THE action at the Unibet British Open steps up today with just eight players remaining and only two tables. The quarter-final matches are now best of 9 as we enter the business end of the tournament in Cheltenham.
World champion Kyren Wilson departed last night but it’s an impressive line-up with five ranking event winners still in the running for the silverware.
Remember, you can watch & bet LIVE on all the action at Unibet!
Today’s quarter-final predictions:
Dave Gilbert to beat Mark Selby
Selby, ever the Master of Brinkmanship, has won all three of his matches this week in a decider but this in itself suggests he struggles to kill off opponents at the moment.
To be fair to Selby, he played very well against Thepchaiya Un Nooh in the last 16, but doesn’t seem yet to be quite back to his best. Gilbert, meanwhile, is loving his snooker at the moment and didn’t panic when 3-1 down to Ashley Carty in the last 32 or 3-2 adrift of Lyu Haotian in the last 16.
Gilbert has only won one ranking title to Selby’s 22 but beat the four times world champion in their last meeting at the Xi’an Grand Prix in China this season and has every reason to believe he can triumph again.
John Higgins to beat Elliot Slessor
Higgins spent an unprecedented 10,738 days in the elite top 16 before dropping out after last week’s English Open but could return after just a week if he reaches the final in Cheltenham.
He slogged through a long match against fellow Glaswegian Graeme Dott on Thursday but showed no ill effects a few hours later as he whitewashed Rory Thor 4-0 to reach career ranking event quarter-final no.143.
Higgins has played Slessor six times and been successful on each occasion. Slessor has won some tight games this week and scored a headline win over world champion Kyren Wilson in the last 16, but Higgins’s legendary all round game could be the difference.
Jak Jones to beat Oliver Lines
A year ago, there would have been little between these two as not much separated them in the world rankings, but Jones’s run to the World Championship final has propelled him into the top 16 and left Lines trailing in his wake.
Lines is clearly a talent but this is only his third ranking event quarter-final in a decade on tour. Jones has the superior tactical game and more big match experience, so must be confident of clinching a last four place.
Mark Allen to beat Judd Trump
Surely the hardest match to call, with both players having won multiple trophies in the last few years. Trump recently overtook Allen in the race to be world no.1 and they have had some memorable meetings, with Allen slightly ahead overall.
Trump has fought hard all week, not always finding conditions to his liking. Allen made a maximum yesterday and has the inner confidence that some of Trump’s other opponents this week have lacked. Either way, it could be a classic.
David’s Fourfold!
Like the sound of these picks? Don’t get snookered! Roll them into a fourfold and £10 returns over £68 if they come in!
Please remember to gamble responsibly. Visit our Safer Gambling section for more information, help and advice.
