Adam Williams presents his prediction for the UK Championship Snooker match.
The match between Elliot Slessor and Barry Hawkins promises to be one of the longest and most tense contests of the day. Both come into it in similar form: seven wins from their last ten matches, a stable level of play and confidence over longer formats.
Elliot Slessor
Elliot Slessor is on the rise at the moment: his 6:4 win over Kyren Wilson is direct proof that he is ready to compete with the top players. Over his last ten matches he has compiled 22 breaks of 50+ and two century breaks, which reflects strong attacking power. His main characteristic, though, is a hybrid style: he can play aggressively, but can just as easily switch to careful positional play. Over longer matches he usually does not win frames quickly, preferring to extend the structure of the game.
Barry Hawkins
Barry Hawkins is a classic big-tournament player who very rarely fails at the end of matches. His recent statistics are similar to Elliot Slessor's, but thanks to his vast experience he more often wins the deciding frames. The match against David Lilley ended 6:4 – a typical pattern: he wins the key moments through his stability and his willingness to attack as soon as he gets a good chance. For his opponents this player is always awkward because he imposes a slow, controlled pace.
Elliot Slessor vs Barry Hawkins Prediction
Both players come into the match in excellent form, are statistically very close and tend to play long series of frames. Elliot Slessor tends to be involved in protracted frames with a high volume of scoring visits, while Barry Hawkins has the experience and the ability to win tight finishes. Against this background it is reasonable to expect at least ten frames.
