26.9.10

LAST FOUR STANDING

Ronnie O’Sullivan played some wonderful snooker last night to beat Stephen Maguire 3-1 and reach the semi-finals of the 12bet.com World Open in Glasgow.

This was O’Sullivan at his imperious best: heavy scoring, good safety, full commitment.

“I’ve never doubted my resilience. I know what I’m capable of and what’s inside me,” said O’Sullivan, who is looking for his first ranking title since he won the Shanghai Masters just over a year ago.

His talent is extraordinary but he doesn’t quite seem to recognise just how extraordinary it is.

Today, he faces a semi-final slog against Peter Ebdon, who hasn’t beaten him since THAT World Championship quarter-final in 2005.

“Thank God it’s only five frames,” was O’Sullivan’s typically brutal response to the news he would have to face snooker’s most methodical exponent again.

Ebdon hasn’t played his best stuff yet this week but the re-spotted black he slotted home in the third frame against Martin Gould yesterday was, under the circumstances, the best pot of the tournament.

If O’Sullivan is at all complacent he may come unstuck against the redoubtable 2002 world champion.

But I’d expect Ronnie to come through to the final, where he would face another great talent in Neil Robertson or Mark Williams.

Robertson is already world champion and is guaranteed to be official world no.1 after the World Open.

Williams became the first player to recover from 2-0 down and win a match in Glasgow this week when he exposed Ding Junhui’s frailties in the quarter-finals.

Yes, a short match is hard to call but I’d make Williams the slight favourite.

But with four world champions through to the semi-finals we’re guaranteed a fascinating day’s snooker.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Four world champions in the semi-finals?
Everyone seemed to think we'd be seeing a lopsided event with Mark Davis playing Marcus Campbell and Liu Song versus Andrew Higginson.
Long frame snooker is dead and the quick fix which has revolutionised cricket is here to stay.

Anonymous said...

A superb days snooker in store, what a success this new format has been and the last four have held a 'few' titles between them over the years. Not the lottery everyone expected.

Dave, on another note, what is your take on the EGM that is being called for early November where Doyle, McMahon and Nigel Bond are trying to get a place on the board, and why does it only take seven players to call this EGM.

Dave H said...

I think that anyone who votes for them would be absolutely crazy

Anonymous said...

I am sure Nigel Bond would offer plenty to any board.
He is such an extrovert.

Anonymous said...

why do you think that Dave?

CHRISK5 said...

Of the four semi-finalists - Ebdon
is definetly the Wildcard,in every
sense of the word !

I agree the World Open has been
a success - but let's not get carried away & say this should be
the norm for all events.

Have this format for 2 or 3 televised ranking events max,but
more than that would be foolhardy.

As it is,The World Open has added to the blend of formats that the
snooker tour needed to undertake,
but the thesis remains where you need your sprints,middle distance &
marathons.

The BBC put up with the stale
Grand Prix for 15 years - so why on earth would they drop the
rebranded & revitalised WO version which has delivered bigtime -
in any event,I am sure there would
be many takers if it went on offer.

Dave H said...

Because these people had their chance. For snooker to move in a new direction the new regime should be given theirs.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if all those who wanted the rankings updated 3 times a year are quite as happy now that Peter Ebdon has re-joined after 2 ranking events! Peter is one of the players that the old system was supposedly "protecting", yet he's back in after beating Steve Davis, Fergal O'Brien, Liu Song and Martin Gould - all players well outside the top 16.

CHRISK5 said...

It's World Open Finals Day - yet
an EGM in November is taking up
column inches ?

No offence to Doyle,McMahon & Bond,
but what possible influence can they have if they get their way.

After the decisive EGM in June,
you would think the whole process
is now an irrelevance in the bigger
scheme of things.

What's the motive - expanding
the Seniors Tour or something ?

Anonymous said...

yes but now its all change

the WPBSA Does not run the sport World Snooker Ltd run by Barry Hearn does so even if they are on the board they cant do nothing to disrupt the running of the sport.

Anonymous said...

If they can, they will

They backed the wrong side and should get over it

Anonymous said...

the war in snooker will never end while 110 are involved.

Anonymous said...

“Whoever comes out the winner at the other end, there should be a shaking of hands and none of the acrimony that has belittled snooker for so long" - Stephen Hendry, June 2, 2010

Anonymous said...

when will people get this through their heads there's nothing anyone can do now until Barry Hearn sells off his shares he owns the sport.

Anonymous said...

the War is over Barry Hearn has won the war.

if they on the WPBSA all they involved in is disciplinary proceedings.

Anonymous said...

There are too many people with vested interests in a sport they believe they own for them to slip quietly away.

Anonymous said...

doesn't matter what they believe or not they flogging a dead horse its up to them if they slip away quietly or noisely but they are going to vanish.

Anonymous said...

Doyle - He needs to get his own house in order rather than offering his 'Talent' to Bristol.

McMahon - Who's he?

Bond - LOL


Get over it guys. Hearn, Parker & Co do not want or need your input. You are the forgotten men of snooker, and the only votes you can expect are the 110 ones - assuming they are still that stupid.

And finally, wasn't Doyle & McMahon the deadliest of enemies? Don't tell me they are sharpening their claymores together now.

However, not everything that Baz touches turns to gold. Some of the tracks played between frames are cringeworthy to say the least. Maybe Lee & Jim wanna record their version of "Letter from America".

Some of the above post may contain traces of sarcasm ;o)

Its 1.21pm Dave.

Ali said...

errrm, back to the snooker.

Robertson completes a superb comebacka 'gainst williams. Now for Ronnie v Neil in the final.

The only mistake imo, is the scheduling today. Should have brought everything forward by 1 hour today. Morning session at 1pm, final session at 7pm. Starting at 8, it will be a reasonably late finish and T.V audiences will suffer somewhat.

They really need to sort that out, imo.