2021 Tour Championship, 22-29 March, Celtic Manor

Joe_ Public

The season winds down, or cranks up more like, with a welcome return to long form snooker and a proper test for the world's best before the crucible marathon.

A stellar field, that includes the world top 6 (also the top 6 in the betting for Sheffield) and rounded out by in form Jack Lisowski and Barry Hawkins, just recently back into top 16 with his habit of sneaking up on you when you least expect it.

Kicking off today, Higgins v Ronnie, ronnie only a narrow favourite after suffering two huge defeats to higgins already this year. All matches are the best of 19 frames, played over 2 sessions (8/11). A nice £150,000 paycheque awaits the winner with the small matter of a £100,000 bonus to play for too.

Incidentally, the top 16 crucible seeds are now known. Anto McGill squeezes in at 16. Stuart Bingham will face the qualifiers for the first time in 11 years.

Full Tour Championships draw:

(1) Judd Trump v Barry Hawkins (8)
(4) John Higgins v Ronnie O'Sullivan (5)

(3) Neil Robertson v Jack Lisowski (6)
(2) Mark Selby v Kyren Wilson (7)

zuutroy

Don't fancy Ronnie one bit for this I must say....He's already off on the mad stuff with the broken cue and I don't want to be here.

Joe_ Public

"If i could have given my place to Jordan Brown and then him give me his prize money."

Lol. Classic ronnie. Think this stuff just tumbles out of his mouth without thinking.

FR01

Joe_ Public wrote: »

"If i could have given my place to Jordan Brown and then him give me his prize money."

Lol. Classic ronnie. Think this stuff just tumbles out of his mouth without thinking.

Ron throwing the press gang another line and they bite as usual 🎣🎣🎣🎣🎣

Joe_ Public

Good match so far anyway. Ronnie looks ok. Lookin at stats, this could be first season since he turned pro in which he hasn't won at least one title. Only two chances left. Dunno how conscious he might actually be about that, but looks focussed enough anyway, despite cue issues.

zuutroy

There's footage of Ronnie telling Mark Joyce about his cue woes from last week so it appears there's at least some truth to it and he didn't just make it up today.

Arthur Daley

I see the final is best of 19 over one day. It was meant to be best of 25 wasn't it when the tournament was announced.

Think the final could have been upgraded to even best of 21 or 23 to make it different from the other rounds and every other final on the tour (except Sheffield)

Joe_ Public

It's a bit scrappy but could be close. Big fluke for higgins there might help spark him up a bit. Neither really that convincing, though ronnie definitely playing the better snooker.

Joe_ Public

Interesting stat via Dave Hendon. Ronnie not beaten higgins in a two session match since 2005. 7-0 to higgins since then. Very surprising.

Invidious

Awful miss on that blue by Ronnie. Squandered a golden chance to go 9-5 ahead.

Rothko

Neither player were on their top game but I think Ronnie deserved it.

Joe_ Public

Agree with ken there, ronnie smacking the table - and he gave it a nice whack in fairnesd - wasnt a bad thing, probably showed how badly he wanted it. Maybe not at his best, but dug in all the way which was a very encouraging sign. Would have been interesting had higgins cleared the table in that last frame, though!

mrunsure

Arthur Daley wrote: »

I see the final is best of 19 over one day. It was meant to be best of 25 wasn't it when the tournament was announced.

Think the final could have been upgraded to even best of 21 or 23 to make it different from the other rounds and every other final on the tour (except Sheffield)

It was best of 25 in the first year because ITV4 normally have racing on Saturday afternoon. This meant that they could play the final across the weekend. Last year they wanted all matched done in one day because of Covid. Slightly surprised it is the same this year, but there is no racing on ITV4 on Saturday. In the first year the quarter-finals used two tables but last year and this year they are using only 1. So if the final was best of 25 the tournament would have to last 8 days instead of 7.

Joe_ Public

Two table set up would be optimal solution imo. Qfs tues/wed, sfs thurs/fri, final sat/sun. Not sure why they couldnt do that. Maybe broadcaster prefers it the way it is?

Head to head robbo-lisowski is 8-1, Jack's one victory in a championship league match. Could improve his crucible seeding by 3 places with a win today, which would mean a possible last 16 v Kyren Wilson instead of Selby, so a lot to play for. Robbo needs to play himself back into some form so big day for him too.

Arthur Daley

They could use a couple of morning sessions for quarter finals to allow the final go to best of 25

Invidious

Is anyone else watching Jack Lisowski vs Robert Plant?

Oh, wait, it's Neil Robertson...

Joe_ Public

Unbelievable if lisowski doesnt win this frame...

Joe_ Public

Got away with it, jack. Robbo had a chance there.

Joe_ Public

One way traffic. Maybe a way back for jack yet, but struggling to see it.

Rothko

Really hard to see Lisowski come back from this. I think he'll have to win 3 out of the first 4 frames in the evening.

ArmaniJeanss

Arthur Daley wrote: »

They could use a couple of morning sessions for quarter finals to allow the final go to best of 25

I think I read that the non-sports broadcasters aren't a fan of the 8-8-9 structure as there is a big chance that you get little snooker in the last session.
That's far less likely in an 8-11 format.

Obviously the Worlds do it and it's usually OK, though the final was a 1 framer this year in the final session.

Thinking about it snooker must be a pain to schedule - there might be a 5-0 70 minute game or a 5-4 game taking 4 hours. What slot do you give?

Joe_ Public

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

I think I read that the non-sports broadcasters aren't a fan of the 8-8-9 structure as there is a big chance that you get little snooker in the last session.
That's far less likely in an 8-11 format.

Obviously the Worlds do it and it's usually OK, though the final was a 1 framer this year in the final session.

Thinking about it snooker must be a pain to schedule - there might be a 5-0 70 minute game or a 5-4 game taking 4 hours. What slot do you give?

Would be inclined to agree with this. I think broadcasters might just prefer one day finals. I remember Clive Everton explaining, and i wouldn't doubt Clive for a second, how it was pressure from the bbc that contributed to the uk championship format being shortened so i certainly wouldn't be surprised if it was simply tv network preference in this case. That's obviously just speculation on my part, be interesting to see whether it changes next year if we're back to a regular season as you'd expect.

Be some steal here!

Jackpot breathes again :pac:

Rothko

Lisowski getting back into this now.

Joe_ Public

Hate having to agree with Phil, but spot on about lisowski there. Always fear the worst when he cues right handed, just doesn't look right doing it.

Rothko

Well, that's it for Jack anyway.

Invidious

Trump vs Hawkins starting now, with the winner to face Ronnie in the semifinals.

Based on recent form, you'd have to fancy Trump for this one.

Joe_ Public

Hawkins has a quite decent head to head against judd but that might not count for too much. Can sometimes come good towards end of season, too, so can see him winning a few frames anyway.

That said, wasn't even in pocket postcode with his first effort. Frame probably over already.

Joe_ Public

Frame wasn't over at all! Thought judd could have snicked that black in, was tight though.

Invidious

Hawkins starting confidently here, taking advantage of a few loose shots from Trump.

Joe_ Public

Invidious wrote: »

Hawkins starting confidently here, taking advantage of a few loose shots from Trump.

A good start. Looks like we might have a contest on our hands anyway!

Joe_ Public

Trump definitely looks edgy. Might win this frame but that hail mary attempted escape from the snooker had frustration etched all over it. Hawkins really should have punished him for it.

Invidious

He's looking very un-Trumpesque today. Missing shots he would normally get and looking rattled. He'll be very fortunate to make it to the midsession interval at 2-2.

Joe_ Public

I think trump has some issue with the table, but you've got to play what you're confronted with. Hawkins got a terrible kick there, dunno is he using the old chalk still. Pretty sure trump still uses the triangle.

waynescales1

A long way to go, but once again Hawkins has a good chance to put Trump away here. He was 1-5 up against Trump in the German Masters and managed to lose 6-5. Does he have the sand to do it this time.

Joe_ Public

Baz should be aiming for 6-2 here, that would be a decent reflection of how this session has gone. I don't know why, whether it's table or venue or combination of things, but judds entire demeanour looks off, not unlike how it was at crucible last year. Be interesting to see how he comes out later tonight.

zuutroy

He was giving out about the conditions last time at Celtic Manor too. He seems very easily rattled if the table is playing exactly as he wants it to.

Joe_ Public

Hendry made a good point earlier. How often do you hear ronnie giving out about table conditions? He might mention it but never as a moan, always just gets on with it. Higgins the same. I like Mark Allen personally but he does have a tendency to fly off about conditions, if they're not 100% how he likes them. Robbo has a habit of blaming tables too. Just get on and play them, it's the same table for both players.

Rothko

Already looking very bad for Trump.

zuutroy

Rothko wrote: »

Already looking very bad for Trump.

Looks a beaten man. Not sure he has the resolve to dig it out.

Invidious

Can't believe Trump missed that red over the pocket.

Still, this frame isn't over yet.

Joe_ Public

It's getting interesting. If it had gone 8-3 i think it was basically gsm, but hawkins left the door open a bit and trump might be picking the bit up here.

Rothko

Seems to be getting back into form now.

Joe_ Public

Judd favourite again now.

waynescales1

I can’t believe some of the mistakes Trump is making. Hacked at that red and went in off in the middle. Not the time of year to be hitting bad form either.

Rothko

No idea why Trump hit that red so hard.

waynescales1

6-9. Now Barry, let’s see some nerve here and finish him.

eric hoone

waynescales1 wrote: »

I can’t believe some of the mistakes Trump is making. Hacked at that red and went in off in the middle. Not the time of year to be hitting bad form either.

He lost his form at the worlds last year, bad timing

Invidious

9-7 now.

waynescales1

I don’t think Hawkins can win this match. Can’t keep his nerve.