Davis Continues to Grind in Grand Prix

51-year-old Steve Davis has reached back-to-back ranking event Quarter Finals for the first time since 1996, and will play Allister Carter today. So far in this tournament, Davis is playing what commentator Clive Everton calls his "C-game", so far removed it is from when he won his 6 World Championship titles in the 1980s, and his game over the last few years that kept him in the top 16. By playing nothing but safety shots, he has ground out two wins in this event, including his ultra-safe break-off, where he plays into the back of the reds, rather than the more "usual" standard snooker break. These videos show his deciding frame encounter v Adrian Gunnell, in the last 16. The match is joined at 4-4 in frames after about 4 hours' play. Davis is technically the favourite for this match, being ranked higher than Gunnell, but Davis is tending to decline, whereas Gunnell is at his highest ranking in 14 years as a professional, playing arguably the biggest match of his career.