Two-time World Championship runner-up Ali Carter’s disappointing run of form continued as he was knocked out of the Scottish Open in the second round by fellow Englishman Ashley Hugill. Carter reached the semi-final stage of the China Championship at the start of the season, losing out to compatriot Shaun Murphy, and there were high hopes he could build on that solid opening to the campaign.
However, the 38-year-old from Essex has only advanced to the quarter-finals once since, that coming in the International Championship, and he suffered another early exit at Emirates Arena. The four-time ranking tournament winner made a 117 break to race into a 2-0 lead against Hugill, but the latter levelled the scores after making breaks of 67 and 62. Both players traded frames to set up a decider and it was the 23-year-old from York that managed to hold his nerve, a break of 55 securing victory and his place in round three. Hugill will now go on to play compatriot Peter Lines in the next stage of the competition after the latter, who is seeded 109th, ousted Australian Kurt Dunham 4-2.
For Carter, it is back to the practice table and he will be hoping to rediscover some of his best form in time for the Dafabet Masters, which runs from January 14-21. ‘The Captain’ is currently priced at 50/1 to win the tournament whilst former world number one Ronnie O’Sullivan is the 23/10 favourite, narrowly ahead of Mark Selby at 9/2. Judd Trump, who won the European Masters this year, is a 6/1 chance to triumph whilst Scotland’s John Higgins, is a 9/1 shot.
Dafabet Scottish Open odds available at Dafabet.