David Gilbert
David Gilbert came through a dramatic final frame to beat Gao Yang 4-3 on the last black and reach the last 16 of the Northern Ireland Open.
Gilbert admitted he was lucky to still be in the hunt for the Alex Higgins Trophy but he’s through to a third round clash with world number 110 Ka Wai Cheung and could be just four wins away from what would be the biggest title of his career. The Englishman started the season strongly with runs to the final of the Championship League and the quarter-finals of the China Open and hopes for another deep run in Belfast.
China’s Gao, looking to reach the last 16 of a ranking event for the first time, scored heavily with breaks of 131 and 86 in taking a 3-2 lead, before Gilbert got the better of frame six. In the decider, Gao was on 57 and just two pots from victory when his attempt at the penultimate red to a baulk corner rattled in the jaws. It came down to the colours and Gilbert converted an excellent long pot on the brown then went on to clear the table.
“I was impressed with Gao, he’s very tidy,” said two-time Crucible semi-finalist Gilbert. “We both made a mess of the last but I potted a great brown in the end. I’m very lucky to still be in and very grateful. I was playing great at the start of the season then knocked it on the head for a month. But in the last week I have been hitting balls again. I should be out of the tournament – who knows this could be my week. I imagine everyone feels it’s an opportunity. But the likes of Kyren Wilson and Mark Williams are definitely still favourites.”
Jordan Brown raised a massive cheer for his home fans at the Waterfront Hall as he edged out Michael Holt 4-3. Antrim’s Brown is clearly inspired by this venue as he reached the quarter-finals here last year and knocked out Mark Allen yesterday. He made breaks of 113 and 101 today as well as a crucial 66 in the decider.
“To make those breaks in a best-of-seven, it makes you hard to beat,” said former Welsh Open champion Brown, whose next opponent is Scott Donaldson, a 4-1 winner over Noppon Saengkham. “Michael played really well too, it was a close game. I got a touch fortunate to get the chance I needed in the last frame. It’s always special playing in front of a crowd like that in this arena.”
Jones upsets legend Higgins
Jak Jones’ phenomenal season got even better as he beat legend John Higgins 4-2 to reach the last 16.
Welshman Jones, age 33, had never won a professional tournament before this season, but he has been the outstanding player of 2026/27 so far having landed ranking titles at the Championship League and the British Open. And he’ll have no doubts that he can capture another trophy this week at the Waterfront Hall having beaten four-time World Champion Higgins – especially with so many of the top seeds out of the running. Defeat for Higgins means that only two of the world’s top 16 – Mark Williams and Kyren Wilson – remain in the draw.
The first three frames today were scrappy affairs, Higgins taking two of them. World number 24 Jones then stepped up a gear and dominated, making breaks of 121, 133 and 49 as he earned a third round fixture with Daniel Wells, who beat Ryan Day 4-3 in a Welsh derby.
“I was a bit edgy at the beginning, then I made a good break to go 2-2 and that settled me down,” said Jones. “This season has changed my life, I feel like a tournament winner with a lot more belief. I had always thought I could win them but actually doing it makes all the difference.”
Williams enjoyed a 4-2 win over Zhang Anda, taking the last two frames with breaks of 78 and 58 to set up a tie with Luca Brecel or Martin O’Donnell. Last year, Williams became the oldest ever winner of a ranking title when he landed the Xi’an Grand Prix and the 51-year-old could extend that record this week.
“I made two good breaks from 2-2,” said the Welshman. “It’s in there somewhere, it just doesn’t come out as often as it used to.” Asked for his view on why so many of the top 16 have been knocked out, Williams said: “The top 16 can’t get easy draws any more. Everyone you play has won a few matches and they are really good players.”
Ka Wai Cheung followed up his tremendous 4-3 win over Ronnie O’Sullivan with an equally impressive 4-0 whitewash of Stuart Bingham. Breaks of 56, 54 and 111 helped Hong Kong’s 27-year-old Cheung reach the last 16 of a ranking event for the first time in his career.
“Compared to the game against Ronnie, I got more chances but didn’t manage to win the frames in one visit, some of them went scrappy and I was lucky to get another chance,” said world number 110 Cheung, who now meets David Gilbert or Gao Yang. “I don’t have that much experience playing in the main venues so I am very happy to win two matches here. The fans always applaud when you play a good shot, it’s a great experience for me.”
China’s Pang Junxu edged out in-form Liam Davies 4-3 in a dramatic finish. The first six frames were shared, Davies making breaks of 69 and 103 while Pang made 112 and 73. In the decider, Welshman Davies was on 60 when he missed a difficult red to a top corner, and Pang capitalised with a superb 81 clearance. He now faces Kyren Wilson.
Sam Craigie took a 3-0 lead over Xu Si with a top break of 103, then saw his opponent come back to 3-3, but won the decider with a run of 75. He now meets Matthew Selt.
