2017 World Championship - Main Event

[screw-back]

Michaela, she sued the wsa for some reason, think it was discrimination. I doubt they'll get back together anytime soon.

They wouldn't want her back. She was a prima donna not worth her place in the top level. She was just there for her gender.

[Odrl]

I really enjoyed the Higgins-Allen match. It was probably one of the very best performances Higgins has produced at the Crucible in all the time I've been watching snooker. I just hope he hasn't peaked too early. If he continues to play like this, it's very difficult to find anyone in the bottom half who could stop him. As Allen said after the match, 13-9 is a really harsh result for him, considering the way he played, but those great clearances from Higgins really made the difference in the end. A shame for Allen, finally another good performance in a major event, but still out as early as the 2nd round. :smile:

[Billy]

Am I missing something here, or is it incredibly silly when they make a big thing about players having potted the exact same number of balls?

Surely there is always going to be a point within a match where balls potted by each player matches up, isn't there? And if the graphics guy waits until that moment to put the stats up, why is it so 'amazing'?

Or am I being very dim?

[Odrl]

Let's look at the final two matches of the 2nd round...

Marco Fu v. Neil Robertson: One of the most interesting prospects of this round. Fu has been the more prominent player this season, but Robertson has come here in a very determined mood. Robertson had the easier 1st round match, quickly taking a big lead over Saengkham and never looking like losing from there, whereas Fu went a long way behind in his own match and only just scraped through. To be fair though, Fu had a much trickier opponent. Sometimes players raise their game after surviving a scare like that, like Robertson did himself in 2010 after he overcame a big deficit against Gould. In any case, I don't think Fu will start another match as badly as he did against Brecel, so I don't think Robertson will be able to dominate this one right from the start. The head-to-head between these two is very even, but the one match that really stands out is the final of the 2013 Australian Open, which Fu won 9-6 with a very solid display. There was also that infamous match in the 2014 World Open, when Robertson took more than seven minutes for a break of 7 at the start of the decider, before losing on a re-spotted black I think. Last year Robertson won 6-0 at the Masters, when Fu wasn't feeling very well, and more recently Fu won 4-3 in the Scottish Open in the short format. So, there is clearly not much of a psychological edge either way. These two are both excellent scorers, they don't crack under pressure, and they have both won on the big stage before, although Robertson has certainly had the more successful career. I think it really could go either way, but my feeling is that Robertson will be up for it, so I will go for Robertson to win 13-10.

Barry Hawkins v. Graeme Dott: Another interesting match, featuring one of the best performers at the Crucible in recent years in Hawkins, and a former great in Dott. I didn't give Dott much chance to get past Carter in the 1st round, so perhaps it is unwise to underestimate him a second time, but I still feel like Carter contributed more to his own downfall than Dott did. I think Hawkins is playing superior snooker these days, strong in almost every element of the game, and he has had quite a consistent season as well. He will probably play close to his potential here, whereas Dott is a little more unreliable. That said, an in-form Dott is of course well capable of outplaying Hawkins, so I am not ruling him out. It was Dott who won the last time they played, 5-3 in the German Masters last season, which was of course the last time Dott has reached the business end of any major tournament. He also won the only time these two have met in the World Championship before, 10-8 in the 1st round in 2009. I don't expect the kind of quality we saw with Higgins and Allen in this match, but it should be a really close and hard-fought match, with a few twists and turns along the way. Hawkins in particular seems to play more deciders than any other player, so I will go for Hawkins to win 13-12.

Looking forward to another good day. :smile:

[the lone wolf]

Marco, even when under pressure is one cool customer.
This morning his game seems tense. He needs to loosen up quick or this session will be taken from him in a flash...

[Dark]

Fu fights back to make it equal for the session, Robertson would be disappointed.

[Odrl]

I can't believe that finished 4-4, because Robertson had a chance to run away with it at one point, and he had his chances in the frames he lost as well.

[Stony152]

How the hell did McLeod beat Trump again? I think it's probably the worst loss for a seeded player in crucible history.

[itsnoteasy]

How the hell did McLeod beat Trump again? I think it's probably the worst loss for a seeded player in crucible history.

While bad Steve Davis took a right pumping against Tony knowles, was it 10-1 ? Although there can't have been as big a gap in the rankings.

[Billy]

What happens to Steve Davis when he gets in the commentary box?? He becomes an absent-minded buffoon! Like just then between frames, when Hazel was discussing the match with Stephen Hendry - goes back to the match and Steve Davis says, "Some lovely words from John Parrot in the studio there."

[narl]

That was some double fluke from Mcleod, the red came off the pocket knuckle and banana'd into the bottom pocket

[Erwan_BZH]

Sorry if this has already been psoted but have you heard Mark Allen's presser after the game? He had some interesting comments regarding his habits and working with Terry Griffiths.

http://www.snookerbacker.com/2017/04...s-conferences/

First he stated clearly he had not been practicing hard enough not was prepared. His admitance of not being able to practice and play at 10am is quite shocking to me. Looks like he like to lay down late in bed in the morning but this doesn't make you a champ....
Then the bit with Terry who apparently refused to carry on with him and said no to working with him again. HArd one to take for Allen but when you see his previous comments about training regimen, you can imagine the Griff not being really impressed by his attitude either.

[narl]

How the hell did McLeod beat Trump again? I think it's probably the worst loss for a seeded player in crucible history.

Has to be said, McLeod is playing like a Club level player for the most part. When he misses its by a mile and a lot of the balls he's missing are shots you would never assume a pro would miss. Likely down to nerves though.

[narl]

Sorry if this has already been psoted but have you heard Mark Allen's presser after the game? He had some interesting comments regarding his habits and working with Terry Griffiths.

http://www.snookerbacker.com/2017/04...s-conferences/

First he stated clearly he had not been practicing hard enough not was prepared. His admitance of not being able to practice and play at 10am is quite shocking to me. Looks like he like to lay down late in bed in the morning but this doesn't make you a champ....
Then the bit with Terry who apparently refused to carry on with him and said no to working with him again. HArd one to take for Allen but when you see his previous comments about training regimen, you can imagine the Griff not being really impressed by his attitude either.

LOL, he talks about Terry turning up for the money when he feels like it yet he's not able to be out of bed before midday? And he basically said in that interview that he wouldn't change his habits. Sour grapes as usual.

[itsnoteasy]

Sorry if this has already been psoted but have you heard Mark Allen's presser after the game? He had some interesting comments regarding his habits and working with Terry Griffiths.

http://www.snookerbacker.com/2017/04...s-conferences/

First he stated clearly he had not been practicing hard enough not was prepared. His admitance of not being able to practice and play at 10am is quite shocking to me. Looks like he like to lay down late in bed in the morning but this doesn't make you a champ....
Then the bit with Terry who apparently refused to carry on with him and said no to working with him again. HArd one to take for Allen but when you see his previous comments about training regimen, you can imagine the Griff not being really impressed by his attitude either.

The sentence that went roughly, I want someone to work for their money and not just turn up when they feel like it, when talking about TG was very interesting.