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John Higgins was on his marks quickly as the first ranking tournament of the season got underway today in Glasgow.
Drawn against Mark Joyce,a 26year old from Walsall, a professional for three years, Higgins, the defending champion, who was a beaten semi finalist in the Shanghai Masters was given the honour of opening the tournament. And Higgins was intent on keeping the match short and sweet.
But as the wind gusted outside of the Kelvin Hall the Scotsman was busy making Joyce's second visit to Scotland a stormy one as he pounced on Joyce's misjudged safety - where a protracted, tactical first frame, that both players had chances to win went the way of Higgins when he stroked in a red to the corner and cleared to the brown- in front of his home crowd.
Joyce, no doubt dwelling on the first frame soon had far more to worry about when he failed to escape a Higgins snooker and left an inviting red to the centre from short range. Higgins isn't one you extend gifts to, well not on the snooker table anyway - and Joyce was left to sit in his chair as Higgins put together a break of 44- and after winning a brief safety battle fluked a red to the corner and clinched the frame with 38.
Joyce's day was fast turning into a nightmare- and although Higgins was enjoying a run of the balls he was certainly making the most of it- and ominously the long potting which is the key in any match looked in fine fettle too. Joyce badly need one frame before the mid session interval- but he was doomed to disappointment as Higgins hammered in a long red to the corner before going into the pack and scattering the reds into potable positions from where he made 98 for a 3-0 lead.
Joyce must have been wondering what he had to do to break his run of bad luck. The world number 57 had been getting to the table but as soon as he was getting there he found himself running out of position, which ultimatley was proving costly. It was desperation stakes for Mark, he badly needed the fourth if he was going to stay in contention. And if he was going to do that he had to stay in the present- play it ball by ball, and make sure he capitalised on whatever chances Higgins offered him. Finally it came when Higgins in play looking to counter missed a simple red to the corner Joyce visably steadied himself before clearing with 17 to clinch the frame to trail 3-1 at the mid session interval, but any thoughts that Joyce had of sustaining a fightback were quickly snuffed out by Higgins, who mindful of the fact that Joyce could knock out established players, such as in qualifying when he ousted Barry Hawkins quickly re-asserted his authority with a 135 break to put him just one frame from victory. Completing victory was a five minute formality as Higgins wrapped up a 5-1 victory with the help of a 99 break.
Meanwhile Marco Fu and Mark Davis were serving up a thriller on table 2. Davis, 37 who whitewashed Steve Davis in qualifying shared the first four frames with Marco but after the interval it was Marco who returned the stronger player and knocked in an 82 break to lead 3-2. Mark, though remained unruffled and when Fu blew a glorious opportunity missing on 16 when in at close range in frame six Davis pounced with a frame winning effort of 87. 3-3. It was now the best of three.
Davis really was very fortunate in taking a 4-3 lead - when after an overhit blue missed the pack of reds altogther, leaving himself out of position. He had a choice of an ambitious cut back or a safety shot. Choosing the wrong shot seemed as though it would cost him dearly as he missed the red by a mile and left Marco an easy starter. From it Marco made 60 before he broke down when a red along the cushion refused to drop- and it was a very relieved Davis who pulled the frame out of the fire with a 43 clearance. Fu was at the point of no return.
With his back to the wall Marco produced a break of 90, taking full advantage of an inviting looking table when Mark's long red jawed and rebounded into a pottable position for the Hong Kong man to level at 4-4 and send the match into a one frame shootout.
And with the frame well poised at 31-22 in Fu's favour Davis was left with a tempting red to the corner. Taking a deep breath Davis lined up the shot and the ball disappeared, from that Davis made 30- before breaking down on the final red- The Sussex man though was not to be denied though as Fu's underhit safety left Davis with a red to the centre. Taking his chance Davis sunk the red and then cleared with 20 to clinch a 5-4 victory and knock out Fu, the former finalist- and put himself intot the hat for the second round draw.
Suzy Jardine
Drawn against Mark Joyce,a 26year old from Walsall, a professional for three years, Higgins, the defending champion, who was a beaten semi finalist in the Shanghai Masters was given the honour of opening the tournament. And Higgins was intent on keeping the match short and sweet.
But as the wind gusted outside of the Kelvin Hall the Scotsman was busy making Joyce's second visit to Scotland a stormy one as he pounced on Joyce's misjudged safety - where a protracted, tactical first frame, that both players had chances to win went the way of Higgins when he stroked in a red to the corner and cleared to the brown- in front of his home crowd.
Joyce, no doubt dwelling on the first frame soon had far more to worry about when he failed to escape a Higgins snooker and left an inviting red to the centre from short range. Higgins isn't one you extend gifts to, well not on the snooker table anyway - and Joyce was left to sit in his chair as Higgins put together a break of 44- and after winning a brief safety battle fluked a red to the corner and clinched the frame with 38.
Joyce's day was fast turning into a nightmare- and although Higgins was enjoying a run of the balls he was certainly making the most of it- and ominously the long potting which is the key in any match looked in fine fettle too. Joyce badly need one frame before the mid session interval- but he was doomed to disappointment as Higgins hammered in a long red to the corner before going into the pack and scattering the reds into potable positions from where he made 98 for a 3-0 lead.
Joyce must have been wondering what he had to do to break his run of bad luck. The world number 57 had been getting to the table but as soon as he was getting there he found himself running out of position, which ultimatley was proving costly. It was desperation stakes for Mark, he badly needed the fourth if he was going to stay in contention. And if he was going to do that he had to stay in the present- play it ball by ball, and make sure he capitalised on whatever chances Higgins offered him. Finally it came when Higgins in play looking to counter missed a simple red to the corner Joyce visably steadied himself before clearing with 17 to clinch the frame to trail 3-1 at the mid session interval, but any thoughts that Joyce had of sustaining a fightback were quickly snuffed out by Higgins, who mindful of the fact that Joyce could knock out established players, such as in qualifying when he ousted Barry Hawkins quickly re-asserted his authority with a 135 break to put him just one frame from victory. Completing victory was a five minute formality as Higgins wrapped up a 5-1 victory with the help of a 99 break.
Meanwhile Marco Fu and Mark Davis were serving up a thriller on table 2. Davis, 37 who whitewashed Steve Davis in qualifying shared the first four frames with Marco but after the interval it was Marco who returned the stronger player and knocked in an 82 break to lead 3-2. Mark, though remained unruffled and when Fu blew a glorious opportunity missing on 16 when in at close range in frame six Davis pounced with a frame winning effort of 87. 3-3. It was now the best of three.
Davis really was very fortunate in taking a 4-3 lead - when after an overhit blue missed the pack of reds altogther, leaving himself out of position. He had a choice of an ambitious cut back or a safety shot. Choosing the wrong shot seemed as though it would cost him dearly as he missed the red by a mile and left Marco an easy starter. From it Marco made 60 before he broke down when a red along the cushion refused to drop- and it was a very relieved Davis who pulled the frame out of the fire with a 43 clearance. Fu was at the point of no return.
With his back to the wall Marco produced a break of 90, taking full advantage of an inviting looking table when Mark's long red jawed and rebounded into a pottable position for the Hong Kong man to level at 4-4 and send the match into a one frame shootout.
And with the frame well poised at 31-22 in Fu's favour Davis was left with a tempting red to the corner. Taking a deep breath Davis lined up the shot and the ball disappeared, from that Davis made 30- before breaking down on the final red- The Sussex man though was not to be denied though as Fu's underhit safety left Davis with a red to the centre. Taking his chance Davis sunk the red and then cleared with 20 to clinch a 5-4 victory and knock out Fu, the former finalist- and put himself intot the hat for the second round draw.
Suzy Jardine
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