World Open 2012

[Guy3103]

Right, has to stay fit for the big one! Thanks

[montoya10]

I gotta say even thou im a Massive fan of Mark's he Played Terrible and didnt seem interested at all and Played alot of Shots that even a Amateur wouldnt have played!
You cannot say he lost that match because of the Humidity as Mark King and everybody else in the Tournament has same Conditions to deal with. I noticed Mark with Glove on but why didnt he do what Mark King kept doing wiping his hands and Cue!

Not impressed the way williams played today no care in the World which you cannot do when your no2 in the World!


Gaz.

I know, but still have hope to see him bounce back for China and the Worlds.
As far as I'd love to see him do good in this tournament, peaking way too early could have been his undoing later in the season.
Come on Mark, get back on form!

And by the way, gotta agree with Mark Allen on table conditions. It seems to be annoying other players, as well.

[PatBlock]

Probably because of humidity. His hand were probably sweating. On top of that he played like an amateur. MJW has been very disappointing since the Shanghai Masters. Those loses from being well ahead must have affected him.

Well the glove didn't do him much good, did it. I suppose it depends how used to it you are, maybe he practices with one sometimes, IDK, just seems a bit of an extreme change to make.

And yes, there have been some disappointing performances from MJW recently, lets hope he gets back on track for the worlds.

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[PatBlock]

....gotta agree with Mark Allen on table conditions. It seems to be annoying other players, as well.

Yes, both Hendry and Robertson also seemed unhappy about the way the table was playing, but it's hardly surprising, you can clearly hear the stage/platform/floor or whatever it is, creaking and groaning as the players move around, and if it's creaking then it's moving, and if it's moving then.....

They were talking about getting the table fitters in after the match, but I reckon they might need to get the floor fitters in instead.

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[Capelito]

Why doesn't Ronnie participate in this?

He don't need the rankingpoints to stay in top 16. and cannot be bothered to go outside UK to play if he don't have to

[gazza147]

They were talking about getting the table fitters in after the match, but I reckon they might need to get the floor fitters in instead.

I agree the Floor is the Worst I have seen for long while! But as we say in Pool/Snooker both Players have to play on it so no Advantage or Dis advantages to either Player.

Surely they have to do something with the Flooring Not the Table!

[montoya10]

Yes, both Hendry and Robertson also seemed unhappy about the way the table was playing, but it's hardly surprising, you can clearly hear the stage/platform/floor or whatever it is, creaking and groaning as the players move around, and if it's creaking then it's moving, and if it's moving then.....

They were talking about getting the table fitters in after the match, but I reckon they might need to get the floor fitters in instead.

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Very interesting. Eurosport Turkey commentator made a point about how the floor had a weird slope, but at that moment, I thought it was just his exaggeration. Perhaps that was not the case, then?

Last season's World Open was much more better in every aspect. Also, is moving the event to China and making it back-to-back events in the country best move, really? I'm not so sure. From a marketing perspective, I would say, a longer cushion between hose two events would make it more successful. And as the event's name suggests, why not just move it across the world each season? It's in China, this season. Wouldn't it be good if they played in, let's say, Belgium, next season and so on? Isn't this a feasible plan for this event?

[PatBlock]

...And as the event's name suggests, why not just move it across the world each season? It's in China, this season. Wouldn't it be good if they played in, let's say, Belgium, next season and so on? Isn't this a feasible plan for this event?

Yep, sounds good to me. I suppose it's all about money though.

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[cazmac1]

He don't need the rankingpoints to stay in top 16. and cannot be bothered to go outside UK to play if he don't have to

Because he couldn't find a decent set of skis for the slope on the table

[cazmac1]

Why doesn't Ronnie participate in this?

Because he couldn't find a decent set of skis for the slope on the table

[FOXMULDER]

Get used to the amateur production, soon we'll have a dozen tournaments in China. One day I'm sure we'll be getting up at 5am to watch the start of the World final.

Oh joy.

[Neil Taperell]

Rubbish watching Snooker in silence . Just turned on again after a couple of days and there is no background noise , no ref counting the scores . I like to hear the balls banging together !

[tomedwards]

The venue has about as much character and atmosphere as a giant warehouse or supermarket. I can understand why some of the players don't enjoy it.

I too was wondering why the background noise was so low, especially on one of the tables (table 2?). At first I thought maybe Eurosport had set the levels too low, but seeing as one table has better sound than the other I think maybe not.

[the nugget]

Mark Selby became the first player to hit 50 tons in back to back seasons

Yep tho since the introduction of the ptcs this could become the norm in the next few years, more tourneys more tons still quite an achievement tho.

[JET]

Hey guys I'm Jack/JET I'm new to the forum - love snooker, thought I'd join the conversation.

I tuned into the first morning of the World Open on Eurosport a few days back when Joe Perry was playing the wildcard round.

The guys in the Microphone deck obviously hadn't tested the sound of people actually walking around the table - (you would think this would be top of the Pre-Massive-World-Tournament-noise-level-checks but, no)

I don't know how many of you heard the Eurosport coverage at that point but I couldn't believe how noisy it was - annoying creaks with every step of player or referee that was reminiscent of kids bouncing on a scrapped mattress.

'Guys in the Microphone deck' evidently clocked on to the bouncing kids because the next day we've tuned in and its dead silence - to mask the creakfest they've had to up the sound levels to the point that all we hear is white noise and all we see is white walls and empty chairs (okay - the seats will be filled by sunday but the introduction to the tournament has left some us cold)


Anyway that's my two thoughts on the setting - of the game play I've been able to catch (Perry - Stevens, Trump - Higginson, Hendry - Robertson, Selby - Ning) there's been some flashes of nice snooker but, taking the Robertson - Hendry match today for example neither of them cracked a smile throughout (yes I know, Hendry hasn't really cracked a proper smile since 1999 but he is capable of looking animated at the table at times - not today no). Even Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon couldn't crack a smile at the fact that he has just executed the most incredible televised fluke since McManus rolled that brown along the rail and into the middle pocket about 10 years back at the World Champs.

Though Hendry got off to a good start in his match today with a 60+ break, we then saw a set of scrappy frames to follow - I saw Hendry jut his cue out in fury after missing an easy red that would would have wrapped him up the frame at one point in the 3rd or 4th that just wasn't settling. China Syndrome Stephen? (PS here - for any Hendry fans who think I am bashing him I'm a not - throughout my childhood (I'm 22 now) Hendry was my hero - but of late he has done little to ignite that old childhood excitement when there are so many exciting players coming through over the last decade of his decline - and I'm not just talking about Judd Trump)

Personally, I think the plastic arena setting - that someone a few comments above aptly compared to Supermarket - definitely has not set the fire burning in the players, (at least in the games I've seen - there may have been a couple of corkers I did miss (I did catch a glimpse of Mark Williams' cue-glove which made me double take - that just wasn't right))

- as for the viewing experience we just hear 'Guys in the Microphone Deck's Greatest White Noise Hits' and the occasional cannon power shot and the referee scoring if your lucky. Of course the commentary is usually pretty informative especially when they have Mike Hallett in the booth.

There we are then - as for any predictions - having a quick look at the draw sheet on WorldSnooker I'd say at a glance the final will be either (Higgins - Trump) World Championship Repeat match or on an upset (Robertson - Selby) final which would be a match and a half but personally I think the (Trump - Higgins) final would be better match for context as there's still a buzz round World Champ Higgins and another win would help cement his reputation after his tumultuous couple of years - verses Judd Trump who has a previous Chinese Trophy and is a big pull worldwide right now.

As for the winner - wouldn't bet on it but I think in the relatively short total frame amount in the Final Match Trump will show his usual bucket load of corkers but might push the boat out too far in the sprint to a quick victory and I see it falling apart and Higgins sniping a victory by picking up the pieces and getting the World Open silverware to put next to his World Champ cup at home.


Might be completely wrong and Jin Long will lift the trophy and get no prize money (I think that's right isn't it?) but a billion fans by Monday.


Think I've said my share, definitely sorta looking forward to more action in Haikou tomorrow.

******White Noise Outro******