Redcafe Snooker

Bertie Wooster

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Parma Dewol said:
On the flip side, I've often thought that Asian players are at a disadvantage when the 'World' championship is always held in the UK.

The UK Championship should always be here, of course, and the Opens should take place in their respective countries, but it would be nice to see the World Championship become more global. China deserves to host one in my opinion, as do the likes of Australia and Canada.
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It'll end up in China, permanently, in the not too distant future. Same as the last three 'World Cups' were played there, with China the only nation allowed to have two teams - an A and B team.

An initial way to introduce the permanent change might be to rotate it between the two for a few seasons. And maybe Thailand or Australia might get one? But it'll be with the end goal of switching it's permanent home from Sheffield to China.
 

ChrisNelson

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I wouldn't be so sure.

Most if not all of the top Chinese players are UK based anyway - Ding has called Sheffield home for as long as he lived in his home country and Yan is now the same.

The best they will get is alternate years and I even think that is quite a way off.

There's still only been one Asian player appear in a WSC Final, whereas 9 out of the last 10 have been won by English players, with Neil Robertson the only non-UK winner in the last 40 years.

That has to improve before China becomes the home of snooker.
 

ChrisNelson

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Final round of qualifying today and tomorrow for the World Championship.

Winner of each of these matches (best of 19 frames at 12pm and 6pm; the first 8 today and the last 8 tomorrow).

Allan Taylor v Scott Donaldson
Dominic Dale v Lyu Haotian
Stephen Maguire v Zhou Yeulong
Michael White v Jordan Brown
Matthew Selt v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Tom Ford v Jamie Jones
David Lilley v Ding Junhui
Joe O'Connor v Ashley Hugill
David Gilbert v Anthony Hamilton
Jimmy Robertson v Chris Wakelin
Noppon Saengkham v Robert Milkins
Liam Highfield v Yuan Sijun
Ali Carter v Matthew Stevens
Jackson Page v David Grace
Graeme Dott v Jamie Clarke
Lei Peifan v Hossein Vafaei

Could be a few new faces but also a lot of Crucible experience in there too - Carter v Stevens with 4 Final appearances between them.

Ding will start a big favourite and will be a horrible first round opponent for one of the seeds.

Unbelievably Thepchaiya was on the brink of falling out of the top 64 and losing his tour card however should just about be ok now - he has a tough match against Selt though.
 

DOTA

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Any kids in that lot? I read about a couple winning in earlier rounds but names haven't stuck with me.
 

Ainu

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I haven't been following snooker for a while now but seeing Ding's name in the qualifiers is pretty shocking! I've always wanted him to win the worlds at some point during his career, doesn't look very likely at the moment.
 

ChrisNelson

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DOTA said:
Any kids in that lot? I read about a couple winning in earlier rounds but names haven't stuck with me.
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Jackson Page is 20, Yuan Sijun is 21 but Lei Peifan is the youngest at 18.

Liam Davies has been knocked out, you may have read about him, he's not even 16 yet.
 

ChrisNelson

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Ainu said:
I haven't been following snooker for a while now but seeing Ding's name in the qualifiers is pretty shocking! I've always wanted him to win the worlds at some point during his career, doesn't look very likely at the moment.
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In the last three years he's been seeded 9th, 11th and 10th. In 2018 he was seeded 3rd and in 2017 4th. So a bit of a slide.

2016 was the last time he had to qualify and ended up reaching the final so he's probably not too concerned with it as long as he can make it through today!

David Lilley is no mug but I expect Ding to have too much for him.
 

DOTA

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ChrisNelson said:
Jackson Page is 20, Yuan Sijun is 21 but Lei Peifan is the youngest at 18.

Liam Davies has been knocked out, you may have read about him, he's not even 16 yet.
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Not exactly overflowing with young talent then. I am increasingly worried about how many matches at major tournaments are between 2 players I remember watching 20 years ago.

Hopefully some of those three make the proper.
 

ChrisNelson

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DOTA said:
Not exactly overflowing with young talent then. I am increasingly worried about how many matches at major tournaments are between 2 players I remember watching 20 years ago.

Hopefully some of those three make the proper.
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It's definitely a fair point and an ongoing concern. I think there is young talent out there but the oldies just won't go away! Incredible that it's 30 years ago this year that O'Sullivan, Higgins and Williams started their pro careers.

Joe Perry has been eliminated early which is a shame as it's always nice to see him at the Crucible.

Some other familiar names that have gone out are Ryan Day, Gary Wilson (semi-finalist in 2019), Martin Gould and Ricky Walden (has had a good season and wanted to see him qualify).
 

ChrisNelson

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World Snooker Championship 2022 - First Round Draw (bracket format)

Mark Selby (1) v Jamie Jones
Yan Bingtao (16) v Chris Wakelin
Barry Hawkins (9) v Jackson Page
Mark Williams (8) v Michael White
————————————
Kyren Wilson (5) v Ding Junhui
Stuart Bingham (12) v Lyu Haotian
Anthony McGill (13) v Liam Highfield
Judd Trump (4) v Hossein Vafaei
————————————
Neil Robertson (3) v Ashley Hugill
Jack Lisowski (14) v Matthew Stevens
Luca Brecel (11) v Noppon Saengkham
John Higgins (6) v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
————————————
Zhao Xintong (7) v Jamie Clarke
Shaun Murphy (10) v Stephen Maguire
Mark Allen (15) v Scott Donaldson
Ronnie O’Sullivan (2) v David Gilbert


The bottom tie stands out for me, with Gilbert having been used to being a seed in recent times - that's a really tough draw for both.

Murphy v Maguire is a fixture with plenty of history and Trump won't have it all his own way - even though Vafaei is on debut he's been playing great stuff this season.

The all Welsh tie between Williams and White is interesting, White is playing as an amateur having lost his tour card (he will return next season) and has admitted to having come back from some off-table problems, so he will be fired up and I think that will go close.

Wilson v Ding is similar to the Ronnie tie, someone so used to not having to qualify gets through and draws the #5 seed.
 

ChrisNelson

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Oh Judd, please don't turn in to Ronnie :rolleyes:.

He has a difficult first round match too so maybe getting the excuses in early.

Been a good tournament for the seeds so far, with only 2 going out by my reckoning (Hawkins & Murphy).

You sometimes see the seeds struggle because the qualifiers have already played decent matchplay snooker including a best of 19 in the final round.
 

MC89

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That was a great match with Jack Lisowski and Matthew Stevens, Lisowski won 10-8 plays Robertson next.
 

ChrisNelson

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Very much of a mismatch that one.

Brecel lost to Saengkham quite convincingly in the end which is a shame, like to see Brecel play and he's had a great season.

I'm there in the morning, watching Allen v O'Sullivan then a few beers in Sheffield, should be a good day!
 

One Night Only

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ChrisNelson said:
Very much of a mismatch that one.

Brecel lost to Saengkham quite convincingly in the end which is a shame, like to see Brecel play and he's had a great season.

I'm there in the morning, watching Allen v O'Sullivan then a few beers in Sheffield, should be a good day!
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Think that'll be an easy match for Ronnie tbh.
 

Pexbo

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Brilliant stuff from Yan Bingtao
 

Red Shorts

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SirAnderson said:
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One of the greatest sporting moments in history for me. As a person myself that has played snooker many times and struggles to complete a game in an hour most times, the fact he walked around that table as if he was making a quick breakfast was nothing short of miraculous.
 
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