First up, here’s Phil Yates in The Times on the importance of Ronnie O’Sullivan to a sport seemingly going nowhere.
Second, what about Mark King? He needed three snookers on the brown in the decider against Ricky Walden and ended up cutting in a very difficult black to beat him, proving that a never-say-die attitude can sometimes pay dividends.
So, today it’s O’Sullivan v John Higgins. The top two seeds usually wouldn’t meet until the final so this is tough for both to take.
Higgins played much better than O’Sullivan in their respective first round matches and will also enjoy plenty of support in his home city.
However, whenever two greats of the game like this meet it’s just on the day. My advice: sit back and enjoy.
Mark Allen and Jamie Cope, two rising stars, are unlikely to detain spectators on table two for very long regardless of the score in their match.
Tonight it’s Neil Robertson, who will need his wits about him when he plays the resurgent Ken Doherty.
And Joe Perry will attempt to succeed where Shaun Murphy failed and get past the battling Barry Pinches.
The second round draw has thrown up some interesting matches, none more so than Higgins v O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry v Mark Williams: the four best players of the last 15 years locking horns once again.
10 comments:
Get off the fence Dave!
why should he, if its not making him itchy?
Few would argue that O'Sullivan V Higgins is the big tie of the round, so why on earth don't World Snooker and the BBC have the wit to move it to prime time in the evening when more people can enjoy it?
That's what happens in the FA Cup, in darts matches involving popular players like Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld, so why not snooker as well?
Instead, two of snooker's greatest ever and most popular players are playing when many people are in work. Pathetic!
Cope v Allen is the tie of the round for me. Nice that the beeb have chosen to put it on when most of us can't watch it!
Hi Dave, just wondering, why are tomorrow's matches starting at the earlier time of 1pm, instead of 2pm like today?? Is that correct? Eurosport don't seem to be showing coverage till 1.45pm tomorrow?? I'm hoping it is a 2pm start and there was a mistake.
Also, will the draw for the next round be done tomorrow?
Thanks
Graham
just proves my post of yesterday that people only want to see the big names,the draw was only made yesterday and the ronnie and higgings is packed out ! Once again it says to me that people know about the event but dont want to watch the less a known players.
The draw is tomorrow at 7pm. Play apparently starts at 1pm. The snooker may be on Eurosport earlier than advertised depending on the tennis.
Thanks Dave, can't wait for Hendry v Williams tomorrow!!
Today's match was a cracker...
G
Not wishing to contradict the wonderful Phil, but Doherty did lose twice to White in the qualifiers last year so it wasn't just a case of the Irishman being older and losing out to lots of young bucks at Prestatyn. In fact, I think we're unlikely ever to be told what caused the extraordinary turmoil in Doherty's career - the speed with which he's bounced back suggests it wasn't anything technical.
for me a breakaway tour is needed, I know snooker s strugglng but I dont thnk world snooker s doing enougth.
the players need to get together like the darts players did and make some tought choices.
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