There are six world champions in the last eight of the Bank of Beijing China Open.
So much for the players not taking this event seriously...
Deadly rivals Stephen Hendry and Peter Ebdon are never going to be Facebook friends but they have shown their class by shrugging off poor seasons to make the quarter-finals.
Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins may well serve up a snooker classic - they have many times before.
Shaun Murphy faces a tough tie against a resurgent Ryan Day while Graeme Dott meets Stuart Pettman, appearing in his first quarter-final in 17 years as a professional.
Dott, like Hendry and Ebdon, has shown the qualities world champions possess: the ability to dig in and fight for every victory despite the vagaries of form.
He's got as good a chance of any of the quarter-finalists of winning the title.
But with such a high quality line up, who'd want to call it right now?
15 comments:
me!
Higgins
antone know a link to get live snooker? channel surfing not working as im in work ):
This morning, the Eurosport commentator couldn't understand why the referee didn't call touching ball on a black when Hendry was playing out of a snooker (behind the black) on a red.
I only have a basic knowledge of the rules but I know that he doesn't need to say touching ball under those circumstances.
Sounds pedantic I know, but the guy knows diddly about the game and before you ask, it wasn't David H.
Joe just said Peter is playing well this morning....its nearly early evening over there which adds fuel to the fire that the eurosport commentators (or most of them) do their commentating (on overseas) matches from here in the UK.
no shame if indeed that is the case, but why pretend theyre over theyre with other comments?
anyone know for sure?
Ebdon enjoys winning and having a chat at the table after the game.
Doesn't seem to happen when he gets beat though I have noticed.
Anyway, well done Peter, you look to be playing well again.
Perhaps he was asking where the commentary booth is?
In response to Anonymous 2, the live stream is available to TVUPlayer or Sopcast (google it to download software) on channel ShangHai Sports
People,
Regarding the touching ball situation referred to above the ruling is very simple: a touching ball can only be called if the cue ball is touching the ball on or any ball(s) that could be on.
Hence if a player has to play at a red ball and the cue ball is "touching" a colour (black in this example) the referee may not declare touching ball.
Doing so would mean the player could legally play away from the touching ball without making a foul, which in the example is clearly a foul as red was the ball on.
HOWEVER, the striker can/may ask the referee whether the balls are touching. If so requested the referee shall only state "they are touching" but not "touching ball". This could obviously be important to know for the angle at which to play away from the ball, or if the ball just happens to lie in a dent in the cloth or something.
Hope this clears it up a little. Surprised that the commentator didn't know btw...
Never count Ebdon out with the World Champs coming up.
Count Ebdon out of the World Championships coming up.
"He's got as good a chance of any of the quarter-finalists of winning the title"
No he doesn't! But don't take my word for it, look at the bookie's odds. The reason he has a lesser chance than most is because he is rubbish. I know he won the World Championships, but every dog has his day. I regard his victory that year as something of a freak occurence. IIRC he didn't make a single century in the final (about 30 frames) and without exception all his opponents played terribly since then.
He hasn't done much either before or after that tournament he confirm that he's a worthy winner.
Sorry, that last line in the first paragraph should read:
"...all his opponents played terribly against him."
Come on Peter!
Anyone remember Jim Rempe?
personally i am not bothered where they are....but when they say things like
"here in China the players are relaxing between games and theres a good atmosphere backstage"
and then later
"he is playing really well this morning"
when it is 4 or 5pm over there
it is quite clear theyre a bit muxed ip.
as i said it doesnt matter, but at least dont pretend to be there
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