Saudi Masters recap – Moody continues winning start after White turns on style

Superb clearance of 78 from Moody, and he is through to meet Ryan Day in the third round tomorrow night. Another commanding display.

Golden chance for 17-year-old Stan Moody to secure his place in the third round at this visit. Break rolling along sweetly as he reaches 53. Almost a done deal.

And just like that Stan the man moves one frame from the third round with a cool break of 35 to finish off. What was all the fuss about? Big ask now for Pullen.

A very tense battle here. One red left on the table, and Moody fighting to move two up with a possible three to play. A break of 20 from Stan and the score is all square.

• Anthony Hamilton 4-2 Mink Nutcharut
• Xu Si 3-4 Artemijs Zizins
• Ashley Carty 4-0 Chris Totten
• Liu Hongyu 4-2 Michael Holt
• Jimmy Robertson 4-2 Mohamed Elkhayat
• Hammad Miah 1-4 Rory Thor
• Xing Zihao 4-2 Simon Blackwell
• Ma Hailong 4-3 Robbie McGuigan
• Jimmy White 4-1 Andrew Higginson
• Graeme Dott 4-3 Julien Leclercq
• Ben Woollaston 4-2 Oliver Lines
• Stuart Carrington 4-2 Farakh Ajaib
• Allan Taylor 4-2 Aaron Hill
• Ishpreet Singh Chadha 4-1 Liam Graham
• Louis Heathcote 4-2 Cheung Ka Wai
• Lei Peifan 4-3 Jamie Clarke
• Antoni Kowalski 4-0 He Guoqiang
• Martin O’Donnell 4-0 Huang Jiahao
• Ben Mertens 4-0 Long Zehuang
• Gong Chenzhi 4-2 David Grace
• Marco Fu 4-0 Liam Davies
• Andrew Pagett 4-3 Alexander Ursenbacher
• Bulcsu Revesz 4-3 Mark Davis
• Alfie Burden 4-3 Dean Young
• Paul Deaville 4-0 Ian Burns
• Stan Moody 4-1 Liam Pullen

Superb clearance of 22 to the pink by Pullen is enough to claim the third frame after a safety blunder by Moody left him with a long red to attack. Which he duly buries before progressing with some fine potting. Still life in this one yet.

Well, a safety blunder by Moody late in the frame is so costly as he tries to lay a telling snooker, but leaves Pullen on a long red. And Liam slots red and clears up to the black with a 22 effort enough to secure him the third frame. Still life in this match yet.

Moody picking out a cracking plant on two reds. The winner of this match will face Ryan Day in the third round on Sunday night. Stan making solid progress in this third frame as a red with rest disappears.

56 from Moody should be good enough to see him move 2-0 ahead. Very clinical air among the balls, and Pullen has some serious lifting to do here. Needs to win the next frame surely.

Error by Pullen after a tough old bout of tactical play as he leaves white in middle of table trying to escape from a snooker. What can Moody produce here? A real chance to forge a telling lead.

But Stan puts away a long red, and that will be that. Tough old first frame, but it goes to Moody, who is a very technically astute cueist.

Pullen refusing to let this first frame slip quietly into the night as he battles on chasing two snookers on the final red.

A bit of a scrappy opener, but young Stan has batted his way to a very decent lead of 54 points. With five remaining reds near a side cushion and all nudging each other, that is a very solid advantage for the Halifax kid.

Off we go then for the first frame of this match with these two rising talents of the green baize in action. First to four will secure a spot in the third round.

• Anthony Hamilton 4-2 Mink Nutcharut
• Xu Si 3-4 Artemijs Zizins
• Ashley Carty 4-0 Chris Totten
• Liu Hongyu 4-2 Michael Holt
• Jimmy Robertson 4-2 Mohamed Elkhayat
• Hammad Miah 1-4 Rory Thor
• Xing Zihao 4-2 Simon Blackwell
• Ma Hailong 4-3 Robbie McGuigan
• Jimmy White 4-1 Andrew Higginson
• Graeme Dott 4-3 Julien Leclercq
• Ben Woollaston 4-2 Oliver Lines
• Stuart Carrington 4-2 Farakh Ajaib
• Allan Taylor 4-2 Aaron Hill
• Ishpreet Singh Chadha 4-1 Liam Graham
• Louis Heathcote 4-2 Cheung Ka Wai
• Lei Peifan 4-3 Jamie Clarke
• Antoni Kowalski 4-0 He Guoqiang
• Martin O’Donnell 4-0 Huang Jiahao
• Ben Mertens 4-0 Long Zehuang
• Gong Chenzhi 4-2 David Grace
• Marco Fu 4-0 Liam Davies

We’ve got the 17-year-old Stan Moody back in action against 19-year-old Liam Pullen in a battle of the young guns coming up for you. Expect a few long pots and high breaks in that one.

• Anthony Hamilton 4-2 Mink Nutcharut
• Xu Si 3-4 Artemijs Zizins
• Ashley Carty 4-0 Chris Totten
• Liu Hongyu 4-2 Michael Holt
• Jimmy Robertson 4-2 Mohamed Elkhayat
• Hammad Miah 1-4 Rory Thor
• Xing Zihao 4-2 Simon Blackwell
• Ma Hailong 4-3 Robbie McGuigan
• Jimmy White 4-1 Andrew Higginson
• Graeme Dott 4-3 Julien Leclercq
• Ben Woollaston 4-2 Oliver Lines
• Stuart Carrington 4-2 Farakh Ajaib
• Allan Taylor 4-2 Aaron Hill
• Ishpreet Singh Chadha 4-1 Liam Graham
• Louis Heathcote 4-2 Cheung Ka Wai
• Lei Peifan 4-3 Jamie Clarke
• Antoni Kowalski 4-0 He Guoqiang
• Martin O’Donnell 4-0 Huang Jiahao
• Ben Mertens 4-0 Long Zehuang
• Gong Chenzhi 4-2 David Grace

• Anthony Hamilton 4-2 Mink Nutcharut
• Xu Si 3-4 Artemijs Zizins
• Ashley Carty 4-0 Chris Totten
• Liu Hongyu 4-2 Michael Holt
• Jimmy Robertson 4-2 Mohamed Elkhayat
• Hammad Miah 1-4 Rory Thor
• Xing Zihao 4-2 Simon Blackwell
• Ma Hailong 4-3 Robbie McGuigan
• Jimmy White 4-1 Andrew Higginson
• Graeme Dott 4-3 Julien Leclercq
• Ben Woollaston 4-2 Oliver Lines
• Stuart Carrington 4-2 Farakh Ajaib
• Allan Taylor 4-2 Aaron Hill
• Ishpreet Singh Chadha 4-1 Liam Graham
• Louis Heathcote 4-2 Cheung Ka Wai
• Lei Peifan 4-3 Jamie Clarke

Jimmy on the verge of victory as he escapes from a snooker on the green. And he ends up leaving Higginson tight behind blue. Failure to escape from the fluked snooker finishes off matters before White clears with a fluked brown and brilliant pink completing a fine day’s work. He will face Si Jiahui in the third round on Sunday.

Jimmy producing a timely 46 break, but can’t get reds open. Just the safety to follow. But that’s a loose one, and he leaves a red for Andrew to attack. Very much do or die surely now. Out of position on the final three reds. Just the safety to follow.

Chance for Andrew to continue the momentum, but he then misses a black off the sport. Which is a sore one to take.

A rapid and blistering response from Higginson as he produces a glorious 101 break. Superb stuff. A missed blue from Jimmy and he sat out the rest of the frame. White still leads 3-1.

An early run of 23 from White in the fourth frame, but he then misses a blue to a left centre pocket. So Higginson handed a lifeline as he bids to stay alive in this match.

Higginson had plenty of chances, but doesn’t take them and Jimmy puts away a brilliant blue and pink combo to move 2-0 ahead. Superb from Jimmy to claim a scrappy frame that could have gone either way.

Break of 27 from Higginson after a blunder by White in attempting to slot a red. Bad error by Jimmy, but doesn’t cost him frame. Onto the colours. Jimmy with every chance of a 3-0 lead now.

Jimmy breaks down among the balls, but again Higginson can’t punish his opponent as White then floats in a supreme red to right centre. Splendid play from White, but he throws in a poor safety shot to leave his opponent back in again. Higginson makes one before missing blue to left middle. Story of his day so far.

A brilliant long red by White as he floats the object ball into the green pocket with white tight on the top cush. That was a vintage long pot by the Whirlwind. What can he make here?

Higginson getting no joy in trying to split the reds off blue. So just safety to follow.

And that will be that. No chance of snookers. But Higginson has been deprived on table time in this match. Jimmy halfway to the third round and a possible meeting with Si Jiahui on Sunday afternoon.

Higginson needing snookers otherwise another frame is on the board for the six-time world finalist. Jimmy enjoying his Saturday afternoon so far.

But he can’t cash in and Jimmy is again handed a quickfire return to the baize. White looking much the more confident player. And looks like he is heading for a 2-0 lead in this match. Just the start he was looking for.

Higginson not having much to go at in this second frame, but Jimmy won’t be complaining about that. Chance of a long red for Whirlwind. Doesn’t drop. Rattles in jaws. And suddenly Higginson is handed an easy opening.

Jimmy very much all business today so far. Very intense look at the balls. Another chance to score a few points here in this second frame. But he breaks down on 27 after losing position in canning a black along top cushion.

A very smart break of 52 from Jimmy helps him over the line and into a 1-0 lead. Very nice from the man from Tooting.

Whirlwind with a very, very good chance to move one up here. Nothing difficult left to negotiate as long as he minds his cueball.

But only 14 in response from Andrew as he can’t roll in a red off the side cushion. That was a decent chance, but not taken. Jimmy won’t complain about being back in business so soon.

Jimmy with chance to get hand on table at close range, and compile some points. Always good to settle the nervous tension on the show table. But he misses an easy red in trying for position.

• Anthony Hamilton 4-2 Mink Nutcharut
• Xu Si 3-4 Artemijs Zizins
• Ashley Carty 4-0 Chris Totten
• Liu Hongyu 4-2 Michael Holt
• Jimmy Robertson 4-2 Mohamed Elkhayat
• Hammad Miah 1-4 Rory Thor
• Xing Zihao 4-2 Simon Blackwell
• Ma Hailong 4-3 Robbie McGuigan
• Jimmy White 4-1 Andrew Higginson

In goes the frame and match ball red from Hamilton, who completes a long old battle with a closing break of 58. Every pot a pint of blood. Or something like that. A 4-2 win in the end.

Finally chance for Anthony to get himself over the line and a meeting in the third round with Jamie Jones. A real struggle, but looks like we are in the end game of this match.

20 minutes of a gruelling safety battle before Mink then misses chance to left centre with a red. So no damage done to Hamilton with the blunder in leaving the red.

Huge time spent rolling up to the reds from both players. Hamilton doesn’t want a re-rack because he is leading 40-0 in the frame he needs for victory. So a real stalemate ensuing in the main arena in Riyadh.

Hamilton up to 40, but then misses a black off spot trying to crash into the reds. Mink misses a cut on a red, but covers the red as it hangs over a top bag.

Early chance for Hamilton to build a decent lead after Mink sees a white disappear down a centre pocket trying to play safe.

No late recovery on colours for Mink chasing several snookers. Hamilton then breaks off for the sixth frame. He’ll be hoping this is the final frame of the match.

Mink takes out the final two reds to close to 37 points behind with 27 left on the table. Hamilton a strong favourite to move 3-2 ahead. Three hours of play, and score still 2-2. A bit of a slow burner.

Mink had a big chance in this frame. Didn’t take it. And suddenly Anthony is looking very sharp again among the balls. Golden chance to win frame at this visit with five reds left up.

Stunning long red by Mink from distance with white in the jaws of the yellow bag. What a brilliant shot that is, but she breaks down again seconds later to present Anthony with a decent chance to get his cue arm working.

• Anthony Hamilton 2-2 Mink Nutcharut
• Xu Si 0-0 Artemijs Zizins
• Ashley Carty 4-0 Chris Totten
• Liu Hongyu 0-1 Michael Holt
• Jimmy Robertson 4-2 Mohamed Elkhayat
• Hammad Miah 0-1 Rory Thor
• Xing Zihao 0-0 Simon Blackwell
• Ma Hailong 0-0 Robbie McGuigan

A re-rack in the fifth frame. Hamilton clearly having trouble with his eyes out there under the light. Administering eyes drops too between shots. Which is not good news for a snooker player. Mink then prods in lovely opening red. A bit of a war of attrition with the scoring drying up.

Change in the mood of this match as Hamilton throws his cue at a long red, but is well off the potting angle. This match not slipping quietly into the night. Mink cans a fabulous long red of her own.

Mink escapes from a snooker and is presented with chance to slot the final red. Which she takes. This match heading back to 2-2. Hamilton led 2-0, but Mink has recovered well to restore parity in this second round contest.

Brilliant pot on the penultimate red by Mink down a side cushion with the rest before dropping in blue to move 35 ahead with 35 remaining on table. So Hamilton needing a black with final red and colour to force a respotted black.

Down to the final three reds. Both players with chance to advance their cause in the fourth frame. But Mink with a lead of 16 points. Nothing safe for whoever gets the next opportunity.

Bit of a power cut in the arena so players taking a breather until the lights return. Lights, camera and no action at the moment.

Some fine pots from Mink as she responds with a run of 25. Then plays the snooker behind yellow. Hamilton fails to escape from snooker, and leaves an easy starter on a red for Mink. Anthony wondering why he played that shot so poorly in failing to reach pack. Six reds left up.

Big opportunity slips away from Hamilton at outset of fourth frame as he runs in 22, but ends up missing a tricky red after losing white. That is a real chance gone for the Nottingham player.

Hamilton with a horrible miss on the black just when he was looking good to pinch the third frame. Mink returns to table to slot final red and black, and finally scramble over the line. Nothing convincing, but they all count. Hamilton leads 2-1.

Almost on the black, but not quite and Mink then faced with a safety shot. Knocks the yellow towards a side cushion. White in baulk. Almost over the line, but not quite. Four reds still on table.

A decent break of 40 from Mink before she is low on a black and misses it, but Hamilton then misses a tough cut on a red to a top bag as Mink is handed a quick reprieve. Second big scoring visit to table, and chance to win the third frame here and now.

• Anthony Hamilton 2-0 Mink Nutcharut
• Xu Si 0-0 Artemijs Zizins
• Ashley Carty 1-0 Chris Totten
• Liu Hongyu 0-1 Michael Holt
• Jimmy Robertson 0-0 Mohamed Elkhayat
• Hammad Miah 0-1 Rory Thor
• Xing Zihao 0-0 Simon Blackwell
• Ma Hailong 0-0 Robbie McGuigan

Excellent long red by Hamilton before a safety error by Mink gives Anthony chance to knock in the yellow. Superb pot on green with rest before he rams home the brown off side cush. And a decent flick on blue enables him to sink blue and pink for a 2-0 lead. Mink had chances, but not taken and suddenly she trails by two.

Not a classic frame in progress, but Hamilton with nose in front on final three reds. Mink misses a black trying to drag the white back down the table for red on top cushion.

Hamilton missing a blue to yellow bag, but is not punished. Bad miss by Mink on a red to follow. Nice recovery pot on a pink to right centre by Hamilton to continue this visit to table.

A bit more of a tight battle in this second frame with black in baulk certainly not making life easy for scoring. Hamilton goes for a long red, but nothing doing as white careers back down the table. All very cagey trying to unearth the next decent scoring chance.

Bout of safety early in the second frame with both players running the white up and down to the reds. Chance for Hamilton to get the white down to the baulk end which he takes.

No century from Hamilton, but a smooth flowing break of 78 concludes on the yellow and he leads 1-0 in Riyadh.

This is excellent from Hamilton. Really is. One mistake from Mink, and looks like it may well cost her the first frame here. Remember first player to four advances to the third round. So very much a sprint in these earlier matches.

A very smart start here from the Nottingham man dubbed the ‘Sheriff of Pottingham’. Nice and easy, gliding around the table and dropping in the balls with minimum fuss.

Stunning shot early on from Mink to drop in the blue to green pocket. Cued that so well with pressure on the shot. But she then misses an easy black to hand over the chance to Anthony. That is disappoitning.

Well, we are all set to see who has got the mettle to continue their respective campaigns today. First up is former women’s world champion Mink Nutcharut against Anthony Hamilton, the former German Masters champion. Then six-time world finalist Jimmy White takes to the baize to face former Welsh Open finalist Andrew Higginson. Boys and girls on the baize in Riyadh for the second round of this landmark event.

The biggest names in the snooker are back in Riyadh for the first edition of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters.

The inaugural tournament will take place from Thursday, August 30 to Saturday, September 7, 2024 and will be held in Green Halls in Riyadh.