MICHAEL Day (@daisy8ball) has made an excellent start to his World Snooker tipping for us. Next up – an all-Welsh affair.
Mark Williams v Matthew Stevens | Tuesday 19:00 | BBC
What a fantastic start to the championship, – it’s certainly been a dramatic opening few days! Tuesday evening will see a repeat of the 2000 World Championship Final when two time winner Mark Williams meets fellow countryman and close friend Matthew Stevens.
The pair have predominantly been the focal point for Welsh snooker over the last 20 years or so now, and despite having less success of seasons gone by, it should still be a classy and nostalgic encounter.
The duo have played each other on 22 occasions with Williams shading the head to head record 12-9 (1 draw). ‘MJW’ also beat Stevens in the 1999 UK Final too, and is currently on a five match winning streak against him.
Williams’ form over the last six months or so has been fantastic. A number of deep runs in tournaments has seen him claw back into the Top 16, and thus becoming a seed for this years tournament.
Runner-up in the Players Championship Grand Finals and Gydnia Open, semi-finalist in the International Championship, Welsh and Indian Opens, he's accumulated just under £200,000 worth of prize money for the popular professional this campaign. He's also hunting for a unique double after taking the World Seniors Championship only last month.
Stevens on the other hand has had a bit of a nightmare. Plagued with on and off the table problems, the former UK and Masters champion has only a quarter final appearance at the Australian Open in July as his best 2014/2015 performance to date – and even that event was devoid of some of the top players.
He's currently sitting at a lowly 35th in the rankings, and although winning a trio of matches to be here, (with no disrespect to those players he beat en route in the circumstances) it wasn’t the most taxing of qualification routes.
Williams is 2/5 with Coral to win the match, which I think has real value even though it is odds on. So, in trying to gain even more profits I’m happy to go 11/10, again with Coral, in a special market of Williams to win the match and to have the highest break.
The reason? Firstly I think he can win comfortably, therefore Stevens will have far less opportunity to make a sizeable break. Secondly, I believe this particular wager would have paid out the last five times they have clashed. (There is no high break data from their 2012 PTC clash, but Williams won 4-0 so I presume he got it).
Best Bet
Mark Williams v Matthew Stevens – Mark Williams to win and score the highest break (11/10 Coral)
Final Frame Refund
Back either of these players to win with Betfair and if they lose in the deciding frame your stake will be refunded as a free bet.
