German Masters - QF, SF, F discussion

[Looki]

How many ranking points did Williams get for winning in Berlin?

5000 points.

The set up and atmosphere was like in a 15000 point tournament.

[very.tee]

Why thank you



I always thought MJW was one of the toughest snooker players around and it wasn't until hotpot mentioned it that I noticed he got very emotional during the prize award

PS: I'd say it would drive everyone crazy, moderators included

Always a pleasure Thought you might like that

Yeah? Thanks for pointing out hotpot mentioned it first! Now I look like a right copy cat!

PS: hehe I think so!

[gazza147]

As I predicted from the Start!!.........Mark to Win!! 12/1


Welll Done Mark




Gaz.

[PatBlock]

So, Williams gets another title pretty quickly after that UK final, even though some people thought he wouldn't get over it. He played some vintage stuff in this tournament...)

Yeah, when Selby started clawing his way back, I must admit I was a bit worried that the ghost of the UK (or was it the Masters? ) final would come back to haunt MJW, but he proved once again what a strong and tenacious match player he is.

Selby played his part of course, and if he'd managed to maintain the kind of form he showed in the previous rounds, things may have gone a bit differently, but in the end I think he just peaked a little too early, which must be very frustrating for him.

MJW is one of my all time favourite players to watch, and I was really saddened to see him slip right down the rankings a few years ago. But now he's back, AND HOW! Which is great for his fans, and the game. So well done MJW.

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[Looki]

I think Williams is pretty good at "getting over it" when there are setbacks, he's also very experienced and laid back so I didn't think he'd dwell on what happened in UK too long. There were nerves at the end yesterday but he managed to hold it together.

[PatBlock]

I think Williams is pretty good at "getting over it" when there are setbacks, he's also very experienced and laid back so I didn't think he'd dwell on what happened in UK too long. There were nerves at the end yesterday but he managed to hold it together.

He's a cool customer all right, but he's only human, and the Higgins comeback was such a blow, you could see that Mark was visibly shaken at the PMI. So you could understand him having 'worries' at 7 all, and then there was that scrappy-ish frame with all the unintended snookers and whatnot, by which time my nerves were certainly jangling.

But as you say, his experience and laid back nature helped him through to a cracking victory over a very good opponent, and any potential heebie-geebies.

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[beechy1212]

As I predicted from the Start!!.........Mark to Win!! 12/1


Welll Done Mark




Gaz.

Well done Gaz. Snooker, along with Golf, has to be the hardest sport to bet on.

[miscuehamburg]

Well, back in Hamburg I would like to give my thoughts on yesterday's match and the new GM generally.

There were two very different sessions to start with. In the afternoon it was straight one chance snooker 2 x 4 frames in 50 minutes each. Very good stuff, with only the difference that Mark S didn't get a single long pot. Therefore the 3-5 result. As I thought in the pause it got a lot trickier in the evening session. Many scrappy frames, tactical battles and close finishes. At 7-4 it seemed to go all in Mark JW's way, but Selbs somehow managed to fight back, even if he didn't produce a half of the form he had against Ding/Dott. Then came the crucial 15th frame where Mark JW's amongst the balls first lost position completely resulting to an awfull snooker by Mark S, which he didn't escape properly. It looked like 8-7 for Selbs then, but he missed the last red, consequently the frame and the match too, since in the last frame Mark JW just cleared the table out of nowhere (as usual). So a very good performance from him brought him the deserved title.

It was my first 'live' MT event ever, inspite of some 20 years televised snooker. I was very happy with the line up in the first place, for if I had been given the chance to nominate the players as I bought the ticket, I probably would have chosen just this: A 'potting machine' and a great fighter. But the show turned out even better than I expected. Great atmosphere, the expert crowd, and the players including the ref were all very entertaining, despite of what was at stake. Having attended quite a few exhibitions, I didn't think such amount of laughter and banter was possible in a MT event. Mark S imitating Mark JW's under the stomach shot (you know what I mean), Mark JW playing safe one handed, and of course JvHaas shading his eyes as the foul and mess was called in the 15th frame. These are just few examples. All in all I had a great time in Berlin.

Needless to say that I very much hope that this event will be on schedule for a stay, and not become just another one shot wonder like the events in the 90' in Germany:snooker:

[nevets]

Well, back in Hamburg I would like to give my thoughts on yesterday's match and the new GM generally.

There were two very different sessions to start with. In the afternoon it was straight one chance snooker 2 x 4 frames in 50 minutes each. Very good stuff, with only the difference that Mark S didn't get a single long pot. Therefore the 3-5 result. As I thought in the pause it got a lot trickier in the evening session. Many scrappy frames, tactical battles and close finishes. At 7-4 it seemed to go all in Mark JW's way, but Selbs somehow managed to fight back, even if he didn't produce a half of the form he had against Ding/Dott. Then came the crucial 15th frame where Mark JW's amongst the balls first lost position completely resulting to an awfull snooker by Mark S, which he didn't escape properly. It looked like 8-7 for Selbs then, but he missed the last red, consequently the frame and the match too, since in the last frame Mark JW just cleared the table out of nowhere (as usual). So a very good performance from him brought him the deserved title.

It was my first 'live' MT event ever, inspite of some 20 years televised snooker. I was very happy with the line up in the first place, for if I had been given the chance to nominate the players as I bought the ticket, I probably would have chosen just this: A 'potting machine' and a great fighter. But the show turned out even better than I expected. Great atmosphere, the expert crowd, and the players including the ref were all very entertaining, despite of what was at stake. Having attended quite a few exhibitions, I didn't think such amount of laughter and banter was possible in a MT event. Mark S imitating Mark JW's under the stomach shot (you know what I mean), Mark JW playing safe one handed, and of course JvHaas shading his eyes as the foul and mess was called in the 15th frame. These are just few examples. All in all I had a great time in Berlin.

Needless to say that I very much hope that this event will be on schedule for a stay, and not become just another one shot wonder like the events in the 90' in Germany:snooker:

Surely an event as successful as this will remain on the tour for a long time. That excellent German crowd deserve it.

[gettingbetter]

In defence of those who have stated Masters rather than the UK, just say you were referring to his loss to Hunter.

[Matt_2745]

Out of interest, how well-supported were the events in the 1990's? Obviously Eurosport has helped in the years since but there must have been something there before?

[Mignon]

Excellent (even if brief) report, miscuehamburg.
I don't know if this has been said before but I think Germany deserves a huge CONGRATS! The tournament was a big success and I'm sure it will be back next year.

How was the event promotion there?

[PatBlock]

In defence of those who have stated Masters rather than the UK, just say you were referring to his loss to Hunter.

Er, I think there was only me, but thanks anyway mate.

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[miscuehamburg]

Out of interest, how well-supported were the events in the 1990's? Obviously Eurosport has helped in the years since but there must have been something there before?

There was one big company 'Loewensports' sponsoring the 3 events in Frankfurt/Bingen. Then they ran out of money I remember those events were nearly sold out like Berlin, though. So the interest was here even with only sporadic Eurosport coverage. They have -of course- boosted it in the last decade to a new level. As a matter of fact the whole promotion was now their making.

Apart from Eurosport, did you notice the GM was held actually without a main sponsor at all? Apart from a small Hotel add every banner was about WSA or the German Organizer 'Dragonstars'. That is something that needs to be looked into for the next time.

[jamesa54321]

The atmosphere looked electric, I enjoy watching on TV so much more when there is a full house cheering the players on, the German's were so up for it, having been starved of snooker.

It just shows that some of the answers World Snooker had been searching for for so many years were right there underneath their noses, they just didn't look hard enough!

What a decision to keep snooker out of Germany for so long, no wonder the game has suffered so badly when this sort of decison was been made by the powers that were.