2018 UK Championship

[Billy]

He is, late tomorrow against Akani

It's a lousy life pro snooker, ain't it? Travelling the country (and world) getting paid handsomely to do something you took up as a hobby.

[wake_up_bomb]

Or he is in Scotland?

Is he playing tomorrow?

I don't agree with everything that Ronnie has said about the scheduling, and I do appreciate the points that Hearn has made.

But when you read this (I didn't realise the Scottish Open started tomorrow morning) you do have to ask questions about the schedule.

I've heard assertions made about tennis during this debate, which I know are incorrect because I follow the sport very closely. However, I can say this with absolute certainty. You do not get Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray playing in a Grand Slam final, and then playing in another major tournament the next week.

And snooker players could play the next day after a big final, as Kyren Wilson did. Imagine when Andy Murray won Wimbledon if he'd been required to play another tournament on the Monday!

Players do have the right to withdraw from the Scottish Open, but then whoever they're drawn against gets an unfair advantage. Plus, the Scottish Open is supposed to be a big event.

I'm not sure there is an easy solution, but there does surely need to be some thought about the scheduling. If O' Sullivan or Allen lose next week, you could never really say confidently that it wasn't due to their UK Championship runs.

[blahblah01]

It's a lousy life pro snooker, ain't it? Travelling the country (and world) getting paid handsomely to do something you took up as a hobby.

Only 19.5k this season apparently for Mr Snooker http://www.snooker.org/res/index.asp...33&season=2018 I am still trying to work out why they took him to Paris (or somewhere) to try and get snooker in the Olympics as surely someone a bit thinner\athletic would have been a better idea?

[vilkrang]

Yeah Murphy is an advert for snooker NOT to be an Olympic sport.

[blahblah01]

I don't agree with everything that Ronnie has said about the scheduling, and I do appreciate the points that Hearn has made.

But when you read this (I didn't realise the Scottish Open started tomorrow morning) you do have to ask questions about the schedule.

I've heard assertions made about tennis during this debate, which I know are incorrect because I follow the sport very closely. However, I can say this with absolute certainty. You do not get Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray playing in a Grand Slam final, and then playing in another major tournament the next week.

And snooker players could play the next day after a big final, as Kyren Wilson did. Imagine when Andy Murray won Wimbledon if he'd been required to play another tournament on the Monday!

Players do have the right to withdraw from the Scottish Open, but then whoever they're drawn against gets an unfair advantage. Plus, the Scottish Open is supposed to be a big event.

I'm not sure there is an easy solution, but there does surely need to be some thought about the scheduling. If O' Sullivan or Allen lose next week, you could never really say confidently that it wasn't due to their UK Championship runs.

I'm not sure which tennis comments you mean, but I have been posting about the players need to pick and choose like golf and tennis, which would actually be good for the game as lesser players learn to win titles, as in tennis\golf.

From York a few hours north is nothing, compared to going deep in the first two of these:
28 Oct - 4 Nov 2018 OPPO International Championship 128 Main Ranking Baihu Media Broadcasting Centre Daqing China
5-11 Nov 2018 ManBetX Champion of Champions 16 Main Invitational Ricoh Arena Coventry England
12-18 Nov 2018 BetVictor Northern Ireland Open 128 Main Ranking Waterfront Hall Belfast N.Ireland

From memory, Allen got to the Semis of the first 2 and played on the Monday in Belfast. He was\is obliged to enter this and being cheduled to play on Monday was beyond rude, imho.

[Billy]

That's an outrageous steal!

[Billy]

However, I can say this with absolute certainty. You do not get Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray playing in a Grand Slam final, and then playing in another major tournament the next week.

But you could argue - as mentally draining as snooker may be - that unlike tennis players, snooker players haven't just spent a week burning 5,000 calories and putting their bodies through the ringer.

[blahblah01]

But you could argue - as mentally draining as snooker may be - that unlike tennis players, snooker players haven't just spent a week burning 5,000 calories and putting their bodies through the ringer.

I could argue that tennis is easier than Snooker as it involves some physical release as well as reactive etc, ditto golf where you know when and where next shot is from....

[wake_up_bomb]

I'm not sure which tennis comments you mean, but I have been posting about the players need to pick and choose like golf and tennis, which would actually be good for the game as lesser players learn to win titles, as in tennis\golf.

Well, I have heard people on TV make statements about tennis that are incorrect. While many of Hearn's comments were reasonable, he should have been nailed down and had it pointed out that no tennis player ever plays in a flat 128 draw one week, and then another flat 128 draw the next week. This just does not happen. It can't happen. All of the top tennis players play in four flat 128 draws per year, they're months apart, and they're seeded through the first round of every Masters Series.

But you could argue - as mentally draining as snooker may be - that unlike tennis players, snooker players haven't just spent a week burning 5,000 calories and putting their bodies through the ringer.

Yes, I can see that argument, but I don't think it's particularly valid.

My friend is a chess grandmaster, so I follow chess a bit and play a bit myself. The World Chess Championship just took place in London. In that event, they get a rest day every two days. And they both take a lengthy break from the game after the match is complete.

I'm sure a lot of people would think "well, they're just sitting on their arse playing a board game", but the reality is that it's hugely demanding, and extremely small mistakes make the difference between winning, drawing and losing. I would say the same applies to snooker, so you can't reasonably ask someone to run through 14 matches in little over 2 weeks, obviously at some point their level is going to drop. It becomes more about stamina and endurance than the quality of play, and that's wrong IMHO.

[blahblah01]

I was going to use Chess as a better comparison

4xFlat 128? Aren't they are Seeded in tennis?

[Billy]

It becomes more about stamina and endurance than the quality of play, and that's wrong IMHO.

There's 'room for improvement' and tweaks to the schedule are definitely required. I think that's hard to argue against. Hearn said this week that finalist of one tournament will not be asked to play on the first day of the next, so there's that, at least.

[blahblah01]

It would help if there was a China "swing" as per golf and tennis where there a re few Tournaments there in a given month. All the flying back and forth is unnecessary, and the Press\Media should stop quizzing ROS on missing stuff.

I don't remember Selby getting it when he missed loads to prepare for 1st round exits from those he did enter :wink:

[blahblah01]

Btw: the Ref is more than a tad scary in a Federer from Westworld kinda way.

[Billy]

It would help if there was a China "swing" as per golf and tennis where there a re few Tournaments there in a given month. All the flying back and forth is unnecessary, and the Press\Media should stop quizzing ROS on missing stuff.

In an ideal world yes, but BH has already explained why it's not as simple as that. The Chinese broadcasters and organisers don't want a run of tournaments, leaving them with nothing for the rest of the year. They want their tournies spread out over the season.

[blahblah01]

It could easily be split into just 2 visits\periods etc there, and nothing here the week after makes sense?

I am (well was) off the site http://www.snooker.org/res/index.asp?template=2#current, but something starts here the Monday after the Indian Open, and the proximity of a China one to the WC has been an issue for years, but has been moved a week further away?