Bahrain Championship draw

[Rane]

Yes!! 5-4 to Davis. Experience matters in deciders, and that's where it often goes with Steve. He will be playing ROS so they will have to show that on Eurosport

Well, when the other three had to withdraw, how can Steve Davis avoid it ? Now we migth see Ronnie against a wildcard !

[Ekphantos]

I'm not sure whether I agree that he should have withdrawn from the tournament. He needs the ranking points just like anyone else and has been put in a very tricky position. Given his position in the Premier League it'd be much better if he just withdrew from his Premier League fixture. I realise that's not going to happen since he'd probably be sued by Barry Hearn if he did, but surely playing in a ranking tournament is much more important than playing in a one-off Premier League match in a tournament he now has virtually no chance of qualifying for the semi-finals in?

I agree with all the reasoning, I also think that ranking points/tournaments are more important than anything else, but it also seems rather un-sportsmanlike to enter a tournament when you know that you wouldn't be able to continue. The whole situation is very unfortunate. I wonder how this is regulated anyway, can one just withdraw and get the ranking points earned up to that point?

[darrus]

Didn't John Higgins once leave a tournament because of family matters? We have a case here.
But I think that Davis is just being realistic about his chances to advance in Bahrain - his part of the draw is really complicated and with Ronnie being his first opponent - then Fu in next round... Might as well get all the points he can get.
I'm certainly not going to criticize him.

[murdock]

I agree with all the reasoning, I also think that ranking points/tournaments are more important than anything else, but it also seems rather un-sportsmanlike to enter a tournament when you know that you wouldn't be able to continue. The whole situation is very unfortunate. I wonder how this is regulated anyway, can one just withdraw and get the ranking points earned up to that point?

I absolutely agree with all your reasoning too. I'm not sure there's a right or wrong answer to this. There is a precident for this, however. I'm sure other people will remember the details of this better than me, but a few years ago John Higgins pulled out of a tournament having won his quarter-final (or last 16?) game in, I believe the Grand Prix. The reason for this was that he was best man at his brother's wedding. He'd declared before the tournament that if he got this far then he would pull out. And he did. Now I believe he was given ranking points for getting as far as he did in this tournament and no one really complained at the time (not even the people he'd beaten on route).

Can anyone else remember this situation? Have I got the details right?

[Ekphantos]

his part of the draw is really complicated and with Ronnie being his first opponent -

Well, I don't know the schedule, but maybe he can get hammered by O'Sullivan (which will happen for sure) and then make it back to the PL

[In-off]

He is due to play Ronnie on Sunday. The PL is on Thursday.

He's got loads of time.

The only thing that will change this is if Ronnie's back plays up beforehand.

[murdock]

He is due to play Ronnie on Sunday. The PL is on Thursday.

He's got loads of time.

The only thing that will change this is if Ronnie's back plays up beforehand.

Well, I guess I'm in a minority here but I'm expecting another tense final frame decider with Steve running out a winner

[bonoman1970]

:snooker:I totally agree Murdock, O'sullivan will push Davis all the way to 4 - 4 then the nugget will stamp his authority on him in the final frame decider!
Come on Steve!!!!!!!!!

[murdock]

Glad to see I'm not the only optimist on here when it comes to Steve!

Alternatively, Steve will go 4-0 up and Ronnie will have one of his sulks like he did against Stephen Hendry a while back and just decide he "doesn't fancy carrying on".

[noel]

Glad to see I'm not the only optimist on here when it comes to Steve!

Alternatively, Steve will go 4-0 up and Ronnie will have one of his sulks like he did against Stephen Hendry a while back and just decide he "doesn't fancy carrying on".

Right.





=o)


Noel

[April madness]

Apparently yesterday was Liang Wenbo's day as today Michael Judge beat him fairly comfortably 5-2! And Mark Williams beat by Judd Trump, 2-5

[darrus]

Mark I'm gutted that he lost.

[Ellena]

Mark I'm gutted that he lost.

Same here And Wenbo out too...what a day..

[Rane]

If Steve Davis was supposed to play sunday, whý couldn´t an arrangement be made so Selby, Higgins and Ding could be into the championship as well ? The premier league is only one evening.

[April madness]

If Steve Davis was supposed to play sunday, whý couldn´t an arrangement be made so Selby, Higgins and Ding could be into the championship as well ? The premier league is only one evening.

The league thursday is next week after that sunday, so if either of the three (and Davis too) gets to round 2 or even quarterfinals, it's impossible to arrange their matches are not affected by premier league on thursday night - for example, quarterfinals are on friday, and the time difference doesn't work in their favour, I don't think they can go for an evening to UK and then travel back for quarterfinal match on time.