2016 World Championship discussion

[MrRottweiler]

I think he's just making stuff up now.

I wouldn't waste my time making anything up.

[The Statman]

Having been in the audience all week and not having my login on my phone (!), this is my first opportunity to give my thoughts on the final.

I thought it was excellent, after the slightly embarrassing first-session scoreline. The 6-frame start effectively settled the match and if it had been 4-2 at that point, who knows how it would have panned out.

I have to say I was pretty neutral going into the final; both are players I like; both would have produced a significant outcome.

He does go a bit too slow for my liking sometimes, over individual shots, but not unsportsmanly slow and, anyway, it isn't a race. Some of the long frames were not long because of slow play but because of just how many times there were difficult positions to consider. And they both contributed to that; I was really impressed with the way Ding played his safety game. Much of it was excellent; in the one frame (was it the last one on Monday afternoon?), he played for snookers with a couple of reds left, and it was sublime safety when watched in tandem with Selby's replies. Even that 65-minute frame; my goodness there was some good stuff there. As Stephen Hendry tweeted, if Ding had made sure of that red on 71 it would have been 45 minutes shorter. I wouldn't have needed a shave before the next session!

I was a bit put off by Selby continuing when only the pink was left in that frame - and I am usually a defender of Selby. He certainly had the better run of the ball, but I don't think quite as one-sidedly as many people are trying to remember. There were numerous times that Selby went into the pack and landed on nothing - and also Ding; I don't think either of them got many good splits all weekend, which of course helps to prolong frames. I know that splitting the pack is partly down to skill and partly to luck, but many of the fruitless splits from both players were just plain unlucky.

Where I will defend Selby is against all this nonsense that he is bad for the game. It's utterly ridiculous even if you personally don't like the guy. He's mental toughness and percentage-taker personified, and some of the breaks he put together certainly mitigate against some of the more pedestrian passages.

I thought the involvement of the Leicester City win was a bit crass and could have been left outside the arena. I have no interest in football whatsoever so I guess I'm biased against it, but in any case it was supposed to be celebrating a snooker world championship victory, not a football season.

[gavpowell]

I thought the involvement of the Leicester City win was a bit crass and could have been left outside the arena. I have no interest in football whatsoever so I guess I'm biased against it, but in any case it was supposed to be celebrating a snooker world championship victory, not a football season.

It's part of who he is, I suppose - I can't stand football or children, so I'd have scrapped the whole thing personally!

I've always said I don't begrudge Selby winning, I just don't enjoy watching it, and I am rather worried for his mental health given how completely devoid of joy he looked during the finale. But with the decline of John Higgins, he has to be snooker's ultimate clutch player.

[The Statman]

It's part of who he is, I suppose - I can't stand football or children, so I'd have scrapped the whole thing personally!

I've always said I don't begrudge Selby winning, I just don't enjoy watching it, and I am rather worried for his mental health given how completely devoid of joy he looked during the finale. But with the decline of John Higgins, he has to be snooker's ultimate clutch player.

True, but apparently he didn't know Leicester had won until he was told after the match. The Tottenham final whistle was just as the last frame broke off.

[Tommykiid]

Yeh I even thought he didnt look too happy to of won and even in the post match interview he said he just wants to put his cue away for a while thought that was odd

[mikeyd100]

I'd class myself as a bit of a Ronnie fanboy but I also actually like Selby too.
For me he knew his form was pretty crap and inconsistent so he did what he had to do to win.

If that was me, not playing my best and I had his game .......... I would have done the same.
( Waits for eggs to be thrown at him haha )

[mikeyd100]

PS, if you are getting Snooker withdrawal symptoms then the 2013 final with Ronnie and Hawkins is on BBC1 in 20 minutes. UK viewers that is.

[wemba]

Congrats to Selby. His defensive play was rock-solid. Some of the best safety I have ever seen. Time after time he had Ding super-glued to the rail.
Ding played very well but the 6-0 start proved a bridge too far.
I enjoyed the match.

[Caroline]

I am trying to spit out my sour grapes now...
Let's make sure that no snooker fans is supposed to be against tactical, defensive and even slow play. I judge the problem of Selby is only "he pushes his boat out too much" at times. I didn't bother to watch the final at all, but when I was watching his semi - that one hour long frame in the third session against Fu, I was totally dismayed by his comportment around the table. The slowing down was deliberate, unpleasant and sly. To me it became more of a moral thing of the person, more than a tactical game.
I used to admire him. It was tremendous that he stood up against Ronnie in that 2014 final. It was convincing. Unfortunately Ding didn't manage to make the talk by beating him this time. We also have to admit that he won the trophy faire and square. He certainly deserves it, now that he even sacrifices some part of his reputation and popularity. Read of the game is always varied, our judgement is also personal. I am in the end not motivated to watch a game in which Ding lost, but I am happy enough that he played well and made to the world final!

[shmeeko69]

Congrats to Selby. His defensive play was rock-solid. Some of the best safety I have ever seen. Time after time he had Ding super-glued to the rail.
Ding played very well but the 6-0 start proved a bridge too far.
I enjoyed the match.

The 6 - 0 start was way too much of a lead to give a guy like Selby and so it proved. Ding could never quite recover the deficit

[Ronnie's tip]

Where does Selby rank alongside the greats now? Multiple World Titles, 3x Masters, 1x UK, world number 1 ect.

[shmeeko69]

Where does Selby rank alongside the greats now? Multiple World Titles, 3x Masters, 1x UK, world number 1 ect.

Probably in the top 10 now that he's won the world championship twice Surprisingly he's only won 7 majors in the 17 years of becoming a pro.

[gavpowell]

Where does Selby rank alongside the greats now? Multiple World Titles, 3x Masters, 1x UK, world number 1 ect.

Mark Williams won more UKs but Selby won more Masters, so I suppose it's a coin-toss between them. But then again I wouldn't count Williams as one of the all-time greats, though I'm not sure why.

[shmeeko69]

Mark Williams won more UKs but Selby won more Masters, so I suppose it's a coin-toss between them. But then again I wouldn't count Williams as one of the all-time greats, though I'm not sure why.

The first few in the list for the modern era are quite easy, but after that it's a bit of a conundrum.

Hendry
O'Sullivan
Davis
J. Higgins
Reardon
Williams
A. Higgins

Then there could be a list of contenders like >>

Robertson
Selby
Ding
White
Parrot
Ebdon
Doherty
Thorburn
Spencer
Griffiths

[JimMalone]

The first few in the list for the modern era are quite easy, but after that it's a bit of a conundrum.

Hendry
O'Sullivan
Davis
J. Higgins
Reardon
Williams
A. Higgins

Then there could be a list of contenders like >>

Robertson
Selby
Ding
White
Parrot
Ebdon
Doherty
Thorburn
Spencer
Griffiths

If I'd make a list Selby would be the top guy of the second tier. Maybe I'd make a few tiers more and go:

I:
Hendry
Davis
O'Sullivan
J. Higgins
Reardon

II:
Williams
A. Higgins
Selby
White

III:
Parrot
Ebdon
Doherty
Robertson
Ding
Thorburn
Griffiths

don't know where to put Spencer