James Wattana succumbs to Mark Davis in final round of China Open 2011 qualifiers – Snooker news
The Thai-Poon, James Wattana, has finally lost his battle against the former Benson & Hedges Champion, Mark Davis, by a frame score of 5-3 in the last round of the qualifiers of China Open 2011 held on February 27 at the World Snooker Academy.
James Wattana, the man who has been knocked out, lying in the very first round had beaten the likes of Justin Astley, Stuart Pettman, and Steve Davis with frame scores of 5-2, 5-2, and 5-4 respectively to come up within one frame win to reach the last 16
of China Open 2011.
The overall score-line between him and Mark was 69-36, 53-76, 69-46, 15-68, 64-1, 27-64, 63-29, and 94-36.
The frames played were cagey as there were no reasonable breaks made by either player.
They started off with a scrappy opener although the first chance in it fell for Wattana but he couldn’t produce much and broke at a break of 28 before a bout of safety began. Chances were coming and going until finally Davis was able to have the first blood
on the coloured balls 1-0.
Wattana was again the first to be among the balls in the second one and was going good this time before he went out of position after gaining a lead of 44 points. However, he was lucky to get back on the table as Davis was not able to punish him and gave
a chance after a break of 53. Wattana won the frame playing intelligently afterwards with a couple of small breaks to level the things by 1-1.
Both players got good chances in the third one but a similar break of 46 was produced by each side before Davis pocketed it on the colour balls.
It all went neck to neck as Wattana took the next one with dominant breaks of 21, 35, and 12 but again the fifth one was taken by Davis with a carving break of 64 and the frame score at the interval was 3-2 in favour of Davis.
On resuming the match after the interval Wattana took the first one with breaks of 34 and 24 making the frame score 3-3 but he couldn’t win any afterwards. Davis made breaks of 23 and 40 in the seventh frame and won the scrappy eighth with the breaks of
20 and 39 in the end sealing his victory by 5-3.
Mark Davis will now face Stephen Maguire, the runner-up of Welsh Open 2011, in the last 16 of the China Open.
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