Ali Carter met Ding Junhui in one of this afternoon’s first quarter finals. 

Carter opened the first frame with a 124 break and Ding had to remain seated.

In the next frame, Ding managed to take 21 points but then had to hand over the table to Carter who quickly got stuck on a red ball and was forced to play a safety shot. Ding then let Carter in after an unfortunate shot. After a few more turns, Carter went on to win the frame and go to 2-0.

Safety success statistics came up at the beginning of the third frame and showed that Carter’s rate was 100% versus Ding’s 76%. Carter definitely looked hungrier, more positive and more eager. Another frame went to Carter. Ding really needed to sharpen up at this stage and luckily he did.

We were wondering if this match was going to turn into a repeat of yesterday’s encounter between Ronnie O’Sullivan and Peter Ebdon when Ding suddenly took command of the fourth frame and produced a 95-10 result to win it.

After the break Ding totally dominated the fifth frame and managed to rack up an 81 break before failing on a difficult red. With that the match was still on.

As of frame number six, Carter’s pot success was 92% while Ding’s was 91%. Ding found an opening and managed to rack up 17 points before missing the pink, giving Carter another chance at the table. But Carter missed the pink as well and the frame could seemingly go to either player when Carter found an opportunity to make some points.

It was around this time that Ding’s eye twitch started to act up. He seems to get it after playing for a while, or when he’s under pressure, but he won’t let it affect his playing. After a few turns with both players at the table Ding was finally the one to come out victorious, 3-3.

At the same time Stephen Maguire played Peter Lines on the other table. Lines really had to work hard in this match but has done very well so far.

A hard and very even first frame went to Maguire. The next frame was almost identical to the first and was also won by Maguire. Lines took the third frame but it could just as easily have gone the other way. Lines then dominated the beginning of the fourth frame and was disappointed when he suddenly missed at 55. But he was soon given another chance after a bad safety shot. Maguire took the next frame and went to 3-2 and before  you knew it he had gone to 4-2.

Both matches will be decided later and give us two semi-finalists.