Aaron Hill beats Antoni Kowalski for second time in five days to qualify for Scottish Open

Aaron Hill twice had to come from behind but produced a composed and powerful display to beat Antoni Kowalski 4-2 and qualify for December's Scottish Open. Hill knocked in three centuries during the match, including a stunning 139 total clearance, as he made it two wins over Kowalski in five days. The Cork 24-year-old has enjoyed a highly productive week. He had already secured places at the Northern Ireland Open and the International Championship before adding the Scottish Open spot. The latest result lifted him to a provisional career-high world ranking of 37. The match was not straightforward. Kowalski took two of the opening three frames and looked comfortable, but Hill responded with a brilliant 139 clearance to stay in touch. He then levelled with a break of 121, moved ahead with 56, and finished the contest in style with a third century, exactly 100. Hill will now turn his attention to the Northern Ireland Open, where he faces Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in the first round in Belfast on Sunday. Un-Nooh is a fast, attacking player and will provide a stern test. If Hill can maintain his current level of break-building and composure, he has every chance of continuing his impressive start to the season. Later on the same day, Jordan Brown from Antrim will look to join Hill in Edinburgh by beating Scotland's Steven Wardropper at Meadowbank Sports Centre. Brown, a former Welsh Open champion, knows exactly what it takes to win big matches. Hill's aggressive but structured style, combined with his ability to stay calm under pressure, marks him out as one of the emerging names to watch in European snooker.