Dafabet Northern Ireland Open

[screw-back]

O'Sullivan looked like he couldn't be bothered and that he'd had enough, oddly enough I thought that in this tournament he would either win it or get knocked out early by a (comparative) nobody.

Don't you believe it. That's how he reacts when he gets his backside tanned, acts as though he couldn't care less on the outside but on the inside he's beating himself up. He wouldn't have entered if he didn't want to win it.

[Rane]

Don't you believe it. That's how he reacts when he gets his backside tanned, acts as though he couldn't care less on the outside but on the inside he's beating himself up. He wouldn't have entered if he didn't want to win it.

Absolutely he took the pressure on by entering the tournament, and the way things have turned out today, he would have been a huge favorit to win. I don´t think we´ll ever see anyone win four specific tournaments. Maybe Selby could have a chance to win the WC four years in a row, but it´s a completely different tournament that´s so much more in favour of the strongest players.

[jonny66]

Good win for Mike Dunn. I remember Judd Trump having a pop at him and Rory McLeod a while ago, glad to see him doing well.

[narl]

So little Ronald got whipped by a "numpty", interesting.

[OmaMiesta]

Why is it interesting that a "numpty" beat Ronnie in a bo7. He never questioned the numpties abilities to play or succeed, all he said was he didnt want to be bothered by them and their families before a match. Numpties are all capable of beating top 16 players....it happens all the time, especially in bo7 formats.

[JimMalone]

Why is it interesting that a "numpty" beat Ronnie in a bo7. He never questioned the numpties abilities to play or succeed, all he said was he didnt want to be bothered by them and their families before a match. Numpties are all capable of beating top 16 players....it happens all the time, especially in bo7 formats.

He said several times - on Twitter he had a lengthy exchange with Mark Williams - that more than half of the players had "no right to be on the main tour, because they can't play".

[crocodile]

So Lyu and Li Yuan must be in a with a good chance of winning!

Still looking good for 101 vs. 105 ....

[Mr Snooker]

The last 16 of the event only had 1 member of the top 16 in, Mark Williams (Ranked 16), I can't recall a tournament where all the other members of the top 16 have been knocked out, and if Williams goes out be hard to pick a winner. Also half of the quarter finals include Chinese players as well.

[Billy]

I'm irritated by the commentators bias and assumptions that we're all rooting for the Englishman in this match. All their comments are about what Slessor needs to do to draw level, how much happier he'd be if he could do so before the interval, that he hasn't played as well as he did yesterday, that it's the biggest match of his career, etc etc etc.

He's only one frame behind. Would they have been saying the same things about Li had the scores been reversed? No, they'd be talking about how Slessor would like to capitalize on that one frame lead, and how much happier he'd be if he could pinch another before the interval.

I'm not for one second suggesting racism - let me make that perfectly clear - but their assumptions we all want Slessor to win are making me root for Li all the more.

[Billy]

[...] but on the inside he's beating himself up.

You can't possibly know this. It seems perfectly feasible to me that a person can both want to win, but not be remotely bothered if they don't.

A desire to achieve something, doesn't have to mean 'beating yourself up' if, ultimately, you don't achieve it.

[two-cues]

Well if what I'm watching here is anything to go by perhaps O'Sullivan wasn't too far wide of the mark with his comments - this is utter rubbish.

[jonny66]

Midnight finish?

[JimMalone]

I'm irritated by the commentators bias and assumptions that we're all rooting for the Englishman in this match. All their comments are about what Slessor needs to do to draw level, how much happier he'd be if he could do so before the interval, that he hasn't played as well as he did yesterday, that it's the biggest match of his career, etc etc etc.

He's only one frame behind. Would they have been saying the same things about Li had the scores been reversed? No, they'd be talking about how Slessor would like to capitalize on that one frame lead, and how much happier he'd be if he could pinch another before the interval.

I'm not for one second suggesting racism - let me make that perfectly clear - but their assumptions we all want Slessor to win are making me root for Li all the more.

This always annoys me about commentators. In my country it's really, really bad. I've never been someone to root for somebody just because he is from my country (or cause he is from a country I like) and find this patriotism just plain terrible. But I know that many of my countrymen really think this way so to a certain degree I understand why commentators do this. It's just I personally absolutely can't stand it.

Regarding the Li - Slessor match. I like close contests, but the level here is pretty bad. And I say this in the nicest possible way.

[Stony152]

I like close contests, but the level here is pretty bad.

It's not "pretty bad" It's atrocious.

[JimMalone]

It's not "pretty bad" It's atrocious.

See my edit.

Obviously I can't remember all ranking quarterfinals I've watched, but I definitely can't remember a worse one.