World Snooker Championships Discussion

[ytsejam]

Thank goodness that pain is over!!....Hawkins was very fortunate to get 2 frames. Highest break of 36 in 8 frames of a World Semi Final is, quite frankly, a disgrace!. He MUST improve tomorrow, surely?!!

[cueman]

It's super new territory for Walden and Hawkins, imagine the pressure one of them will be under in the final. Just go out and enjoy it..

I think that is all it was, just nerves of the occassion, one table, semi final, they would be superhuman not to let the occassion get to them. I think Walden handled better than Hawkins who I thought was very poor and showing up the weakness in his cue action and why natural players will always tend to excel better at the game and play better under pressure. He is your typical coached player and has to have the same set routine for each and every shot, when under pressure it shows up the limitations of a player. despite Walden also feeling it, you could see that in the balls his natural flare and ability was the reason he was able to score pretty heavily.

IMO whoever reaches the final and I'd be shocked if it wasn't Walden, they will probably play with less pressure because they won't be expected to win or even put up much of a challenge.

[Mr Snooker]

I agree Cue and Willie Thorne went on and on about Barry's bad play he needs to understand it is a world championship s/f for both players plus he as never reached the one table situation at the cruciable so what does he know about playing on the one table situation I am sure the play will get better as the match progresses

[vmax4steve]

A lot of this bad play is down to kicks and bad contacts. All four semi finalists were getting them regularly when losing frames and not when winning frames. That stat of Ronnie getting no kicks was bollocks, he just doesn't have the cue ball cleaned when he does. Take note of how many balls are being missed on the thick side as regards to being overcut.
Those who cope with this the best will go through to the final.
Walden has been playing as well as anyone in the tournament so far and I hope he keeps it up all the way to monday evening.

[carlosportsman]

Hawkins played poorly last night and think the general consensus that he is lucky to have 2 frames is correct. It can go two ways for Hawkins he can let his position in the match get him down and continue to play poorly, or he think this is a 4 session match and have played poorly in the first one but still have 2 frames and had chances to win another 2 which isn't a terrible result. Walden looked ok amongst the balls last but I don't think his all round play was that great and whereas Barry's safety and positional play was well below his norm last night, Walden's wasn't that much different to how it has been all tournament so Hawkin's fans shouldn't despair just yet.

[Odrl]

So, the pattern continues... Trump first in, but only scores 1 and 27 from his two chances, while O'Sullivan clears up. If I'm not mistaken, O'Sullivan hasn't been behind in any match since trailing Campbell 1-0.

[cueman]

Not having a great run of the ball again Judd. First frame I thought he was unlucky to finish hampered on the pink and then in dropping it in it was definitely set right but the table drifted and it hit near jaw. 2nd frame in again and gets another kick on a red to the same middle pocket.

[nrage]

Not having a great run of the ball again Judd. First frame I thought he was unlucky to finish hampered on the pink and then in dropping it in it was definitely set right but the table drifted and it hit near jaw. 2nd frame in again and gets another kick on a red to the same middle pocket.

Did you hear Steven Hendry's commentary on that.. basically the positional shot on the black before was off by 2 inches.. not a lot, but enough to force him to rely a little on luck for the position on the pink. The pink definitely drifted a little, but that is not unexpected on a shot across the nap like that - even on these fine cloths.

The kick on the red was just plain old bad luck.. unless he struck down slightly and jumped the white??

[Odrl]

Not having a great run of the ball again Judd. First frame I thought he was unlucky to finish hampered on the pink and then in dropping it in it was definitely set right but the table drifted and it hit near jaw. 2nd frame in again and gets another kick on a red to the same middle pocket.

Yeah, that pink did look in when he hit it.

O'Sullivan has never been behind in this match, but I still kind of feel like he is hanging on at the moment, because he isn't getting in from distance, and he isn't putting Trump under pressure with the safety. If Trump starts scoring, he could take control of the match.

[nrage]

Ronnie just got a kick on that black .. but you could see the white leave the bed of the table as he struck it.. cueing down on the ball that time. I wonder if they'll count that toward Ronnie's kick count?

[cueman]

Ronnie just got a kick on that black .. but you could see the white leave the bed of the table as he struck it.. cueing down on the ball that time. I wonder if they'll count that toward Ronnie's kick count?

Its hard to detect some kicks, they don't jump but they just go thick. I've even had kicks go thin before, explain that!

[Odrl]

Another 26 from Trump, and once again O'Sullivan is in with an easy chance.

[usasnooker]

Tap the table once or twice, Judd. Ronnie is playing some terrific safety this frame. Show some respect for him.

[jim evans]

they are both a bit out of sorts at moment

[Ronnie's tip]

Just turned the match on and ROS misses a red......*sigh*.