Snooker Season 2023/24

Genghis

Bit like Higgins, Selbyin his post match interview is threatening to quit after the WC too. Just not happy with his form, not enjoying the game, will give the world champs a go and see then. Said that he has said before regardless of his ranking when he stops enjoying the game he will find himself another career.

I know this is a prestige tournament, "every match a final, etc", but I am not sure there is great merit in having Rob Walker asking every losing player for their thoughts. They are bound to be upset in the moment.

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121966408#Comment_121966408

Its a bit like Joe Rogan interiewing fighters who have just bee knocked unconscious alright. Give them 5 minutes even to calm down.

Arthur Daley

Carter looking nervy now from 7-1 ùp

drury..

Hard to beat the best of 19 for drama

mrunsure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121964954#Comment_121964954

ITV just brand everything with ITVX now so it means nothing. For the Players' Championship they had Table 2 commentary from Joe Perry and Michael MacMullan which would have cost quite a few GBP which needs to be recouped through advertising. I can't see ITV offering a live stream without commentary. That is available on betting sites anyway. Having table 2 coverage also means fewer viewers for table 1. So maybe they worked out that there is no money in offering table 2.

Genghis

Carter kept it respectful in his post match comments last evening re: playing O'Sullivan. Said Ronnie was the GOAT, its great to have a few BO19s ahead of a world champs, and he is playing very well now and wants to see how his form rates up against Ronnie. Thought he answered it in such a way that the presenters didn't really have scope to dwell any further (they have been flagging a possible grudge match since the tournament opened, no doubt they would have been looking for some 'needle' in the remarks).

Wise move avoiding the controversy, getting into a spat with Ronnie pre-match never bodes well for anyone. If he can find form like session 1 yesterday I think he has a chance, but he will need to keep it over 2 sessions, both in the one day, for sure. That could be the challenge for him as much as anything, 2 x 2-session matches on the bounce is certainly good practice for the Crucible. Very much looking forward to today, the Tour Championship kicks off for real today.

On the other table (both matches session 1 today), would like to see how Wilson does vs Anda (1pm) - Anda has been amazing this season, but quiet of late. I think Anda should do it, but Wilson always plays to the full of his potential so it will probably be close. Ding vs Allen from 7pm I think will be 4-4 after today and more interesting tomorrow, Allen my favourite to grind the win out.

drury..

They all say nice things about Ronnie on camera

Genghis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121968948#Comment_121968948

Mostly that is so. My point though was that Carter and others like Hossein have not always said nice things pre-match on camera, in the papers, etc ahead of a match. Invariably, they get annihilated by Ronnie when they do, it seems to properly fire him up. So Carter was smart not to get caught this time.

drury..

Seems to be a recent phenom

A lot to to with his transition to greatest of all time 😁

drury..

Ill go with an easy win for O'Sullivan this time

10-4 O'Sullivan carter

drury..

Commentars straight in about the rivalry lol

Im guessing O'Sullivan is way ahead on H2H

Genghis

Think its something like 14-1 or 15-1 to Ronnie H2H.

drury..

Mistakes Allround so far

drury..

Csrter doesn't look on it today no surprise after yesterday

O'Sullivan probably looks to pummel him everytime

drury..

Carter too emotional

Wears his heart on his sleeve

Genghis

I wonder which match ITV will be showing this afternoon. Zhang Anda / Wilson is to a finish, but on the other table is the more well know Trump vs Williams.

Trump Williams will move quickly, neither like to hang about, and its maximum 8 frames. Anda / Wilson likely to be very slow and run to 10 or 11 frames.

So if they go Trump Williams there is every chance the session will finish with an hour or two still to run on the other side.

Genghis

Trump Williams it is.

ArmaniJeanss

The two table set up worked well last night. Under the old 8 player one-game-a-day structure we'd have been finished very early coz of the demolition suffered by Carter. Instead everyone got to see the latter frames of an admittedly scrappy session between Allen and Ding.

Could be the same this afternoon if, as said above, Williams and Trump get through their 8 frames at a decent pace.

I'd say they'll stick with this 12 player format going forward.

loyatemu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121969499#Comment_121969499

I'm reminded of (tennis player) Andy Roddick when he was asked at a press conference about his rivalry with Federer

"It's not much of a rivalry when he beats me every time!"

ArmaniJeanss

Sticking with tennis, famous old quote of Vitas Gerulaitis who was 0-16 head to head against Jimmy Connors before finally beating him.

“And let that be a lesson to you all. No one beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17 times in a row.”

Genghis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121975193#Comment_121975193

😀 Love it

Genghis

Looks fairly ominous for Wilson, even at this early time. Gary took the first two frames, has then lost the next 3. Got a chance to take the 6th frame and lost position.

Almost any time Wilson gets in he makes a small mistake and becomes visibly annoyed with himself, he also got into discussion with ref about a decision (I think ref was wrong, will be a talking point later no doubt - but no point in player arguing). Overall seems quite unsettled. It feels like session 1 will end 6-2, and Wilson will need to steady the head to come back in the evening.

Ronnie very composed, has missed a couple but more or less playing at his natural pace and rhythm.

ArmaniJeanss

Reasonable call above at the time, but Wilson actually played well to get it back to 4-4. Obviously his time on the superior 9-ball circuit is standing him in good stead 😀

Would still kinda fear that Ronnie could go on another 4 frame run, but looking good so far.

Genghis

You'd have to say fair play to Wilson. He came back out after frame 6 and got the next 2 won to level at 4-4. Will be good stuff this evening.

drury..

Allen being hammered here

Arthur Daley

Yes, looks like an early night and Willo v O'Sullivan final

Willo trolling a bit this week with suggesting he might not be in ITV tournaments next year. Sparking a load of rumours of a breakaway, pirate tour with Saudi and Chinese money

drury..

Should be a cracker tomorrow if Williams can maintain today's standard

mrunsure

Dave Hendon on the Snooker Scene podcast said the decision to expand the Tour Championship to 12 players was made before last year's event in Hull so was not a knee jerk reaction to top names missing out last time. Part of the reason for having two tables was to reduce the chance of early session finishes.

Dave said not many people watched table 2 on ITVX when it was offered during the Players' Championship.

ArmaniJeanss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121987581#Comment_121987581

Dave Hendon somewhat lacking in logic there. Just because the decision was made before last years event in Hull doesn't imply that it was nothing to do with big names missing out, as they would have been aware from say the UK Championship in December just how the field for Hull was taking shape. By mid-February (after the Grand Prix, German & Welsh) they'd have known that Ronnie, Trump, Williams, Higgins etc were unlikely to be there. At that stage marketing/promotion/postering etc would have had to change, and ITV likely had a few difficult calls with advertisers re rates etc.

Would agree that the risk of early finish for TV was definitely the bigger reason, but would have no doubt that strength of field concerns also played a part.

drury..

Whats the H2H like

I noticed Williams jokingly saying it wasn't great against ronnnie