Players Tour Championship 2011/2012 – Event 9

The Acuerate Antwerp Open 2011 was the ninth event of the Players Tour Championship 2011/12. The snooker tournament was held in the Lotto Arena in Antwerp, Belgium from 10 to 13 November 2011. It replaced the Brugge Open, which were the Belgian tournament at last year's Tour. As one of six PTC tournaments, it was transferred from Euro Sport on TV. In the early 90s, professional tournaments have already been held in Antwerp ( European Open ).

252 players had registered for the tournament, as many as in any PTC tournament before. Exactly 82 of which came from Belgium. With Wendy Jans underneath was also a former women's world champion. The only two Belgian professional players Björn Haneveer and Luca Brecel were set directly for the main tournament. The Top 5 player Ding Junhui was missing again, which the Chinese also his chance to participate in the Tour Finals forgave because he can no longer come to the minimum required participation in three tournaments in Europe only an outstanding tournament.

All tournament games were played in best-of -7 mode.

• 2.1 Round 4 to knockout round 2.1.1 Group 1
• 2.1.2 Group 2
• 2.1.3 Group 3
• 2.1.4 Group 4
• 2.1.5 Group 5
• 2.1.6 Group 6
• 2.1.7 Group 7
• 2.1.8 Group 8

Preliminary round

For the 32 available places in the main tournament, 156 players had advertised. In three rounds, all of which were held on 10 October 2011, the main round participants were determined.

The greater part of the qualification matches was played in the Lotto Arena, 52 games were held at the nearby Snooker Club Matchroom.

56 amateurs met in round 1 of each other in pairs. Among the 28 winners were 100 other players, then the 32 players played off in two more rounds for the free places in the main tournament.

Round 1

The winners are highlighted in bold, small. means that the player is fed without a fight ( by non-appearance of the enemy ) in the next round.

Round 2

Round 3

Finals

By the fourth round of the tournament the main tournament began with 128 participants. The upper half ( groups 1-4), the set list was the rounds 4-6 from on Friday, November 11, the lower half ( groups 5-8) was on Saturday at the tables. The last four laps from the second round until the final round were carried out on the final Sunday.

Eight Belgian Amateurs made ​​it to the main tournament and one of them, Peter Bullen, came with a win over the young professional Li Yan even next round. He came further than his compatriot Björn Haneveer that is hanging up his professional career on the nail: future, he will give his occupation as a carpenter and house restorer preference. His last appearance on home soil ended in the first round, after he could not use his existing opportunities, but with Jimmy White, he had again a great opponent. The Englishman gave then in round 3 in Generations rising star Judd Trump a big fight, he lost almost. There remained the Belgian rising star Luca Brecel, the wildcard professional mastered the first two lighter hurdles, then failed but just at Indian Aditya Mehta, for already the thus reached second round was his biggest PTC success he with a victory over the number 15 in the world rankings Matthew Stevens and the catchment in the last eight or surpassed.

Negative surprise was the early exit in round three for the world number one Mark Selby and tour Fourth against Andy Hicks. The opening defeat by Shaun Murphy v Michael Holt was unexpected, the world ranking sixth seemed to last two quarter- finals yet again in PTC rhythm to be. Stuart Bingham, in July still winner during the first world ranking tournament of the season, retired on lap one with 4-0 against Main Tour returnees Justin Astley. The clear 1:4 against Mike Dunn was the sixth PTC first round defeat to world number two Mark Williams, Ali Carter and Stephen Maguire, who also could not show a convincing PTC result this season, were also back early from the tournament.

Round 4 to knockout round

The winners are highlighted in bold, small. means that the player is fed without a fight ( by non-appearance of the enemy ) in the next round.

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4

Group 5

Group 6

Group 7

Group 8

Quarter-finals to finals

The Indian Mehta was the biggest surprise in the quarter-finals, next was only Jack Lisowski not a top -16 player. However, the young Englishman is a PTC specialist and stood in for the third time this season and a total for the fifth time in this round. There he met Graeme Dott, who had fought with difficulty through the tournament and had to go three times over seven frames. The Scot won and secured his third PTC semi-final of the season. Martin Gould moved with a win over Selby -slayer Hicks into the last eight, where he also finished Mehta's hit series. With its semi-finals he underlined his new-found position among the top 16 Neil Robertson and Ronnie O'Sullivan, who had divided the three PTC tournaments in October among themselves, reached reasonably confident that the quarterfinals, especially the Englishman showed up in playful mood and gave until then only three frames from. Even the Australians he was in the direct encounter only one frame. Also issued only three frames had the world number three John Higgins until the quarterfinals. But then he met Judd Trump, who had come to his success against Jimmy White in motion and was able to convincingly prevail 4-2.

In the semifinals, had the top players of Sunday O'Sullivan and Trump then little trouble with Dott or Gould and each won 4-1. The dream final of the two most spectacular players kept what it promised. Following a performance win for O'Sullivan Trump played more aggressive and daring and took advantage of each long entry, which brought him together with three middle Breaks on 3-1 forward. But the grand old man countered with two Century breaks and possible. In the decision frame, we went back and forth until a lucky hit Trump a series saved, which secured him the final victory. He was thus the third player of the season, who won two PTC tournaments. This also earned him 2nd place in the overall standings behind O'Sullivan.

Century- Breaks

For the fourth time in this series had PTC Ronnie O'Sullivan made ​​the most Century Breaks, for the third time he succeeded in five pieces, only two players get five previously also in a tournament, but only once. During his last Century in the final Ronnie let out the black ball and thus missed the highest break. Therefore Nigel Bond sufficed with 137 points for the first time this season, a series of less than 140 points for the record.