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Slow afternoon at work. So I have typed out my first round thoughts and predictions.
Knowing me, I'll get 0/16 matches predicted correctly. So feel free to mock.
John Higgins v Liang Wenbo
Should be an interesting match this. By John’s high standards this season, he has been poor. But Liang hasn’t lived up to the promise he showed a couple of seasons ago, when people thought he’d overtake Ding Junhui as China’s number one player.
I’ve seen John start slow at The Crucible before, but then pull back strong in the second session. Especially in the first round.
Prediction: Higgins 10-5 Wenbo
Stuart Bingham v Stephen Hendry
Stephen Hendry seems to have the ability to win in the qualifiers still, but isn’t the force in the arena that he used to be. He’s not helped by the fact that he’s arriving back from a promotional tour of China just hours before his match with Bingham. And faces further problems in that Bingham has won a ranking event already this season.
My heart really wants Hendry to go on a run at The Crucible like Steve Davis did a few years back. But Bingham is no mug, and I think the first session will be too difficult for Hendry whoever he’d have played.
Hendry may come back on the second day, but he won’t win this. No matter how much I want him to.
Prediction: Bingham 10-6 Hendry
Graeme Dott v Joe Perry
Tough match to call. For no other reasons than he’s a top-16 player, and he plays well at The Crucible I’ll give it to Dott. Could go either way though.
Prediction: Dott 10-7 Perry
Stephen Maguire v Luca Brecel
All the experts of the game have been pointing at Brecel for years as the next big name, and now he’s qualified for the greatest stage of them all. He’s the youngest player ever to play at The Crucible, and already he’s being compared to greats such as Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan. High praise indeed.
Not seen much of Brecel myself, and look forward to watching this match. For all the hype, of which I am buying into, I think he doesn’t have the experience just yet. Many top players recall their first visit to the hallowed turf of Sheffield, and say they didn’t like it. I can see Brecel running Maguire (a top player don’t forget) close, but the last frame is always hardest to win.
Prediction: Stephen Maguire 10-9 Luca Brecel
Shaun Murphy v Jamie Jones
Another big name vs Crucible debutant match. Jamie impressed in qualifiers, but doesn’t come with as much hype as Brecel.
I don’t see Shaun Murphy having any problems with Jamie, but I said that when Murphy played Lu Ning at the China Open. Murphy was comprehensively outplayed in every department that night.
The Crucible is different though, and Shaun won’t let lightning strike twice.
Prediction: Shaun Murphy 10-4 Jamie Jones
Stephen Lee v Andrew Higginson
Stephen Lee has been playing with great form recently. Higginson hasn’t.
Prediction: Stephen Lee 10-4 Higginson
Ali Carter v Mark Davis
Ali Carter has had a dip in form lately, the result of a dip in form and falling about out of love with the game. He did threaten to quit at one point.
He played better in China, thrashing the aforementioned Lu Ning, who had played like an experienced top-16er against Murphy.
But I’ve not predicted a qualifier win yet. It’s possible Carter will struggle.
Prediction: Mark Davis 10 – Ali Carter 7
Judd Trump v Dominic Dale
A re-match from the UK, when Dale looked certain to take it before a couple of contenders for fluke of the season from Trump knocked Dale’s confidence.
Problem is that Judd’s style is to play shots so hard, eventually he’ll get flukes. If he misses one pocket, he’s pretty much always on another.
Judd is a confidence player, and will receive a lot of support from The Crucible. Judd likes to be told how great he is, and many in The Crucible crowd will oblige.
I can’t see Dale getting over the demons from the previous match.
Prediction: Judd Trump 10 – Dominic Dale 4
Mark Williams v Liu Chuang
Mark Williams will win. Never watch Liu Chuang play, so hard to judge a score. Either Liu will get blown away, or he’ll make it close and find it hard to finish.
Prediction: Either 10-2 or 10-8 to Mark Williams.
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Peter Ebdon
Everybody will be talking about the match in 2005, but I don’t see it having any bearing on Ronnie here. Ebdon may have slow played his way to victory there, but Ronnie has always raised his game against Ebbo since, almost as if he has a point to prove.
Ebdon just won the China Open, so will be full of confidence. He’ll make it hard for Ronnie, especially if he grinds him.
But at risk of breaking the first rule of snooker predicting; “Never guess what mood Ronnie will be in”, I can’t see him being phased by this again.
Expect a war, but one that Ronnie wins.
Prediction: Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-8 Peter Ebdon
Martin Gould v David Gilbert
Gould will win.
Prediction: Martin Gould 10-5 David Gilbert
Neil Robertson v Ken Doherty
Ken Doherty had a decent run in Australia earlier this year, but that’s pretty much all he has done for several season, barring the odd PTC run. Sadly, like Hendry, Ken-Do is another likable veteran that won’t win his first match.
Prediction: Neil Robertson 10 – 4 Ken Doherty
Ding Junhui v Ryan Day
Was going to predict an upset, just because I haven’t predicted many qualifiers to go through and I have a funny feeling about this one. But I can’t do it. I just can’t bring myself to believe Ryan Day will beat Ding. Ding has previously struggled here, but he got over those jitters last year.
A sixth sense is pegging at me; “Ryan Day may win this”. But it just can’t bring myself to predict it. No matter how much pressure Ding will be under from his countrymen to become China’s World Champion.
Prediction: Ding Junhui 10 - 5
Mark Allen v Cao Yupeng
Don’t like Mark Allen. He’s a twat.
But he’ll win this match.
Prediction: Mark Allen 10 – 5 Cao Yupeng
Matthew Stevens v Marco Fu
Matthew Stevens has gotten back into form, but Marco Fu is no mug. It’s a real toss of a coin. Sod it. I’ve got to predict another qualifier win somewhere.
Prediction: Marco Fu 10 – 7 Matthew Stevens
Mark Selby v Barry Hawkins
Mark’s the World Number 1, and will be trying to stop anybody over taking that.
But, Selby pulled out of China with a bad neck, and on his blog admitted that he hasn’t practiced as much as he’d have liked. Will this be a factor, later in the game? Barry has been around a while. And he won’t have been missing practice.
I predict a shock upset.
Prediction: Barry Hawkins 10 – Mark Selby 8
Knowing me, I'll get 0/16 matches predicted correctly. So feel free to mock.
John Higgins v Liang Wenbo
Should be an interesting match this. By John’s high standards this season, he has been poor. But Liang hasn’t lived up to the promise he showed a couple of seasons ago, when people thought he’d overtake Ding Junhui as China’s number one player.
I’ve seen John start slow at The Crucible before, but then pull back strong in the second session. Especially in the first round.
Prediction: Higgins 10-5 Wenbo
Stuart Bingham v Stephen Hendry
Stephen Hendry seems to have the ability to win in the qualifiers still, but isn’t the force in the arena that he used to be. He’s not helped by the fact that he’s arriving back from a promotional tour of China just hours before his match with Bingham. And faces further problems in that Bingham has won a ranking event already this season.
My heart really wants Hendry to go on a run at The Crucible like Steve Davis did a few years back. But Bingham is no mug, and I think the first session will be too difficult for Hendry whoever he’d have played.
Hendry may come back on the second day, but he won’t win this. No matter how much I want him to.
Prediction: Bingham 10-6 Hendry
Graeme Dott v Joe Perry
Tough match to call. For no other reasons than he’s a top-16 player, and he plays well at The Crucible I’ll give it to Dott. Could go either way though.
Prediction: Dott 10-7 Perry
Stephen Maguire v Luca Brecel
All the experts of the game have been pointing at Brecel for years as the next big name, and now he’s qualified for the greatest stage of them all. He’s the youngest player ever to play at The Crucible, and already he’s being compared to greats such as Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan. High praise indeed.
Not seen much of Brecel myself, and look forward to watching this match. For all the hype, of which I am buying into, I think he doesn’t have the experience just yet. Many top players recall their first visit to the hallowed turf of Sheffield, and say they didn’t like it. I can see Brecel running Maguire (a top player don’t forget) close, but the last frame is always hardest to win.
Prediction: Stephen Maguire 10-9 Luca Brecel
Shaun Murphy v Jamie Jones
Another big name vs Crucible debutant match. Jamie impressed in qualifiers, but doesn’t come with as much hype as Brecel.
I don’t see Shaun Murphy having any problems with Jamie, but I said that when Murphy played Lu Ning at the China Open. Murphy was comprehensively outplayed in every department that night.
The Crucible is different though, and Shaun won’t let lightning strike twice.
Prediction: Shaun Murphy 10-4 Jamie Jones
Stephen Lee v Andrew Higginson
Stephen Lee has been playing with great form recently. Higginson hasn’t.
Prediction: Stephen Lee 10-4 Higginson
Ali Carter v Mark Davis
Ali Carter has had a dip in form lately, the result of a dip in form and falling about out of love with the game. He did threaten to quit at one point.
He played better in China, thrashing the aforementioned Lu Ning, who had played like an experienced top-16er against Murphy.
But I’ve not predicted a qualifier win yet. It’s possible Carter will struggle.
Prediction: Mark Davis 10 – Ali Carter 7
Judd Trump v Dominic Dale
A re-match from the UK, when Dale looked certain to take it before a couple of contenders for fluke of the season from Trump knocked Dale’s confidence.
Problem is that Judd’s style is to play shots so hard, eventually he’ll get flukes. If he misses one pocket, he’s pretty much always on another.
Judd is a confidence player, and will receive a lot of support from The Crucible. Judd likes to be told how great he is, and many in The Crucible crowd will oblige.
I can’t see Dale getting over the demons from the previous match.
Prediction: Judd Trump 10 – Dominic Dale 4
Mark Williams v Liu Chuang
Mark Williams will win. Never watch Liu Chuang play, so hard to judge a score. Either Liu will get blown away, or he’ll make it close and find it hard to finish.
Prediction: Either 10-2 or 10-8 to Mark Williams.
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Peter Ebdon
Everybody will be talking about the match in 2005, but I don’t see it having any bearing on Ronnie here. Ebdon may have slow played his way to victory there, but Ronnie has always raised his game against Ebbo since, almost as if he has a point to prove.
Ebdon just won the China Open, so will be full of confidence. He’ll make it hard for Ronnie, especially if he grinds him.
But at risk of breaking the first rule of snooker predicting; “Never guess what mood Ronnie will be in”, I can’t see him being phased by this again.
Expect a war, but one that Ronnie wins.
Prediction: Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-8 Peter Ebdon
Martin Gould v David Gilbert
Gould will win.
Prediction: Martin Gould 10-5 David Gilbert
Neil Robertson v Ken Doherty
Ken Doherty had a decent run in Australia earlier this year, but that’s pretty much all he has done for several season, barring the odd PTC run. Sadly, like Hendry, Ken-Do is another likable veteran that won’t win his first match.
Prediction: Neil Robertson 10 – 4 Ken Doherty
Ding Junhui v Ryan Day
Was going to predict an upset, just because I haven’t predicted many qualifiers to go through and I have a funny feeling about this one. But I can’t do it. I just can’t bring myself to believe Ryan Day will beat Ding. Ding has previously struggled here, but he got over those jitters last year.
A sixth sense is pegging at me; “Ryan Day may win this”. But it just can’t bring myself to predict it. No matter how much pressure Ding will be under from his countrymen to become China’s World Champion.
Prediction: Ding Junhui 10 - 5
Mark Allen v Cao Yupeng
Don’t like Mark Allen. He’s a twat.
But he’ll win this match.
Prediction: Mark Allen 10 – 5 Cao Yupeng
Matthew Stevens v Marco Fu
Matthew Stevens has gotten back into form, but Marco Fu is no mug. It’s a real toss of a coin. Sod it. I’ve got to predict another qualifier win somewhere.
Prediction: Marco Fu 10 – 7 Matthew Stevens
Mark Selby v Barry Hawkins
Mark’s the World Number 1, and will be trying to stop anybody over taking that.
But, Selby pulled out of China with a bad neck, and on his blog admitted that he hasn’t practiced as much as he’d have liked. Will this be a factor, later in the game? Barry has been around a while. And he won’t have been missing practice.
I predict a shock upset.
Prediction: Barry Hawkins 10 – Mark Selby 8
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