2017 UK Championship

[JimMalone]

I think Murphy has probably played the best snooker of these four so far.

Agree with this (and also with the rest except that I think Maguire and O'Sullivan are not pretty well matched, but Ronnie is the much better player at this point in time).

[Ronnie's tip]

Are they not showing this on BBC?!

[VillaGuy]

Are they not showing this on BBC?!

Starts in just over 5 minutes time.

[147Levitt]

With much talk of snooker now being a 'young mans game', it's certainly interesting to see the final four line-up of;

Ronnie - 42
Day - 37
Maguire -36
Murphy - 35

As for who will contest the final, I actually think it's a fairly tough one to call. Sure, any sensible money will be on an O'Sullivan & Murphy clash - but, you never know...

[vjmehra]

Are they not showing this on BBC?!

Here from 13:15 I think: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/snooker/41756193

[jonny66]

With much talk of snooker now being a 'young mans game', it's certainly interesting to see the final four line-up of;

Ronnie - 42
Day - 37
Maguire -36
Murphy - 35

As for who will contest the final, I actually think it's a fairly tough one to call. Sure, any sensible money will be on an O'Sullivan & Murphy clash - but, you never know...

I think this "young man's game" stuff is because of Stephen Hendry, and in his case I suppose it was. I'm not even sure snooker is a sport, never mind one you can only do when you are young, people don't just go blind and lose all coordination at the age of 30.

[JimMalone]

With much talk of snooker now being a 'young mans game', it's certainly interesting to see the final four line-up of;

Ronnie - 42
Day - 37
Maguire -36
Murphy - 35

As for who will contest the final, I actually think it's a fairly tough one to call. Sure, any sensible money will be on an O'Sullivan & Murphy clash - but, you never know...

Is there so much talk about this? The whole talk in the last years seems to me about it is an old man's game now and this seems to fit, when you look at how Higgins and O'Sullivan are able to stay among the best still at their age. With also Selby, Murphy and Co. not being the youngest anymore.

It's just that this season finally talents as Yan and Brecel come along and have some showings to disrupt the elite, but they are still a bit away from the very top of the game.

[Odrl]

Agree with this (and also with the rest except that I think Maguire and O'Sullivan are not pretty well matched, but Ronnie is the much better player at this point in time).

Yeah, I mainly meant they've played to a similar standard so far this week. But of course O'Sullivan has the habit of raising his game for the final weekend, whereas Maguire not so much...

The average age being so high is quite interesting. We had Yan Bingtao in the final two weeks ago, still only 17, so I wonder if the record for the biggest age difference in a final might be in danger. I'm guessing the current record is around 30, from when Ding played Steve Davis in the UK final in 2005, so it's not out of the question... :smile:

[VillaGuy]

I think this "young man's game" stuff is because of Stephen Hendry, and in his case I suppose it was. I'm not even sure snooker is a sport, never mind one you can only do when you are young, people don't just go blind and lose all coordination at the age of 30.

If golf is classed as a sport then snooker has to be, there are tactics in snooker, you're playing against yourself in golf. I don't think you lose all coordination ever unless you have ms or Alzheimer's, but it declines with age especially if you don't maintain being supple. The stadium looks so much better down to one table, very spacious around the table.

[147Levitt]

Also due to the vast emerging young talent nowadays - nine year old's knocking in centuries for fun / the ever increasing talent seemingly springing up from nowhere in the Far East etc.

Certainly some aspects of Ronnie's game seemed to have sharpened the older he has got - or maybe it's just his mental strength, in older age, that's given him the edge?

[VillaGuy]

Great first pot, I think Ronnie needs to be on top of the long game to stand a good chance against Murphy the way he's playing at the minute.

[JimMalone]

Yeah, I mainly meant they've played to a similar standard so far this week. But of course O'Sullivan has the habit of raising his game for the final weekend, whereas Maguire not so much...

The average age being so high is quite interesting. We had Yan Bingtao in the final two weeks ago, still only 17, so I wonder if the record for the biggest age difference in a final might be in danger. I'm guessing the current record is around 30, from when Ding played Steve Davis in the UK final in 2005, so it's not out of the question... :smile:

Yes, I'd also agree with this point.

The 2005 UK final still holds this record with 29 years and 262 days of age difference if my research was right. Just ahead of the 1982 Professional Players Tournament, where Ray Reardon was 29 years and 216 days older than opponent Jimmy White.

I think we will need to wait some time to see this beat though. Of the old guard Mark Williams will be 43 soon as well as Higgins and also O'Sullivan is 42 now. But this would mean a 14-year-old to challenge them in a final. With Yan it won't happen since he is only around 25 years younger. He was just the youngest ranking finalist ever. So if we expect an 18-year-old to make the final in the future, which seems realistic enough, you'd have to wait until O'Sullivan or Higgins turns 47.

[JimMalone]

It's a pity those semifinals are not at least Best-of-17.
Reaching the final of the UK Championship should be worth it.

[VillaGuy]

It's a pity those semifinals are not at least Best-of-17.
Reaching the final of the UK Championship should be worth it.

I was just about to post the same.

[Odrl]

I think we will need to wait some time to see this beat though. Of the old guard Mark Williams will be 43 soon as well as Higgins and also O'Sullivan is 42 now. But this would mean a 14-year-old to challenge them in a final. With Yan it won't happen since he is only around 25 years younger. He was just the youngest ranking finalist ever. So if we expect an 18-year-old to make the final in the future, which seems realistic enough, you'd have to wait until O'Sullivan or Higgins turns 47.

Don't forget we also had Anthony Hamilton winning a ranking title last season, so the potential could be there. I don't think it would be too outrageous if someone like Peter Ebdon had a good run, for example, especially as there are so many best-of-7 events around these days and the top players tend to skip some of those. :smile: