Ricky Walden will take a 6-2 advantage into the second session of his World Championship semi-final against Barry Hawkins. The man from Chester looked the more comfortable in the single table environment as a nervous start from Hawkins cost him.
The 2008 Shanghai Masters Champion was the quickest out of the blocks as a break of 91 set him on the way to take the first frame. And it got even better in frame two a he knocked in the first century of the match with 105. Frame three had to be re-racked after all the reds had clustered around a corner pocket, and it seemed to help Hawkins as he finally got on the board to trail 2-1. A clearance of 60 in the next handed Walden a two frame lead at the interval.
Hawkins managed to pull another frame back in the next but it would be the last for him during this session. An impressive 119 restored Walden's two frame lead and he extended it to 5-2 after a scrappy seventh frame. Hawkins, the Australian Open Champion, struggled to find any rhythm throughout the session and he lost the last as well and will have to overturn a four frame deficit in tomorrow's second session.
In the most anticipated semi-final for years, Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump ended all square after their first session. With O'Sullivan hinting at retirement yet again, the defending champion moved into a 4-1 lead before Trump took the last three to draw level.
Both players exchanged early misses, but it was O'Sullivan who managed to take advantage with a break of 65 to lead 1-0. Trump was in first in frame two and O'Sullivan managed to force a re-spotted black. And it was the four time champion who had first chance but missed and Trump sunk the black to level the match. Breaks of 40 and 34 in the next moved 'the Rocket' ahead again before a 75 moved him 3-1 clear.
A quick fire 89 gave O'Sullivan a three frame advantage, before a break of 50 moved Trump back to within two. A break of 56 looked to restore O'Sullivan's three frame lead but Trump managed to recover and close to 4-3. And a 72 in the last from the 2011 runner-up meant they shared the session at 4-4.
The 2008 Shanghai Masters Champion was the quickest out of the blocks as a break of 91 set him on the way to take the first frame. And it got even better in frame two a he knocked in the first century of the match with 105. Frame three had to be re-racked after all the reds had clustered around a corner pocket, and it seemed to help Hawkins as he finally got on the board to trail 2-1. A clearance of 60 in the next handed Walden a two frame lead at the interval.
Hawkins managed to pull another frame back in the next but it would be the last for him during this session. An impressive 119 restored Walden's two frame lead and he extended it to 5-2 after a scrappy seventh frame. Hawkins, the Australian Open Champion, struggled to find any rhythm throughout the session and he lost the last as well and will have to overturn a four frame deficit in tomorrow's second session.
In the most anticipated semi-final for years, Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump ended all square after their first session. With O'Sullivan hinting at retirement yet again, the defending champion moved into a 4-1 lead before Trump took the last three to draw level.
Both players exchanged early misses, but it was O'Sullivan who managed to take advantage with a break of 65 to lead 1-0. Trump was in first in frame two and O'Sullivan managed to force a re-spotted black. And it was the four time champion who had first chance but missed and Trump sunk the black to level the match. Breaks of 40 and 34 in the next moved 'the Rocket' ahead again before a 75 moved him 3-1 clear.
A quick fire 89 gave O'Sullivan a three frame advantage, before a break of 50 moved Trump back to within two. A break of 56 looked to restore O'Sullivan's three frame lead but Trump managed to recover and close to 4-3. And a 72 in the last from the 2011 runner-up meant they shared the session at 4-4.
