Next Player To Complete the Triple Crown

[gettingbetter]

With the World Championships soon approaching and Selby's recent triumph at the Masters, I am wondering who you think will win the next Triple Crown. For those who don't know, the Triple Crown is like a career grand slam in tennis. A snooker player needs to win the UK Championship, the Masters and the World Championship to be claim the Triple Crown.

In the Triple Crown Club: Hendry, Davis O'Sullivan, J. Higgins, Williams, A. Higgins and Griffiths.

Those who have won two of the big three are (and still competing): Selby, Junhui, Ebdon, Robertson, Murphy, Stevens and White.

There are others who have won one and are still competing such as Trump, Maguire, Doherty and possibly one or two others.

My pick would be Ding.

[cueman]

Obviously its a little flawed to ask this question mid season with the world championships just a couple of months away as there are only a few players on that list who can achieve that this year, with Selby obviously a massive odds on to do it given current form.

I think its likely that at least 2 or 3 on that list will do this over the next 5-6 years, I think Ding, Selby, Robertson and Murphy are too good not to do it and time is very much on their sides too, the only obstacle will be the new ranking system which could mean that the Masters will probably see a different top 16 every year and possibly some big current names missing out on that event. It will be a lot harder to win this over the coming years, especially with so many good players around and coming through.

[Odrl]

This is a really tough one to answer, it's more about guessing than anything else... You can predict how much a player is likely to win, how many majors throughout the course of their career, but you can't really guess exactly which events they will win. I mean, Shaun Murphy could add a couple of UK Championship titles without ever winning the Masters, or the other way around with Neil Robertson.

Obviously we can rule out Jimmy White, as he has no chance of winning the WC at this point. And I think Stevens is a longshot as well. His UK and Masters titles are the only major ones he has won in his career, and if he couldn't win the WC in his prime, he won't do it now, with his game losing its edge and his weaknesses still very much there.

Doherty is not really challenging for titles anymore, so he is out as well. On the other hand, Ebdon is still pretty dangerous, but he has traditionally struggled at the Masters, so it's tough to see him winning it. Especially as he isn't guaranteed regular appearances anymore. Dott also doesn't have a realistic chance at the Triple Crown, as he is approaching the end of his prime, and he has only won two major events in his career so far.

Stephen Maguire could do it, but he is very unlikely to be the next one, as he still needs two. And he hasn't won a ranking event in four years anyway.

Which leaves us with five of the more realistic options. Shaun Murphy still needs the Masters, an event he had struggled with prior to last year, but he seems to have adapted well to the venue change and came quite close in the last two years. Still, he has also been waiting for a major title for four years now, so I would bet against him.

Selby and Ding have the first shot at this, if they can win the WC this year. Personally, I don't think Selby will do it. He has already broken a couple of records this year, adding the WC as well would be quite something. With the exception of Higgins, players who have come to the WC on the back of great seasons in recent times have mostly disappointed. On the other hand, Ding has been poor so far this season, so it will be interesting to see whether he can build up his form at the right time. I'm tempted to vote for him. But I guess there are too many players who need WC titles, and not enough titles available. Let's say John Higgins wins it this year, followed by Trump, then Murphy, and by that time someone like Robertson could easily get that missing UK title and get the Triple Crown first. :smile:

Yes, Robertson looks like a pretty good bet. There is no particular reason why he hasn't won the UK before, he doesn't struggle with the format or the venue or anything like that, it's just that his titles have come in other tournaments. If he survives the Ding/Selby threat this year, he probably goes favourite.

And that just leaves Trump... Well, he will probably get there at some point in his career, perhaps in the near future, but he currently still needs two of the three. But if he can win the WC this year, I certainly wouldn't bet against him getting there in January 2014. :smile:

But as I said, this is guesswork more than anything. And on that note, my guess is Robertson. :wink:

[SouthPaw]

Robertson for sure in my eyes later this year in the UK or maybe the following! Though Ding could easily win the World and ruin my thought process! Selby won't win the World this year, or next year, or the year after that, and so on =p...

[ADR147]

well robertson is the obvious choice because he already has two of them including the hardest to win.

[haggishunter]

I always thought they had to win all three in the same season?

But I think Robertson for the reasons given above.

[willvallely]

not ding, always fails at the worlds for some reason. I fancy selby this year or robertson to do it.

[gettingbetter]

I always thought they had to win all three in the same season?

But I think Robertson for the reasons given above.

That is not the case. That would be called a season Triple Crown or something of the like, similar to a year grand slam. Only Hendry (twice), Davis and Williams have completed the three.

[haggishunter]

That is not the case. That would be called a season Triple Crown or something of the like, similar to a year grand slam. Only Hendry (twice), Davis and Williams have completed the three.

Ah i see, thanks for clearing that up.

[CueInAction]

Selby in with a great chance to bag a season triple crown. Only Davis, Hendry(x2) & Williams achieving it before would put him in with an elite group and would crown an impressive season for him.

Roberston is another very good bet, but as the UK has a shorter structure than the Worlds, it makes the competition more of a crapshoot meaning more players are capable of winning it outright with a little bit of form on their side.

Ding is a strange one, he is a sensational break builder and when in form is as tough as anybody. The issue I see is that he seems to crumble under pressure in the WC & is a massive underachiever at the crucible. He has plenty of time on his side and I'm sure he will get his crown one day, but I see Selby & Roberston having a great chance of achieving this over the next 18 months

[willvallely]

couldn't agree more

[xiaoceguancaitou]

Judd or ding~

[david16]

I always thought they had to win all three in the same season?

Absolutely right.

Parrott never won the world/uk double despite what so many people thought.

Parrott won the world and the uk in the same calendar year, but not in the same season.

[david16]

That is not the case. That would be called a season Triple Crown or something of the like, similar to a year grand slam. Only Hendry (twice), Davis and Williams have completed the three.

A season in snooker is not a calendar year the way it is in golf and tennis.

A snooker season incorporates 2 different calendar years, so Parrott's so called 1991 world/uk double was not really a double after all.

[SnookerFan]

I confidently predict Jimmy White will win at The Crucible this year.