Liu Song outplays Mark Joyce in Qualifying Round 3 of 2011 World Snooker Championship
Liu Song has beaten Mark Joyce with a frame score of 10-6 in the qualifying round 3 of the 2011 World Snooker Championship held at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, England.
The Chinese star, Liu Song, who previously beat Michael Judge and Adrian Gunnell, gave an accomplishment performance to see off the world number 58, Mark Joyce, in the round 3.
The overall score line between the players was 0-123, 22-72, 57-70, 29-77, 72-18, 15-71, 75-31, 34-69, 30-81, 8-74, 33-84, 124-8, 72-6, 79-1, 125-1, and 16-56.
Joyce was a total spectator in the start as Song stormed into a 4-0 lead before the interval. The 27-year-old took a flying start by making a match-highest mind boggling century break of 117 in the opening frame followed by another dominant 67 in the second.
Joyce had a good chance in the third but he could only manage a break of 33 before Song responded with a decisive 43 to lead 3-0 which was extended to 4-0 when he fired up another classy break of 77 in the fourth.
After the interval break Joyce took his much needed first frame without doing anything outstanding before Song restored his four-frame lead with a superb break of 61.
In the seventh frame, Joyce, who was playing tactical otherwise, made his first contribution with a marvellous break of 71 to trail by 5-2. However, his confidence was shuttered badly as Song again pocketed the next two frames with a couple of quick fires,
26, 20 and 18, in the eighth and a dominant 48 in the ninth to end the first session with a 7-2 lead.
In the evening session, Song dominated the first two frames with magnificent breaks of 56 and 74 respectively. Though Joyce had his chances but he could not avail them and was now left seven frames down with eight to play.
The match was almost through as Song needed only one frame to seal his victory now. However, the life was brought back in the match when Joyce clawed back and took the next two. He made outclass breaks of 70 and 54 in the twelfth and another 54 in the thirteenth
to reduce the deficit by 9-4 before the mid-session break.
After returning, Joyce again dominated the first two frames to trail by 9-6. He made a couple of quick breaks, 29 and 39, in the fourteenth and his match-highest breaks of 91 in the fifteenth.
It looked now as if Joyce with this speed and level of confidence might even win but he lost control of his emotions in the next and a chance was given. Song stepped in and was among the balls, but he too failed to pull the frame in his first visit, breaking
down on 33.
A bout of safety play followed with neither player keen to make any mistake.
In the end, it was Song who forced the mistake from his opponent and with it a chance to claim the match.
Song won by 10-6 and secured his place in the final qualifying round where he will face Joe Perry to battle out for the most prestigious event in snooker.
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