The Welsh Open has reached the quarter final stage and it's fair to say that the £100k first place prize could well be anyone’s.
Ahead of four exciting quarterfinal matchups, here is our preview of each and every contest.
Mark Selby vs John Higgins
The headline match out of all four quarterfinals is without doubt the clash between two former World Champions in the shape of Mark Selby and John Higgins and both men need the win today for differing reasons.
Mark Selby often goes about his business in a quiet and understated fashion and it’s easy to forget that the Jester had enjoyed a Hall of Fame career.
A four time world champion, Selby has been a force at the top of the game for almost approaching two decades and he still looks to have plenty left in the tank.
A former winner of this event all the way back in 2008, Selby has had to survive a scare or two to reach this stage of the tournament but he heads into the match against Higgins in flying form thanks to a dominant 4-0 victory in the last 16 against Jamie Jones.
The favourite for overall tournament victory, this match against Higgins certainly won’t be easy but he will be confident of advancing.
This has been a big week so far for John Higgins. Looking nervously over his shoulder when it comes to securing automatic qualification for the 2025 World Championship, the money that the Scot has earned so far this week should give him more breathing space from those trying to chase him down in the rankings.
Higgins has a great record at this tournament and is a five time winner and it’s clear that those happy memories have served him well through the first three rounds. Yet to drop a single frame he has swatted away Graeme Dott, Robert Milkins and Sijun Yuan with a minimum amount of fuss and he will hope to produce some more great snooker today.
Despite starting today as the underdog, the last four matches between the pair stand at each player recording two wins apiece. Although Selby should have just enough quality to advance, Higgins is certainly more than capable of pulling off the upset.
Jackson Page vs Luca Brecel
Two mercurial players meet in the day’s second quarterfinal and there should be plenty of fireworks when Jackson Page and Luca Brecel lock horns.
Page will certainly have the home crowd in his corner and the Welshman will hope to land his first ever ranking title in front of his friends and family. Without a doubt a prestigious talent, it’s easy to forget that Page is just 23 and still has plenty of time to reach the top of the game.
One of the best junior players that the game has ever seen, Page has struggled to transfer that dominance into the professional arena but has been back to his best this week.
Wins over Jimmy Robertson and Ishpreet Chadha were professional but his performance over Tom Ford in the last 16 certainly raised a few eyebrows. A comfortable 4-0 winner, that win showed Page at his very best and he will certainly be confident of backing that up today against Brecel.
As a former World Champion, Luca Brecel will start today as the favourite for victory but you never quite know what you are going to get with the Belgian. At his best, he is simply brilliant but when not firing he is capable of playing some truly bizarre snooker.
In need of a big week it has certainly arrived this week and the former World Champion has brushed aside Stuart Carrington, Noppon Saengkham and Junxu Pang with ease.
Yet to win a ranking title since his Crucible success, this week represents a huge opportunity for Brecel to set the record straight and he will hope to seize it with both his hands in today’s quarter final against Page.
Ali Carter vs Joe O’Connor
Another former World Champion will take to the table today as Ali Carter takes on Joe O’Connor in a battle to reach the semifinals of this year’s Welsh Open.
It is Carter who is favoured to edge through the match but this has all of the makings of a tough encounter.
Carter is a former winner of this title with his victory coming all the way back in 2009 and he will be hopeful of adding another title. To reach this stage he has just dropped three frames and he easily played the best match of his tournament when proving far too strong with Ryan Day in the last 16.
Ranked 15 in the world, this is a timely week for Carter who needs wins and money to ensure his place at the Crucible in a few months and he will be hopeful of reaching yet another semifinal here.
For Joe O’Connor this week represents a huge opportunity. Ranked 39 in the world, moments like today have been few and far between in his career but he will be hopeful of reaching a second semi final at this tournament.
Yet to win a ranking title this represents his best chance of victory since he reached the final of the Scottish Open back in 2022. To reach this stage he has played some great snooker and dispatched reigning World Champion and recent German Masters champion Kyren Wilson in the second round.
Although Carter should be able to draw upon his experience and nous to sneak through, O’Connor easily has the ability to push him all of the way.
Jack Lisowski vs Stephen Maguire
The toughest match to call out of all four quarterfinals arguably comes in the final match of the day between Jack Lisowski and Stephen Maguire.
With both men having spent the bulk of their careers in and around the top 16 in the world, both men are currently having a tough time and have slipped to 26 and 29 in the world standings respectively and this match offers a huge opportunity to earn some valuable money.
Lisowski is a gritty competitor and when playing well is a tough man to beat. Through his first three matches he has been back to his best dropping just three frames en route to the quarters.
After beating Chris Wakelin 4-1 in the second round he then went one better by dispatching Matthew Selt 4-0 in the previous round. This will be Lisowski's first meeting with Maguire in over five years and despite having a losing record, he will be confident of overturning the deficit today.
Stephen Maguire is another man who can play truly breathtaking snooker but of late his consistency has abandoned him but a return to a venue where he has played well in the past seems to have brought the best out of him.
A beaten finalist back at this tournament in 2011, there’s nothing to suggest that he can’t go one better this time around.
He reminded everyone of just how good a player he can be when defeating home favourite Mark Williams 4-2 in the second round and he showed that victory was no fluke when following up against Sanderson Lam in the last round.
If Maguire is in the mood he is capable of beating anyone, what version will turn up today is anyone’s guess.
Andrew Blakely
At 35, Andrew Blakely stands as a seasoned expert in both snooker and its betting intricacies. A dedicated player and analyst, he offers keen insights derived from years in the field. Through his writings, Andrew aspires to guide enthusiasts navigating the captivating world of snooker betting.
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