Ding
Junhui and Judd Trump would appear to be on a collision course in what would
doubtless be a terrific BetVictor Welsh Open final but their respective
opponents in today’s semi-finals are also big tournament winners with plenty to
say about this weekend’s outcome.
Trump’s
17-15 win over Ding in the 2011 World Championship semi-finals was an engrossing,
high quality affair. Few would complain about more of the same.
They
each yesterday dominated their opponents early on. Trump hit Pankaj Advani hard
and heavy to lead 4-0. He missed a red to the right centre on 59 a couple of
balls from making it 5-0 and Advani creditably recovered to trail only 4-2.
Trump,
though, was overall playing his best snooker of the tournament and duly
completed the 5-2 win.
Ding’s
5-1 defeat of Robert Milkins was similar. He went 4-0 up before the interval
dulled his focus. Milkins made a century to avert the whitewash before Ding’s
good clearance to ensure his title defence continues.
The
Chinese now faces Stuart Bingham, whose record against him is strong. Bingham
came through yesterday 5-3 over Ken Doherty, who seemed to grow edgier as their
match went on.
Trump
is up against Stephen Maguire, a tough-as-old-boots battler who needed to be
last night against Alan McManus.
This
was an absorbing contest. Maguire had little luck, with in-offs and all sorts
affecting him but McManus ultimately missed a yellow with a chance for 4-4 and
Maguire cleared to reach the Welsh Open semi-finals for the third time in five
years.
So
Newport’s stage is set for the last four. Just one table and four players who
have all won big titles.
13 comments:
Not a bad tournament given the negative vibes on this forum just over a week ago.
Are we due an anouncement next week on the new sponsor of the World Championship, and whether ROS is going to play a best of 19?
Total obsession with capturing player's reactions after they miss at the expense of letting us see the position of the balls.
Idiotic camerawork and significant sound delay between actual footage and commentator's reaction makes for poor coverage.
re 4:40 no sound sync disconnect on BBC red button this afternoon
Slightly off subject I have been experimenting this week watching the snooker on an ipad 3 using the Eurosport Player.
What a top application. Near instant log in, no juddering or buffering, easy change between tables.
Any other bloggers tried it? Will it work if you link the ipad to a TV? (many live sport apps won't)
Well done Stuart for beating Ding in a decider. He wobbled a bit in the middle but he finished strongly, which is the important thing.
I agree with 4.40 re the camera work. They should get Johnson or Angles to give the cameramen a few pointers on what is relevant. Its the cueball stupid.
I really hope the BBC keep this tournament - but I do find their coverage a bit baffling. Jason Mohammed has been great and has been a shot in the arm for the BBC Wales cover, but otherwise the weird obsession with 1980's style highlights (with very limited live coverage) and the 'jobs for the boyos' insistence on an all-male-all-Welsh line up of presenters give the coverage a strange feel (Willie is a class above the other commentators here). The organisers need to look at the German Masters and try to copy it - and the BBC need to be a bit more open minded with their coverage.
4:40pm The cameramen are not to blame. The director does just that - directs them what they should focus on. But, I agree, the TV footage has been better.
Not wishing to be unkind to the dear old BBC but if they have the broadcasting rights to show this event it would help if they could show the evening semi-finals too!!!!
Face palm @ the BBC. :P
Hi David. Another great day's play, in today's Semi-Finals, in my view.
Bingham played well, to lead Ding, 3-1, and 4-2. Ding responded well, to lead, 5-4. Bingham did well to wins the next two frames. Ding, having chances in each of the last two frames. Bingham wins, 6-5.
Trump started well, leading Maguire, 2-0. Maguire then won five frames in a row, To go 5-2 up, Three up, with four to play. Maguire, playing well, Trump, under-performing, in this period. Trump did well, to win the next two frames. Now, 5-4, to Maguire. From 50-0 down, in points, in frame ten, Maguire played well, to win it, and win the match, 6-4
Maguire .V. Bingham, in tomorrow's final. I can't wait for it, It should be a great one, tomorrow.
I can't understand why there is no professional input regarding the producer's decisions.
He / she clearly has no basic grasp of the strategy of the game.
What makes matters worse is when the commentator (watching live from the venue) makes mention of the skill involved when a player plays a cannon for example while the tv footage follows the object ball coming to rest in the ball tray.
Several times yesterday, once Maguire had missed, we watched an extreme close up of his complexion whilst Judd potted his opening red.
Constant switching cameras makes for very messy footage. And, it's getting worse.
10:09 - I found it very strange that they chose to put skiing highlights on the Red Button (rather than live snooker) - but I believe this is the first year the BBC have put the BBC Wales coverage on the red button (in previous years I have had to dig out my old Freesat box to watch the BBC Wales coverage). They are at least putting both sessions of the final on the Red Button (assuming they don't cut away to show Skiing highlights at 4 as per the schedule)
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