World Snooker Championship 2024 LIVE: Ali Carter vs Stephen Maguire & Tom Ford vs Ricky Walden (2024)

Scotland's Stephen Maguire, semi-finalist in 2007 and 2012, trailed 5-4 after the first session against 2008 and 2012 runner-up Ali Carter, but turned it around to win 10-7.

In his post-match news conference Maguire said: "His safety was better than mine but I felt I had to take on balls that I didn't want to and if I get involved in safety matches he would be too good for me.

"I'm not just going to go out there and just give it to him. There was a time on Saturday where I felt flat and he was getting on top. I smashed the table, I did it on purpose and I felt better - I would rather go out fighting."

Ninth seed Ali Carter added: "I didn't play well and it was a disappointing end to a reasonable season. I found the build up really tough being 45. I was a contender 15 years ago but now it takes too much out of you so I will stick to the shorter events.

"Stephen is a stinker of a draw. He's going to be a match for anyone and he wanted to beat me badly. I really don't want to play snooker for a couple of months."

Stephen Maguire has gone out at the Crucible in the first round 10 times in his career - but not this year.

A quick wave to someone in the crowd and a punch of the air as he celebrates securing an excellent 10-7 win over two-time runner-up Ali Carter.

The Englishman held a 5-4 lead after Saturday afternoon's session, only for the Scot to win six of the eight frames played tonight. He plays either Shaun Murphy or Lyu Haotian in the last 16, with that one not beginning until Friday.

After 2023 champion Luca Brecel's exit yesterday, it's another top-10 player to be out from the top half, which is now looking very open.

And Mark Selby, the second highest ranked player left in that half is also in a world of trouble too, 7-2 down against Joe O'Connor.

Some quotes from 14th seed Tom Ford, who has just won a match at the Crucible for the first time: "I'm smiling for a change. It feels good and I didn't realise it would feel this good. I've lost the last four times here and have always put a lot of pressure on myself. The relief of winning that first game does feel good.

"If I had lost that game as a seed it makes it more and more difficult, but I felt calm and relaxed. But I need to change things. I've not played well over the last two sessions."

Ricky Walden said: "It has been an off season. I have to regroup and go again for next season. When you don't play well it's hard to get confidence.

"It's such a fine line, I felt I was close to playing well but I was throwing in too many errors and you can't do that here. I wish Tom all the best."

What a moment for Tom Ford as he gets his first ever match win at the Crucible.

He had lost in the first round here on four occasions - 2010, 2014, 2017, 2020 - and seals a 10-6 win over qualifier Ricky Walden to set up a match with 2019 champion Judd Trump.

That's scheduled for Thursday evening, Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.

Ali Carter came in to the session with a one-frame lead at 5-4 and heads off for the mid-session interval with a one-frame lead, as he's 7-6 in front against Scotland's Stephen Maguire.

A match between two-time finalist Carter and two-time semi-finalist Maguire was always going to be close and this could well be heading for another final-frame shootout and a very long night indeed.

There's no curfew at the venue so they will play until it's done tonight. Just one break of more than 60 from either man tonight, 63 from Carter in the 10th frame and 69 from Maguire in the 12th.

A shared mini session over on table two as Tom Ford and Ricky Walden take two frames apiece.

Ford held a 6-3 lead after Saturday's evening session and a break of 85 in a 90-0 shutout stretched his advantage to 7-3, before Walden responded with breaks of 56 and 80 to take the next two frames.

But Ford took the 13th frame and needs two more to reach the last 16 for the first time ever after falling at the opening round hurdle on four occasions.

Anyway a couple of intriguing contests lined up for later..

You'll be able to stay across both of these on BBC Four and on BBC iPlayer.

I'm sure those words from Hossein Vafaei will spark even more debate over the future of the World Championship at the Crucible in the coming days.

More from Hossein Vafaei on where the World Championship should be held in the future.

Asked if the game would develop by going to somewhere like China or Saudi Arabia, the Iranian replied: “100%. Look at China and how they organise their tournaments, fantastic, how they treat the players with the red carpet, the opening ceremony.

"The players are feeling like stars but here nobody looks after the players, after the match, before the match here, no-one cares who you are. In China everything is different, Saudi Arabia everything is probably going to be different.

"It would be good for all the players, the referees, the media team. If they don’t want to lose the Crucible, invest some money - make it shinier, make it nicer, more luxury for the people. If they make it cleaner and nicer people would enjoy it.

“Why do you have to find a reason to move it? We are not stupid, you saw Riyadh season, that probably means they have already signed a contract without anyone knowing. Nobody cares what we are saying.”

Iran's Hossein Vafaei has just been speaking to the media and is not a fan of the Crucible and says the tournament should move when its current deal expires in 2027.

He said: "Should I be honest? Are you enjoying being here? History isvery important but when nobody invests any money in this historical venue.

"Youwant to go somewhere really nice as players, as a media team. If you walkaround the Crucible it smells really bad. I’m honest. Everything is so bad.

"Yougo to other top venues in other countries and you can see how nice they treatyou, how nice everything is and it is so shiny and it is completely different. Ifyou ask me do I want to come back here, the answer is no.

“The practice room? Do you see anything special about it? Itfeels like I’m practising in a garage and that’s not good. I’m coming herefrom a different country to see that. I’m sorry I have to tell the truth."

Oh my, some explosive quotes coming from Hossein Vafaei...

When Shaun gets in among the balls and he is on form he is devastating. This year has been a bit of a famine for him but you never know. You've seen people come here over the years and find their form. Just one performance can inspire you.

That was Shaun Murphy's 49th century of the season and 88th in total at the Crucible.

Shaun Murphy is back at the table and going through the gears.

Really living up to his nickname 'The Magician' here. He races past the half century mark and up towards a century...can he clear all the balls?

Of course he can. That's a sublime 111 break to finish off the session.

Shaun Murphy has reasserted his authority on table two.

The Englishman takes the eighth frame of this opening session but a missed red to the left corner at the start of the ninth may have just handed Lyu Haotian a chance to get his cueing arm going again.

How he'd love another world title to add to his collection.

What I like about Judd Trump is that somewhere down the line the Class of 92 are going to jack it in and Judd Trump is best placed of all the players to take on the mantle as the dominant force for many years.

It would be astonishing to think of him not winning at least one more World Championship.

Judd wants to be a double world champion to sit amongst the greats of the game. When he looks at O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry, Mark Selby, John Higgins and Mark Williams, he wants to be up there in that pantheon.

More from Judd Trump speaking to BBC Sport: "During the season I've played very well and at other times I have done what I needed to. In that game I cleared up when I needed to and put him under pressure. It was a little edgy getting over the line but I just wanted to get through that first match to feel more confident.

"Hopefully I can bring my best as the tournament progresses."

Judd Trump speaking to BBC Sport:"It was a tough draw Hossein is a great player and I think in the first session he would have felt hard done to at 6-3, he potted a lot of good balls but I was just able to clear up every time. I knew it was an important start.

"I knew I would have to play well and solid. It has been a good season and I felt confident even with the draw. I wanted to be tested in that first game. Two years ago I went on to reach the final after beating him."