Tough to call now, I have a 4fold: Murphy, Higgins, Gilbert + Bingham (although I think Wilson) , 8/1 for Murphy / Wilson final, I thought it was good value but seriously hard one
Paulie, what did you make of Carter claiming he hit the yellow in the 8th frame?
An honest mistake or something more sinister?
Referees decision should always be final, and had that been Brendon, or Jan (or any of the more experienced refs) up there in the middle there is no way Ali would be saying he hit the yellow.
I switched off before the interviews so haven't seen, but I believe from what I have seen on twitter Eurosport didnt ask him about it in his interview with them
I've seen this incident. The white seemed to drift a bit, maybe a touch of unintentional side. The ref called it correctly and should have stuck to her decision or asked for a replay. Carter should have said he thought the white had touched the yellow, not say outright that he definitely hit it. Higgins didn't think it touched either. Hard to say that Carter cheated, only he knows that, but his attitude was appalling. The ref was also at fault.
That safety shot is even better now, if Bingham had missed it or left the Yellow on it could have cost him the frame and he would have been 5-1 behind, instead he won the frame and never looked back
So Ali Carter who only got in the tournament because Ronnie withdrew is now in the final
I do wonder had that missed yellow been a foul(like it was) and Higgins went on to win the frame and make it 4-4 if Carter would have been in the final tomorrow, but I guess we will never know
Carter in first with 2 pots(Red and Brown)then rattles a red, Bingham comes back with a 47 break before running out of position and a safety battle ensued, which only lasted a couple of shots before Bingham took on a long red and potted it and got a 75 break to take the frame
Bingham in first with a 32 before he misses, Carter then gets in and runs out of position on 8, Bingham then potted a red but went in off, Carter back to the table and got a 36 before running out of position and playing safe, so the score read 48-32 to Carter with 3 reds left. 2 fouls from Bingham after Carters safety shot, 3rd shot he caught it to thick and left Carter a red which Carter missed a decent safety then followed from Bingham and Bingham then got the next chance at the table and cleared up with a break 46
7 reds, 7 blacks ,for Carter but a horrible kick on the 7th black put him in a terrible position and he had to play safe with a 56 point lead, good safety from Bingham but he left a possible plant, which Carter caught wrong and left a nice easy starter for Bingham who got a 23 break before missing a black if its spot and leaving Carter with a eay starter himself, Carter gets 17 and takes the frame.
Comments
Tough to call now, I have a 4fold: Murphy, Higgins, Gilbert + Bingham (although I think Wilson) , 8/1 for Murphy / Wilson final, I thought it was good value but seriously hard one
Todays Matches:
Shaun Murphy v Joe Perry (1pm)
John Higgins v Allister Carter (7pm)
Quarter Final
Result
Shaun Murphy 6-3 Joe Perry
Higgins not really got into this match yet and really needs to get a frame under his belt soon or this match could slip away
Very quick frame won by Higgins there and his best frame of the match
Quarter Final
Result
Ali Carter 6-3 John Higgins
An honest mistake or something more sinister?
He used Desislavas inexperience against her IMO
Hard to say that Carter cheated, only he knows that, but his attitude was appalling. The ref was also at fault.
Quarter Final
Result
Dave Gilbert 6-2 Stephen Maguire
I also love how proud Bingham looks afterwards and then Kyrens little "I thought I played a good shot"
Quarter Final
Result
Stuart Bingham 6-4 Kyren Wilson
Semi Final
Ali Carter 6-3 Shaun Murphy
I do wonder had that missed yellow been a foul(like it was) and Higgins went on to win the frame and make it 4-4 if Carter would have been in the final tomorrow, but I guess we will never know
Semi Final
Result
Stuart Bingham 6-2 Dave Gilbert
Neither player has played in a masters final before and who would have thought the final would have been between two players ranked 14th and 17th
Ali Carter 1-0
Carter in first with 2 pots(Red and Brown)then rattles a red, Bingham comes back with a 47 break before running out of position and a safety battle ensued, which only lasted a couple of shots before Bingham took on a long red and potted it and got a 75 break to take the frame
1-1
Bingham in first with a 32 before he misses, Carter then gets in and runs out of position on 8, Bingham then potted a red but went in off, Carter back to the table and got a 36 before running out of position and playing safe, so the score read 48-32 to Carter with 3 reds left. 2 fouls from Bingham after Carters safety shot, 3rd shot he caught it to thick and left Carter a red which Carter missed a decent safety then followed from Bingham and Bingham then got the next chance at the table and cleared up with a break 46
Bingham 2-1
7 reds, 7 blacks ,for Carter but a horrible kick on the 7th black put him in a terrible position and he had to play safe with a 56 point lead, good safety from Bingham but he left a possible plant, which Carter caught wrong and left a nice easy starter for Bingham who got a 23 break before missing a black if its spot and leaving Carter with a eay starter himself, Carter gets 17 and takes the frame.
2-2 at the mid session interval