Coral English Open semi-finals tips: Trump tackles Hawkins, Bingham battles Liang Wenbo
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Coral English Open semi-finals tips
We’re down to the final four on Saturday in the Coral English Open – a brand new snooker event we proudly sponsor.
EventCity in Manchester has seen some shocks on the baize this week, but Judd Trump is the firm 4/5 tournament favourite ahead of 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham (next in the betting at 11/4).
That would seem to be the final on paper, yet the Juddernaught and Ball-Run must clear respective hurdles Barry Hawkins (11/2 outright) and Liang Wenbo (7/1).
What are the best bets from the baize action on the penultimate day of the tournament, then? Coral snooker experts give their English Open semi-finals tips for the two best-of-11 frames encounters.
Hawkins v Trump odds
The Hawk may be a sizable 21/10 match outsider to topple Trump and make the final, but he actually beat the Bristol break-builder in their last encounter and in three of their last four head-to-heads.
Coincidentally, that previous triumph was also a first to six frames affair in the semis, though at the prestigious non-ranking Masters snooker event at Alexandra Palace earlier this year.
A repeat 6-4 scoreline in Hawkins’ favour is a 10/1 chance. He’s such a big price because we’ve seen that brand of Naughty Snooker we come to expect from Trump at is best.
Odds-on at 4/11 to make the final, the Ace in the Pack is better at 11/10 to cover a 2.5 frame handicap. That is something he’s achieved in all but one of his five Manchester matches so far.
Another appealing punt among Hawkins v Trump odds is over 9.5 frames in the contest at 13/10. This is because both of their career meetings in a best-of-11 setup have contained 10 frames or more.
Liang Wenbo v Bingham bets
Chinese cueman Liang Wenbo, like Hawkins, narrowly leads the head-to-head record over a more lauded semi-final opponent, yet is 6/4 to beat Bingham.
This battle between Ball-Run and the oriental potter is the longest frame format they’ve ever faced one another in, but it might be worth backing Wenbo to draw first blood.
Liang has established a 1-0 lead in three of their last four fixtures, so must be considered in the frame 1 winner market at 11/10.
Bingham, who has lost three on the spin against Wenbo, is 8/11 favourite for their latest fixture however and he’s endured a tougher run to the semis.
This should be a closer contest, and the best of Wenbo v Bingham bets looks a 33/20 price that says the scores shall be level after four frames. Backing this is supported by that being the case in three of the five career meetings.
Related
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