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Ssb - and the winner is...
The season just gone will be celebrated at the World Snooker awards in London tonight.
The truth is, though, that there was no one definitive player of the year. At various points in the campaign, various players were on top.
Mark Selby won two of the three big titles – the UK Championship and Masters – and ended the season as world no.1 but at other times, most notably the Crucible, did not impress.
Neil Robertson was arguably the most consistent of all, reaching four major finals and winning one, the China Open.
Judd Trump set a new centuries record, won the new International Championship and was twice world no.1
All 11 ranking titles were won by a different player, the last of them by Ronnie O’Sullivan. The world champion is traditionally a strong contender for the overall prize but as O’Sullivan didn’t play in any of the other major tournaments his claim on the prize is tenuous.
One player who deserves recognition of some sort is Barry Hawkins. He began the season outside the top 16 but has ended it as world no.9 having won his first ranking title and contributed to a terrific world final.
Pankaj Advani must be favourite for the Rookie of the Year prize having reached the quarter-finals of the Welsh Open.
Many players have enjoyed pockets of success during the longest, busiest snooker season in history. With nearly 30 tournaments big and small, the opportunity to play and to achieve has been unprecedented.
There have been many great matches, frames, moments and stories but there almost isn’t time to consider them.
Q School starts at the weekend to find new professionals for next season, and then we’re off and running again.
More...
The truth is, though, that there was no one definitive player of the year. At various points in the campaign, various players were on top.
Mark Selby won two of the three big titles – the UK Championship and Masters – and ended the season as world no.1 but at other times, most notably the Crucible, did not impress.
Neil Robertson was arguably the most consistent of all, reaching four major finals and winning one, the China Open.
Judd Trump set a new centuries record, won the new International Championship and was twice world no.1
All 11 ranking titles were won by a different player, the last of them by Ronnie O’Sullivan. The world champion is traditionally a strong contender for the overall prize but as O’Sullivan didn’t play in any of the other major tournaments his claim on the prize is tenuous.
One player who deserves recognition of some sort is Barry Hawkins. He began the season outside the top 16 but has ended it as world no.9 having won his first ranking title and contributed to a terrific world final.
Pankaj Advani must be favourite for the Rookie of the Year prize having reached the quarter-finals of the Welsh Open.
Many players have enjoyed pockets of success during the longest, busiest snooker season in history. With nearly 30 tournaments big and small, the opportunity to play and to achieve has been unprecedented.
There have been many great matches, frames, moments and stories but there almost isn’t time to consider them.
Q School starts at the weekend to find new professionals for next season, and then we’re off and running again.
More...
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