
Selby edges Higgins to reach Welsh Open semis
Welsh Open SnookerVenue: Venue Cymru, Llandudno, Date: 10-16 FebruaryCoverage: Watch live on BBC Two Wales, BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app.
Mark Selby edged a cagey Welsh Open quarter-final with a final frame, 5-4 win in against John Higgins in Llandudno.There was a brief interruption when Engishman Selby was leading 2-1 as a spectator became ill in the audience, later declared clear of any serious issue.Five-time champion Higgins of Scotland then levelled at 2-2 and won his third successive frame to lead for the first time.Four-time world title holder Selby took the next two frames to reclaim the lead, but Higgins again levelled to send a tense, drawn-out contest to a final frame.Meanwhile the nature of the Selby-Higgins encounter led to a delayed start for the second quarter-final in which remaining Welshman Jackson Page was taking on Belgium's 2023 World Champion Luca Brecel.The semi-final line up will be concluded on Friday evening when Englishmen Ali Carter and Joe O'Connor seek victory and Scotman Stephen Maguire will take on another Englishman in Jack Lisowski.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Scottish Sun
9 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Scotland vs Iceland: Stream FREE as Serie A heroes and young guns push for minutes in friendly clash
THE domestic season is finally over but there's still plenty of football to be played. All eyes will be back on Hampden as Scotland build up to the World Cup qualifiers in a clash with Iceland. Advertisement 3 Napoli superstar Scott McTominay is back with the national team Credit: Kenny Ramsay 3 Steve Clarke's men are preparing for the World Cup qualifiers in September Credit: Kenny Ramsay 3 Albert Gudmundsson, right, is Iceland's top man Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd Steve Clarke's men will begin to reach the 2026 showpiece in USA, Canada and Mexico in early September. The two friendly clashes over the course of the next week will be the final preparations for the national team on the pitch before those qualifiers. Before facing Liechtenstein next week, it's Iceland up first. Scotland had found a good run of form, ending a horror run by going four games unbeaten. Advertisement A run of three wins in a row came to a shuddering halt with a 3-0 home defeat to Greece that consigned Clarke's side to Nations League relegation. So these two upcoming matches will give the Scots a chance to build some momentum once again ahead of September. There are several players looking to earn their first cap and look to make an impact ahead of those big games coming up too. SunSport has all you need to know ahead of the big game. Advertisement When does Scotland vs Iceland kick off? Scotland face Iceland TONIGHT, Friday, 6 June The match kicks-off at 7.45pm It's happening at Hampden Park in Glasgow Granit Maqedonci from Sweden will be the referee but VAR will NOT be in operation at the national stadium Can I live stream Scotland vs Iceland? Is it on TV? Scotland vs Iceland will be shown live by the BBC Coverage gets underway on BBC One Scotland from 7.30pm The match can be streamed for FREE via the BBC Sport app, BBC Sport Scotland website and BBC iPlayer via the BBC Sport app, BBC Sport Scotland website and BBC iPlayer Sportsound will have live commentary on BBC Radio Scotland You can also follow every kick right here with SunSport's LIVE match blog Latest team news Many of Scotland's biggest stars are part of the squad at the end of a hectic campaign. Those include captain Andy Robertson and Scott McTominay, who both tasted league title glory in England and Italy respectively. Nobody has, at the time of writing, pulled out of the squad that was named by Steve Clarke. Goalkeeper Angus Gunn is back in the squad and likely to start but Craig Gordon is out. Advertisement Hibs striker Kieron Bowie's excellent form earned him a first Scotland call-up and he'll be one of the uncapped players hoping for a debut. Connor Barron, Andy Irving, Lennon Miller, Josh Doig, Robby McCrorie and Cieran Slicker will also be eyeing a first international cap. One-time Hibs star Victor Palsson, now of Plymouth Argyle, is part of the Iceland group. Former Burnley winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson and ex-Cardiff man Aron Gunnarsson are among the other more familiar names in Arnar Gunnlaugsson's squad. Advertisement Gunnlaugsson, who as only appointed Iceland boss this year, had a brief spell in Scottish football as a player with Dundee United in the 2002-03 season. Iceland's danger man is striker Albert Gudmundsson. The 27-year old has 10 goals 39 caps for his country and spent last season on loan at Fiorentina from Serie A rivals Genoa. Latest odds* Scotland 8/13 Advertisement Draw 13/5 Iceland 15/4 *odds as of 4pm on Tuesday, June 4 Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page


Wales Online
10 hours ago
- Wales Online
Cardiff City announce pre-season Euro camp as manager decision update emerges
Cardiff City announce pre-season Euro camp as manager decision update emerges Cardiff City head to the continent later this summer but with no manager yet in place Cardiff City interim manager Aaron Ramsey (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) Cardiff City have confirmed their summer pre-season training camp plans despite the fact a new manager is now not expected to be appointed until next week. After suffering relegation to League One last season, the Bluebirds are facing a new era and at present do so without a boss at the helm. Their manager search has been frustratingly protracted, and although the end appears to be in sight with Aaron Ramsey emerging as clear favourite with the bookmakers, there has yet to be white smoke from Cardiff City Stadium. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here. Nevertheless, plans have now been confirmed for a warm-weather training camp, located in Murcia, Spain, in an effort to prepare for the upcoming campaign in the third tier. The camp will end with a friendly fixture at the Pinatar Arena on Saturday, July 12. However, the opponents for this game have yet to be confirmed. The club will also be playing additional pre-season fixtures this summer before the commencement of the 2025/25 season, with times, dates and opposition unconfirmed at this stage. Nathan Jones, manager of Charlton Athletic (Image: Getty Images ) Article continues below The news comes as it is understood a decision on Cardiff's next manager is not expected until next week now. With Nathan Jones now firmly out of the running, it appears increasingly likely that Ramsey will be tasked with taking the Cardiff reins full time, as bookies now make the Wales legend heavy favourite for the job. Join the Cardiff City breaking news and top stories WhatsApp community. During his interim period in charge, following the sacking of Omer Riza, the 34-year-old had to watch his side relegated to League One, the first time Cardiff have been in the third division of English football since the 2002/03 season. Welshman Jones, who was also heavily linked with the post at his boyhood club, signed a new long-term deal with Charlton on Friday to end all speculation. Jones said in a statement: "I'm very proud and delighted. Article continues below "I still had three years left but for the club to come to me and want to continue that journey meant a lot to me because it's a club that I love. "We've just taken one big step, but that's only one big step, we still have a long way to go to achieve our goals and I'm glad that I'll continue to work towards that." Other names who have been mentioned in connection with the Bluebirds post include Brian Barry-Murphy, Des Buckingham and Ian Evatt.


Wales Online
14 hours ago
- Wales Online
BBC Sport presenter bravely opens up on miscarriage heartbreak
BBC Sport presenter bravely opens up on miscarriage heartbreak The GAA Social Podcast with Oisin McConville and Thomas Niblock spoke to former Galway All-Ireland-winning hurler Johnny Glynn about his and his wife Serena's fertility issues Thomas Niblock opened up about the miscarriages his wife Kirstie has had to go through (Image: thomasniblock/Twitter ) BBC Sport presenter Thomas Niblock has opened up about the personal anguish of miscarriage and fertility complications following his revelation that his wife Kirstie tragically lost three pregnancies. In an emotive segment on the GAA Social Podcast, Niblock and fellow host Oisin McConville invited ex-Galway hurling champion Johnny Glynn to share his harrowing experiences. Living in New York with his wife Serena, Glynn faced similar sorrows in his journey to parenthood. Only recently, after steering New York to victory in the Lory Meagher Cup at Croke Park, Glynn learnt that their latest IVF attempt had failed. During the podcast, McConville described it as a "privilege" to hear such candid and heartfelt discussions about the struggles of fertility, pregnancy loss, and ectopic ruptures, reports Belfast Live. Niblock laid bare the trials he and his wife Kirstie have endured. "It is not an exaggeration in any way - my family and friends would know this - we were very close to losing Kirstie," he disclosed. "So that shapes you. You go from your fertility after that and I am thinking, it would be amazing and I'd love to have kids, like most people would. "Not all - but certainly most. But at the same time when you nearly lose your wife that's the game changer for me and that's the priority. That shapes you as well. Article continues below Johnny Glynn joined Oisin McConville and Thomas Niblock on the BBC's GAA Social podcast "Then time passes by and you definitely do want kids. So that's where we're at, at the minute. We haven't tried IVF. That may be coming down the pathway. My wife is very lucky. She has a great set of friends - been really supportive towards her. She's a very strong person. "She doesn't take things too seriously whereas everybody I would find would be quite different in this scenario. She has a good head on her shoulders. But it still is heavy stuff. I just feel it would be hypocritical if I didn't put myself out there, even though it's a bit weird to be talking about it." Glynn's experience echoed similar sentiments, as he disclosed: "Unfortunately we've had a few miscarriages. We've had an ectopic pregnancy. We've done a few rounds of IVF. "We are after finishing our fifth round of IVF transfers and they've all been unsuccessful so far. To be honest with you, where we are at I don't know exactly. I don't know how we are going to get there yet but we are going to get there. Thomas Niblock opened up about the fertility issues he and his wife Kirstie have endured (Image: thomasniblock/Twitter ) "When we do have kids and if they grow up to be healthy and fine, do you know what I'll take these two years. I'll take this tough time because it's only going to be for a little bit of time. We are going to get over it. We are going to be fine. "Not to sound soft or anything, but as long as myself and Serena have each other, we'll be okay. What upsets me is seeing her so upset. I firmly believe, I will be ok, if she is ok. It's not being able to fix this for her, it's the one thing that is out of my control, that I can't do for my wife. It's a f*****g killer." The pair opened up about their fertility journey, including sperm testing and confronting the discomfort caused by questions about starting a family. Niblock shared an anecdote of common enquiries he faces: 'No kids yet Tommy?' before adding: "I would have known, even not going through our experience, if someone is married a year or two and they are in their 30s and there's no kids, there might be a wee issue there. Don't maybe say something to them. "So I push back and say: 'To be honest, we've had three miscarriages' and the face just drops. But I feel that's important to say that. It's not me being guarded. It's just maybe more: 'you should have a wee think about that.' I am grand with it and it doesn't bother me, but I definitely know of other people it does. The BBC presenter revealed his wife had gone through three miscarriages (Image: thomasniblock/Twitter ) "I am always amazed by the response of so many people. Once you tell people you've had a miscarriage, they'll say: 'Tommy, know all about it, one or two myself.' "Now their stage is different. This is what I think, my whole thing is if you have two or three kids and you have two or three miscarriages before, I'd be 100 percent with that. "It's not mitigation against what happened in the past but your journey is a past tense one. But I think if you are in the midst of it and you don't have any kids and your story to tell is - in my case three miscarriages - you are in a very different place. Article continues below "Not in a mean way but because so many people have no history of talking about it. It is bit weird for me even talking about this. In my life I'd say this is the most I've ever put myself out there so I am at fault as much as anybody else, because it's not talked about. It's not normalised and people don't really know what way to deal about it. "We're still clinging on to hope and hope is a very powerful thing. If hope was gone, then you're realigning yourself - adoptions, fostering, no kids whatsoever. Me and Kirstie will have a brilliant life, no matter what way that goes, as long as she's there." The full podcast is available on BBC Sounds here.