyi Fan 0-2 Jimmy Robertson

Jamie Jones 2-0 Anthony Hamilton

Anthony McGill 0-1 Ashley Carty

Robert Milkins 1-1 Thor Chuan Leong

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 2-0 Artemijs Zizins

Chris Wakelin 1-0 Robbie McGuigan

Ricky Walden 1-1 Liu Hongyu

He can’t send it down, but he’s playing beautifully and hits the front.

Ton in the bag, Xing seeks a total clearance, but the brown is a tricky cut…

Lovely from Xing, who directed a red across the table into another, flicking it and continuing into the bag. A second straight ton is surely his, and i wonder if Stuasrt is rueing taking that chance looking to plant a red in the previous frame, which got the teenager going.

Xing gets a little straight on a black and as a consequence has to play for a red to middle; that, I imagine, will force him to take a blue and so it turns out. Still, though, he should take the chance to forge in front and looks great at the table.

A poor safety from Stuart sees him nudge free a red that Xing rolls along the top rail to get on the black. There are four reds awaiting him before he needs to think about developing any of breaking the pack. But gets an angle sooner and, not on much, he gently expands it from below and this is another good chance – four reds, four blacks in, the balls nicely situated and with £50,000 available for a maxi…

Zhengyi Fan 0-1 Jimmy Robertson

Jamie Jones 2-0 Anthony Hamilton

Anthony McGill 0-0 Ashley Carty

Robert Milkins 1-1 Thor Chuan Leong

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 2-0 Artemijs Zizins

Chris Wakelin 1-0 Robbie McGuigan

Ricky Walden 0-1 Liu Hongyu

A composed clearance of 115 and we’re level.

Xing can pot, and his cue-ball control is also on-point. The ton his his for the taking.

Xing develops a couple of reds but nudging them off the black and he’s navigating this run nicely.

Xing leaves one and Stuart gets away to left corner. There aren’t many better potters around and he’ll be relishing the opportunity to address an inviting table. But then he screws back too far off the black such that he can’t reach his next ball, forced to play back to baulk and go again. He’ll be really disappointed because that was a chance to take control of the match, and instead he looks to play off one red to knock another into right corner. He gets close too, but in missing he lesves the world and Xing couldn’t have wished for a better opportunity to get on the board.

Zhengyi Fan 0-1 Jimmy Robertson

Jamie Jones 0-0 Anthony Hamilton

Anthony McGill 0-0 Ashley Carty

Robert Milkins 0-0 Thor Chuan Leong

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 1-0 Artemijs Zizins

Chris Wakelin 0-0 Robbie McGuigan

Ricky Walden 0-0 Liu Hongyu

Yup, Stuart does the necessary.

Stuart bins the easy reds, ruffles the remaining four, still clustered, and this is surely 1-0.

More ballrun for Ballrun. His luck with the miss means he’s a chance to send down a nice starter to the corner and a nice kiss he didn’t play for leaves him on the black. From here, he’ll want to polish off the frame.

Nope, rolling a red to the green bag, he hits the jaw, a second double-kiss leaving nothing on.

Though Stuart is the seed, the 19-year old Chinese smashed him 5-1 in Wuhan and knows his way around a table. He’s in first and with a few reds available, he’ll fancy himself to score a few … but as I type, of course he misses a pot to right corner that leaves claret all over and Stuart will now seek to capitalise.

Which sees our seeds enter. They receive no ranking points unless they win, and their opponents are in stroke having won matches to reach this stage, so don’t be surprised if some big names encounter difficulty.

And our first match todaty is Stuart Bingham v Xing Zihao.

To LIVE coverage of the Saudi Arabia Masters – day three!

(All UK times, schedule subject to change)

• Stuart Bingham v Xing Zihao
• Zhengyi Fan v Jimmy Robertson
• Jamie Jones v Anthony Hamilton
• Anthony McGill v Ashley Carty
• Robert Milkins v Thor Chuan Leong
• Thepchaiya Un-Nooh v Artemijs Zizins
• Chris Wakelin v Robbie McGuigan
• Ricky Walden v Liu Hongyu

• Sam Craigie v Graham Dott
• Joe O’Connor v Louis Heathcote
• Junxu Pang v Stuart Carrington
• Joe Perry v Ben Woollaston
• Matthew Selt v Allan Taylor
• Si Jiahui v Jimmy White
• Hossein Vafaei v Ishpreet Chadha
• Robbie Williams v Lei Peifan

• Jordan Brown v Bulcsu Revesz
• David Gilbert v Alfred Burden
• Jack Lisowski v Andrew Pagett
• Stephen Maguire v Ben Mertens
• Jackson Page v Gong Chenzhi
• Neil Robertson v Paul Deaville
• Matthew Stevens v Martin O’Donnell
• Wu Yize v Antoni Kowalski