2021 Players Championship, Feb 22-28

robinwing · 25-02-2021 8:36pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Was hoping jack would stand up and give ronnie something to think about tonight. Feels a bit like man against boy so far.

He threw away that second frame. He didnt punish Ronnies miss to the middle left pocket . Its not looking good for him now. If he goes 3 -0 down he could be out the back door very fast

Joe_ Public · 25-02-2021 8:47pm

At least done by a sublime break there. Just the ease with which ronnie compiled that, an artist at work.

waynescales1 · 25-02-2021 8:54pm

Wonder when was the last time O’Sullivan took 2 minutes over a shot.

Joe_ Public · 25-02-2021 9:00pm

Feel a bit sorry for jack here, this is just relentless and ruthless. The focus from ronnie is almost scary, you'd wonder if jack didnt offend him in some way.

gormdubhgorm · 25-02-2021 9:02pm

Jack L being given a right lesson. Had his chances and has not taken them. Ronnie doing a John Higgins on him. Just matchplaying him waiting for him to make the mistakes.

I am not sure Jack will ever move on to the 'next level' that the commentators are on about. They seem to be saying that for years at this stage.

Joe_ Public · 25-02-2021 9:07pm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Jack L being given a right lesson. Had his chances and has not taken them. Ronnie doing a John Higgins on him. Just matchplaying him waiting for him to make the mistakes.

I am not sure Jack will ever move on to the 'next level' that the commentators are on about. They seem to be saying that for years at this stage.

Yeah, potting ability not enough on its own. That first frame he was trading good safety until he ran out of patience and took on an over ambitious long one, frame over. So it is with him. The fact he's never won a tournament, not even a minor one, is instructive i think and as things stand, he's struggling a bit for his world champs top 16 seeding.

gormdubhgorm · 25-02-2021 9:12pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Yeah, potting ability not enough on its own. That first frame he was trading good safety until he ran out of patience and took on an over ambitious long one, frame over. So it is with him. The fact he's never won a tournament, not even a minor one, is instructive i think and as things stand, he's struggling a bit for his world champs top 16 seeding.

Jack reminds me a bit of a Ronnie where he used to just lose the head, get annoyed and give up. I would hate being one of his supporters really annoying to watch. Obviously loads of natural talent. Flashy stuff easy for him. Matchplay and tactical stuff aren't there at all.

Joe_ Public · 25-02-2021 9:23pm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Jack reminds me a bit of a Ronnie where he used to just lose the head, get annoyed and give up. I would hate being one of his supporters really annoying to watch. Obviously loads of natural talent. Flashy stuff easy for him. Matchplay and tactical stuff aren't there at all.

Type of player who really needed a good coach and extended lessons in how to develop patience and a mentality for the big days. I never thought having judd as main practice partner as he did for years was very good for him. Somehow judd learned that developing his game was critical for the future but jack didnt.

Joe_ Public · 25-02-2021 9:27pm

Looking forward to post match interview to see how ronnie manages to find fault with his game.

26-02-2021 3:36pm

Just tuned into this, and can't say it's much of a surprise that Higgins is 3-0 up, and on 'the cusp' of getting this next one against The Jester. The way he took JB apart with consummate ease in the last 16/1st round means him and Ron are definitely the guys to beat this week. Yeah, it's 4-0.

Pighead · 26-02-2021 3:42pm

Looks like it's gonna be four very one sided quarter-finals unless Selby can do a Selby.

Joe_ Public · 26-02-2021 3:42pm

Yeah, way they're playing you'd have to fancy a higgins-ron final which would be a nice set up after the recent demolition job by higgins at the masters. Cant see selby coming back- famous last words notwithstanding - or hawkins standing in the way of it.

weemcd · 26-02-2021 3:48pm

Selby won't make it easy for Higgins (or easy to watch) but the way Higgins is playing now I can't see anything other than a win. Looking forward to tonight.

Joe_ Public · 26-02-2021 3:49pm

Higgins near 90% long pot success, 9 from 11. Doesnt get much better than that. That's the key these days, the confidence you get when those shots are going in. Same with ronnie to a certain extent.

2ndcoming · 26-02-2021 3:59pm

Jaysus, looking like 5-0 now. John hasn't lost a frame in the tournament yet...

26-02-2021 4:09pm

Yep, John Higgins is having one of them 'On his Day' type performances... Unless they're playing each other, there's only going to be one winner if John, Ronnie, or Judd are bringing their A game. Surprising though that Higgins still can do it, given the fact that he is neither young, or one of the more fitter players in the mid 30s+ category... That new ferrule, as it's called, and the way he addresses the cueball (he was saying he was listening to Ronnie and Stephen on commentary once, and it made him keep the tip closer to the white as he was doing his 'feathers' - gives him more power I think he said; without having to hit it any harder).

waynescales1 · 26-02-2021 4:30pm

Did Selby pot 3 balls? That has to be a record low for a best of 11 match?

Joe_ Public · 26-02-2021 4:35pm

6 points in a bo11. Have to check but definitely close to record territory for sure. Remember ronnie dismantling marco fu a few years back but dont think it was bad as that.

Joe_ Public · 26-02-2021 4:36pm

And dave hendon stat about ronnie and higgins last ranking final being as far back as 2005 quite surprising too.

weemcd · 26-02-2021 4:40pm

That's the biggest hiding I've ever seen in snooker.

26-02-2021 4:41pm

waynescales1 wrote: »

Did Selby pot 3 balls? That has to be a record low for a best of 11 match?

Good spot that. Confirmed by Jill in the studio..

Joe_ Public · 26-02-2021 4:51pm

It was 7 points. I diddled mark out of a point earlier! Confirmed lowest ever points total in a televised bo11 match. A total beatdown.

robinwing · 26-02-2021 5:19pm

weemcd wrote: »

That's the biggest hiding I've ever seen in snooker.

He didnt just whitewash him , he brownwashed him

2ndcoming · 26-02-2021 7:43pm

They mentioned it as the biggest total point difference in televised snooker history as well. 543-7 in the end I think.

Rothko · 26-02-2021 8:03pm

What are the odds on a Hawkins V Wilson final, I wonder.

Joe_ Public · 26-02-2021 8:29pm

Barry simply had to take that frame anyway. Was almost certain he'd missed the yellow for a second.

Joe_ Public · 26-02-2021 9:58pm

Noticeable ronnie not dropped his chalk once the past 3 frames.

waynescales1 · 26-02-2021 10:55pm

Frame 10, getting edgy, lots of mistakes.

tanko · 26-02-2021 11:07pm

Ronnie doing his best to throw this away.

waynescales1 · 26-02-2021 11:19pm

O’Sullivan misses the red twice, gets warned about the third miss and then plays the same shot again anyway. Risky, I like it.

6-4.

tanko · 26-02-2021 11:28pm

Hawkins will be kicking himself after that. He had Ronnie under a lot of pressure, his last shot was very poor. At 5-5 Hawkins would have had a great chance.

Joe_ Public · 26-02-2021 11:32pm

Interesting hendry asking ronnie about the lack of crowds. I dont think anyones really loving milton keynes, but i'm inclined to think ronnies thriving under the conditions more than most. Lack of crowds, lack of media, lack of fuss suits him. In and out. Think it definitely helped him win the worlds and its the reason he had a change of heart about playing the masters. I had all but written him off to get the 6th world title, now i believe he has a very serious chance of landing the very significant 7th.

Rothko · 26-02-2021 11:43pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Interesting hendry asking ronnie about the lack of crowds. I dont think anyones really loving milton keynes, but i'm inclined to think ronnies thriving under the conditions more than most. Lack of crowds, lack of media, lack of fuss suits him. In and out. Think it definitely helped him win the worlds and its the reason he had a change of heart about playing the masters. I had all but written him off to get the 6th world title, now i believe he has a very serious chance of landing the very significant 7th.

Not sure about that since he hasn't won anything since the WC.

tanko · 26-02-2021 11:44pm

Hendry has fairly piled on the pounds, he's not running ten miles everyday anyway.

Joe_ Public · 27-02-2021 12:21am

Rothko wrote: »

Not sure about that since he hasn't won anything since the WC.

How much difference it might make at end of day is hard to say i guess, i just suspect it suits ronnie and more so at crucible than any place else given how tight and claustrophobic that can be. He's not winning tournaments but looks to me to be as enthused and energised about the game than he has been for years. Even practising hard with Martin Gould these past couple of months. And i dont remember he won much last season apart from the worlds so he's doing ok this season, just finds judd difficult to beat these days and that one subpar performance in wales last week.

Rothko · 27-02-2021 12:45am

Joe_ Public wrote: »

How much difference it might make at end of day is hard to say i guess, i just suspect it suits ronnie and more so at crucible than any place else given how tight and claustrophobic that can be. He's not winning tournaments but looks to me to be as enthused and energised about the game than he has been for years. Even practising hard with Martin Gould these past couple of months. And i dont remember he won much last season apart from the worlds so he's doing ok this season, just finds judd difficult to beat these days and that one subpar performance in wales last week.

He hasn't had a bad record so far this season at all. After all, he did get to the final of the Scottish and Welsh Open. However, he hasn't won either of them.

Personally, (like most fans) I'm hoping for a Ronnie V Higgins final. I don't have a clue who I think would win between them. John and Ronnie both seem to be in fantastic form and I couldn't split them at all.

Joe_ Public · 27-02-2021 12:57am

Rothko wrote: »

He hasn't had a bad record so far this season at all. After all, he did get to the final of the Scottish and Welsh Open. However, he hasn't won either of them.

Personally, (like most fans) I'm hoping for a Ronnie V Higgins final. I don't have a clue who I think would win between them. John and Ronnie both seem to be in fantastic form and I couldn't split them at all.

Point really wasnt that he was winning anything, he wasnt playing all that well pre xmas anyway, but that he's looking happier and more motivated than for a while at the moment. Thats all, and i think it augurs fairly well for another tilt at the worlds this year. It was the only title he won last season too, the one that really matters at this stage.

robinwing · 27-02-2021 2:44am

tanko wrote: »

Hendry has fairly piled on the pounds, he's not running ten miles everyday anyway.

He'll sweat off a few pounds when he has to play Selt next week.

waynescales1 · 27-02-2021 2:07pm

I think anyone that’s made 4 ranking finals in one season has to be a contender for the WC.

27-02-2021 9:22pm

Scottish granite :pac: - From 4 frames Wilson only accrues 7 points.. History in the making here... Yates is in awe :P No one has EVER (outside of the shootout) reached a ranking final without dropping a frame before...

Genghis · 27-02-2021 9:26pm

Yates is in a perpetual state of awe.

But Higgins is certainly on fire.

AllForIt · 27-02-2021 9:45pm

Great to see Higgins playing well.

I wonder how much this longevity thing catches. A few years ago I thought Higgins was on the way out, and I wonder if seeing Ronnie play as good as ever spurs him on. And with Williams making a return to the top as well in recent years.

I never understood how top players once over 40 went downhill in snooker anyway. I mean it's not an athletic sport. If anything you'd expect them to be better.

2ndcoming · 27-02-2021 9:51pm

Eyesight as much as anything, easily fixed now.

27-02-2021 9:52pm

Not that difficult to understand really... It's a sport that requires a lot of concentration... Very tough mentally.... Same reason I guess accountants and chess players lose it a bit/go downhill in their thirties... Those activities would take similar concentration levels I'd imagine..... Lawyers; on the other hand :P

newmember2 · 27-02-2021 9:59pm

What a steal

waynescales1 · 27-02-2021 10:01pm

Can anyone take a frame off this man?!?

AllForIt · 27-02-2021 10:03pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Not that difficult to understand really... It's a sport that requires a lot of concentration... Very tough mentally.... Same reason I guess accountants and chess players lose it a bit/go downhill in their thirties... Those activities would take similar concentration levels I'd imagine..... Lawyers; on the other hand :P

Personally I don't agree with that. I think it's more to do with a general societal attitudes to age. A bad attitude. I.e. one is over the hill by 45.

edit: Hendry just said of Higgins "I've never seen such concentration".

newmember2 · 27-02-2021 10:13pm

AllForIt wrote: »

Personally I don't agree with that. I think it's more to do with a general societal attitudes to age. A bad attitude. I.e. one is over the hill by 45...

You must be young...

AllForIt · 27-02-2021 10:19pm

I'd love to see a long drawn out comeback here as I'm bored and I've run out of series to watch on netflix.

2ndcoming · 27-02-2021 10:22pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Not that difficult to understand really... It's a sport that requires a lot of concentration... Very tough mentally.... Same reason I guess accountants and chess players lose it a bit/go downhill in their thirties... Those activities would take similar concentration levels I'd imagine..... Lawyers; on the other hand :P

Accountants only start making a few pound in their thirties.

When they go out on their own and hire a few young grads to do what they did for the last 10 years for 25-30k a year :pac:

And the cycle continues

2021 Players Championship, Feb 22-28

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