China Open 2014 - Discussion

[robertmac]

Hopefully both players bring their A game to the finals.

It should be a real exciting match if they do.

Best of 19 so it could be a lengthy finals.

Both players have been determined and sharp.

[Odrl]

Should be a great final tomorrow. :smile:

We waited for a long time to finally get a battle between two of the "big3" this season. We got it in the Welsh Open final with Ding and O'Sullivan, and again here with Ding and Robertson. I guess that leaves Robertson and O'Sullivan for the World final. :wink:

After the disrespect players like Allen, Hawkins, Maguire and others have shown this tournament, I think the fans in Beijing deserved a good final, and it couldn't have been better than this. Two of the best players in the world coming through to face each other in the final showdown, and one of them is the local hero. These two have dominated the Chinese events recently, winning 4 of the last 5 between them, and they are certain to make it 5 of the last 6 now. Quite amazing.

The group of players who have won anything major this season is still very small, arguably only five players, depending on what you consider "major". It would be Robertson's third ranking title of the season, something he has never done before, and it would put his season alongside the 2009/2010 one as one of the best of his career. And if Ding wins the title, he will equal Stephen Hendry's record of five ranking titles in a season. Ok, none of Hendry's titles were short format crap like India, but it would still be a great achievement...

It is the first major two-session final between these two players since the 2009 Grand Prix, a match Robertson won comfortably. He seemed to grow stronger and stronger in the evening on that occasion, while Ding seemed to be pretty tired and sleepy towards the end. I think he has more stamina these days, mental as well as physical, and of course it's Robertson who has been suffering this week, although clearly getting better now. Ding played very well to beat Robertson in the Shanghai Masters and the Indian Open this season, and of course had that great win over him in the PTC Finals last season, so he is clearly winning their rivalry in recent times. But that's exactly the kind of thing that inspires Robertson. He completely turned around his negative record against Stephen Maguire, and he seems to be doing the same against Selby now, so perhaps Ding is next on his list. :wink:

I have just read their post-match statements on the World Snooker website, and I found them quite amusing. Robertson said he couldn't see Dunn winning against Ding, unless Ding played some of the worst snooker of his life. I wonder if he realizes how disrespectful that sounds. :smile: And Ding described Robertson as a "much better match player than most of the others". Well, he described O'Sullivan's maximum in the Welsh Open final as a "nice 147", so he remains the kind of understatement. :smile: But he is right of course, Robertson clearly hasn't been at his best this week, but still got through with sheer determination, relying on his very strong B-game. And Ding's success this season has in a large part been down to his much improved B-game and mental approach as well, so these two players don't have to be at their best to give us a quality final here.

They are the best players of their generation in terms of their record in major finals, so we can expect them to bring the best out of each other. I want a 10-9 either way, but my feeling (though not a very strong one) is that Ding will prevail. :smile:

Seven hours to go. Just enough time to get some sleep before it starts. :smile:

[Billy]

Congrats to Mike Dunn for getting this far, but hell's teeth he's a miserable looking soul, isn't he?! Didn't crack so much as a grin when he sent Selby home yesterday and had a face like stone all the way through his match against Ding today.

A trivial observation, I understand, but one I wanted to mention.

[ongkia]

Hope it's gonna be a close match with high scores!! Can't wait............

[streamer45]

Here we go, the prospects for an epic final are all there

[Stupree]

China Open 2014 - Discussion

10-8 to an on form Ding is my prediction, although I can see Robertson grabbing as few as 5 frames

[Odrl]

Great start from Ding, two very strong frames. I particularly liked that break around the pink spot. :smile:

Robertson hasn't potted a ball yet, but I don't think he will panic. He has found himself behind in both finals this season, and won them quite comfortably in the end.

I say "both", but he did lose in Australia of course.

[Chappy5]

Damn.

Ding up 3-0 after a massive hard Black miss for Robbo.

Can't see Ding losing this now.

[Odrl]

Doesn't get much better than that, long red followed by almost a total clearance. :smile:

4-1... What kind of damage can he do from here?

[coomsey76]

What a cracking shot from Ding to lay that snooker.....

[Odrl]

Another strong frame from Ding. That opening red and the little break were superb before he broke down, and the snooker that eventually won him the frame was great as well. It was very similar to the one he played against Murphy in the decider of their match in the Shanghai Masters this season.

Robertson can't complain though, he too had his chance in this frame and made a mess of it...

[Where's Willie?]

Robertson was 5-1 down to Mark Selby in the UK final and 5-1 down to John Higgins in Wuxi final and managed to win both of those so it's not over yet.
Then again, neither of them were playing as well as Ding is today. In fact, no-one's ever played as well as Ding is today!! Robertson has done nothing wrong, just been completely frozen out.

[Odrl]

Then again, neither of them were playing as well as Ding is today. In fact, no-one's ever played as well as Ding is today!! Robertson has done nothing wrong, just been completely frozen out.

Well, he had that blue over the pocket in the last frame and played a poor positional shot. He also had that black in the third frame to win it... Could have been closer had he taken those chances, but it's not easy at all, Ding has really put him under pressure today.

[Odrl]

Lovely break from Robertson. He needs the last one to give himself a decent chance in the final session. :smile:

[cebs]

If ding nicks this one back now, might sort his mood out.

Shame for Neil though, but that black was an bad error, the one in frame three was at least tricky.