Stevens through in style

Higginson leads all-English clash with Lee after tight first session   Matthew Stevens cruised into the last 16 of the Betfred.com World Championship with a 10-3 demolition of Marco Fu. The Welshman - twice a losing finalist at the Crucible - had put himself on course for a comfortable victory after taking the opening eight frames. Fu did attempt to launch a...

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Robertson sees off Doherty

World Snooker Championship 2012: 12BET odds 4/23 9:30PM GMT+8   Hendry relishing match-up with Higgins in round two. The 2010 world champion Neil Robertson completed a 10-4 victory over Ken Doherty to set up a second-round clash with England's David Gilbert. Dubliner Doherty - world champion 15 years ago - entered the session 7-2 in arrears and there...

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Stephen Maguire vs Luca Brecel match preview

World Snooker Championship 2012: 12BET odds Stephen Maguire vs Luca Brecel 4/22 5PM GMT+8   Scotland’s Stephen Maguire has so far failed to fulfil his potential in the World Championships but has been as high as 2 in the World rankings and following a lean period he has got back on track and is now climbing again, currently seventh in the world. Maguire is one of...

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Match preview John Higgins vs Liang Wenbo

World Snooker Championship 2012: 12BET odds John Higgins vs Liang Wenbo 4/21 5PM GMT+8 John Higgins has told Judd Trump he'll have it "tough" if he is go one better than last year at the Betfred.com World Championship. Trump made it all the way through to the final last year - after beating defending champion Neil Robertson in the opening round - but came off second...

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Trading Places Help Raise PHF Cash

Trading Places Estate Agents have donated 500 pounds to the Paul Hunter Foundation via Ricky Walden's manager Lee Gorton. Gorton is one of a group of 'players and others' from the snooker world running the Sheffield Half Marathon next month to raise cash for the Foundation. "To my knowledge this is the single largest donation so far and I am extremely grateful," said Gorton. "I...

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Rocket to face Ebdon at Crucible

Former world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan will face Peter Ebdon in the first round of the World Snooker Championship.Ebdon booked his place at the Crucible by beating Alfie Burden 10-0 in the final round of qualifying and his reward is a first round clash with three-time winner O'Sullivan. John Higgins returns to the Sheffield arena as defending champion and his quest for...

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Hendry books Crucible place

Scot overcomes Yu to reach 26th consecutive World Championship   Seven-time champion Stephen Hendry held his nerve to book his place at yet another Betfred.com World Championship. Hendry, 43, succeeded where six-time champion Steve Davis and six-time runner-up Jimmy White both failed this week by coming through the qualifying tournament, beating Chinese player...

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Crucible aim for Hendry

Scot not letting his head drop at having to qualify Seven-time champion Stephen Hendry has vowed to do his all to qualify for the Betfred.com World Championship. The world number 23 has fallen so far down the rankings he is incredibly no longer guaranteed a place at Sheffield's Crucible theatre. Hendry is due to take on Chinese cueman Yu Delu and the 43-year-old...

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Higgins hails Crucible

World champion ready for nervous start at the Crucible John Higgins will be sick with nerves before he walks out at the Crucible to defend his World Snooker Championship title, but insisted there was nowhere that could match the Sheffield stage. Higgins has won three of the last five world titles and is again amongst the big favourites to lift the trophy when the Betfred.com...

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Hearn: Hard work is paying off

Hearn believes Crucible event is the pinnacle of British sport World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn insists hard work has saved the game as he pledged to make every player a millionaire.Hearn has turned around the sport in the two-and-a-half years he has been at the helm with now almost 30 tournaments on the calendar with the promise of an even busier 2012/13 season. Hearn,...

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Perfect Ten For McGill

Anthony McGill stormed to a 10-0 whitewash over Adam Wicheard to reach the penultimate qualifying round of the Betfred.com World Championship. Glasgow's 21-year-old McGill, playing his second season on the main tour, fired in breaks of 57, 63, 64, 57 and 52 in setting up a match with Anthony Hamilton. He needs two more wins to reach the Crucible. China's Yu Delu thrashed...

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Superb Brecel Thrashes McCulloch

Luca Brecel beat former Crucible semi-finalist Ian McCulloch 10-2 to reach the second qualifying round of the Betfred.com World Championship. Belgian teenager Brecel, playing his first season on the pro tour, has scored some excellent results in recent weeks and dominated against Preston's McCulloch. Brecel knocked in breaks of 95, 61, 62, 59 and 68 to set up a match...

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Indian Express Denies Pagett

India's top player Aditya Mehta came from 8-6 down to beat Andrew Pagett 10-8 and reach the second qualifying round of the Betfred.com World Championship. Welshman Pagett went all the way to the Crucible last year, but fell at the first hurdle this time as Mehta came good in the closing stages. Pagett led 5-4 after the first session, making a break of 102 in frame three...

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Hossein Set For Pro Tour

Hossein Vafaei Ayouri will make history next season as the first professional snooker player from Iran. The talented 17-year-old from Abadan won the IBSF World Amateur Championship last December, which has earned him a place on the professional tour for the next two years. He will be eligible to compete in all ranking events, starting with the Wuxi Classic qualifiers...

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Davis Considers The Long Run

Steve Davis believes that running the Sheffield Half Marathon this May will help him prolong his snooker career. The 54-year-old snooker legend is joining other green baize stars such as Shaun Murphy, Peter Ebdon and Michael Holt for the 13-mile run in Sheffield on May 27, to raise money for the Paul Hunter Foundation. And six-times World Champion Davis, now playing his...

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Reg Davies Turns 80

Renowned coach Reg Davies, currently studying on the WPBSA Coaching course at the South West Snooker Academy, is celebrating his 80th Birthday today.  Davies recently won a coaching award in recognition of his work with young players in Manchester. Paul Mount, Chairman of South West Snooker Academy and Terry Griffiths, Director of Coaching at SWSA, presented Reg...

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Tabb to referee World final

Scot to take charge of biggest match for second time Michaela Tabb will take charge of the Betfred.com World Championship final for the second time next month.The 44-year-old, snooker's top female official, will referee the final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield on May 6 and 7.Tabb has refereed professional snooker since 2001, and officiated the world final for the...

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Maguire books final spot

Scot will face revitalised Ebdon in Sunday's final Stephen Maguire is through to the final of the China Open after streaking clear of in-form Stephen Lee to triumph 6-2 in their Beijing semi-final.Maguire won four frames in a row to seal the win after his opponent had battled back from 2-0 down to level the scores. But the Scot, who edged past Ronnie O'Sullivan in...

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