2018 Players Championship

[gavpowell]

The only time I'm confident of O'Sullivan winning the worlds is when he reaches the final - until then it's a lottery.

[kibo]

It seems to me WC wont be the most interesting this year.Only Ronnie, Higgins and Williams are holding themselves together..If Selby doesnt repair his form there wont be any real contender for WC who is younger player...

[jrc750]

Trump won fairly easily there, Robbo missing so many pots, and his touch trying to get snookers was worse than mine !

[OmaMiesta]

It seems to me WC wont be the most interesting this year.Only Ronnie, Higgins and Williams are holding themselves together..If Selby dont repair his form there wont be any real contender for WC who is younger player...

Dont count Selby out for the Worlds, hes on another level during that tournament.

[Csmith]

It seems to me WC wont be the most interesting this year.Only Ronnie, Higgins and Williams are holding themselves together..If Selby dont repair his form there wont be any real contender for WC who is younger player...

You never know, Bingham came out of nowhere when he won and players can often get themselves up for the event even if their overall season has been lackluster. That said, Shaun Murphy had a decent first half of the season and the thing about Selby is that longer matches let him grind out wins even when he's playing his C game. But if Mark Williams could win one more that would be a pretty memorable story.

[blahblah01]

So one month prior to the World Championship O'Sullivan is clearly in form, while Selby certainly isn't. And also Ding is not at his best.
Therefore players like Williams and Day are in very good shape. Usually in the last years the favorites for the big title have been more or less the same. Selby, O'Sullivan, Ding, Robertson, Trump.

Are we having a different circle of favorites this year? With the exception of O'Sullivan. Or will the Crucible with its significance, pressure and long distances still see those players going far, who counted as the best players in general over the last years?

Yep, but the capitulation is part of Snooker? Robertson lost it today against Trump and started taking on daft (ie high risk) shots... Certainly I play worse against players that I expect to lose to, and then lose - so almost a self fulfilling prophecy?

The strange one was Higgins losing, McGill has struggled against fellow Scots, from my aged memory...

[blahblah01]

But if Mark Williams could win one more that would be a pretty memorable story.

If I had to bet on it, that's where my money would be.

[kibo]

You never know, Bingham came out of nowhere when he won and players can often get themselves up for the event even if their overall season has been lackluster. That said, Shaun Murphy had a decent first half of the season and the thing about Selby is that longer matches let him grind out wins even when he's playing his C game. But if Mark Williams could win one more that would be a pretty memorable story.

I agree but this all comes into a randomness factor.
Overall there should be a bloody battle full of equal contenders+randomness factor.
If Ding, Trump and Robertson were at their peak then we would have much more diverse picture of potential winners who could win it by their pure form.Hence i am hoping that Selby will find his form too, as he is the only who can be as challenging as these 3 WC winners.

[kibo]

Dont count Selby out for the Worlds, hes on another level during that tournament.

I am hoping that will happen too.Besides, if he gets 4 WC it would be all more fun as it would be even possible for him to attack the number of WC record.He dont have as many ranking titles as other legends from the sport so the only record he could attack is number of WC titles.Or if some other younger guy win, it would be also good for the sport...

[fkhan]

Good start by Mark 2-0

[fkhan]

Good start by Mark 2-0

Interesting stat, points without reply 317 made by Mark. 4-0. Day has had no table time so far.

[Odrl]

You never know, Bingham came out of nowhere when he won and players can often get themselves up for the event even if their overall season has been lackluster.

I'm not sure you could really say Bingham came "out of nowhere". He was the 10th seed and the reigning Shanghai Masters champion when he won the Worlds, so he would have been among the outside favourites at least. :smile:

[fkhan]

What a comeback by Day from 0-4 to 3-4. We are in for a nail biter.

[DeanH]

2018 Players Championship

loving this match

[PatBlock]

loving this match

Yeah, thought we were going to have a re-spotted black there, shame. Good match though.

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