September 26th 2024.
Cheltenham was buzzing with excitement as the British Open continued on Wednesday night, and the unexpected upsets just kept on coming. The latest shocker came in the late night match between Neil Robertson and Rory Thor, where the Malaysian cueist pulled off a stunning 4-3 victory over the reigning English Open champion.
Despite Robertson's strong start, going up 3-1 in the race to four, Thor managed to turn the tables and win three consecutive frames to secure his spot in the fourth round. It was a strange game with Thor making four half-centuries, but interestingly, three of them came in the frames he lost. This marked Thor's second win over a top 16 player in the tournament, with eight already falling to his cue before Robertson's defeat.
But Thor wasn't the only giant slayer in Cheltenham that night. 18-year-old Stan Moody caused a stir by beating world number 12 Zhang Anda 4-3, claiming it as his best win yet as a professional. Moody's strong performance has been a result of his hard work on and off the table, and he's looking forward to continuing his journey in the tournament.
The top players weren't immune to the upsets either, with Shaun Murphy and John Higgins facing off in a highly anticipated match. In the end, it was Higgins who emerged victorious, securing a 4-2 win over the former world champion. Higgins, who recently dropped out of the top 16, is determined to make a comeback and return to the elite group.
As for Murphy, he acknowledged that losing to Higgins is nothing to be ashamed of, but he did express disappointment in his own performance. He struggled to adapt to the playing conditions but hopes to learn from this experience and come back stronger in future tournaments.
The action continues on Thursday with a packed schedule, including matches between John Higgins and Graeme Dott, Judd Trump and Mark Davis, and Mark Allen and Ben Mertens. With so many talented players still in the mix, it's anyone's game to win. But one thing is for sure, Cheltenham will continue to be a hub of excitement and surprises as the British Open unfolds.
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