The Masters 2022 (BBC / Eurosport)

HeidiHeidi

Oh dear......

Mind you, before the match I was fairly even in who I wanted to win, and in fairness Robertson has been fairly impressive in the last few frames.

Given the scrappy nature of the whole match he's strung together a few nice breaks - worthy winner, assuming he gets it over the line (and it'd be some trick if Hawkins stops him!).

waynescales1

Some people get stronger and more determined when they see the finishing line, others wilt. Barry just isn’t a winner, doesn’t have mentality, simple as that.

tanko

Trump didn’t make the final because he got too cocky and carried away with himself. There’s a reason that Barry Hawkins has won sod all, he’s just not good enough in the really big matches.

Arthur Daley

Fair play to the girl refereeing that big rowdy audience today. You know Jan Verhaas would command the room but you might think some would take a liberty with her. The girls do a good job overall.

Right that's my virtue signalling quota for 2022.

HeidiHeidi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118486569#Comment_118486569

I'd listen to a loop of her saying "twenty-two" all day long!

HeidiHeidi

Feck sake, if you tried to miss that red, you couldn't

rolling boh

well deserved win different level as posted above Barry wilts when the big moments come around .

Rothko

Well done to Robertson. Really disappointed for Barry though.

Pussyhands

Disappointed Robertson won. Dislikable character and looks and acts greedy af.

HeidiHeidi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118486661#Comment_118486661

Have to say I completely disagree!

Not that I know any of them particularly well, but he comes across as very likeable and balanced to me, very gentlemanly.

Sultan of Bling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118486542#Comment_118486542

It might have or it could have been 10-0.

Judd had his chance but didn't take it.

Rothko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118486661#Comment_118486661

Don't get that impression at all tbh.

Sandor Clegane

It was always going to be a big ask for Hawkins to win, but I thought he'd give him more trouble and at least put some pressure on him, but in the end it was a cake walk for Robertson, Hawkins must be disappointed, he did nothing in that final.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118486587#Comment_118486587

My wife is from the same town as her, I can't just ask her to say it so need to be more creative, "whats 11 + 11, love?" it's a lovely accent when they speak English and their native tongue is equally lovely.

Great week over all , we only dip in and out of the snooker so we picked a good week to tune in.

HeidiHeidi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118486701#Comment_118486701

😂

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118486527#Comment_118486527

On reflection I think the pressure just got too much for Hawkins. He seemed to be doubting himself constantly and double thinking. If that match was not a final it would have been closer IMO.

I feel if Hawkins got over the line in one major it would release a lot of the pressure. Like another poster said it was not as if Hawkins had the chances. He seemed to get in then manage to breakdown in some sort of panicky manner - either lost of position or a careless miss.

Arthur Daley

Big difference in the payday for that final. 250k v 100k. Only a few matches a year with that much cash at stake.

The Nal

Selby speaking out about depression. Good to see and seems its working for him.

https://twitter.com/markjesterselby/status/1482682693578113031

Pussyhands

Wish the commentators wouldn't keep licking arse of the players. Ken said it's gonna happen, that Barry is going to win one of the major tournaments. Barry is 43 in April. Ronnie, the greatest of all time was declined massively at 43 and was beatable.

The Golden Miller

Hawkins is dogged, battles hard and always gives everything. But he'll always just come up short, always has and always will. Just isn't quite good enough, the most limited in talent of all the top players

The Golden Miller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118486668#Comment_118486668

Comes across as snappy and irritable. Bit of a whinger over trivial issues other players would just get on with.

That century of century stuff a few years back was a bit cringey too. An achievement any top player could get if bothered to play enough

The Golden Miller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118486677#Comment_118486677

I think Trump's problem has always been the same. His game is too low percentage, goes for shots he often shouldn't, leaving the table open for his opponent. Hands up far too many cheap frames.

He likes the idea of being the people's champion, playing attacking snooker. When he's firing can pummel you, but more often than not, his game is very hard to sustain for a whole tournament. Even Ronnie knew when to be conservative.

The only player in their prime who could make low percentage shots consistently work was Williams. No one else has had his single ball ability, not even O'Sullivan

The Golden Miller

One final thought, I'm a huge Williams fan, my favourite player. Great to see him put the work in and do well again, particularly for his age.

But what bothers me is he achieved most of what he did with half a career. What could he have won and achieved had he not stopped taking the game serious circa 2005. A decade lost for him really, when in his prime.

By his own admission stopped practising, focused on family and a good time, and winged it on talent for years. Which was his own perogative, but I always wonder what could have been? For me the best ever on his day

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118490850#Comment_118490850

The style and manner Williams has when he plays snooker is gas. Commentary gave up trying to call shots after a while. I remember one where Virgo said ‘looks like a safety’. By that stage I was looking for the outlandish shots - said I no a double! And it what Williams went for. The way he does long slow topspin deadweight rolls as a matter of course, is gas as well.

AllForIt

Still can't believe Williams lost the semi against Robertson.

Looking back on it on YouTube there were so many 'what-if's'.

If he had landed half and inch lower on the last red of his break he would have been able to get on the black and pot it instead of that acute angle he was left with where he left the black hanging over the pocket.

And he won that black and red over the pocket situation as well, but still lost.

His single ball potting failed him though, as he missed two opportunities to pot that final red where he didn't' have to do anything with the cue ball. He didn't get close to potting either of them, missed by a mile, both of them.

I'm still trying to think if there would be anything 'ethically' wrong with potting the red and black at the same time and for the life of me I can't see what would be wrong with that. There's no rule against it and in one way it would be a clever move. It's just a situation that is extremely rare as it's very hard to pot 2 balls at the same time intentionally. It is chess with balls, isn't it?

Very good colour clearance from Robertson though, especially from green to brown. I hate those type of shots at that angle into the middle pocket, I just find them so hard to judge the angle in comparison to potting into a corner pocket, for some reason I can't fathom.

Very memorable match at the Masters though all in all, if not the outcome I wished for.