The Masters 2016 10-17 January

[Ronnington]

Here's the Judd Trump interview with Ken Doherty pre-match yesterday, if anyone missed it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu0aduXJelQ

[barrywhite]

Here's the Judd Trump interview with Ken Doherty pre-match yesterday, if anyone missed it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu0aduXJelQ

He needs to do 3mths on a pig farm! lol At least he's getting real now and hopefully loving his snooker. He's got to carry the alex/jimmy/ronnie torch by himself one day. We need a great JT.

[Ronnington]

He needs to do 3mths on a pig farm! lol At least he's getting real now and hopefully loving his snooker. He's got to carry the alex/jimmy/ronnie torch by himself one day. We need a great JT.

Haha

You never know, there could be the next Alex/Jimmy/Ronnie (as close as) on the scene by the time Judd turns 30...

[golferson123]

I've had me fried egg, two slices of toast, half a litre of milk and a cup of coffee for me brekky.

Now where's the SNOOKER!

C'mon TSFers, this is a Saturday that's gonna rock! Unfortunately, I'm gonna probably miss the best match this afternoon due to practice but I'll have the phone with me to read your views. So keep me updated on scores please.

Barry Hawkins (Eng) v Judd Trump (Eng) - 13:00 GMT

BBC One, 13:00-16:30 & BBC Two, 16:30-17:30 (Uninterrupted online from 13:00-17:30)

Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) v Stuart Bingham (Eng)- 19:00 GMT

BBC Two, 19:00-22:30

*An all English Semi finals.


And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon Englands mountains green:
And was the holy Lamb of God,
On Englands pleasant pastures seen!

And did the Countenance Divine,
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these dark Satanic Mills?

Bring me my Bow of burning gold:
Bring me my arrows of desire:
Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my Chariot of fire!

I will not cease from Mental Fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand:
Till we have built Jerusalem,
In Englands green & pleasant Land.

bit of a crusader young baz are we?

[Booters]

image.jpeg

Anyone else see that pleb saluting the camera during the intro?....yeah that was me

[Neil Taperell]

Rob Walker : ' I hope that idiot behind me is not doing that salute again '

[barrywhite]

bit of a crusader young baz are we?

You obviously don't understand the poem and what it's about then. The key words are satanic mills, you know, the ones that are now in the far east building all those cheap rebadged cues sold at ridiculous prices.

[barrywhite]

Rob Walker : ' I hope that idiot behind me is not doing that salute again '

Rob Walker talking about idiots; it's an expert explaining his ph.d. thesis innit? LOL

[Booters]

Rob Walker : ' I hope that idiot behind me is not doing that salute again '

Ha! I couldn't resist!

[golferson123]

Its got nothing to do with satanic mills,its a clarion call for christians to build a new jerusalem in england ! My life how you connected that with industry heaven knows

[Odrl]

The semi-finals are not what I expected, and I have a feeling it might not be the best day of snooker today. But you never know... :smile:

Barry Hawkins and Judd Trump have very little history between them in the big events. They've met in the Masters a few years ago and it went all the way, with Trump coming back from 5-3 down with two centuries and another frame won on the colours. Other than that, they've only played one more match of decent length, and Trump won that one as well. There is no doubt that Trump has played the better snooker this week. Robertson described their match in the quarter-finals as the greatest match ever played in the Masters, which is a little silly, but the sentiment is understandable. It really was a superb performance from Trump, and if he can score like that today and keep his concentration, it's very difficult to see what Hawkins could do about it. Having said that, we all know how well Robertson played against Hawkins in the World Championship and still lost, so Hawkins shouldn't be underestimated. He had a little purple patch at the start of his match against Allen, when he took a 4-1 lead, and that's the sort of snooker he needs today, not the nervy stuff that came later. Trump to win 6-3.

The match between Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stuart Bingham looks more interesting on paper, but I have a feeling Bingham is not playing well enough at the moment. Before the tournament started I said the fourth quarter looked quite weak, but someone had to get through, and Bingham did it with a fairly mediocre performance against Ding and Higgins. He looks alright at times, but he is just missing too many easy balls, while O'Sullivan has been fairly reliable all week. O'Sullivan has also been very good from distance, so it will be difficult to keep him away from the table, and while his scoring is not at its best in this tournament, it's still strong enough for him to win easily if Bingham struggles. In the past I was not sure Bingham had the nerve to compete with O'Sullivan on the big stage, especially with the way he lost the semi-final of the UK Championship last season from 4-1 up, and of course with that awful display in the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix. But he proved me wrong in the World Championship, the biggest stage of all, so he shouldn't have any doubts about his ability to handle O'Sullivan. That said, Bingham was playing great stuff in that tournament, while O'Sullivan was not that great, and the roles are clearly reversed here. O'Sullivan to win 6-2.

I hope both matches will be closer though. :smile:

[strike101]

I can see hawkins winning this. has the style to beat judd. very consistent and solid. I really hope ronnie gives bingo a hiding!

[streamer45]

super start for the hawk!

[ttiusanen]

Pretty much agree with the above.

Good start for Hawkins though. If he keeps playing tight safety and scores like this consistently, and Judd misses a few of those long ones, this might be a tight game.

[DeanH]

nice century by Hawkins to win first frame....

as did Allen the other day, it is not how you start but how you finish that counts :wink: