Life as a ranking event winner not going ever so well for Jordan Brown... currently 0-5 down (first to 6) to John Higgins in the Players Championship, with Higgins on a break in frame 6.
Redcafe Snooker
- Thread starter Ronnie O'Sullivan
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
Yeah. A lot seemed to have been made about Ronnie's comments of those outside the top 50 - but mainly it was about consistency. Which is something Jordan has now got to show - not just have one good tournament.
O'Sullivan has strongly criticised the standard of some of those in 128 player tournaments - some who aren't even on the main circuit. But the top 50 comment was just saying that the likes of him and Mark Williams (who both reached the last 4 / Final in that tournament) are still ranked so high despite their ages because a lot of the other players can't put a run of good results together. So the likes of Jordan Brown, Mark King, Anthony Hamilton winning one tournament in their careers isn't going to get them top 16.
Mind you Brown's only 33, which, in Snooker terms, means he's got plenty of years left to win some more tournaments.
Ronnies comments were incredibly ignorant. It’s become a sport where the disparity between the Top 16 and everyone else is becoming so great. In order to be a Top 16 player you need to practice 8+ hours a day and ideally have a top coach overseeing you and play in as many tournaments as you possibly can. There isn’t the money outside the Top 16 to allow players to do that. If you go back 25+ years the difference in levels between the Top 16 and the rest wasn't nearly as great.
The likes of Ronnie and Williams doing so well now is because they’re both absolutely loaded and can play at their leisure. Optometry has also come on leaps and bounds and whereas players would have naturally lost their edge in their mid to late 40s in years gone by, laser eye surgery and modern contact lenses are keeping the old guns sharp as hell so it’s a bit disingenuous to act like they should have been overtaken by the next generation like they once overtook the generation before them. Ronnie on his day today is good enough to win any World Championship over the last 20 years so I’m really not sure what his point is.
I think he had a point regarding him and Williams reaching the QF of a tournament in 2020, 28 years after they turned professional and with Higgins also still near the top of the game.
I still think there is decent quality on the tour, I just hope the surge in top players from China encourages a jump in quality with the British players.
At the moment it's difficult to see where the next Trump, Lisowski or K. Wilson is coming from. They are not youngsters anymore and there isn't really anyone on tour waiting to step in to their shoes.
I still think there is decent quality on the tour, I just hope the surge in top players from China encourages a jump in quality with the British players.
At the moment it's difficult to see where the next Trump, Lisowski or K. Wilson is coming from. They are not youngsters anymore and there isn't really anyone on tour waiting to step in to their shoes.
Yeah, I agree about the worrying lack of non-Asian talent coming through.
With China's huge population and wealth, it was always likely they'd start to dominate a sport the size of Snooker once it took off there. And there's plenty of teenage / 20's talent from China coming through, while the British talent currently just above them in the rankings are all 30's-40's.
Over the next 10 years or so, there's clearly going to be a huge shift in the percentage of trophies won by the Chinese players. But, unless there's young talent coming through from elsewhere as well then, rather than 'spread the sport', it's all going to still be centred around one Country - just China rather than Britain.
Ronnie just put on a masterclass against Jack. Poor jack looked so broken by the end
Yeah, gutted for him.
I like Ronnie, and he played great, but I'm desperate for Jack to start winning the trophies he deserves.
He really looks to have a confidence issue, as if he doesn't believe he can beat the top players on a regular basis. He's said as much in interviews throughout his career, but seemed to be improving this season and sounding more confident about it. I'm fearing that 9-2 hammering to Judd in a final may have knocked him backwards as he's not done well since then.
I'll be absolutely ecstatic when (alright, if) he finally wins that first ranking trophy.
Jack has a major question mark hanging over his ability to win a ranking event.
He very often starts tournaments absolutely flying but by the time it reaches the business end he just runs out of steam.
His body language is also very negative when things aren't going his way - he could learn a bit from Murphy and Selby who I think are 2 players who play the same game whether they're 5 frames ahead or 5 frames behind, you don't see them flustered.
On his day he can beat anyone but his biggest flaw is between his ears.
2 good games today, Higgins v Selby at 1pm and Hawkins v O'Sullivan at 7pm.
Hawkins isn't having a bad season at all, beat Ronnie in the Championship League a couple of weeks ago, got to the SF of the German Masters ('only' lost 5-6 to Trump) and successive 4th round appearances at the UK Championship and Scottish Open.
Not many people beat Stuart Bingham 6-2 so he'll be confident but playing Ronnie is a whole new step up and Hawkins will start a clear second favourite.
The other match is a proper heavyweight clash and far too difficult to predict so I won't even try - I will just enjoy!
He very often starts tournaments absolutely flying but by the time it reaches the business end he just runs out of steam.
His body language is also very negative when things aren't going his way - he could learn a bit from Murphy and Selby who I think are 2 players who play the same game whether they're 5 frames ahead or 5 frames behind, you don't see them flustered.
On his day he can beat anyone but his biggest flaw is between his ears.
2 good games today, Higgins v Selby at 1pm and Hawkins v O'Sullivan at 7pm.
Hawkins isn't having a bad season at all, beat Ronnie in the Championship League a couple of weeks ago, got to the SF of the German Masters ('only' lost 5-6 to Trump) and successive 4th round appearances at the UK Championship and Scottish Open.
Not many people beat Stuart Bingham 6-2 so he'll be confident but playing Ronnie is a whole new step up and Hawkins will start a clear second favourite.
The other match is a proper heavyweight clash and far too difficult to predict so I won't even try - I will just enjoy!
Ronnie getting absolutely destroyed
Great turnaround
Barry, the King of Comebacks. Unfortunately for him, of others'.
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Higgins 2-0 up against Wilson . In the 8 frames in the QF & SF so far against Higgins both Wilson & Selby have potted 4 balls combined . That is truly remarkable
I assume the Gib open has no fans, which is a shame as I'd have gone to watch Hendry if the border's open for non-workers.
Higgins 5-0 up on O’Sullivan in the final.
No one, not even the great Ronnie can lay a glove on him this week.
It’s a long way back from here.
No one, not even the great Ronnie can lay a glove on him this week.
It’s a long way back from here.
Higgins. Take a bow. What a performance.
Insane tournament from Higgins . Never seen anything like this . In a tournament featuring the top 16 in the world he has gone 28-4 beating Selby & Ronnie on the way
Argument to be had that Higgins just played the best week of snooker in history.
He must’ve had a bet on.
Straight in to Gibraltar Open today, with standout first round ties (there are 64 in total) including Doherty vs. Stevens (old school clash), King vs. Brecel and O'Sullivan vs. Carter (their paths continue to cross).
Yan Bingtao currently 1-3 (best of 7) down to Jamie Clarke, with Clarke at the table so it could be an early exit for the 11th seed.
Yan Bingtao currently 1-3 (best of 7) down to Jamie Clarke, with Clarke at the table so it could be an early exit for the 11th seed.
Yeah, Bingtao has lost. Big upset.
Speaking of that part of the rankings - we were mentioning Jack Lisowski still not winning a title, but delighted to see he's at a career high tenth in the world. It's very tight below him, and a big gap ahead, so he won't get any higher until he starts to win things - but it's a good effort to break into that top ten.
Ronnie's 4th final loss in a row. He's making more and more mistakes which you wouldn't associate with him. Maybe father time is catching up with him.
Century by Hendry in his second frame back !!!
Nice century from Hendry, looking decent so far.
Brilliant.
Great to see him get a century. Shame about the result but it just shows the challenge he has on his hands.
To be fair I expected Hendry to look very ring rusty last night and that's exactly what he was.
It's a long way back to the top of the game, if that's even where he's aiming - it's difficult to see him competing with O'Sullivan, Trump, Selby and Robertson for example.
Pinches v Hamilton scheduled for this morning at 9am so expect that one to still be going when I get home from work at 6pm!
It's a long way back to the top of the game, if that's even where he's aiming - it's difficult to see him competing with O'Sullivan, Trump, Selby and Robertson for example.
Pinches v Hamilton scheduled for this morning at 9am so expect that one to still be going when I get home from work at 6pm!
As predicted, Pinches v Hamilton.... 3 frames and 13 points in 2 hours.
Both players' average shot times in excess of 30 seconds, must be torture to watch.
Both players' average shot times in excess of 30 seconds, must be torture to watch.
Game raisin' prick!
Selt would've beaten anyone playing like last evening.
Selt would've beaten anyone playing like last evening.
Selt is no mug, he's a former ranking event winner.
I don't think he played spectacularly well last night, but it was Hendry's first match back on the pro circuit and I honestly wouldn't have fancied him against anyone.
Selt's performance wouldn't have been good enough to beat anyone in the top 16.
I don't think he played spectacularly well last night, but it was Hendry's first match back on the pro circuit and I honestly wouldn't have fancied him against anyone.
Selt's performance wouldn't have been good enough to beat anyone in the top 16.
Another Lisowski - Trump final. 
I love watching both, and usually want Judd to win - but I'm desperate for Jack to win that first ranking final so will be cheering him on.
Judd will really be testing the friendship if he beats Jack in a 3rd final in as many months!
I love watching both, and usually want Judd to win - but I'm desperate for Jack to win that first ranking final so will be cheering him on.
Judd will really be testing the friendship if he beats Jack in a 3rd final in as many months!
That pink... is there a shot which more tells a story of Jack Lisowski in ranking event finals?!
3-0 Trump now so one away from victory.
An unusual format in that all matches are best of 7 including the final, surely Trump can’t throw this away.
3-0 Trump now so one away from victory.
An unusual format in that all matches are best of 7 including the final, surely Trump can’t throw this away.
Gutted by that.
I love watching both, and it would be the perfect final for me every tournament (which it almost is at the moment).
But it's tough watching Jack throw away chances like that. I really thought he had a chance this time with it just being a best of 7. Judd's game is just so strong and currently better than Jack's in every department.
Judd is just too good for Jack unfortunately. Jack hasn't really played great this week and was really streaky . This was a horrendous final
Trump has won 35 off his last 36 best of 7 matches which is absolutely insane considering people think that shorter matches give underdogs a chance
Trump has won 35 off his last 36 best of 7 matches which is absolutely insane considering people think that shorter matches give underdogs a chance
A couple of interesting familial stories in the ongoing WST Pro Series competition.
Father and son Peter and Oliver Lines were in the same group - Oliver went through and beat his dad 2-0 in their match.
And Mark Allen was meant to be in a group, pulled out to focus on preparing for the World Championships, and was replaced by 16 year old Robbie McGuigan, who's his step son.
Father and son Peter and Oliver Lines were in the same group - Oliver went through and beat his dad 2-0 in their match.
And Mark Allen was meant to be in a group, pulled out to focus on preparing for the World Championships, and was replaced by 16 year old Robbie McGuigan, who's his step son.
I saw about the Lines v Lines match, I think it was the first father v son match since 1986 when Neal Foulds (commentary royalty who's replied to my tweets before!) played his dad Geoff.
Didn't know about Allen being replaced by McGuigan but I know that Allen rates him extremely highly (as you would).
Not long now until the big one at Sheffield, gutted I won't be there for qualifying or the main draw this year but still looking forward to it.
Six of the eight players have been decided for the final group stage in the WST Pro Series - Mark Williams, Ali Carter, Kyren Wilson, Xiao Guodong, Jack Lisowski, Sam Craigie (surprise qualifier ahead of Barry Hawkins).
Just the final two places to be decided today, from what was probably the 'group of death' - including Judd Trump, Mark Selby, Stuart Bingham, Zhou Yuelong, Ryan Day, Ricky Walden...
So yet another chance for Jack Lisowski to win his first ranking tournament, having made it through to the final group of 8. Being just a group to top, and not an actual 'final' per se, might play into his hands. But he almost threw it away last night (losing his last two games and just sneaking through), and I don't back him to have the nerve to win a 'must win' group game if the chance of the title is on the line. As much as I'd love to see it.
Just the final two places to be decided today, from what was probably the 'group of death' - including Judd Trump, Mark Selby, Stuart Bingham, Zhou Yuelong, Ryan Day, Ricky Walden...
So yet another chance for Jack Lisowski to win his first ranking tournament, having made it through to the final group of 8. Being just a group to top, and not an actual 'final' per se, might play into his hands. But he almost threw it away last night (losing his last two games and just sneaking through), and I don't back him to have the nerve to win a 'must win' group game if the chance of the title is on the line. As much as I'd love to see it.
Judd Trump and Stuart Bingham qualified from the final group - Mark Selby, Ryan Day and Zhou Yuelong among those to miss out today.
So the final group of 8 is: Mark Williams, Ali Carter, Kyren Wilson, Xiao Guodong, Jack Lisowski, Sam Craigie, Judd Trump, Stuart Bingham.
The winner of that final group wins the tournament.
I've quite enjoyed the novelty of this format - all groups all the way and no knockout matches at all. They came up with it to add another ranking tournament after the Chinese ones weren't played and, although I prefer longer matches, I've found it quite an interesting bonus tournament.
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It's the worst tournament in the sea of shit tournaments World Snooker came up with last few years.