UK Championship 2021

[Cue crafty]

I think Murphy's comments are idiotic and mean-spirited. Good to see him out of the tournament. You can excuse a little bit of sour grapes after a painful defeat, but much more difficult to excuse the likes of Robertson and Williams agreeing with the sentiment. To say someone is good enough to be in the top 50 and at the same time trying to keep them out of tournaments is just bizarre. And I think these top players are forgetting how many tournaments aren't even open to all the professionals (at least not directly), so they are able to earn decent money just by showing up and losing in the 1st round. If they show up at the UK Championship out of form and lose to an amateur, that's their own fault. They should keep their mouth shut.

Here's hoping Robertson and Williams go out at the next time of asking as well.

I Do agree, back in the days of Rex Williams and Ray Reardon etc, it was an "old boys club" and understandably back then they wanted to protect the slender earnings there was on offer! They allowed Alex Higgins to join the fold only because he was such a prolific talent that he could not be ignored and would have embarrassed them with challenge matches. John Virgo has talked about this time too and about finally be allowed to enter the fold as a new player.

But seriously, these days players earn more and Shaun has been one of those with his wins, we all remember how he loved to show us his ride on lawnmower at his "manor"! The likes of Alan McManus, a more humble man IMO, has carved out a great second career in his life as a pundit/commentator ...... I'm pretty sure Shaun has a similar IQ, but unfortunately for him he also has a pompous streak that makes him think he has a God given right to a living from his career.

I don't support that belief, I say to my kids do what you love but have a back up career! He was certainly smart enough to know and do that too, but I now find it hard to respect him if he is finding it hard to earn a living, (only real reasoning I can see behind his outburst!?)

He has had opportunities, been involved with the board etc so if he truly has no other avenues for revenue, then it's down to himself I'm afraid.

[mikee]

I would like to ask Murphy what the pro golfers think of him entering golf tournaments as an amateur ,potentially denieing a place to a decent up and coming pro .Double standards and hypocrisy with this dick head .He lost to an unheard of teenager and can’t take it .

[PatBlock]

Hendrys getting rinsed on table two , Un-noo 3 nil up ,think he’s had 3 tons ,Hendry not potted a ball .

He made 65 points in 7 frames, scored nout in 5 of them, partly down to a superb performance from Un-Noo, 5 tons including a 129 and 136.

-

[mikee]

Can’t see Hendry taking up the free pass again next season unless he gets a few improving results ,he’s probably already regretting it .

[Danger Steve]

I would like to ask Murphy what the pro golfers think of him entering golf tournaments as an amateur ,potentially denieing a place to a decent up and coming pro .Double standards and hypocrisy with this dick head .He lost to an unheard of teenager and can’t take it .

Don’t hold back Mikee! Tell us how it really is LOL

Luv it!

Can you imagine Lord Murphy stacking shelves down at Lidl to supplement his income? No… But the crazy thing is I bet there are a few tour pros that have applied!

[fkhan]

Good luck Frazz.

[Cue crafty]

I know Hendrys goal was to get to the Crucible one more time, but can't help thinking now that he should have gone down the Steve Davis route instead. I think Davis's last Crucible appearance was in 2010 when he beat defending champion John Higgins getting him to a quarter final spot, so a great showing and think he was the then oldest quarter finalist since 1983! Cant remember who he lost to but I will always remember the way he said goodbye to the Crucible crowd when he retired in 2016!!

Absolute class and what a way to be remembered.

[neuronic]

It's almost tragic that Stephen Hendry seems to bring out the absolut best in his opponents.

Matthew Selt, Chris Wakelin, now Un-Nooh... I'm pretty sure all of them would have beaten anybody there. Best I've seen them play, all of them, by far, ever.
I mean, come on... five centuries to win 6:1 is unplayable, that's what it is. Quite astonishing, actually

[trains]

It's almost tragic that Stephen Hendry seems to bring out the absolut best in his opponents.

Matthew Selt, Chris Wakelin, now Un-Nooh... I'm pretty sure all of them would have beaten anybody there. Best I've seen them play, all of them, by far, ever.
I mean, come on... five centuries to win 6:1 is unplayable, that's what it is. Quite astonishing, actually

i'm not sure it actually is that astonishing , i think a factor to those players fluency against hendry is that hendry isn't the most tactical or safety type of player so they generally get more chances , also even before the game they know they're playing said player where safety is less of a factor with him so it kind of opens them up , if they were playing a player like fraser patrick currently playing now they know patrick is more orientated at tying opponents up so they have more of a tactical mindset and approach vs patrick than vs hendry.

[trains]

according to cue tracker fraser patrick's opponents have only made three century's against him this season so i think there's some consistency there.

[DeanH]

according to cue tracker fraser patrick's opponents have only made three century's against him this season so i think there's some consistency there.

This made me think, this season it is 3 players in 3 matches (out of 19 matches with 19 opponents (albeit 2 w/o)) have made a century against Fraser and that there are 4 centuries - the reason I looked this up is because I recalled the Xiao maximum

Neil Robertson - 2022 German Masters - 134
Xiao Guodong - 2021 Scottish Open - 108; 147
Luca Brecel - 2021 English Open - 101

As you say, a pretty good return

[trains]

This made me think, this season it is 3 players in 3 matches (out of 19 matches with 19 opponents (albeit 2 w/o)) have made a century against Fraser and that there are 4 centuries - the reason I looked this up is because I recalled the Xiao maximum

Neil Robertson - 2022 German Masters - 134
Xiao Guodong - 2021 Scottish Open - 108; 147
Luca Brecel - 2021 English Open - 101

As you say, a pretty good return

and the cons of that approach is the reputation that comes with it i suppose , perry's looking pretty solid at the mo.

[DeanH]

and the cons of that approach is the reputation that comes with it i suppose , perry's looking pretty solid at the mo.

true true, Joe seems to have found a bit of form

[DeanH]

come on Frazz

[trains]

patrick's just a tad too reliant on safety i think , no hiding place in the modern game , hope he doesn't mind me saying that , probably someone like david gilbert is a good prototype of the succesful modern player to model yourself on.