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Ssb - robertson crash lands
It'll be interesting to hear from the players but I have to say I like the open plan arena at the Tempodrom in Berlin.
It gives the audience the chance to watch every match and creates a really good atmosphere in the room.
There wasn't much evidence yesterday that the players are distracted by it...time will tell whether it's judged a success.
The crowds were certainly very good and treated to an interesting day's play that culminated in the elimination of world champion Neil Robertson.
After all the passport trouble he arrived at the venue with little time to spare and was clearly sluggish early on.
Anthony Hamilton made hay, making a series of big breaks including two centuries to lead 4-2.
Then, the Aussie produced some typically fine back-to-the-wall snooker to draw level and the stage seemed set for his eventual scraping over the line.
However, Hamilton saved his best for last, making another century to clinch a 5-4 victory.
Perhaps the biggest shock of the day, though, was Joe Swail's 5-3 defeat of his fellow Northern Irishman Mark Allen.
Swail had no form whatsoever to speak of; Allen had been a semi-finalist in the UK Championship and the Masters.
It proves that it is basically all on the day on a circuit full of talent.
John Higgins was the last player to win a major ranking event staged in Germany and starts his berlin campaign against Robert Milkins, runner-up to Nigel Bond in the Shootout at the weekend.
The last 16 of the German Masters will also be played today, with Stephen Hendry hoping to follow up his encouraging win over Judd Trump yesterday by beating Mark Selby.
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It gives the audience the chance to watch every match and creates a really good atmosphere in the room.
There wasn't much evidence yesterday that the players are distracted by it...time will tell whether it's judged a success.
The crowds were certainly very good and treated to an interesting day's play that culminated in the elimination of world champion Neil Robertson.
After all the passport trouble he arrived at the venue with little time to spare and was clearly sluggish early on.
Anthony Hamilton made hay, making a series of big breaks including two centuries to lead 4-2.
Then, the Aussie produced some typically fine back-to-the-wall snooker to draw level and the stage seemed set for his eventual scraping over the line.
However, Hamilton saved his best for last, making another century to clinch a 5-4 victory.
Perhaps the biggest shock of the day, though, was Joe Swail's 5-3 defeat of his fellow Northern Irishman Mark Allen.
Swail had no form whatsoever to speak of; Allen had been a semi-finalist in the UK Championship and the Masters.
It proves that it is basically all on the day on a circuit full of talent.
John Higgins was the last player to win a major ranking event staged in Germany and starts his berlin campaign against Robert Milkins, runner-up to Nigel Bond in the Shootout at the weekend.
The last 16 of the German Masters will also be played today, with Stephen Hendry hoping to follow up his encouraging win over Judd Trump yesterday by beating Mark Selby.
More...