Masters Snooker 2016 day three: Rocket returns to face Williams
Published:
Lee Gormley | January 11, 2016
Masters Snooker 2016
- Master Snooker, Day three
- Tuesday, January 12th
- Break-offs: 13:00 GMT and 19:00 GMT
- Alexandra Palace, London
- Live on BBC Two or Eurosport
O’Sullivan returns to tackle Williams
The Masters 2016 continues on day three and the Alexandra Palace crowd are sure to be treated to a true snooker spectacle, as five-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan returns to collide with Welshman Mark Williams.
After a nine-month sabbatical from the sport since his World Championship defeat to Stuart Bingham, the Rocket has recently returned to competitive action and is now ready for a baize battle with fellow circuit veteran Williams.
The five-time world champion is odds-on 10/11 with Coral to defeat his long-standing rival in London and pot the highest break, having stormed ahead in their previous head-to-heads, prevailing on 28 occasions from 41 meetings since 1996.
Rocket can take off against Williams
If O’Sullivan’s recent form in the Champions League is anything to go by, Williams may face a daunting afternoon, with the Rocket entering the event he first won as a 19-year-old in 1995 having earlier sensationally surpassed 800 career centuries.
Although, two-time Crucible king Williams last triumphed over his constant conqueror in their most recent best-of-10 meeting, securing a deciding frame victory in China during 2014. He is 11/4 for another success here, while the Rocket is 13/2 to gain final frame revenge with a 6-5 coup.
That rare win over crowd-favourite O’Sullivan was Williams’ first since 2011 though, having tasted victory on one occasion in their previous eight competitive clashes.
With the Welsh Potting Machine having showed glimpses of his former astute self in recent events, he is 9/5 to hold O’Sullivan to a 2-2 draw after the opening four frames, in what could be a truly testing day three opener for the double Masters winner.
Selby seeks to crack Walnut Walden in evening clash
Current world number one Mark Selby gets his Masters 2016 campaign underway against Chester’s Ricky Walden, as the 2014 world champion looks to win snooker’s most illustrious non-ranking event for a fourth time.
The Jester from Leicester last lifted this coveted crown back in 2013 and is 5/4 to crack the Walnut in his event opener by securing victory and the game’s highest break, while Walden is 11/2 to do so instead.
It was Selby who emerged victorious in the potting pair’s most recent encounter, as the three-time Masters champ stormed to a 3-0 whitewash in a Champions League clash earlier this month. The world number one is 15/8 to lead 3-1 after the first session, while Walden is available at the same price to earn only his sixth win over Selby in what will be their 16th ever baize battle.
Related
Read our snooker archive.
Coral’s top tip: Back Mark Selby to hold a 3-1 lead after the first four frames against Ricky Walden at 15/8.
