2016 World Snooker Championship day five: Trump tackles Wenbo in intriguing opener

Lee Gormley | April 19, 2016

2016 World Snooker Championship

Ding and Trump take to Crucible Theatre

The 2016 World Snooker Championship has reached day five at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, and it’s the turn of strong contender Judd Trump to make his mark on proceedings, as he clashes with China’s Liang Wenbo in a potentially enthralling opening match-up.

Bristol’s flashy cueist always draws the crowd in, like Ronnie O’Sullivan, and the West Yorkshire onlookers should be treated to another spectacle from the 13/2 third-favourite for this year’s crown with Coral.

As well as this intriguing meeting between two big scorers, Ding Junhui looks to shake off a poor season to date by his standards and overcome Martin Gould, while Joe Perry takes on Kettering ace Kyren Wilson during the evening’s play.

Ding gunning for Gould victory in opener

London potter Gould drew the short straw when it came to opening Crucible outings this year, having been paired with arguably the most dangerous qualifier Ding, who comes into tournament ranked just outsider the elite 16, and their previous meetings suggest another close encounter here.

Of the six former competitive clashes between the two cueists, both players have prevailed on three occasions, with Chinese superstar Ding having succeeded in the most recent baize battle during the 2014 Shanghai Masters last 16 and is 11/5 to lead 3-1 after four frames.

Gould will be brimming with confidence though and will hold no fear of a stuttering Ding, following his maiden ranking event triumph in February when he clinched the German Masters, and the Pinner Potter is 29/20 to progress.

A deciding frame to occur in this Crucible tussle is available at 24/5, while Ding is 17/2 to earn a 10-5 victory in what is his ninth successive appearance at the World Championship.

Trump and Wenbo square off in potential thriller

The pick of Wednesday’s match-ups comes in this meeting between world number five Trump and this season’s UK Championship runner-up Wenbo, though it’s the latter Chinese cueist that maybe surprisingly edges previous encounters.

Making his first appearance at the Crucible since 2012, Wenbo is 16/5 to secure a returning success, while the Juddernaut enters as the overwhelming odds-on 2/9 favourite to triumph.

Wenbo has edged three of the previous four clashes, including a UK last 32 win on his road to the final last year, and he is 16/1 to prevail with a final frame victory here (10-9).

Meanwhile, Trump is aiming to finally realise his Crucible potential and lift the coveted trophy he craves, and he knows only a strong performance will help his cause against Wenbo first, which he is 8/1 to win 10-7.

Gentleman Joe meets talented potter Wilson

Experienced Wisbech cueist Perry takes to the Crucible baize as the odds-on 4/5 front runner in his clash with talented potter Wilson, and it’s the Gentleman who has prevailed in three of their previous four competitive encounters.

The Fen Potter earned a comfortable World Grand Prix last 16 victory over his latest opponent only last month and he is 9/1 to emerge with a 10-6 result here, though Wilson will be confident of prevailing for a third time ever against Perry to level their head-to-head record.

Wilson claimed the Shanghai Masters last September, realising his first ever ranking event win, and the 24-year-old is evens to progress to the last 16 in Sheffield.

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Coral’s top tip: Back Judd Trump to overcome Liang Wenbo 10-7 in his Crucible opener at 8/1.