Thepchaiya makes 6-red semis after Noppon, Akani crash out
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh kept alive the Thai hopes as two impressive wins steered him into the SangSom 6-red World Championship semi-finals at the BCC Hall, CentralPlaza Lardprao yesterday.
The talented Thai first claimed a dramatic 6-5 victory over last year’s beaten finalist Stuart Bingham in the last 16 and then defeated China’s Liang Wenbo 6-4 in last night’s quarter-finals.
In this evening’s second semi-final, Thepchaiya will take on the winner of last night’s clash between England’s David Gilbert and Anthony McGill of Scotland.
Thepchaiya, a winner at the tournament two years ago, is now the last remaining Thai from an entry of six in the event.
Former world champion Bingham of England lost five of the first six frames as Thepchaiya took control early to suggest a comfortable victory was on the cards.
The Thai led 4-1 with a black ball clearance of 38 after Bingham had opened up a lead of 31 points.
This was soon followed by a break of 50 that took Thepchaiya into a lead of four and left him needing just one of the last five frames to seal victory.
Bingham appeared completely out of touch before a clearance of 33 enabled him to win frame seven on the black.
And after closing in to 5-3, Bingham discovered his best form with successive breaks of a maximum 75 and 67 to force the decider.
But the English world No.9 overcut a blue into a middle pocket early in the last frame and Thepchaiya showed much composure to claim victory with a break of 53.
Thailand’s Akani Somsermsawad crashed out of the championship after losing 6-2 to Michael Holt. Compatriot Noppon Saengkham was also gone after falling 6-5 to Dave Gilbert.
Akani never recovered from losing the first four frames despite winning the next two and rallying after a break of 52 in the first.
Holt however was in no mood to surrender and won the last two frames convincingly, 30-8 and 59-8.
Noppon led Gilbert 2-1 but was kept busy playing catch-up afterwards, squaring the match three times before losing the decider 41-2. He had the highest break of 71 in frame two.
Three times a world championship finalist, and a winner in 2010, Scotland’s Graeme Dott held on for a 6-5 victory over Welshman Ryan Day.
Hong Kong’s Marco Fu wasted little time knocking out the holder, China’s Ding Junhui, for an overwhelming 6-1 victory that had the fans enthralled.
Fu enjoyed runs of 73, 56 and 50 before a clearance of 35 earned him the seventh frame after Ding had led 33-0.