2022 World Championship

[Odrl]

Better stuff today so far. Higgins still struggling to put any breaks together, but he is hitting most of the difficult shots today, which wasn't the case last night. Hopefully it ends 8-8.

[Billy]

i would like to see you play at such stage and what your mental health would be like. wtf are you people talking about ?

Yes, because of course this is RO’s first World Championship semi-final

[Odrl]

That was fun. But really, no one has ever deserved to be 4 frames being more than Higgins did just now. The way he threw the last two frames away was absolutely pathetic. Just can't put any decent break together, playing extremely slowly even when the balls are there, and looking for problems that don't exist. Needs to come out with a completely different mindset tomorrow.

Different story with O'Sullivan, finding a way to win frames even when the situation is difficult.

[vmax]

At least it's better than the challenge days when Joe Davis wouldn't play you unless he thought he would beat you

Joe Davis didn't play in the challenge era, that happened in the 60's after Joe had retired. Joe Davis' world titles were all earned in tournaments, though not all had a large field.

As for Ronnie banging his cue and rapping his knuckles, it's best to get rid of your anger quickly rather than sit in you chair and fester, it's certainly not bullying ones opponent. As for the snooker fans misbehaving, they don't know that they are, two generations have grown with a sense of entitlement, it's normal behaviour for them.

Our company is expanding and have taken on new staff in recent weeks/months; the younger ones spend half their time looking at their phones and only do half the work of the older generation on the shop floor and are astonished when told to put down the phone and buck up, they've grown up without any kind of criticism, no wrong answers at school and parents who palmed them off to child minders rather than raise them themselves.
rant over

[vmax]

That was fun. But really, no one has ever deserved to be 4 frames being more than Higgins did just now. The way he threw the last two frames away was absolutely pathetic. Just can't put any decent break together, playing extremely slowly even when the balls are there, and looking for problems that don't exist.

He's trying to do a Selby on Ronnie, playing deliberately slowly to break his concentration, that doesn't work with Ronnie anymore, c'mon the rocket

[Billy]

It just feels like there’s something unpleasant in the air for this match. Can’t put my finger on it but it feels flat and RO is stomping around with a very aggressive ‘pissed off’ demeanour. Even when it cuts back to Steve and Stephen in the studio, they look and sound like they can sense it too. I’ve enjoyed the tournament so far but this semi smells funny.

[Odrl]

I don't think it's deliberate really, he just looks completely devoid of confidence in his own breakbuilding ability, and it's getting worse with each time he breaks down early. It's been 16 frames and he hasn't won one in one visit yet, which is quite a shocking statistic. But if he is playing slowly deliberately, he should give it up, because it's not working in his favour at all.

[fkhan]

Common Ronnie.

[mikee]

I’m not bothered really if Higgins is deliberately playing slow ,it’s only screwing his own game up ,he’s had an easy run to semis playing crap and in 16 frames his high break is 58 .He deserves to be hammered .Mark Slowby tried to ruin Ronnies game by being even slower than normal a couple of years ago ,Ronnie crashes the balls all over the table and Slowby cried he’s being disrespectful, sorry your using gamesmanship to slow down a natural fast player ,he got what he deserved too in the end .

[DeanH]

Joe Davis didn't play in the challenge era, that happened in the 60's after Joe had retired. Joe Davis' world titles were all earned in tournaments, though not all had a large field

Ok maybe I called the Joe years the wrong name but during his reign there were a few WSC where others challenged him for the title with Joe waiting till the final to play.

[Cue crafty]

i think that steal by Ronnie in the last frame is what he plays snooker for. The slim chance to nick a frame, taken with relish! I'll be watching that red to black on rewind for a few hours now whilst sipping a beer, just fantastic!!

[Cue crafty]

As for Ronnie banging his cue and rapping his knuckles, it's best to get rid of your anger quickly rather than sit in you chair and fester, it's certainly not bullying ones opponent. As for the snooker fans misbehaving, they don't know that they are, two generations have grown with a sense of entitlement, it's normal behaviour for them.

Agree on that- you see a bit of frustration let go in most sports and I dont see a problem with it, tennis players are aggressive and that used to be a genteel sport too like golf... As for Fans...remember what Alex and Jimmys were like?!?! Dont think they are worse tbh now.

[cueman]

Something else that is really grating me is the biased commentary and punditry from the BBC. Virgo then was almost having an orgasm when Williams potted a red to the corner, he was almost celebrating him coming back.

I thought the charter from the BBC was to be impartial? Yet all it seems is how much they are desperate for the CO92 to make it through to the final and for Ronnie to win his 7th. Really disgusting stuff to be honest. Need a big shake up of the old boys brigade who seem to be looking after one another, it's turning back into a closed shop again. If they need to question why few players are coming through, they only have to hear the bias to realise they won't be welcomed into the fold.

[Billy]

Common Ronnie.

Yes, very common.

[Starsky]

Blimey , Is this the thread for the World Whinge Championships ?