INDIAN OPEN
2016 - WORLD SNOOKER RANKING TOURNAMENT
HICC NOVOTEL -
HYDERABAD -
India
05
- 09 July 2016
McGill is Star
Of Indian Open 2016
July 09, 2016 - Hyderabad
Anthony McGill won his first ever
ranking title by defeating Kyren Wilson 5-2 in the final of the Indian Open
2016 here at HICC Novotel Hotel in Hyderabad, Telangana.
Recognised for several seasons as one of snooker’s rising stars, McGill has
now captured his first piece of silverware after a series of superb
performances, winning seven matches during the tournament to land the £50,000
top prize. He started the event 29th in the world rankings and now climbs to a
career high of 18th.
Glasgow’s
25-year-old McGill beat the likes of Stuart Bingham, Stephen Maguire and Shaun
Murphy to reach the final before seeing off Kettering’s Wilson, who was
appearing in his second ranking final having won last season’s Shanghai
Masters.
Today’s contest showcased snooker’s finest young talent as it was the first
ranking final between two players age 25 or under since the 2011 UK
Championship when Judd Trump beat Mark Allen.
McGill’s previous finest hour was a run to the quarter-finals of the 2015
World Championship when he knocked out Maguire and Mark Selby at the Crucible,
proving his ability to compete on the biggest stage. He struggled to reproduce
that form last season, though he did make the last 16 again in Sheffield. This
week he went beyond the last eight of a ranking event for the first time and
ended up lifting the trophy - surely the first of many.
The first four frames of the final were shared, Wilson making the better
breaks with 65 in the second and a 50 clearance in the fourth. McGill then
took control after the interval as a run of 96 put him ahead and he controlled
the sixth frame to lead 4-2.
Both players had chances in the 39-minute seventh frame and it came down to
the last red. McGill potted the red to a centre pocket to initiate a
match-winning clearance which included an excellent green to gain position on
the brown.
Victory for the Scot also earned him a place in the Champion of Champions
tournament in Coventry in November.
Wilson earned £25,000 and moves up one place on the ranking list to 15th.
Earlier in the semi-finals, McGill came from 2-0 down to beat Shaun Murphy
4-2, clinching victory with a superb 64 clearance in frame six. Wilson saw off
veteran Nigel Bond 4-1 with a top break of 72.
RESULTS
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