Players have say on Ronnie O’Sullivan’s 147 that nearly wasn’t

0
503 days
by in Uncategorized

Following Ronnie O’Sullivan’s refusal to pot the final black to make a 147 maximum break on Monday at the snooker World Open, other players have voiced their opinions on the situation.

O’Sullivan had asked referee Jan Verhaas what the prize-money would be for making a 147, but when he was told there wasn’t any, only just £4,000 for making the highest break, he continued up until the final pink.

He shook hands with Mark King to wrap up a 3-0 win, but Verhaas persuaded him to complete the 147 and pot the black. In doing so, he smashed the black in to make a record 10th maximum of his career.

O’Sullivan insists his refusal wasn’t down to the money, instead saying he was just having “a bit of fun” and wanting to “ruffle a few feathers to get everyone on their toes.”

Reigning world champion Neil Robertson thinks it was great that O’Sullivan had cheekily asked the question in the first place. “To pot one red and black and then ask the referee if there’s a 147 prize is pure genius, no other player would have done that,” said the Australian. “He knew there wasn’t a prize, he was just setting it up. No one is bigger than the sport but he does make it more attractive when he does something like that,” Robertson added.

Mark Williams also had his say on the 147 madness. “I said when he was on 24 I thought he’d make a maximum,” he said.

“Ronnie’s break should stand at 140 because he’d shaken hands [with his opponent, King] before he potted the last black. He should have potted the black without messing around or played safe [if he wanted to make a point]. But that’s why people come to watch him, to see what he’s going to do,” said Williams.

Every time the Rocket plays, he always gets everyone talking.

Barry Hawkins wins again to reach last 16

0
503 days
by in Uncategorized

Barry Hawkins reached the last 16 of the snooker World Open after beating Ken Doherty 3-1.

Having recorded a shock defeat against reigning Masters champion Mark Selby in round one, Hawkins kept up his good form to upset the 1997 world champion.

The world No.25 took the opening frame after making a break of 57. The second frame could have gone either way, but it was Hawkins who managed to take it with a break of 73 after doubling a red into the left-middle pocket.

Doherty was not going to give in, and he halved the deficit by knocking in a fine break of 75. However, Doherty could not repeat what he did in the previous frame, and Hawkins clinched the match to round off another fine win in this tournament.

Stephen Hendry and Peter Ebdon continue to win

0
503 days
by in Uncategorized

Stephen Hendry delighted the Scottish crowd by winning 3-0 at the snooker World Open last night over Mark Davis.

Seven-time world champion Hendry has yet to drop a frame in the short format after beating Belgium’s Bjorn Haneveer in round one 3-0 as well.

Hendry took less than an hour to beat the world No.18 Davis, making a top break of 70 along the way.

“Mark didn’t play as well as he can, fortunately for me, and I was able to pick up the pieces,” said Hendry. “I’m hitting the ball well but what happens when you have no results behind you is that you lose composure. I took my eye off the object ball a couple of times when I should have won the frame in one visit.

“My confidence will come back if I have a decent run with some good performances, even just getting to a quarter or semi-final. I haven’t got the form behind me to be able to say I’m going to win a tournament, but if I can get to the later stages then I know how to win,” added Hendry.

Peter Ebdon was also victorious, beating Fergal O’Brien 3-2. Ebdon, the 2002 world champion, went 2-0 in front, but O’Brien pulled a frame back after potting the final pink and black. He then levelled the match after making a break of 129. In the decider, Ebdon had breaks of 37 and 31 to cross the finishing line.

“I’m delighted to win but I didn’t deserve it, I made too many mistakes,” said Ebdon. “These matches are very significant for me rankings-wise because I’m trying to get back into the top 16.”

World champion Neil Robertson into last 16

0
503 days
by in Uncategorized

Reigning world champion Neil Robertson booked his place in the last 16 of the snooker World Open in Glasgow by beating David Morris 3-1.

After overcoming Graeme Dott in the previous round in a repeat of the world championship final last Saturday, the Australian showed his experience by taking the opening frame after Morris missed a difficult blue to the bottom-left pocket. Both players seemed to lose their concentration in the second frame, but it was Morris who took it to level the match after snookering Robertson on the final red.

It was expected to be a one-sided affair as Morris was playing in his first televised match, but the Irishman held his own for a while.

However, Robertson went 2-1 up after making a half-century break in the third frame, and he sealed the match despite not playing at his very best, something that only world champions can do.

Ding Junhui into the last 16 at World Open

0
504 days
by in Uncategorized

Ding Junhui booked his place in the next round of the snooker World Open in Glasgow by beating Jimmy Michie 3-1.

The reigning UK champion took the first frame after he made a break of 58, with Michie making a lot of mistakes. Ding was showing signs of playing well, and he went 2-0 in front thanks to a break of 109.

Like Ronnie O’Sullivan did yesterday, Michie jokingly asked the referee what the prize-money was for making a 147 maximum break, but that was where the similarities ended, as Michie couldn’t make the maximum.

In the third frame, Michie played one of the shots of the tournament, as he potted the black into the top-left pocket with the rest to screw back to the red on the right cushion, and he took the frame to only trail 2-1 despite not playing well at all.

The player ranked 56 in the world missed a great opportunity to level the match as he failed to pot a red into the middle-left pocket, and that allowed Ding to clinch the match with a break of 78.

Ronnie O’Sullivan may walk away after 147 madness

0
504 days
by in Uncategorized

Ronnie O’Sullivan has hit back at his critics over his refusal to complete his 147 maximum break at the snooker World Open yesterday.

On his way to beating Mark King 3-0, he asked referee Jan Verhaas what the prize-money would be for making a 147, to which Verhaas said there would be no extra money on top of the £4,000 highest-break prize. With this is mind, O’Sullivan potted the final pink and refused to pot the 15th and final black. Verhaas persuaded him to do it, and the Rocket fired home the black to complete a record 10th official maximum break.

After the match, it was believed O’Sullivan refused to pot the black in protest of no additional money being made available, but speaking to radio station talkSPORT, he said: “I’m not going to change, I’ll never change. I was talking to Barry Hearn [World Snooker chairman] yesterday and I told him, ‘If you like, that can be my last game of snooker ever. I’m quite happy to walk away’ – and I mean that.

“I’m not going to change. I’m going to carry on doing what I do. I don’t hurt anybody. I love my sport. I’m not a cheat. I’m not into gambling. I play snooker because I love the game and try to play to the best of my ability. I said to Barry that I’m not the most confident person when I’m out there and it’s hard for me to get up for playing. That’s why I’m happy to walk away.

“I sometimes get frustrated with my own performance because I like to play at a high level all the time and, when I don’t do that, my behaviour can reflect that because I do strange things.”

O’Sullivan, who has dropped down to No.6 in the world rankings, will now play Jimmy White in the last 16, and has admitted he was just “having some fun” yesterday.

“I just thought I’d have a bit of fun. The money wasn’t an issue. I just thought I’d ruffle a few feathers to get everyone on their toes. The 147 was on and I fancied it, even though I’m not playing well. I don’t fancy myself to win this tournament because I’m not playing well enough, but I can make a maximum.

“So I thought I’d go for it and I didn’t mean anything malicious by it [the refusal to pot the black]. I really wasn’t going to pot the black but I can’t believe everyone’s getting so crazy about it.

“My biggest buzz in my sport was when I was playing at 16 in front of my hero, Stephen Hendry, and it was the first time he’d seen me play. I was playing James Wattana and I made a 140 break and decided not to pot the black. And Hendry just looked as if to say, ‘You know what, I like that.’ It’s something only other top sportsmen would appreciate.

“I’m a bit disappointed that everyone is finding the negative in it because it’s about entertainment and expressing yourself, and that’s all I was doing.

“It was about proving a point, not about the money. I’ll give the £4,000 to charity because it’s not the money. It would be nice if there was a bigger prize – I think there should be really – but I wasn’t losing any sleep over it. It’s just weird what some people read into it,” said O’Sullivan.

Mark Williams progresses to last 16

0
504 days
by in Uncategorized

Mark Williams advanced to the last 16 of the snooker World Open after beating Ali Carter 3-1.

Two-time world champion Williams has been in fine form over the last few weeks, beating Mark Selby 4-2 in the Premier League last week and beating Brazil’s Igor Figueiredo in the first round here in Glasgow, and it was he who took the opening frame with two quick-fire breaks.

Carter, who won the first ranking tournament of the season in Shanghai, had a good chance to level the match, but after he made a couple of mistakes with a break just falling short of 50, Williams came back and doubled his lead.

Carter looked odds-on to win the third frame, being 72-0 in front, but Williams managed to clear the table and level the score at 72-72, forcing a re-spotted black. To win the match, Williams tried an ambitious shot as he tried to cut the black from a difficult angle, but he left the ball over the pocket, allowing Carter to keep his hopes alive of staying in the tie.

However, Carter’s hopes were dashed within minutes as Williams sealed the match in style, making a break of 96 to complete a fine victory.

“Every time I was in the balls I felt as if I was going to make a decent break,” he said. “Starting off quickly in matches has not always been my strong point, I probably lose the first frame more often than anyone.

“It’s not easy to play well in these best-of-fives and you know you could go out there, lose 3-0 and not even get a poke. But so far I’ve done well. The last time I played best-of-fives was in a pro-am in Ilford when the top prize was £500, and this week we’re playing for £100,000,” said Williams.

Alan McManus wins in front of home crowd

0
505 days
by in Uncategorized

Alan McManus overcame the challenge of Matthew Stevens by winning 3-2 to book his place in the last 16 of the snooker World Open in Glasgow.

Former Masters champion McManus won took the honours in the deciding frame after Stevens mounted a comeback after he was 2-0 down in the short format.

The Scotsman won the first frame with a break of 44 and doubled his lead after Stevens missed a red along the top cushion.

Welshman Stevens hit back with breaks of 52, 45 and 48 to level the score and take the match into a decider. Stevens was the first player to have an opportunity to clinch the match, but he broke down on a break of 35, allowing McManus to get himself back into the frame with a break of 56. After McManus missed an easy red, he managed to snooker Stevens on the final red and gained 15 points through fouls. McManus crossed the finishing line by potting the red to seal his place in the next round.

Meanwhile in the last match of the afternoon, Liu Song joined McManus in the last 16 after he beat Joe Jogia 3-1. Song, ranked 88 in the world, went ahead after both players showed signs of nerves. Jogia squared the tie after he knocked in a break of 79, but a break of 41 in the third and a match-winning 107 got the job done for Song.

Ronnie O’Sullivan pushes fans to the max

0
505 days
by in Uncategorized

He performs miracles on the snooker table, but sometimes Ronnie O’Sullivan can really get on your nerves.

He recorded his 10th maximum 147 break at the World Open in his 3-0 win over Mark King today, and it was a 147 that had great shots, time to ask for some advice and drama at the end – showcasing everything you need to know about O’Sullivan.

O’Sullivan always brings in the crowds, and they were treated to something special. After he potted the first red and colour, O’Sullivan stopped to ask referee Jan Verhass what the prize-money would be for making a 147. When told there would be no additional cash to the £4,000 received for the highest break, he went on to play some tremendous shots and delighted the crowd at the SECC in Glasgow, especially when potting the 13th black and bringing the cue ball out of baulk to land perfectly on the penultimate red.

When he sunk the final pink, the crowd were about to witness another special maximum from the Rocket. Other players would have stepped up, potted the black and accepted the applause of the crowd. Not O’Sullivan. He refused to pot the black in protest of no extra prize-money being made available, but after being persuaded by Verhass to pot it, in true O’Sullivan fashion he slammed the black into the pocket.

Luckily for him, the black went in at that extraordinary pace, because if it didn’t O’Sullivan would have been slightly embarrassed at the end. In potting the black, he now holds the record of making the most maximums, one more than Stephen Hendry. There must have been some in the audience thinking if O’Sullivan was taking it seriously, because for a time it didn’t look as though he was.

“After potting the first red and black I wanted to go for it so I asked the referee if there was a prize,” said O’Sullivan. “It would have been nice to have £25,000 so I could go on holiday. I would have got a kick out of just making a 140 and leaving the black. I don’t think 147s are that difficult but everyone else thinks they are.”

O’Sullivan certainly tests everyone’s patience to the maximum when he plays.

Snooker launches anti-corruption unit

0
505 days
by in Uncategorized

World Professional and Billiards Association chairman Barry Hearn has unveiled “zero tolerance” rules on betting.

In a press conference this lunchtime, Hearn said anyone in both snooker and darts – which he is chairman of the Professional Darts Corporation as well- who are involved in any form of betting will be given a lifetime ban.

The announcement comes on the back of snooker’s latest scandal, in which John Higgins was found not guilty of match-fixing after a sting by the News of the World had footage of Higgins and his then manager Pat Mooney of apparently agreeing to throw frames for money at a future event.

Higgins was found guilty of failing to report a would-be corruptor to the sport, and was fined £75,000 and banned until November, while Mooney was deemed solely responsible for the situation and permanently banned from snooker.

Higgins has agreed to take part in a new educational programme which will teach players about the consequences of betting and make them aware of the standards set by the WPBSA.

“Over the next couple of weeks we have a build-up to a board meeting on October 7th, which will approve a while range of new rules which will clearly set down the parameters that we want to see professional sport under and I believe it will take us to the very top of the queue in terms of integrity issues in sport,” Hearn said.

“We will be making sure that all the professional players involved in darts and snooker are aware that it is totally against the rules for anyone to have any financial gain whatsoever from any betting activity in these sports. In other words, no betting on anything. And that would involve not just betting on matches, but betting on parts of matches. This would involve savers, insurance bets on prize money, laying off bets on maximum breaks or high breaks. It’s a total blanket on any form of gambling. Anyone that breaks these rules is an instant lifetime ban from the sport,” he added.

David Douglas – a former Metropolitan police detective chief superintendent- now in charge of disciplinary matters on the WPBSA board, will be joined by Lord Stevens, chairman of Quest, as well.

Hearn went on to say: “Integrity in sport should be zero tolerance. We should always remember the most important people, not just the television companies that televise our sport or the sponsors who sponsor our sport, the most important people is the punter that buys the ticket or the viewer that watches professional sport at home on television.

“These people have got to enjoy their sport in the knowledge that the sport is cleaner than clean, that everyone is giving a hundred per cent all the time and that no-one is involved in any financial benefit whatsoever other than the prize money they are playing for. In terms of gambling, it needs to be completely and totally outlawed.

“We will be setting up, under Lord Stevens’ guidance, private confidential emails and phone numbers so that anyone who has anything to report has the obligation to report that. Failure to report, once again comes back to a lifetime ban.

“It’s time for all sport to take a very strong grip and a look at itself. We live in a different world, we live in a world of temptation, a world that requires education on the pitfalls that can be there by trusting other people, by being gullible and naive. We need to make sure we have systems in place to help these people, we don’t want a problem we want to guarantee that we will never have a problem.

“Setting up the Integrity Unit is a process we started several months ago – before the John Higgins case came about – by bringing Douglas on to the board. Snooker is a sport associated with honesty and sportsmanship, we’ve all seen countless occasions where players have owned up to fouls not spotted by the referee.

“Unfortunately in recent months we’ve had some high-profile cases which have tarnished the image of the game, and it’s vital for the future of snooker that we stamp out corruption and make sure we are clean, and perceived as clean by the viewing public. We have made massive strides forward commercially this year with new and successful events with exciting formats. But that progress must not be hindered by any form of corruption.”

« Previous
Next »
Go to Top