European Masters 2022 snooker – Mark Selby loses after Judd Trump wins first-round match

That’s us done for the today

See you tomorrow!

Around the tables

Luke Simmonds 2-5 Sean O’Sullivan

Haydon Pinhey 2-5 Rory McLeod

James Cahill 2-5 Ali Carter

David Grace 5-2 Michael White

Yuan Sijun beats Mark Selby 5-2!

He drains the brown, it’s enough, and he’s into round two, taking some precious ranking points with him!

Selby 2-4 Sijun (38-64)

Yup, they’re still chasing the brown and remember, if mark pilfers this there’s still the chance we might get two more frames.

Selby 2-4 Sijun (38-64)

Yuan snookers Mark on the brown, the black blocking the route to it, and he fouls. So he needs a snooker, but the pink, a little away from the baulk cushion, is nicely placed to get it – especially if it’s Selbz on the hunt. Oh, Yuan accidentally bumps it, and it’s now safe, punkt on the rail.

Selby 2-4 Sijun (38-60)

Yuan sees that away, Mark can only tie, but now the frame is back in the balance! Not for long! Yuan shows laudable stones to cut home a much harder green into left corner; he can’t add the match-clinching brown, but with the pink on the bottom cushion, he’ll be feeling hopeful.

Selby 2-4 Sijun (38-57)

“You can’t believe it! What a miss! What a miss!” offers Neal, when Yuan spurs a simple green. “I still can’t believe it,” he adds, and if Yuan loses from here that’ll be with him a long time.

Selby 2-4 Sijun (38-55)

Yuan steers home a lovely long pot to remove the final red! This could be the match!

Selby 2-4 Sijun (38-50)

A protracted safety exchange until Yuan drains the penultimate red, sending the blue down after it. But the next ball is on the top cushion, so he has to make do with exteding his lead by way of six,leavig a decent distance between cue and object.

Selby 2-4 Sijun (26-44)

Breaking the two remaining reds, Mark leaves one on the top cushion then Yuan flukes the other one onto the side, catching it thin on the way back down the table after playing his safety.

Selby 2-4 Sijun (26-36)

Mark soon breaks down, but he hammers a red to left corner, then tucks in behind the yellow, nudging the pink away from it in the process. Yuan escapes, but it’s pretty much impossible to hti one and leave none, so Mark is back at the table further reducing the arrears.

Selby 2-4 Sijun (13-36)

But he can’t take it, spending a while addressing the pink, which he’s to thwack long to the green pocket … he gets close but digs into it just a bit extra. That’s pressure for you, and stealing from here would be the height of Mark. But he’s a lot of work to do, esepcially given a balck sutck to the top cushion and the pink stuck to the yellow.

Selby 2-4 Sijun (6-32)

Yuan misses another cut-back, a red, but then Mark breaks down overcutting one to the yellow pocket. A decent but not really nasty safety from Yuan then incites an error from Mark, and have a look! It’s a chance to win f&m!

Around the tables

Luke Simmonds 2-4 Sean O’Sullivan

Haydon Pinhey 2-3 Rory McLeod

James Cahill 2-5 Ali Carter

David Grace 5-2 Michael White

Selby 2-4 Sijun

Yuan clears to pink, and he’s one away!

Selby 2-3 Sijun (44-53)

Gosh, Yuan sinks the yellow, then Mark misses the green by miles and Yuan overcuts it to middle. So Mark sees it away only to go in-off! Both these lads are playing like drains, and with pink and black on cushions, Mark is in trouble because Yuan only needs to blue.

Selby 2-3 Sijun (44-48)

Oh wow, Yuan plays a poor safety only to fluke the last red into the yellow pocket! But with the green on the side, he tries to ram home the black to disturb it when maybe he’d have been better just playing a nice easy pot, getting on the yellow, and taking it from there.

Selby 2-3 Sijun (44-47)

Or not! A poor positional shot leaves him a nasty pink diagonal to right corner, and he misses it by miles, only for Yuan to shank a cut-back. He’s not played well tonight, it’s just the early doors, Selbz played worse.

Selby 2-3 Sijun (37-47)

Nark sees off the easy balls, and when he takes a red with the rest, looks in good shape to see the frame off. A cannon off the black separates to of the three remaining reds – that’s a lovely shot – and this is looking a lot like 3-3.

Selby 2-3 Sijun (1-47)

Yuan takes on a long red to left corner, attacks it, misses, and the way the balls are, it could cost him the frame.

Selby 2-3 Sijun (1-47)

Yuan goes into the pack and catches it too full. That’s end of break, so he plays towards black cush and, with one down the tale, leaves Mark with a tricky safety; he’ll have to play off it, and does so well enough.

Selby 2-3 Sijun (1-9)

Yuan steers a really fine starter to right corner, and with black available, this is as great a chance as he can possibly have desired. Or, put another way, P-R-E-S-S-U-R-E.

Around the tables

Luke Simmonds 1-4 Sean O’Sullivan

Haydon Pinhey 2-2 Rory McLeod

James Cahill 2-4 Ali Carter

David Grace 4-2 Michael White

Selby 2-3 Sijun

Yuan inadvertently leaves the yellow over left corner, so Mark sends it down, and eventually seals the deal.

Selby 1-3 Sijun (64-41)

Or not! A poor shot from pink to yellow means the frame is still in the balance, and when Yuan escapes a snooker, he also develops the brown – which he’ll need.

Selby 1-3 Sijun (64-41)

Oh Yuan! He worled so hard to stay in this frame only to overcut an extremely presentable diagonal pink to right corner. Mark will surely sort things from here.

Selby 1-3 Sijun (57-40)

More fouls from Yuan, but if he gets in next he can still win the frame. Meantime, it’s more than 10 minutes since anyone potted a ball, but the last four reds are all reasonably located. Mark tries to cut one of them to left corner, misses … and then Yuan sinks one! the way the balls are, he could easily clear them up, and what a filip that’d be!

Selby 1-3 Sijun (49-27)

Again, Yuan finds himself in a pretty basic snooker, this time behind the yellow, but again, he keeps missing by fibres as he tries to get the white safe. Almost half of Mark’s points in this frame have come in fouls.

Selby 1-3 Sijun (41-27)

But he can’t, catching a red way too thick thinking too hard about developing another, and that gives Mark a chance to control the next safety exchange, taking a red of his own then tucking in between bottom cushion and brown. He escapes second go, then finds himself in another snooker beind the pink; playing off the side, it looks like he feathers the red, but the ref says no and the replay is deemed inconclusive, so she stays with her call and Yuan continues leaking four, getting close but not close enough before finally nestling on the chosen red. The problem he had was not leaving Mark anything to go at and he pumps a fist going back to his seat, partly laughing at his travails, but partly because he’s still in the frame.

Selby 1-3 Sijun (23-13)

Oh Mark! He could take a blue to right-middle or the green pocket, opts for the former, and overcuts it! this is a colossal opportunity for Yuan, especially as he can bring the pink into play by potting it to left corner with the rest. He knows the importance of this break, though, so will do well to hold it down.

Selby 1-3 Sijun (11-0)

Yuan probably appreciated having an interval to compose … so he comes out, hammers a red to right corner and misses by centuries. that ushers Mark to the table, and the reds are nicely spread – though he’ll have to take them with blues.

We go again…

Around the tables

Luke Simmonds 0-3 Sean O’Sullivan

Haydon Pinhey 1-1 Rory McLeod

James Cahill 1-3 Ali Carter

David Grace 3-1 Michael White

Selby 1-3 Sijun

That’s more like it! A total clearance of 137, and Mark is in business! He’s still in the match as the players go to the interval.

Selby 0-3 Sijun (52-0)

Mark splits the pack and winds up tight to it; he’ll have to tickle a tester to right-middle next, but if he can the frame will be at his mercy … and it’s there! Go on Mark lad! This looks a lot like 1-3.

Selby 0-3 Sijun (24-0)

Oh gosh, Mark has a red to send diagonally to left corner which is just off the straight so not as easy as it looks. But he hits the wrong side of it, and that’s a rotten shot; you feel for him, because playing how he’s playing, as opposed to playing how he can play, must be very hard to take. He gets in next, though, and with black available to both corners, this is a run he’ll need to make count.

Around the tables

Luke Simmonds 0-2 Sean O’Sullivan

Haydon Pinhey 1-1 Rory McLeod

James Cahill 1-3 Ali Carter

David Grace 2-1 Michael White

Selby 0-3 Sijun

You’d have thought that to be 3-0 up, Yuan would have to be at the top of his game. But he’s not even close; Mark is just playing so so poorly. He must win the next frame, the last of the mini-session.

Selby 0-2 Sijun (18-40)

Yuan clips a tasty red to left corner but again can’t capitalise; no matter. When Mark lands him in a tricky spot he glides a red into right corner by way of escape; great shot. But he lands on nowt, and when Mark flukes the next red off his safety, you wonder if that’ll change momentum … but it won’t Mark jawsing his second red, down the side rail, and that should cost him the frame.

Selby 0-2 Sijun (14-30)

Go on Mark! He cracks a red long to the green pocket – that’s a terrific pot – but he soon strays, only for Yuan to promptly hand him another chance. Which he can’t take, running out of position following a red-green. Neither man is loving this, but Yuan knows if he can somehow bring this frame home, the final one of the sesh will be must-win for Mark, putting him right under the pump.

Selby 0-2 Sijun (0-30)

But he catches the near jaw trying to see off a pretty simple black – I’m sure the pressure of knowing his legendary opponent is struggling, so he really ought to win, is something.

Selby 0-2 Sijun (0-29)

Yuan has never taken more than two frames off Mark, but he’ll know better than any of us that this is a huge chance for a big win. He gets in again … but he’s a couple of milimetres away from perfect position which means he’s got no position, playing a tentative double on a red and getting nowhere near. Chance missed, but Mark’s safety has no conviction, missing the bottom cushion by a distance and allowing Yuan to drain a long starter.

Around the tables

Luke Simmonds 0-1 Sean O’Sullivan

Haydon Pinhey 0-1 Rory McLeod

James Cahill 1-2 Ali Carter

David Grace 1-1 Michael White

Selby 0-2 Sijun

With a century there for the taking, Yuan misses a blue to the yellow pocket, finishing on 68. But he’ll take the two-frame advantage.

Selby 0-1 Sijun (7-52)

Hello! Yuan cues beautifully to send a red diagonally to left corner, and the table is nicely set to reward him.

Selby 0-1 Sijun (7-21)

But Mark can’t capitalise, overcutting a black, and he is struggling. Luckily for him, so is Yuan, so after a little run we’re back chasing balls.

Selby 0-1 Sijun (0-7)

Oh, Mark. He misses a long red down the side rail by an absolute distance, the kind you expect him to nail, and he’s not at comfy out there. Yuan will be feeling that, and know that this is a chance for him; he gets to work … and then misses a simple red to right corner! Dearie me!

Around the tables

Luke Simmonds 0-0 Sean O’Sullivan

Haydon Pinhey 0-0 Rory McLeod

James Cahill 0-1 Ali Carter

David Grace 0-1 Michael White

Selby 0-1 Sijun

That was a struggle, but Yuan hits the front.

Selby 0-0 Sijun (31-58)

Yuan hides the red behind the black and Mark’s escape leaves it to the green pocket. Down it goes, and I think this’ll be the frame.

Selby 0-0 Sijun (27-47)

Mark takes on a long clip to right corner and misses by a way, allowing Yuan in. But he’s not flowing either, cttching black off pink en route to the final red. That leaves him a horrible one to the green pocket, which he gets nowhere near, so the chase is on.

Selby 0-0 Sijun (27-24)

Mark catches a safety thick – he knows it’s rotten as soon as he hits it – but Yuan can capitalise only to the tune of 17. This is a scrappy one now, the final four reds in tricky positions near the top cushion.

Selby 0-0 Sijun (27-7)

Well, not immediately because it’s Mark’s turn to play a poor shot, but then Yuan leaves him in again, and rthis is a pretty decent chance – the black isn’t yet available, but there are reds with the pink to go with it. I’ve actually been really looking forward to watching Selbz because he wasnt in great nick last term, so I’m hoping the break has done him good. As I type that, he misses a nasty cut-back black along the side, but I guess him feeling confident enough to take it on could be perceived as a good sign, and he leaves nowt.

Selby 0-0 Sijun (1-7)

A poor safety from Mark hands Yuan an easy red to left corner, but he then misses a pretty straightforward blue to left-middle, and that is going to cost him.

Righto, off we go!

Results from earlier

Judd Trump 5-2 Noppon Saengkham

Stuart Bingham 5-1 Ian Burns

Andy Hicks 2-5 Jimmy Robertson

Ryan Day 5-2 Steven Hallworth

Gary Wilson 5-2 Lukas Kleckers

Chris Wakelin 5-3 Oliver Brown

Evening all!

Tonight, we have:

Round 1

• Mark Selby v Yuan Sijun
• Luke Simmonds v Sean O’Sullivan

and Round 2

• Haydon Pinhey v Rory McLeod
• James Cahill v Ali Carter
• David Grace v Michael White

Naturally, we’ll be focusing on Selby v Sijun, but with updates from around the tables of course.

‘Outstanding!’

A standout from earlier, with Trump winning the fifth frame thanks to some sensational shot-play…

That’s all for now

Right, that’s the end of our coverage of the afternoon session from Germany, but we’re back at 7pm, when Mark Selby is action. Get your tea sorted and we’ll see you then!

No clothes, no problem for Trump

So his suitcase might not have turned up in Germany, and he might have had to borrow some clothes, but it’s no problem for Judd, who goes through comfortably. Hopefully he can find a better fitting waistcoat for tomorrow!

Around the tables

Judd Trump 5-2 Noppon Saengkham

Stuart Bingham 5-1 Ian Burns

Andy Hicks 2-2 Jimmy Robertson

Ryan Day 3-1 Steven Hallworth

Gary Wilson 4-1 Lukas Kleckers

Chris Wakelin 3-2 Oliver Brown

Next up for Trump…

So Trump extends his head-to-head record against Saengkham to 5-1, and he’ll face Ashley Hugill in the second round tomorrow

Trump 4-2 Saengkham (78-3)

But it’s 32 and out for Trump as he misses a red to the right middle. It matters not, though. He wins by 5 frames to 2

Trump 4-2 Saengkham (*78-3)

And he duly passes the finish line. Really impressive stuff from Trump. He’d love to finish with a half century here – 36 so far

Trump 4-2 Saengkham (*66-3)

Trump tries a red to the same pocket and it ends in the same result, but it’s not long before he’s back at the table and building another break. The reds are very handily place and the finish line is roaring into view

Trump 4-2 Saengkham (42-3)

Well, there’s a half chance for Noppon here. He takes a red, then a yellow, but can’t sink a second red to the left middle, rolling around the pocket before bouncing away to safety

Trump 4-2 Saengkham (42-0)

Trump hasn’t been at his imperious best, but he’s been pretty good here. He would love a big break to finish the match off, but comes unstuck on 42 as he misses a cute cut to the left middle

Trump 4-2 Saengkham (*14-0)

It’s a risky game that Saengkham plays. All or nothing. Every pot taken. On this occasion, it goes wrong. He misses a red to the right corner and leaves it for Judd who only needs to win this frame to take the match and move into the second round. He’s got his hand on the table now

Around the tables

Ian Burns 0-4 Stuart Bingham

Andy Hicks 2-2 Jimmy Robertson

Ryan Day 3-1 Steve Hallworth

Gary Wilson 3-1 Lukas Kleckers

Chris Wakelin 3-2 Oliver Brown

Trump 4-2 Saengkham (0-96)

How cruel! He misses out on the century, finishing on 96, after over-cutting the penultimate red. Either way, he’s still in this match

Trump 4-1 Saengkham (0-73*)

Frame secured with a pink into the right middle. All eyes on the century now

Trump 4-1 Saengkham (0-58*)

This is excellent from Saengkham, who still has the biggest break of the match with that century in frame two. He’s on course for another here thanks to some wonderful potting and positional play, including a blue to the yellow pocket. Seven reds left on the table, and with each one he pots, he opens up another

Trump 4-1 Saengkham (0-39*)

Three reds with blacks for Saengkham, before he rolls through for the blue. Two reds left loose of the pack, so he tries to open them up and is left with a tricky pot with the spider. Down it goes.

Trump 4-1 Saengkham (0-16*)

Superb red down the cushion to the left middle to open up frame six from Saengkham. He’s had a few chances in this match but only delivered once so far. The way the table looks at the moment though is pretty good from his point of view

Around the tables

Ian Burns 0-4 Stuart Bingham

Andy Hicks 1-2 Jimmy Robertson

Ryan Day 3-1 Steve Hallworth

Gary Wilson 3-1 Lukas Kleckers

Chris Wakelin 3-2 Oliver Brown

Trump 4-1 Saengkham (77-46)

Trump takes the frame and he moves to within one of the second round. Saengkham could have won the last frame, he should have won this one, but instead he’s three behind

Trump 3-1 Saengkham (*52-46)

Two reds left on the table, neither of them in particularly inviting positions, and a ten point advantage. Noppon could play safe, but tries an incredibly tough pot down the cushion, which he misses my millimetres. The other red is now potable for Trump, and he duly sinks it. The frame is on the way.

Trump 3-1 Saengkham (36-46)

Trump dealt Saengkham a hammer blow in the last frame, and another might be coming here. He runs a little unstuck when playing right handed to get on the black. Back on his left hand, he misses a tricky cut back on the black. Noppon will be breathing a sigh of relief

Trump 3-1 Saengkham (*20-46)

Noppon leaves the door slightly ajar for Trump, and the 2019 World Champ walks right through it with a magnificent double. He couldn’t have hit that any cleaner. The wya the t able is set, this is a real chance for Judd

Trump 3-1 Saengkham (0-46)

Unfortunatley for the Thai, who loses position off a colour, ending up tight in among the pack. He plays safe, putting a red against the cushion, and has a handy lead

Trump 3-1 Saengkham (0-22*)

The Noppon way is to pot yourself out from trouble, and he’s just delivered a couple of delightful ones, including a terrific plant. This is far from a frame winning chance yet though

Trump 3-1 Saengkham (0-8*)

Right, we’re back underway after that brief interlude. Early good signs and worries for Saengkham, who pots a good red and then misses a bad black. He gets an immediate chance to make amends though, and is now back at the table with a much better chance

O’Sullivan opens up in exclusive interview

Around the tables

Ian Burns 0-3 Stuart Bingham

Andy Hicks 0-2 Jimmy Robertson

Ryan Day 2-0 Steve Hallworth

Gary Wilson 1-1 Lukas Kleckers

Chris Wakelin 3-0 Oliver Brown

Trump 3-1 Saengkham (62-52)

Oh what a killer blow for Saengkham! He cleans up from yellow to pink before missing the black, which sticks in the jaws. Trump takes a two frame lead into the mid-session interval

Trump 2-1 Saengkham (55-32*)

And Trump makes a mistake off that last red. He’s only got one option, to try and pot it, and the ball rattles the jaws but bounces out into the middle of the table. Saengkham superbly fires it home and you would now make him favourite for the frame as we reach the colours

Trump 2-1 Saengkham (55-26)

Well, well, well. If Noppon wins the frame here, it’s going to be one of the steals of the week. The table was horrendous when he came to it, but he just keeps picking them off. The last red is tight against the left cushion, and he knows how tough it is, so he plays safe behind the brown. Big trouble for Trump, super break by the Thai

Trump 2-1 Saengkham (55-12*)

Some patience from both players in an excellent safety exchange which sees Trump play right and left handed, but he still blinks first, allowing Noppon to pot a red into the left corner. He’s in a horrible position for the pot on a colour, but manages to send the blue into the right middle. The frame is still alive…just

Trump 2-1 Saengkham (55-6)

Noppon pots a red and blue, but, knowing he needs to open up the pink and black to win the frame, plays a tactical shot to end the break.

Trump 2-1 Saengkham (55-0)

I think it’s fair to say Trump’s potting has saved him a little bit in the latter half of this break. He runs out position again and is left with a long red to the left corner which he rattles home, but he then misses a blue. Frame still alive, but black and pink tied up

Trump 2-1 Saengkham (*49-0)

A hint of a mistake from Trump as he loses position by finishing the wrong side of the blue, but he still sinks it and gets the white right back where he wants it. A perfect cannon into a red then opens up the black again, which had become tied up. You would expect him to take the frame from here

Trump 2-1 Saengkham (*26-0)

This is the last frame before the mid-session interval, and Judd’s in a very good position to take it. Curiously, nine of the remaining 11 reds are to the left hand side of the table, but both the pink and black remain available

Trump 2-1 Saengkham (*6-0)

Glorious, glorious long red to the right middle from Trump to pot the first red in frame four. The blue then trickles into the right cushion, but he still sinks a tricky blue into the left middle and is able to find position at the right end of the table. That, indeed, is naughty snooker

Around the tables

Ian Burns 0-2 Stuart Bingham

Andy Hicks 0-1 Jimmy Robertson

Ryan Day 2-0 Steve Hallworth

Gary Wilson 0-1 Lukas Kleckers

Chris Wakelin 1-0 Oliver Brown

Trump 2-1 Saengkham (94-16)

And he duly re-takes the lead with a terrific break in which the cue ball has had to do a bit of work. He can’t quite get a century though, finishing on 72 after missing a black

Trump 1-1 Saengkham (*65-16)

The split of the pack goes well, and he’s luck to have the pink to play along the top cushion as he can easily get back towards the black spot. He should win the frame from here. 49 the lead with five reds left

Trump 1-1 Saengkham (*44-16)

Noppon is never one to turn down a pot! He tries a tough cross double, and misses by a whisker. The problem is that that gifts Trump a chance to get his hand on the table for the first time in the frame and he’s playing beautifully. Big shot to open the pack coming up though

Trump 1-1 Saengkham (22-16)

And the snooker proves to be a difficult one to get out of as Saengkham gives away 22 points with a string of misses

Trump 1-1 Saengkham (0-16)

Another chance for Noppon at the start of frame three, and he’s taking it so far. He reached 15 before the cue ball rolls up against the right cushion, but he fires home a terrific pot which has Alan McManus purring on commentary. Unfortunately he snookers himself behind a red and the break comes to an end

Around the tables

Ian Burns 0-1 Stuart Bingham

Andy Hicks 0-1 Jimmy Robertson

Ryan Day 1-0 Steve Hallworth

Gary Wilson 0-1 Lukas Kleckers

Chris Wakelin 1-0 Oliver Brown

Trump 1-1 Saengkham (0-103)

And he gets the century, ending the break with a 103 before missing a long red that was just a shot to nothing. We’re all square

Trump 1-0 Saengkham (0-79*)

And he subsequently goes past the snookers required stage with another lovely pot to the right corner that he fires home. Now to reach three figures

Trump 1-0 Saengkham (0-54*)

This has been almost faultless from Saengkham. He’s reached the highest break of the match and is still going. A century looks on the cards here

Trump 1-0 Saengkham (0-10*)

Saengkham is the first to get his hand on the table in frame two. He’s just knocked in a superb long red, and in fact is 5/5 on long pots so far.

Around the tables

Ian Burns 0-0 Stuart Bingham

Andy Hicks 0-0 Jimmy Robertson

Ryan Day 1-0 Steve Hallworth

Gary Wilson 0-0 Lukas Kleckers

Chris Wakelin 0-0 Oliver Brown

Trump 1-0 Saengkham (67-6)

And he duly crosses that finish line when potting red number six for the break. He can’t quite reach the half century after running out of position, but the damage had already been done. First blood to Trump

Trump 0-0 Saengkham (*50-6)

And Trump is racking up the points very quickly now in this opening frame. He’s taken four reds, all with blacks, so far. Five of them are left on the table, so the finish line in the frame is approaching

Trump 0-0 Saengkham (18-6)

That miss from the Thai left Trump right among the reds. He takes one with the black, and adds a second before leaving Noppon in all kinds of trouble with a safety off the pink, that is up against the top cushion…he misses once, and gifts Judd a golden chance when escaping second time around

Trump 0-0 Saengkham (5-6)

A bit of bad luck for Judd, who hammers home a lovely long red to the right corner, but the cue ball lands in the middle of nowhere. He plays safe off the pink, leaving a long pot to the left corner for Noppoon, who strokes it home and adds a green and second red before missing the black

Trump 0-0 Saengkham (4-1)

Saengkham pots a decent red to get underway, but he then plays a terrible safety, going in-off off the yellow. Advantage Judd?

Here we go!

Right, the boys hit the baize and we are underway. This is a best of nine match, so first to five goes through

Trump’s travel problems!

Judd Trump’s suitcase didn’t turn up in Germany so he’s had to borrow some clothes! Thankfully his cue is here!

Our focus

We’ve got a fascinating match upcoming now as Trump takes on Noppon Saengkham. Judd leads their head-to-head 4-1

Results from this morning

We’ve already had a session of action, with some intriguing results. Hossein Vafaeu got a 5-0 thrashing from Xiao Guidong, Luca Brecel is out after a 5-1 defeat to Wu Yize and defending champ Zhengyi lost 5-1 to Michael Judge

A potted history of the European Masters

Fan Zhengyi was a shock winner of the tournament last year when he beat Ronnie O’Sullivan in Milton Keynes in the final. This year it’s taking place in Germany, while other previous champions include Judd Trump x2, Shaun Murphy x2 and Stephen Hendry, who last lifted the title four times

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the 2022 European Masters. This is the first day so there will be a mixture of second round action and the left over first round action. That first round action will be our primary focus today with Judd Trump facing Noppon Saengkham in the afternoon session and then Mark Selby playing Yuan Sijun in the evening session.

Check out our O’Sullivan exclusive

He may have shone on the biggest stage to claim a record-equalling World Snooker Championship title in 2022, but Ronnie O’Sullivan has admitted that he did not actually enjoy reaching the pinnacle of the sport once again.

The Rocket sat down with Eurosport’s Greg Rutherford and Orla Chennaoui for the latest edition of The Breakdown podcast and explained what he was really feeling.

‘About the last year!’ – O’Sullivan reveals long-term arm injury, aims for Hong Kong

Ronnie O’Sullivan says he is set to be out for almost two months with an arm injury, but is targeting the Hong Kong Masters in October.

The seven-time world champion was appearing as a special guest at the FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain in Cardiff.

The Rocket was at the Principality Stadium with discovery+ to watch round six of what has been a thrilling season of Speedway GP action so far.

O’Sullivan got involved with the pre-race track walk to observe how the riders inspect the surface before taking to their bikes.

O’Sullivan says he is skipping the European Masters, which runs from August 11 to August 20 in Furth, with his sights firmly set on the Masters tournament which gets underway on October 6.

“I’ve had an injury for my arm for about the last year,” he told Eurosport.

“The last two months it’s just got really bad so I really need to rest it.”

TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE

10:00 BST

Second round

• Anthony McGill 5-2 Si Jiahui
• Hossein Vafaei – – Xiao Guodong (Guodong gets a walkover)
• Luca Brecel 5-1 Wu Yize
• Zhou Yuelong 5-4 Graeme Dott

First round

• Fan Zhengyi 1-5 Michael Judge

14:30 BST

Second round

• Gary Wilson 4-2 Lukas Kleckers
• Chris Wakelin 4-2 Oliver Brown
• Andy Hicks 2-3 Jimmy Robertson
• Ryan Day 4-2 Steven Hallworth
• Ian Burns 1-5 Stuart Bingham

First round

• Judd Trump 5-2 Noppon Saengkham

19:00 BST

Second round

• Haydon Pinhey v Rory McLeod
• James Cahill v Ali Carter
• David Grace v Michael White

First round

• Mark Selby v Yuan Sijun
• Luke Simmonds v Sean O’Sullivan

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