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Two interesting matches coming up. I would have preferred two pairings with a bit more history between them, which would have added to the story a little, but I suppose all rivalries have to start somewhere. :smile:
Shaun Murphy v. Barry Hawkins:
They have only met in two major matches since Hawkins joined the "elite", and not surprisingly both went to a decider, most recently in the UK Championship last season. They are both playing better snooker now, so it should be a cracking match over four sessions.
Murphy hasn't really been in trouble in this Championship yet, he won his first two matches very comfortably, then outplayed McGill at the business end of the match in the quarter-finals. He is playing the same kind of game he played in the Masters and the German Masters, basically going for anything that's potable and getting most of them. He is a little less reliable from short range this time, but perhaps we can put that down to concentration, and we could see him cut out the mistakes now that the World title is within reach. A slight disadvantage could be the fact that none of his previous games involved much safety or anything really tense and nervy, while Hawkins survived a really epic match last night, so Hawkins is probably the more "battle-hardened" at this point in the tournament.
It was a fantastic win for Hawkins last night, beating an in-form Robertson over three sessions. They scored eight centuries between them, so Hawkins showed he was capable of matching anyone in an exchange of high breaks, and he has never lacked in the tactical department either. If he could reproduce that form again here, I think he would possibly be a frame or two stronger, but it remains to be seen what that quarter-final took out of him, both physically and mentally. He has a habit of getting involved in really close matches, so I would expect one here, but I will go for Murphy to win 17-15. :wink:
Judd Trump v. Stuart Bingham:
These two have met here and there in best-of-9s and best-of-11, both winning a few, but this will be their first really big match.
For Bingham it is one of the biggest matches of his career, if not the biggest, which could bring out the best or the worst in him. It is his debut in the one-table setup at the Crucible, so I wouldn't be surprised to see some early nerves from him. O'Sullivan may not have been the man to beat in this tournament, but a win against him always shows that a player is not really afraid of anyone. Bingham's breakbuilding in the last five frames was excellent, he is as dangerous as anyone when he is allowed to find his rhythm, so it will be up to Trump to keep him away from the table. Bingham was also helped a little by O'Sullivan's misses, so he got away with a few mistakes himself, but I think Trump will be a little more ruthless. Still, Bingham has the luxury of being the underdog here, and that could make him a big danger.
Trump has been the most impressive player so far in this tournament for me, getting through the toughest quarter of the draw with surprisingly comfortable wins over Fu and Ding. It's one thing to score heavily, like Hawkins and Bingham have done, but Trump hasn't just made big breaks when he's been left in the balls, he has been forcing scoring chances with all kinds of crazy pots, and that's very difficult to play against. The frame he won against Ding to go 6-0 up, for example, was enough to demoralize anyone. Against Fu there was a moment when he went a little crazy, thinking he could literally find a pot in any situation, but there has to be a line somewhere, and hopefully Trump now knows where that is. He gave Ding and Fu every respect right from the start, and while he is a better player than Bingham, I have a suspicion he will underestimate him a little and fail to do the early damage this time. He should still come through though, Trump to win 17-13. :wink:
It should be a great couple of days. :smile:
Shaun Murphy v. Barry Hawkins:
They have only met in two major matches since Hawkins joined the "elite", and not surprisingly both went to a decider, most recently in the UK Championship last season. They are both playing better snooker now, so it should be a cracking match over four sessions.
Murphy hasn't really been in trouble in this Championship yet, he won his first two matches very comfortably, then outplayed McGill at the business end of the match in the quarter-finals. He is playing the same kind of game he played in the Masters and the German Masters, basically going for anything that's potable and getting most of them. He is a little less reliable from short range this time, but perhaps we can put that down to concentration, and we could see him cut out the mistakes now that the World title is within reach. A slight disadvantage could be the fact that none of his previous games involved much safety or anything really tense and nervy, while Hawkins survived a really epic match last night, so Hawkins is probably the more "battle-hardened" at this point in the tournament.
It was a fantastic win for Hawkins last night, beating an in-form Robertson over three sessions. They scored eight centuries between them, so Hawkins showed he was capable of matching anyone in an exchange of high breaks, and he has never lacked in the tactical department either. If he could reproduce that form again here, I think he would possibly be a frame or two stronger, but it remains to be seen what that quarter-final took out of him, both physically and mentally. He has a habit of getting involved in really close matches, so I would expect one here, but I will go for Murphy to win 17-15. :wink:
Judd Trump v. Stuart Bingham:
These two have met here and there in best-of-9s and best-of-11, both winning a few, but this will be their first really big match.
For Bingham it is one of the biggest matches of his career, if not the biggest, which could bring out the best or the worst in him. It is his debut in the one-table setup at the Crucible, so I wouldn't be surprised to see some early nerves from him. O'Sullivan may not have been the man to beat in this tournament, but a win against him always shows that a player is not really afraid of anyone. Bingham's breakbuilding in the last five frames was excellent, he is as dangerous as anyone when he is allowed to find his rhythm, so it will be up to Trump to keep him away from the table. Bingham was also helped a little by O'Sullivan's misses, so he got away with a few mistakes himself, but I think Trump will be a little more ruthless. Still, Bingham has the luxury of being the underdog here, and that could make him a big danger.
Trump has been the most impressive player so far in this tournament for me, getting through the toughest quarter of the draw with surprisingly comfortable wins over Fu and Ding. It's one thing to score heavily, like Hawkins and Bingham have done, but Trump hasn't just made big breaks when he's been left in the balls, he has been forcing scoring chances with all kinds of crazy pots, and that's very difficult to play against. The frame he won against Ding to go 6-0 up, for example, was enough to demoralize anyone. Against Fu there was a moment when he went a little crazy, thinking he could literally find a pot in any situation, but there has to be a line somewhere, and hopefully Trump now knows where that is. He gave Ding and Fu every respect right from the start, and while he is a better player than Bingham, I have a suspicion he will underestimate him a little and fail to do the early damage this time. He should still come through though, Trump to win 17-13. :wink:
It should be a great couple of days. :smile:
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