4.5.10

THE WORLD TURNS FOR ROBERTSON

Many congratulations to Neil Robertson for winning the Betfred.com World Championship.

Neil is a nice guy, a great player and will be a terrific world champion for snooker.

His Crucible tussle with Graeme Dott was not, in terms of standard, of the finest vintage. Both players looked drained after a long tournament and their concentration wandered as the pace of play slowed down.

But this should not detract from Robertson's achievement.

Some snooker players don't like travelling abroad to play in events.

Neil has had to move to the other side of the world to pursue his profession. It was very hard to walk out on his family and friends in Melbourne and spend nine months of the year away from them, which is why it was a heartwarming moment to see his mother, Amanda, embrace him in the arena after the final.

Credit too must go to Dott for the way he has turned things around. Just two years ago he didn't want to play. Now he has figured in a third world final and will be back in the top 16.

The scheduling didn't help matters and is one of a number of issues snooker needs to address after a thrilling tournament that nevertheless ended on a sour note with the John Higgins story.

But nothing should take away from the glory of Robertson's moment: he worked for it, he earned it and he should enjoy it.

28 comments:

Unknown said...

His mother's name is Alison - god knows thwe commentators have mentioned it enough..

CHRISK5 said...

Robertson got dealt a good set of cards with his draw - O'Brien,
Gould,Davis,Carter & Dott.

However,Robbo deserves his World Title for all his sacrifices &
being the best allround player
for the season as a whole.

His long potting,temprement & tactical game are top notch - If his cueball control could be a bit more improved & tighter,
he would be virtually unbeatable.

And did I forget to mention Robbo was my number 1 tip for the title!

Just as important - The result gives Snooker a perfect opportunity to expand & a
new ranking event in Australia must be a top priority on the back of this!

Anonymous said...

It was to late for me. After frame 29, i went to bed. It was 1 A.M on the continent (you know, the big thing under the channel). So sorry the climax of the season was during the night. What a strange way to promote snooker...

Anonymous said...

A very poor final that shows the tournament is just too long. The 2nd round should be best of 19, the semis should be played over two days and not three.

Devil's Advocate said...

First of all, many congratulations to Neil Robertson who generally speaking was superb in the tournament. he is one of my favourite players and there can be no doubt about his class and track record as a winner.

That said, it was probably the least enjoyable final I've watched in the 15-16 years that I've been a fan of the sport. Part of this was down to the two players not being quite at their best but this is the final of the World Championship so this is understandable to a degree.

But the scheduling of the final was, with due respect, an absolute disgrace. Graham Fry and Barbara Slater have got a lot to answer for if they think it's acceptable for 3pm and 8pm starts on the final day of the Championship.

Even if Graeme Dott by his own admission wasn't playing well, it's absurd that he was in a position where he still needed 5 frames to win - at half past midnight.

To be fair, Steve Davis and John Parrott could barely hide their anger at the late finish when talking about it just before the final frame. Davis was advocating Noon and 6pm starts.

Sadly, I don't expect this to change even if Barry Hearn wants it to. No-one has learnt the lessons of the past few years and the BBC continue to put their own vested interests before that of the players and viewers. It's as if they think that every final should finish as late as 1985 did.

I don't think their overall coverage is anywhere near as bad as some would like to make out but there can be no doubt that the editorial and scheduling decisions have got weaker and weaker over the years and it now wouldn't come as that big a disappointment if Hearn chose top go with another broadcaster.

volunteer said...

I had to stop watching at around 1:30am (CEST), after Neil won his 17th frame. What a tense drama it was - not of the highest class, but exciting and entertaining. The match was actually much closer than the final score suggests, and I think that Graeme Dott earns all the respect that he can get for his performance during the entire tournament. But congratulations go to Neil Robertson, who is a well-deserved champion!
One thing bothers me though: I think that the player of the second semi-final has a definite disadvantage in the final. Dott lost this match on sunday evening, when after an exhausting saturday night thriller against Selby he just seemed too tired to keep his eyes open. The same thing happened to Shaun Murphy last year after his battle against Neil in the semis, who was then smashed far below his standards by John Higgins. I think there should be a one day break between the semis and the final in order to give both players an equal chance to recover. I am aware that this would be tough to schedule, but it can't be right to have a 17 days event to find the best player in the world, and then to rush the final and watch one of the players dead on his feet.

Anonymous said...

why such a late starts for final sessions-or is it a goal for people to fall asleep in front of TV-s?:)
+2 GMT

Anonymous said...

Snooker © The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Hello Dave
How are you! Thanks for the posts lad, though I am sorry that the “Mafia” got to you over my last few contributions.
I don’t blame you Dave though your blog is going from strength to strength you are still only “Small Fry” amongst a shawl of sharks. Congratulations again to the Dave Den blog.

Barry and Steve is trying really hard to get a “Knight of the Realm” posted to the WPBSA board though it was the two “Principle Actors” in today’s drama along with Barry that put Steve there under the guise of SPA President.

It was very good of you Dave not to shoot the wee man from Glasgow, or even wound him. The lynch mob is being led sadly by another “Holier than though” individual or brigade.

I think Barry has a good “Get out Clause” for not quitting and having a policeman on the board should not mean something or confuse the voting on the “Commercial Rights” demand.

Barry and Steve should be judged on there pledge of “Transparency” and “Complete Honesty” the very words (without demands) that ousted Sir Rodney. Mr hey you

Anonymous said...

We also got a great many shots of Ebbo.
Anyway, well done Neil. Graeme didn't look too shattered.
Will Neil become number one in the rankings if and when John gets banned? And won't that benefit Jamie Cope as well?

Anonymous said...

Robbo was rubbish in the final but we all know how well he can play and now he has won the biggie he'll be a threat in every tournament because he can relax and he has nothing left to prove.

Hopefully now Mark Selby can get a World title under his belt and the rivalry between the pair of them can be the focus of the next 5 years or so at the top of the sport. Exciting times ahead once the clear out has taken effect.

Anonymous said...

Robbo will be remembered as one of the worst World champions of all time when the defining history of this great game is written.
He's basically Mark King with hair.

jamie brannon said...

Went to buy the April issue of Snooker Scene in the faint hope it might still be on the shelves, but it wasn't. Is there any way of getting a copy of it still as its the first one I have missed for about 3 years.

Maza said...

Well done robbo.

There was strong tv ratings for the beebs as well.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/may/04/snooker-final-tv-ratings

moondan said...

I enjoyed the final but the Higgins affair crept into my thoughts all too often.
I dont think it can be overstated the effect this may have had on the players.
Can anyone imagine the disruption to the players pre match mental preparation? that had to be a nuclear bomb that exploded in their heads.
Im very traditionalist with snooker and am disturbed that some want to see change to the format.
I agree the old starting time of 2pm and 7 pm would be better but leave this legendary competition as it is.
Sheffield has never been about pretty snooker, its snookers sternest test and therein lies its virtues so dont tamper with that.
17 days at sheffield is a national treasure, its difficulties are legendary and its players are laid bare and we all love that as they struggle to cross the line.
A big break is remembered for 5 minutes, a nervy tactical frame can have you on the edge of your seats for an hour, the pressure building on both player and viewer and as the 80s proved, thats the hook.

The advancement of conditions have given the player the perfect enviroment to play, we have never had such exciting players in depth yet we struggle to find the answer.

Anyway snooker had a lucky break last night Robbo did what he had to do, and thats what its all about at sheffield.
He gets a big thunbs up from me.
Ranker in aussie before the next season ends.

Betty Logan said...

It has to be said Robertson had an easy draw - he didn't come up against any real top drawer opposition. Carter's a very good player, but isn't a Ronnie, Higgins or Murphy. We all know how well Robertson can play, but he's played better in tournaments and been knocked out - this season he produced splendid displays at the UK and Masters and still went out. To be fair though I think his performance against Higgins at the Grand Prix warranted a world class reputation and now he's got one. If you can't restore interest in snooker in Australia with a flair player like Robertson now at the the top of the game then you never will, so I expect Barry Hearn to strike while the iron's hot.

I think it's good idea to have a day off between semis and the final (could fill the day off with a seniors pot black), so maybe turn the semis into three sessions over two days: 10-9-10; it would mean that players would play no more than 19 frames in a day (i.e. no more than a Masters or UK final) and that would make the frame count 29 frames - only two frames short of the traditional length and that would give the players a day off. The championship in bygone years started on a Friday and finished on a Sunday which would help international viewers who don't have the benefit of a bank holiday Monday. And let's stick to the normal session times: 2.30 and 7.00 - they worked fine through the tournament so why alter them??

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't overreact to the problem with late finishes, because its really easy to fix

keep the two table situation for the semis, that way you can get them finished in 2 days and keep them as best of 31 (they should be longer than the quarter finals)

introduce a rest day between the semis and final, which would remain on sunday and bank holiday monday

start the final at 2pm and 7pm on both days

Anonymous said...

Jamie get yourself a yearly suscription lad, delivered straight to your door - at just £30 it's, great value - the address is in last month's issue.

Anonymous said...

Anon @ 3.21pm... That's a very unfair comment on Neil Robertson. Mark King has never won a Ranking Event. Neil has, so he's hardly a Mark King!

Anonymous said...

"A very poor final that shows the tournament is just too long. The 2nd round should be best of 19, the semis should be played over two days and not three."
__________________________________

wrong.

the reason its long is it separates the men from the boys. reducing it would only make it run of the mill.

Anonymous said...

the reason its long is it separates the men from the boys. reducing it would only make it run of the mill.
__________________________________

wrong.

Longer matches just emphasize the gulf between the good and the mediocre.

Best of 19 frames are still long matches - they are not run of the mill.

And having semi finals lasting over a longer period of time than the final makes the sport a complete laughing stock.

Anonymous said...

Snooker © The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Dear Dave
How are you! Thanks for the posts you have been very brave. Good luck on snookers big day I hope the right options are made for snooker welfare and not personal gains.

There is going to be a lot of discord and so called proof of misplaced logic. I hope that the great truth about Barry and Matchroom is offered and is made crystal clear.

If you get rid of you chairman (says Barry) I will stand as chairman with the election pledge of “Transparency” and “Complete Honesty”. The only part Barry missed out was that he would also introduce his own personal police force and snookers “Commercial Rights”

These points should be made before the vote. Mr hey you

Keith said...

Semis over 3 sessions, a total of 16 days ending on the Sunday. A Bank holiday finish is just too UK-centric.

Anonymous said...

Anon @ 9.39PM - I don't think it is unfair (OK he's better than Mark King) but he beat 4 qualifiers and a battle weary Ali Carter to win it. While this isn't Robertson's fault he made really hard work of seeing off O'Brien, Gould and a dead-on-his-feet Dott.

Can you name 3 Crucible champions he's better than? I bet you can't, anf if you can't then he must be one of the worst ever winners.

Anonymous said...

The man's been champion less than two days and you're rubbishing his achievements

That says more about you than him

Loser

Anonymous said...

There have been many knee-jerk reactions in snooker and plenty of jerks to make them and I dont see that changing anytime soon.

The only thing I can say to all malcontents is, you should find another passtime before your mistaken views do this game more damage.
Snooker is seriously healthy as a game, the only reason it is enduring partial hibernation is because of the seriousness of the world recession.
All this rubbish about the game is dying has been whipped up by factions within snooker that have their own agenda.
The 85 final was watched by 18 million people. How many watched Ding win the uk? Half a billion?
And snooker is dying?
Snookers in rude health with a very rosy future.
I know that, Hearn knows that and that is why he made his move now.
Eurosports contracts come up for renewal within 12 months and Hearn had to have control of that.

Unknown said...

Mr Anonymous 9:40 AM

O brien: 10-5 score is not good enough a sign of comfortable win?

Gould: Based on the opening 2 sessions, everyone thought Hendry or O Sullivan had shown up wearing a Gould face mask. The way Gould was making breaks was unbelievable. Robertson hauled him in when it all looked lost.

Davis: Robbo beat this crap past-it player who oh wait a min, beat the incumbent champion in the previous round while playing some of his finest snooker reminiscent of his 80s heyday.

Carter: same bloke who while not in Higgins or Williams's class, takes some beating. Robbo subdued Carter all the way.

Dott: Graeme's attacking style won over his detractors who previously found him boring and more than proved he is a deserving former world champion. Went out of steam in the final day but Robbo just had enough to see Dott off who himslef saw off the likes of Allen and Maguire.

If thats not good enough, i dont know what is.

jamie brannon said...

Unfortunately I can't quite afford it in one go. I thought the new one might not be out yet and the April issue might still be in the shops but that doesn't seem to be case.

jamie brannon said...

I think Robertson deserves plenty of credit as at the end-of-the day he won the title, but he was not at his best in this event and the draw was not as tough as it say was for Selby or Dott, but there is nothing Neil could do about that.

It was ashame the last few days didn't match the excitement of the second round and quarter-finals.