2017 World Championship - Main Event

[JimMalone]

I know though which one would have been my #16 on such a list and Trump is already leading McLeod by 3-0...

One hour later and the standing is 4-4.

[spike]

Quite a few unforced errors creeping into Trump's game. Would still expect Trump to win this match, but credit to McLeod with how he's got himself back into the match.

[PatBlock]

McLeod is having such a run of the ball today. Can genuinely see him winning this, the pressure of everyone talking up Trump winning the title maybe getting to him.

Are you in any way related to Judd Cueman? Or a close personal friend perhaps? Just curious.

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[JimMalone]

A loss by Trump would really open up the bottom half, which is already the weaker one of the draw. But it's still far to early. I still think Judd will win this, even if he would be 4-5 down after the first session.

[daffie]

Are you in any way related to Judd Cueman? Or a close personal friend perhaps? Just curious.

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Amazing turnaround isn't it?! Well played Rory indeed.

:snooker:

[cueman]

Are you in any way related to Judd Cueman? Or a close personal friend perhaps? Just curious.

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No, what made you say that?

As for the match, I think McLeod is a very difficult player to play against because he is using every trick in the book. He knows he's frustrating Trump and played a lot slower in the last couple of frames, he's having a lot of run as well which doubles the frustration for his opponent.

If this match continues in the same vein tomorrow I can only see one winner.

[thai_son22]

I still think trump should have this match. It's probably easier for McLeod to play at the minute because he's been written off but come the business end, i think he will struggle.

Trump won't let the game go and i just have a feeling McLeod will bottle it

[PatBlock]

No, what made you say that?

It's just that your support for him seems particularly intense, so I thought you might be more than just a fan.

I agree with you that the pressure of expectation may well be effecting his game, but he's not going to loose a 19 frame match due to run of the ball, if indeed he looses the match at all.

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[VillaGuy]

I have a feeling Trump could well fold under the expectation, he's already underachieved in his career relatively speaking. The pressure will be larger than we can imagine on his shoulders.

[PatBlock]

I have a feeling Trump could well fold under the expectation, he's already underachieved in his career relatively speaking. The pressure will be larger than we can imagine on his shoulders.

Could go either way couldn't it. Lets hope he manages to gain the confidence he needs to push on and fulfill his potential, he could be something very special if he does.

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[thai_son22]

I have a feeling Trump could well fold under the expectation, he's already underachieved in his career relatively speaking. The pressure will be larger than we can imagine on his shoulders.

How good is trump really? To underachieve in an era with higgins, O'Sullivan , Selby. It's pretty hard to achieve anything.

[cueman]

It's just that your support for him seems particularly intense, so I thought you might be more than just a fan.

I agree with you that the pressure of expectation may well be effecting his game, but he's not going to loose a 19 frame match due to run of the ball, if indeed he looses the match at all.

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Well I've been expecting him to dominate the game for a few years and still feel at some point he will, hence my support.

He won't lose the match because of a run of the ball but what it does is gives his opponent belief and confidence that its his day and they can become inspired by it. There is no doubt that McLeod's run after the interval changed the match, particularly the fluke on the green when it flicked the brown and went in. After that he got away with a lot of misses and poor shots which resulted in balls landing perfectly for him. I think people underplay the psychological effect that has on both players. Luck plays a very big part in most snooker matches, regardless of it being a best of 9 or 19.

[JimMalone]

I have a feeling Trump could well fold under the expectation, he's already underachieved in his career relatively speaking. The pressure will be larger than we can imagine on his shoulders.

Actually I don't think Trump has been underachieving. There is still something missing in his game. This year is surely the best he has been playing so far and it's, I think, the first time I have him among the top favorites for the World Championship title.

[PatBlock]

Well I've been expecting him to dominate the game for a few years and still feel at some point he will, hence my support.

He won't lose the match because of a run of the ball but what it does is gives his opponent belief and confidence that its his day and they can become inspired by it. There is no doubt that McLeod's run after the interval changed the match, particularly the fluke on the green when it flicked the brown and went in. After that he got away with a lot of misses and poor shots which resulted in balls landing perfectly for him. I think people underplay the psychological effect that has on both players. Luck plays a very big part in most snooker matches, regardless of it being a best of 9 or 19.

I think the way a player performs has a much greater effect on the outcome of a match than luck. It's also as you say, a matter of how you deal with it, mentally.

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[kibo]

Hello guys
Anyone else sad to see Neil Robertson derailing his career with vegan diet which obviously isnt fit for the sportsmen?He will probably hold on for the half of the match just like Ebdon, and then just collapse, as his brain cannot work/concentrate like it used to.
It seems to me he will never switch to the old diet, which sucks as he was pretty good competitor to have...
It seems people find it much harder to train as well, let alone compete on professional level, but for some reason there will always be people who keep trying it.
Another example is the tennis player Novak Djokovic who completely ruined his body in this way.
The irony is that first year of the vegan diet gives very good feeling,i remember Neil beating O'Sullivan with nearly perfect scores last year while he was in this first year period when things still worked.