UK Championship day three predictions: Vafaei could pull off repeat upset

Free snooker tips, best bets and analysis for day four of the UK Championship, which takes place in York on Tuesday.

Where to watch

BBC & Eurosport 1, from 1pm Tuesday

Best bet

Hossein Vafaei +2.5 frames v Mark Selby 7pm
1pt 4-5 Betfair, Paddy Power

Day four preview

Hossein Vafaei has caused a number of shocks throughout his career and he may spring another when he faces Mark Selby in the last 32 of the UK Championship.

Of their six meetings, only one has been a comfortable victory for Selby, with the other five either wins for Vafaei or games the Iranian kept within two frames.

Vafaei won their last meeting, in this same tournament and at the same stage last year, 6-2 and has since won his first professional title, taking the Shoot Out crown in January.

The 28-year-old also reached the semi-finals of the Welsh Open a month later and while he has failed to reach those heights in the new season, he looks overpriced to cause problems for the Jester from Leicester.

Selby has not reached a final since winning the 2021 World Championships over 18 months ago and Vafaei is fancied with a 2.5-frame headstart to make life hard for the world number four once again.

In the early action of the day, Judd Trump takes on Xiao Guodong while Jack Lisowski faces Xu Si. Alongside Vafaei and Selby’s match in the evening session is a competitive looking encounter between Shaun Murphy and David Gilbert.

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