2024 British Open Snooker Qualifiers: David Gilbert stretches undefeated streak to 11 matches
The final 12 matches of this overall 10-day block of qualifiers in Leicester were completed, and amongst those who booked a place in the last 64 was the in-form David Gilbert who whitewashed amateur top-up Dylan Emery, 4-0.
Gilbert endured a tough 2023/24 season but enjoyed a morale-boosting run to the semi-finals of the world championship at the Crucible Theatre as a qualifier in April/May.
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He has taken that momentum into the new season and is now 11 games undefeated this term having not lost in nine matches at the Championship League and won his Xi'an Grand Prix opener a few days ago. Against Emery, the world number 22 made breaks of 85 and 72.
Another ranking event winner yet to have tasted a loss this campaign is Graeme Dott; the former world champion registered runs of 66 and 77 in a 4-1 victory over Matthew Stevens. Dott is now five without defeat.
Professional rookie Haris Tahir - a recent graduate from the Asia-Oceania Q School - is two from two on the top tier, so far, as he ousted Dean Young, 4-3, to book a berth in Cheltenham.
Another tour card newbie, Ka Wai Cheung, continues to impress during this recent spell of matches. The World Snooker Federation Championship title holder was pipped by Ryan Day 5-4 in the Xi'an Grand Prix despite constructing a trio of century breaks but he nudged out Stephen Maguire in a deciding frame in the Wuhan Open.
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Today, the Hong Kong cueist clean swept fellow rookie Kreishh Gurbaxani, 4-0.
Oliver Lines crafted efforts of 116 and 94 in the first half of his tie with Lei Peifan, although he needed to win the final two frames in order to go through via a deciding frame.
Lyu Haotian racked up breaks of 53, 59 and 77 in a 4-0 success over Anthony McGill.
Simon Blackwell, Tian Pengfei, Ben Mertens, Elliot Slessor and Robbie Williams also qualified for the final rounds which take place between September 23-29. As too did Wu Yize, who denied former world women's champion Baipat Siripaporn, 4-1; finishing the contest with a 111.
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The next action on the World Snooker Tour is the 2024 Xi'an Grand Prix main event in China which runs from August 19 to 25.
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