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So, what does everyone make of this one?
Perhaps a one-sided one on paper, but I'm sure a lot of people are expecting a close match. All of the experience is obviously on Carter's side, having appeared at the business end of this tournament on several occasions, particularly in the last couple of seasons. He had a dreadful season prior to the Crucible, going out early in every major event until the very recent China Open. There is no doubt he is back though. He produced an excellent display to dispose of Mark Davis very comfortably, then stuck with Judd Trump all the way through, before finally beating him under the greatest of pressures. I think his game this week is the one that won him two ranking titles and got him in the top8 in the world, excellent potting from distance followed by clinical scoring. I think we've seen him play even better in the past, but at least he's got back to his previous fairly high standard here. If he can just raise his game a bit, he will be a danger for the title. As it is, I make him fourth favourite, behind the obvious big three contenders. As for this match, it's tough to say, because this is the first time in a while when he is expected to play well and win. It's a different situation when you start "showing on the radar", a situation Carter hasn't particularly enjoyed in the past.
I think Jones still has the "luxury" of being the underdog in this championship, although he has played as well as anyone else, other than perhaps O'Sullivan and Robertson. When he got the upper hand on Murphy, I expected him to start twitching under pressure. He did a bit, but we've seen a lot worse. He was in a similar position against Higginson when it got back to 10-10, and it looked like Higginson had all the momentum on his side. But Jones played remarkably well after the interval, a total clearance and two other fairly strong frames, still going for his shots and getting most of them. He doesn't have an obvious weakness in his game, so if he is going to lose, I think it will just be a case of Carter having that bit more firepower at this point in time. Carter is not known for any mind games, and he isn't really the kind of resourceful, tricky opponent who looks for any possible inexperience to exploit. He will play his own game, so all Jones needs to do is to play it himself, and play it better than Carter. Easier said than done perhaps, but he has a chance.
13-10 to Carter perhaps?
Perhaps a one-sided one on paper, but I'm sure a lot of people are expecting a close match. All of the experience is obviously on Carter's side, having appeared at the business end of this tournament on several occasions, particularly in the last couple of seasons. He had a dreadful season prior to the Crucible, going out early in every major event until the very recent China Open. There is no doubt he is back though. He produced an excellent display to dispose of Mark Davis very comfortably, then stuck with Judd Trump all the way through, before finally beating him under the greatest of pressures. I think his game this week is the one that won him two ranking titles and got him in the top8 in the world, excellent potting from distance followed by clinical scoring. I think we've seen him play even better in the past, but at least he's got back to his previous fairly high standard here. If he can just raise his game a bit, he will be a danger for the title. As it is, I make him fourth favourite, behind the obvious big three contenders. As for this match, it's tough to say, because this is the first time in a while when he is expected to play well and win. It's a different situation when you start "showing on the radar", a situation Carter hasn't particularly enjoyed in the past.
I think Jones still has the "luxury" of being the underdog in this championship, although he has played as well as anyone else, other than perhaps O'Sullivan and Robertson. When he got the upper hand on Murphy, I expected him to start twitching under pressure. He did a bit, but we've seen a lot worse. He was in a similar position against Higginson when it got back to 10-10, and it looked like Higginson had all the momentum on his side. But Jones played remarkably well after the interval, a total clearance and two other fairly strong frames, still going for his shots and getting most of them. He doesn't have an obvious weakness in his game, so if he is going to lose, I think it will just be a case of Carter having that bit more firepower at this point in time. Carter is not known for any mind games, and he isn't really the kind of resourceful, tricky opponent who looks for any possible inexperience to exploit. He will play his own game, so all Jones needs to do is to play it himself, and play it better than Carter. Easier said than done perhaps, but he has a chance.
13-10 to Carter perhaps?
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