2019 Coral Cup - ITV4's Trilogy of Events

Joe_ Public · 11-02-2019 12:47pm

Higgins still top 5 so even at current rate of decline I’d say he has another season as a top 16 comfortably in the bag if he desires. I don’t see him continuing outside of that myself, can’t see him as a jimmy or even a ken. Too much traveling involved nowadays to keep yourself in the top 16 and not much novelty in that for a guy like higgins.

Joe_ Public · 11-02-2019 12:50pm

The Nal wrote: »

Nope seems hes on at 7pm.

Thats what Ronnie was giving out about last year.

I guess he doesn’t have far to travel from cheltenham where I imagine he stayed last night but still. After kyren had to travel to Belfast the day after a post midnight finish in the CoC I’m sure I heard a world snooker guy say that situation wouldn’t happen again but here we are anyway.

The Nal · 11-02-2019 12:59pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

I guess he doesn’t have far to travel from cheltenham where I imagine he stayed last night but still. After kyren had to travel to Belfast the day after a post midnight finish in the CoC I’m sure I heard a world snooker guy say that situation wouldn’t happen again but here we are anyway.

Yeah but still has to get up, drive 90 minutes, check into the hotel, get to the arena, pot a few on the practice table etc and play again 20 hours after he just played a final.

Joe_ Public · 11-02-2019 1:19pm

The Nal wrote: »

Yeah but still has to get up, drive 90 minutes, check into the hotel, get to the arena, pot a few on the practice table etc and play again 20 hours after he just played a final.

Agree. It seems like amateurish organisation. We get all these tournaments crushed together in february having had virtually 3 weeks in january with nothing. That’s if you don’t count the championship league whose existence I see no logical reason for, beyond the fact it’s a matchroom event so has to be squeezed in somehow to the detriment of other, more important tournaments.

waynescales1 · 11-02-2019 3:52pm

Anyone know how this event qualified as a ranking event considering it’s only top 32? I thought an event could only be ranking if all 128 tour players are eligible...

Joe_ Public · 11-02-2019 4:05pm

Everyone is eligible for the cut-off tournaments in that they all have the chance to qualify by earning enough points/money through the season. Same is technically true of the masters and other invitation events too, of course, but masters non ranking status is a tradition so they won’t mess with that.

It achieves an important balance I think, a sop to the top players who aren’t favored by the 128 draws and gives up and coming form players the chance to make further ground. One of the things that works well in the new structure I believe.

waynescales1 · 11-02-2019 4:19pm

Ah yes, and the Shanghai Masters doesn’t qualify for ranking status any more because 8 Chinese players are “invited”, not based on ranking points, almost like a wildcard.

Joe_ Public · 11-02-2019 4:25pm

And champion of champions doesn’t qualify on basis it’s a matchroom promoted event rather than a world snooker one. Ask me, though, how the shootout qualifies and I don’t have an answer. Just bonkers.

Arthur Daley · 11-02-2019 4:37pm

Yeah and when you are the top 8/10 player in the top 16, with this tournament, straight into Sheffield at the TV stages, the Champion of Champions and the Masters, there is a fair chunk of the season where you don't mix with hoi polloi.

I have even less sympathy with Ronnie's comments than I did before Christmas. God help them when they have to play the part time taxi driver for a couple of months of the year, there's a good number of tournaments where they aren't bothered by that, and they can take a month or more off at Christmas if they like (depending on how they go in the UK/bother with the Scottish Masters)

Frank O. Pinion · 11-02-2019 5:41pm

The Masters is a non-ranking event because it's based on a 2 year list, not a 1 year list like this Coral series. The Masters is not open to everyone during the current season, so it can't be a ranking event.

The Shoot-Out is ranking because it is open to everyone, but most of the official Top 16 skip it. Top prize is only £32,000/ranking points, but perhaps more importantly the winner gets a spot in the Champion of Champions.

Joe_ Public · 11-02-2019 6:18pm

Arthur Daley wrote: »

Yeah and when you are the top 8/10 player in the top 16, with this tournament, straight into Sheffield at the TV stages, the Champion of Champions and the Masters, there is a fair chunk of the season where you don't mix with hoi polloi.

I have even less sympathy with Ronnie's comments than I did before Christmas. God help them when they have to play the part time taxi driver for a couple of months of the year, there's a good number of tournaments where they aren't bothered by that, and they can take a month or more off at Christmas if they like (depending on how they go in the UK/bother with the Scottish Masters)

Ronnie does talk a lot of garbage at times, no question, but I still like the fact that he will stand up every now and again and raise a debate about playing standards and conditions. Nobody else seems willing to do it, maybe most of them are happy with things as they are but I think some are afraid to put their heads above the parapet. World snooker very trigger happy in doling out fines by all accounts.

Frank O. Pinion · 15-02-2019 12:13pm

Frank O. Pinion wrote: »

The Welsh Open, Shoot-Out, and Indian Open will have an affect on rankings between now and the Top 16, Players Championship.

Slight change on this, only the Welsh Open and Shoot-Out will affect the Top 16 rankings for the Players Championship.

WorldSnooker.com wrote:

Note that the Indian Open does not count towards Coral Players Championship qualification, though it does count towards the Coral Tour Championship.

Frank O. Pinion · 03-03-2019 11:53pm

The second leg of the Coral Cup starts tomorrow evening on ITV4, the Players Championship. Best-of-11s until the finale, which is a best-of-19, and top prize is £125,000. Ronnie is the defending champion, having beaten Shaun Murphy 10-4 last year.

Here's how the top 16 players of the season are ranked (up to the Shoot-Out, not including this past week's Indian Open):

1. Mark Allen - £364,000
2. Judd Trump - £277,000
3. Neil Robertson - £255,500
4. Mark Selby - £236,500
5. Ronnie O'Sullivan - £228,500
6. Mark Williams - £208,500
7. Kyren Wilson - £177,500
8. David Gilbert - £170,000
9. Stuart Bingham - £167,000
10. Jack Lisowski - £138,000
11. Ali Carter - £113,000
12. Barry Hawkins - £112,000
13. John Higgins - £111,000
14. Joe Perry - £107,500
15. Jimmy Robertson - £107,225
16. Stephen Maguire - £105,500

#1 plays #16, #2 plays #15, etc.

Round 1:

Mark Allen v Stephen Maguire - Monday, 7pm
Ronnie O'Sullivan (defending champion) v Barry Hawkins - Monday, 7pm
Neil Robertson v Joe Perry - Tuesday, 1pm
Mark Williams v Ali Carter - Tuesday, 1pm
Kyren Wilson v Jack Lisowski - Tuesday, 7pm
Judd Trump v Jimmy Robertson - Tuesday, 7pm
David Gilbert v Stuart Bingham - Wednesday, 1pm
Mark Selby v John Higgins - Wednesday, 1pm

An interesting dynamic in the Gilbert/Bingham match, where winning or losing will probably mean the difference in getting into the Top 8, Tour Championship event. Of course, if one of the players ranked #10-#16 were to win this event, they would knock out both Gilbert and Bingham of their Tour Championship chance.

Joe_ Public · 04-03-2019 12:03am

There’s only a measly grand between Bingham & Gilbert as things stand but there’s still the gibraltar open to come as well. Not big money but every shekel counts!

zuutroy · 04-03-2019 9:25am

Ronnie and Hawkins will do nicely for tonight's TV entertainment

Inviere · 04-03-2019 8:54pm

Wow. Ronnie O'Sullivan tonight, an absolute w@nker of the highest possible caliber. To think Barry Hawkins had to help to respot the white with the ref, for Ronnie's shot, because Ronnie said "it wasn't his job", just wow. What an arrogant, ignorant, pr!ck.

zuutroy · 04-03-2019 9:30pm

It was poorly handled by him but it was fairly farcical by the officials. He couldn't really help because the replacement of the white was in a crowded area and he couldn't get close with his finger or cue to show where it was. Certainly looks up for it this week.

zuutroy · 04-03-2019 10:48pm

Ronnie's long game is horrendous. Not sure I've ever seen as bad.

Frank O. Pinion · 05-03-2019 10:19am

Inviere wrote: »

Wow. Ronnie O'Sullivan tonight, an absolute w@nker of the highest possible caliber. To think Barry Hawkins had to help to respot the white with the ref, for Ronnie's shot, because Ronnie said "it wasn't his job", just wow. What an arrogant, ignorant, pr!ck.

That ref was extremely frustrating. Here's the incident in question:

Watch from around 2 minutes in, why is he dicking about with the red on cushion, when Ronnie never touched that red?

Also, here's Ronnie's post-match interview...in an Australian accent:

https://twitter.com/coral/status/1102697088721272833?s=21

Joe_ Public · 05-03-2019 10:25am

The officials made a bags of the whole thing and ronnie acted like a right diva, both of those statements are true. Doesn’t take much for camilleri to annoy ronnie at the best of times and he made a bags of that whole episode imo. Didn’t help that he must have inadvertently moved the red on the cushion, it was becoming a farce at that point as hendry said on the commentary.

Ronnie mixed the good with the bad last night. Hawkins had enough chances but failed to capitalise as is usual playing ronnie.

The Nal · 05-03-2019 10:43am

haha thats fantastic from Ronnie. Don't see any issue with his behaviour. Officials made a bags of it.

Frank O. Pinion · 05-03-2019 10:43am

Should be a bit more subdued today, anyways, with Robertson/Perry (good friends) and Williams/Carter. I'd really like to see Williams go deep in a tournament before defending his World Championship title next month. His best result since winning the World Open last August, was getting to the QF in the German Masters.

Arthur Daley · 05-03-2019 11:19am

We're a long way from Dennis Taylor joking about with Len Ganley here. The ref got confused, especially around the mistake with the red, and probably felt nervous around Ronnie, as did the other two refs who seemed a bit passive given they have the screens. The refs won't be paid much, it's not always an easy job, that position was a little tricky, and everyone can make a mistake.

Joe_ Public · 05-03-2019 11:49am

I wouldn’t be making excuses for him, he’s 18 years at the job and, at the very least, shouldn’t be getting into a muddle in such a situation, however tricky. That said, there’s no doubt refs will be more inclined to get firm with low ranking players, have seen it happen several times, while the likes of ronnie will be indulged to varying extents. I’ve often wondered, given the available technology, if those replacement situations shouldn’t be completely taken out of players control but you’d need to have top notch officiating at all times.

hetuzozaho · 05-03-2019 3:39pm

I thought it was a ignorant from Ronnie, have come to expect it unfortunately.

Still my favourite player ever so hope to see him win it!

Inviere · 05-03-2019 4:38pm

zuutroy wrote: »

He couldn't really help because the replacement of the white was in a crowded area and he couldn't get close with his finger or cue to show where it was. Certainly looks up for it this week.

Would you give over, Barry Hawkins got the job done in ten seconds, for Ronine. Imagine the other player, helping the ref to respot the white, for his opponent. Absolute madness. The whole situation could have been over so much earlier if he hadn't been such a knob, and actually assisted the ref when asked. Sure, it's not his job, and sure, the ref and other officials were a bit muddled, but Ronnie made the whole thing ten times worse with his diva antics. How many times in a snooker match do we see players saying to refs "nah, it was down a bit more than that", etc etc.

Joe_ Public · 05-03-2019 4:52pm

It’s obvious he has an issue with that particular ref, not sure he’d have behaved in quite such belligerent fashion with the likes of jan verhaas.

Anyway guess it’s ok he’s given us something to talk about as the snooker has been pretty drab so far.

Inviere · 05-03-2019 4:57pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

It’s obvious he has an issue with that particular ref, not sure he’d have behaved in quite such belligerent fashion with the likes of jan verhaas.

Anyway guess it’s ok he’s given us something to talk about as the snooker has been pretty drab so far.

On a semi related note....I noticed straight away last night that we're back to the usual crappy shallow viewing angle. So much of the screen now is wasted space (non snooker table), in order to presumably ensure that the sponsors logo fits perfectly at the top of the screen now. Are the officials using this same angle to assist respotting? I couldn't help but think if the camera angle was higher, like it is for the BBC covered events, it'd make respotting much easier. With this shallow angle, it's sometimes hard to gauge exactly where the balls are in relation to the rest of the table.

Joe_ Public · 05-03-2019 5:23pm

Inviere wrote: »

On a semi related note....I noticed straight away last night that we're back to the usual crappy shallow viewing angle. So much of the screen now is wasted space (non snooker table), in order to presumably ensure that the sponsors logo fits perfectly at the top of the screen now. Are the officials using this same angle to assist respotting? I couldn't help but think if the camera angle was higher, like it is for the BBC covered events, it'd make respotting much easier. With this shallow angle, it's sometimes hard to gauge exactly where the balls are in relation to the rest of the table.

You may have a point, seemed to be struggling a bit with it for some reason. The chinese seem to have a better system for replacing where the assistant can see the outline of the cue ball and ref manoeuvers it until it’s in exact position. No arguments necessary. Don’t seem to use that in the uk or i just haven’t noticed it.

Joe_ Public · 05-03-2019 5:29pm

That was a pretty terrible match from what i saw of it between robbo and perry. One of comms mentioned fact that they’re great friends and practice partners as a mitigating factor but that’s always a pretty bad excuse for me. The same with trump and lisowski. These guys should be ruthless and unconcerned with friendships, don’t ever remember it being an issue with Alex and jimmy back in the day, always good matches fiercely contested which is way it should always be.

Arthur Daley · 05-03-2019 10:12pm

Trump was pretty commanding closing out 6-0 against Jimmy Robertson.

Dante7 · 06-03-2019 12:06am

Trump very good again tonight. He really is the real deal now. I'd back him against anyone in a best of 19, but has been said, we just need to see him in the long haul of Sheffield. I think he is there.

Inviere · 06-03-2019 4:56pm

Dante7 wrote: »

Trump very good again tonight. He really is the real deal now. I'd back him against anyone in a best of 19, but has been said, we just need to see him in the long haul of Sheffield. I think he is there.

Same. Either Allen or Trump will be the next 'new' World Champ.

Joe_ Public · 06-03-2019 5:59pm

Good win for higgins and sounds a lot happier and more confident than he has all season. Coming into a bit of form at the right time of the season i think. Had him all but written off a few weeks ago, now thinking he’ll be right in the mix for the worlds.

Frank O. Pinion · 07-03-2019 11:02am

Disappointed for David Gilbert, he's been in the Top 8 all season, but now looks to miss the Top 8 event right before the cut-off. Unless he can at the very least make it to the Gibraltar Open final, which would knock Kyren Wilson out of the Tour Championship.

Trump played well to comeback against Lisowski, who bottled it again. I still don't think this is "Trump's year" for the World Championship, in a year or two maybe, as his game continues to mature. Selby won his first World title at 30 years old, Trump will be 30 for next year's Worlds...

https://twitter.com/judd147t/status/1103063188982153216

Quarter-Finals:
Neil Robertson v Mark Williams - Today, 1pm
Mark Allen v Stuart Bingham - Today, 7pm
Ronnie O'Sullivan v John Higgins - Friday, 1pm

Semi-Finals:
Robertson/Williams v Judd Trump - Friday, 7pm
Allen/Bingham v O'Sullivan/Higgins - Saturday, 7pm

I'd love for Williams to make the final, against Ronnie. Like last month's World Grand Prix, there's no session on Saturday afternoon.

waynescales1 · 07-03-2019 9:29pm

Lisowski seems to have the talent, but not the mental strength to be a top player.

Looking forward to O'Sullivan v Higgins.

Dante7 · 07-03-2019 11:58pm

Mark Allen through to the semis after coming from 3-0 down to win 6-4 against Stuart Bingham.

Ronnie playing Higgins tomorrow in the last quarter. I'm having a few bob on Higgins. Ronnie respects him and calls him the governor. He sees no loss of honour in losing to John.

Frank O. Pinion · 08-03-2019 10:41am

Dante7 wrote: »

Ronnie playing Higgins tomorrow in the last quarter. I'm having a few bob on Higgins. Ronnie respects him and calls him the governor. He sees no loss of honour in losing to John.

https://snookerhq.com/2019/03/07/osullivan-and-higgins-equal-record/

Head-to-head is 35-29, to Ronnie. Their most recent meeting four months ago, in the 2018 Champion of Champions, resulted in a 6-3 win for Ronnie. Higgins hasn't defeated Ronnie in a best-of-11 match in nearly 10 years.

Joe_ Public · 08-03-2019 10:52am

Wasn’t sure what shape higgins would be in following his india exertions but looks well up for this and wants desperately to make the tour championships. Give him a good chance today, betting is underestimating him for sure imo.

Frank O. Pinion · 08-03-2019 5:36pm

Quite fitting that the final four of this Top 16 tournament are four of the Top 5 players all season. The semi-finalists are the best players of the season.

The Nal · 08-03-2019 5:51pm

Frank O. Pinion wrote: »

Quite fitting that the final four of this Top 16 tournament are four of the Top 5 players all season. The semi-finalists are the best players of the season.

Shaping up nicely for Sheffield.

Joe_ Public · 08-03-2019 6:14pm

Also just shows you what an average season it has been. None of these players has played consistently well through the season, indeed been fairly average or worse for good parts of it. I guess it’s just the way it’s going to be in the new snooker universe. Probably will never be another so dominant like hendry as ronnie said earlier in his interview, too mentally demanding these days.

Inviere · 08-03-2019 6:18pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Also just shows you what an average season it has been. None of these players has played consistently well through the season, indeed been fairly average or worse for good parts of it. I guess it’s just the way it’s going to be in the new snooker universe. Probably will never be another so dominant like hendry as ronnie said earlier in his interview, too mentally demanding these days.

Yep, and far more tournaments now so to dominate for a decade today, you’d need to be superhuman.

Joe_ Public · 08-03-2019 6:34pm

Inviere wrote: »

Yep, and far more tournaments now so to dominate for a decade today, you’d need to be superhuman.

Yeah unless they can pick and choose when to peak somehow but seems easier said than done. But ding did win 5 tournaments one season and selby did the same so it’s not impossible to put long runs together. Selby has won this season but has looked mostly out of shape with his game to me, yet is still No.4 on the season list. Maybe it’s just me but it all just seems a little mediocre and jaded right now. Still be looking forward to the worlds though!

Inviere · 08-03-2019 7:16pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Yeah unless they can pick and choose when to peak somehow but seems easier said than done. But ding did win 5 tournaments one season and selby did the same so it’s not impossible to put long runs together. Selby has won this season but has looked mostly out of shape with his game to me, yet is still No.4 on the season list. Maybe it’s just me but it all just seems a little mediocre and jaded right now. Still be looking forward to the worlds though!

I think to dominate for a decade like Davis and Hendry did though, we’ll not see that again given the current structure. Sure, you can put long runs together, but this takes its toll after a season or two. Not too long ago, Shelby was damn near untouchable, he’s still collecting points this season, but I think his time at the top has took its toll.

And agreed re things seeming jaded and mediocre, the standard this season has been embarrassing at times.

Joe_ Public · 08-03-2019 7:40pm

Inviere wrote: »

I think to dominate for a decade like Davis and Hendry did though, we’ll not see that again given the current structure. Sure, you can put long runs together, but this takes its toll after a season or two. Not too long ago, Shelby was damn near untouchable, he’s still collecting points this season, but I think his time at the top has took its toll.

And agreed re things seeming jaded and mediocre, the standard this season has been embarrassing at times.

Yes i think it is too difficult alright and i strongly believe as well that players now in general lack the mental stamina required (why i’d personally stick to the old stagers to pick the world championship winner). Thought ronnie made a good point today when asked if trump could ascend to a davis/hendry level of dominance and he said there’s nobody behind him pushing him on. That’s so true. Watched lisowski the other night and depressing how quickly he folds when pressure is applied. Ronnie had higgins, hendry and mjw pushing him relentlessly with a support cast of doherty, hunter, ebdon, stevens, mcmanus & others. Just don’t hsve anything remotely resembling that these days imo.

Arthur Daley · 08-03-2019 10:27pm

That is a very good point. You need a bit of competition and a bit of pressure to get an edge.

It's nice to hear Clive Everton still commentating at 81. Mr. Snooker, although his voice is a little fainter now, no reason why he shouldn't keep it going.

Joe_ Public · 08-03-2019 11:33pm

Clive has sounded a bit weak/hoarse alright this week but greatest thing about itv coverage is having him on. Great insights into the matches and not in an annoying Phil Yates stat attack kind of way.

Good win for robbo tonight, bossed the match totally from 1-3 down. Not his biggest fan but when he’s got somewhere close to his a game he is very good to watch.

Frank O. Pinion · 09-03-2019 12:08am

Clive is great, but the "girl" he pointed out in the crowd possibly "developing a life-long love of the game", was actually a boy...and Neil Robertson's son!

waynescales1 · 10-03-2019 12:38am

Clive Everton is pure class. Very eloquent, I like his laid back style. Didn’t know he was 81, hope he keeps on going.

All Australian final tomorrow. Need to do something about that table, conditions looked fairly horrific.

2019 Coral Cup - ITV4's Trilogy of Events

Comments