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Ssb - the final: Who will have the x-factor?
An incredible finish to last night’s semi-final has set up a 12bet.com UK Championship semi-final between two of snooker’s all time greats.
Mark Williams must be wondering how he has made it this far. When Shaun Murphy upped his game to move from 6-3 down to lead 8-6 the Welshman looked set for defeat.
But cometh the hour, cometh the man. Williams suddenly started knocking in the long balls and drew level.
The last red of the decider, potted from distance, was a worthy ball to win any match and for Williams to keep his cool in such a situation proves just what a great player he is.
So it’s Higgins v Williams for the UK title, just as it was ten years ago when Higgins prevailed 10-4.
What does it say about snooker that the same two players could make the final a decade on?
Well, the real question should be what does it say about these two? And the answer is that they are still, on their day, ahead of the pack, as that other member of the class of 1992, Ronnie O’Sullivan can also be.
What these three have is not just the skill and experience but also the class to kill matches off.
Like any major final, today’s Telford burn-up will be a test of skill, heart and nerve. Higgins and Williams have all three in spades.
They are each gunning for a third UK title. Higgins won the tournament in 1998 and 2000, Williams in 1999 and 2002.
For Williams it would be his first ranking title in the UK since the 2003 LG Cup.
For Higgins it would bring the curtain down on the most tumultuous year of his life in upbeat fashion and restore him to top spot in the rankings.
For snooker fans it should be a real treat.
More...
Mark Williams must be wondering how he has made it this far. When Shaun Murphy upped his game to move from 6-3 down to lead 8-6 the Welshman looked set for defeat.
But cometh the hour, cometh the man. Williams suddenly started knocking in the long balls and drew level.
The last red of the decider, potted from distance, was a worthy ball to win any match and for Williams to keep his cool in such a situation proves just what a great player he is.
So it’s Higgins v Williams for the UK title, just as it was ten years ago when Higgins prevailed 10-4.
What does it say about snooker that the same two players could make the final a decade on?
Well, the real question should be what does it say about these two? And the answer is that they are still, on their day, ahead of the pack, as that other member of the class of 1992, Ronnie O’Sullivan can also be.
What these three have is not just the skill and experience but also the class to kill matches off.
Like any major final, today’s Telford burn-up will be a test of skill, heart and nerve. Higgins and Williams have all three in spades.
They are each gunning for a third UK title. Higgins won the tournament in 1998 and 2000, Williams in 1999 and 2002.
For Williams it would be his first ranking title in the UK since the 2003 LG Cup.
For Higgins it would bring the curtain down on the most tumultuous year of his life in upbeat fashion and restore him to top spot in the rankings.
For snooker fans it should be a real treat.
More...
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