18.1.13

ON YOUR MARKS...

After no deciders at all last year we’ve had six from the first ten matches in this year’s Betfair Masters, including two more yesterday.

Neil Robertson played what he described as the best shot of his career when he potted a red when snookered and made a century to beat Mark Allen.

Last night, Shaun Murphy roared back from 4-1 down to edge John Higgins 6-5, proving once again that there are few better in full attacking mode.

Will the pattern continue today?

JUDD TRUMP v GRAEME DOTT
Trump dodged a Barry Hawkins-sized bullet in the first round while Dott laboured to see off his fellow Scot Stephen Maguire.

Neither man was at their best but came good when it mattered, particularly Trump, who finished off in style with a century.

The last time they met, in China last season, it was Dott who went for everything when 4-1 down. The strategy almost worked before Trump won 5-4.

There’s nothing flash about Dott. He isn’t trying to project any sort of image. What you see is what you get: an honest, hard working and at times very tough match player.

Trump has the flair but Dott has the will to win on the big stage. Even so, I feel the Juddernaut will roll on.

PREDICTION: Trump 6-4


MARK SELBY v MARK WILLIAMS
I think Williams’s slump in form and confidence can be traced back to his 10-9 defeat from 9-7 up to Selby in the 2011 Shanghai Masters final, the red/pink controversy and all.

Williams was poor against Matthew Stevens and claimed afterwards that he had dragged him down.

Selby was inspired in recovering from 5-1 down to see off Stuart Bingham 6-5, producing if anything better snooker than he mustered in winning the UK Championship last month.

Selby has great respect for Williams but will seek to exploit any repeat of the weaknesses so apparent in the Welshman’s game in the first round.

It will take a turnaround in form for Williams to remain on target for a third Masters title.

PREDICTION: Selby 6-3

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a great tournament so far.

An illustration of what can happen when the top players play each other over a reasonable distance.

Somewhat contradicts the latest idea of the top 16 having to start in Round one, rather than being seeded to the last sixteen - some will always be lost on the way there.

Anonymous said...

What's happened to Judd Trump's form / confidence?

The Fish said...

Trump has fallen into the trap of believeing all the hype and razamatazz around himself.Potting balls from all angles is nice but when you have to grind out a few frames he is like a little boy lost.Heir apparent to ROS?Give me a break,not fit to chalk o sullivans cue!

Anonymous said...

Regardless of the outcome, never in my life have I seen a price so wrong in a match as it is with the Selby v Williams game.

Anyone would think Selby has a two frame start looking at the prices. Time to pay for the holiday

Anonymous said...

You can't take the piss against a player like Dott. The biggest factor in that match was always going to be Dott's form: if he played badly Trump would get away with stuff and win, but if Dott produces form he's very capable of dismantling a player like Trump. Trump's favourite excuse when he loses is to claim he would have won if he had been playing his A-hame: fair enough, but there are half a dozen players who can say the same. The players that consistently win titles are those with a solid B-game, and that is what Trump is lacking IMO.

The Blog said...

A few weeks ago Trump was world number one so it's not accurate to say he's lacking confidence or form. The stats prove the opposite. He's currently world number two. You don't get to be the second best player without playing consistently well.

My guess is he puts extra pressure on himself to do well in the three big events and it backfires. This is the second major tournament when he's not delivered any of his ability. As mentioned by others, his B game is a bit lacking. Winning scrappy frames when you play badly is a skill no top play can do without! He might lack inner belief or passion to win matches when he knows he's not playing well.

JAMIE O'REILLY said...

Hi Davif. What an anti-climax, to today's first match.

Trump .V. Dott.

Frame 1 - Tactical affair. Dott wins, to lead 1-0.

Frame 2 - Small 30 plus break from Dott. Another tactical affir. Trump is missin. 2-0 to Dott.

Frame 3 - Trump wins, with a break. 2-1 to Dott.

Frame 4 - Trump is missing at vital stages. Dott's match-play, wins that frame. Dott is 3-1 up, at the mid-session interval.

Frame 5 - Dott earns chances. Trump makes mistakes. Dott wins the frame, to lead, 4-1.

Frame 6 - A break of 54 from dott. He is four up with five to play, at 5-1.

Frame 7 - Trump misses a long red. Dott cleras up with a 111 break. The tournament favourite is out. Dott wins, amazingly, 6-1. He is the third man, into the Semi-Final.

I can not wait for tonight's final Quarter-Final, between Mark Selby and Mark .J. Williams. It should be a cracker.

The Blog said...

Going a bit off the topic - I reckon Barry Hearn should stop all the breaks between frames. It's virtually every frame!

They're called "comfort breaks" but a more apt description would be: "wasting time breaks."

Who would have thought pro-snooker players had such loose bowels? :P

JAMIE O'REILLY said...

Hi David. Another anti-climatic match tonight. Selby .V. Williams.

A long first fame, Selby wins, to lead, 1-0. Hewins frame two. 2-0. Frame 3, to go 3-0 up. Williams misses anther few balls in frame 4. Selby leads 4-0, at the mid-session interval, with a high break, of only 28.

Frame 5 - Williams struggles, but wins it. Selby leads, 4-1.

Frame 6 - A 73 break from Selby. He is four up with five to play, at 5-1.

Frame 7 - Selby wins it. A 6-1 win for Selby, makes him fhe fourth man into the Semi-Final.
Mark Selby will face Graeme Dott,in the second Semi, tomorrow night. Neil Robertson faces Shaun Murphy, in tomorrow afternoon's first Semi. The Robertson .V. Murphy game, is a repeat of last year's Masters final, which Robertson won, 10-6.

Ican not wait for tomorrow's play,in both matches. It should be great.

JAMIE O'REILLY said...

Hi David. RE: my previous post, I meant to say, a long first frame, of course, not fame.

Anonymous said...

Looks as if anonymous 5.05 might be taking a fortnights holiday in Milton Keynes thins summer. Only an hour in a cab to the beach.