2024 Masters - Jan 7th to Jan 14th - BBC/Eurosport

Arthur Daley

Ray Reardon made a century recently at 91.

Doing it day after day, over long sessions for hours and hours is another matter though.

Those interviews were some of the clearest and more honest you'd see from Ronnie. He was talking almost like he is doing punditry for Eurosport.

He says he will take two months off after the ITV event next week. I understand what he is saying about the intensity and this approach works best for him.

I'd wonder if Higgins in particular, and Willo too should cut back a bit more now, and see how that works out for them.

There are a lot of tournaments now

redarmy

O'Sullivan on Carter on Discovery+: 'I think he's got more of a problem with me than I have with him. He's got something against me.

'Maybe it's because I've got a massive trophy cabinet full of trophies.'

The Nal

Interesting that Hendry in commentary said Ronnie likes getting people into the last few frames to see if they have what it takes and then Ronnie left a red for Carter. Which he missed.

Then Ronnie in the Eurosport studio after said the eact same thing and how he loves to see players collapse under the pressure. A killer.

Genghis

Have seen Ronnie take those sort of calculated risks before. Leave a half chance at the right time in the match and its not just a missed opportunity, its a confidence crisis. For Ronnie, he gains in confidence knowing the opponent is on the ropes.

Against lower ranked competitors he might try this early on.

I think in Carters case, being 6-3 up might have had him believe he had won. In fact Ronnies antics earlier on may have been to induce that even more. As is so often the case Ronnie then wins a series of frames in no time at all and you are suddenly at sea. Ronnie wins 7 of the last 8 frames.

Whats fascinating about Ronnie is how he has developed that aspect of his game, its something he had basically none of in early years. He has also developed a top class safety game, and the patience to play it.

Snake Plisken

I kind of thought the same that Ronnie was going to let Carter go a few frames up where he can see the finishing line and then reel him in during the evening session and he said as much on Eurosport. Cruel but no love lost between Ali and Ronnie

Ronnie also said he will take most of the next two months off to recharge after this week's tournament World Grand Prix which btw is on ITV4 tonight

Arthur Daley

Carter lost the evening session 7-2. He knew himself he didn't perform and ran out of steam badly. At 6-3 it was his to win, and he had chances but couldn't take them. So O'Sullivan does have a bit of a point when he says he is there to be beaten but some of these players are not putting him away.

The standard was often only okay over that week. Alright you had two 147s of course, but Ding lost the match and Allen really struggled for the rest of the match with Selby and wasn't great against Carter then in the semi final

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121618231#Comment_121618231

Standard was very hit and miss. I think the front part of the season is so loaded these days - From late August theres basically a tournament every week - that players are tired by the new year.

Throw in Nepal or whatever in between and its not surprising Ronnie wants some time off. Carter is playing tonight!

Did he say he'd be back for the Welsh? He scheduled to play tomorrow.

Arthur Daley

Ronnie is playing in this World Grand Prix ITV tournament and then taking 2 months off. So that probably means he won't be back at a tour event until Sheffield. Whatever pirate shows he ends up doing in between times.

Genghis

W

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121618909#Comment_121618909

Wonder with the two month thing if he wants to have a decent tournament before the worlds? Maybe the plan is to do the Grand Prix now to try ensure he has a top 8 spot on the one years without doing the Players, Welsh Open, etc and then he can do the Tour Championship in early April as a warm up. He is currently No. 2 on one year.

Have heard him say before it is a top competition and timed well to be a good warm up for Sheffield.

Genghis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121618291#Comment_121618291

I think they may have re-scheduled Carter, fair enough. He is on tomorrow, 3pm. Ronnie is tomorrow too, but 8pm.

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121619649#Comment_121619649

Attention all pockets from Ron so. Id say he cant wait to get out of there

Sandor Clegane

I think everything got to Carter, Ronnie, the crowd, the occasion...he was there to be beat really and Carter had lots of chances but he just didn't turn up in the last session.

I don't buy into the theory Ronnie purposefully gave frames away, or that he intentionally likes to get drawn into tight matches to see what other players have in them, he just didn't play well and wasn't punished because the standard was pretty poor throughout.

tomhammer..

His record in masters finals isn't as good as UK and world's

He does have a knack for changing gear to win finals

Other times he seems to throw in the towel

tomhammer..

Gas the afters after the masters

O'Sullivan reckons carter needs to see a counsellor

Carter seems an angry sort anyway .He didn't do the business when it mattered