Congratulations to Dave Harold for beating Ken Doherty 5-0 in the final of the Swiss Open.
This is the latest in a number of satellite events around Europe that are not only providing players with opportunities to get some good match practice but are also spreading the snooker word.
Dave is now 40 and one of a number of players who could figure in a World Seniors Championship, were such a thing to be organised.
The last, and indeed only, Seniors World Championship was staged some 16 years ago when Cliff Wilson beat Eddie Charlton in the final, with the tournament open to over 40s.
Think of the quality of the field using the same criteria today: main tour players Steve Davis, Jimmy White, John Parrott, Harold, Nigel Bond, Tony Drago and David Roe and possibly the likes of Tony Knowles, Mike Hallett, Willie Thorne, Cliff Thorburn, Darren Morgan, Joe Johnson and Alex Higgins.
Stephen Hendry himself turns 40 in just over a year's time and Ken Doherty and Peter Ebdon aren't far behind.
Would anyone else like to see such an event?
6 comments:
I’m all for that, Dave!!!... I'd even go as far as to say that I'd love to see a Seniors' Tour, the last event of which being a World Championship. People have been talking about that but European household names have been missing – still are but, as you have pointed out, not for long. However, organisers can’t and shouldn’t capitalize (and count) on people’s nostalgia as their only or main asset – the standard of these players must be good.
It’s true that even the MT events are struggling for sponsorship, but I am sure there are plenty of fans ready to turn out for the stars of yesteryear and this could make it interesting for sponsors as well.
I’m sure I read something, somewhere about Cliff and Steve being very keen to be involved with such a project.
Can't see Hendry wanting to get involved with this. He's notoriously sensitive about his age.
I think that the great WT lays claim to being the current Seniors World Champion having beaten runner up Cliff Thorburn, in what was incidentally the first snooker tournament broadcast live on the internet.
Hi Dave,
Thanks for mentioning the Swiss Open here on the Snooker Scene blog. I wanted to pop down to Zofingen to see it this year but have simply been way too busy. My blog is suffering too! It's a great event that's organised by Bashkim Azizaj, or Baki as we all know him over here. I've played in it a couple of times myself. My last "competitive" match was a few years ago in the Swiss Open against Tom Ford, ...naturally, he thrashed me! The results of the knockout phase from this years competition can be seen here.
Andy
Would love a Seniors event. I have 'Seniors Pot Black 1997', was nice to watch.
'Ralph.holt' - it was the Seniors Masters which Willie Thorne won. Wasnt it shown on Sky too though?
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