Stephen Hendry snooker blog
Posts tagged Ronnie O’Sullivan
Players have say on Ronnie O’Sullivan’s 147 that nearly wasn’t
0607 days
by Ismail Vedat
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.
Ronnie O’Sullivan pushes fans to the max
0609 days
by Ismail Vedat
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.
Ronnie O’Sullivan wins and hits 147 maximum break
0609 days
by Ismail Vedat
in Uncategorized
Ronnie O’Sullivan hit his 10th competitive 147 maximum break on his way to beating Mark King 3-0 at the snooker World Open in Glasgow.
O’Sullivan will now play six-time world finalist Jimmy White in the last 32.
The Rocket took the opening frame after knocking in breaks of 38 and 75. King missed chances in the second frame, allowing O’Sullivan to take a 2-0 lead.
The clinching-frame saw the good and bad side of O’Sullivan, and after potting the first red on the way to the 147 break, he stopped to ask referee Jan Verhass what the prize-money for the maximum would be, but he was told there was no additional prize-money on top of the £4,000 for achieving the highest break.
After he potted the final pink, O’Sullivan shook hands with King, but Verhass persuaded him to pot the black and complete the maximum, which he did after he smashed the black into the pocket.
“I wasn’t going to pot the black because I asked and was told there was no break prize for a 147,” he told the BBC. “What’s the point of making a 147 if you’re only going to make £4,000? I thought Barry Hearn [World Snooker chairman] was supposed to be putting money in, not taking it out,” said O’Sullivan.
Snooker World Open last 32 takes centre stage
0609 days
by Ismail Vedat
in Uncategorized
The snooker World Open in Glasgow is already proving to be popular amongst the players and the fans with the excitement set to continue as the last 32 matches kick off today.
Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark King are the last players vying for a place in this round, and the winner will play six-time world finalist Jimmy White. O’Sullivan is always the blockbuster name in any tournament, and King will have his work cut out if he is to stop the Rocket.
White defeated Paul Davison 3-1 to seal his place in the last 32, and for a time it didn’t look as though he would. Davison, ranked 86 in the world, took the opening frame with a break of 60 and was in control in the second, looking good for a 2-0 lead, but failed to capitalise. White found his rhythm and managed to recover by taking the next three frames.
Providing O’Sullivan overcomes King, the Whirlwind is anticipating an exciting encounter against the Rocket.
“I would love to play Ronnie now. I’ve got a few days to reflect and calm down because I got so excited, it took me a while to stay still on the shot,” said White.
It has been a long time since White reached the televised stages of an event, and the hard practice is beginning to pay off.
“I just want to win because I want to play again, but I haven’t been involved at a venue for a while. I’m cueing well and the pink I knocked in to go 2-1 up showed that,” said White.
Home favourites Stephen Hendry and Stephen Maguire delighted the crowd by advancing to the next round. Hendry beat Belgian Bjorn Haneveer 3-0, while Maguire edged out Stuart Pettman 3-2.
Seven-time world champion Hendry will play Mark Davis and was satisfied with his win and the format of the tournament.
“To win 3-0 is all you can ask for,” said Hendry. “The drive here took longer than the match and it’s nice to come through unscathed. There was a very good atmosphere and it’s nice to have only one table. This is an outstanding event and there’s definitely room for it.”
Maguire was tied at 2-2 and on the verge of exiting as Pettman led 48-1 in the deciding frame. However, Pettman miscued a shot with the match in his hands, and missed two more chances on the final green, leaving Maguire at the second time of asking to win. “I should never have won,” admitted Maguire. “That’s the first match out of the way and hopefully I can settle down now.”
Mark Williams, a man returning to his best form, beat Brazil’s Igor Figueiredo in a comfortable 3-0 win. Williams came from 2-0 down to beat Mark Selby in the Premier League last week, and he brought that form to the SECC in Glasgow. The Welshman will certainly have a tougher match on his hands in the next round, as he plays recently-crowned Shanghai Masters champion Ali Carter, who beat Thai amateur Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 3-1.
Reigning UK champion Ding Junhui had no problems beating Adrian Gunnell 3-0, making a top break of 53 along the way. China’s No.1 player now plays Jimmy Michie in the next round.
The World Open began with a repeat of the World Championship final from the Crucible in May as Neil Robertson and Graeme Dott did battle in the best-of-five tie. Australia’s first official world champion Robertson prevailed 3-1, and is pleased with the way the tournament has panned out so far.
“It’s a fantastic format and good to have a repeat of the world final on the first day with a big crowd,” he said. The Thunder from Down Under remains a threat in the event and will now take on David Morris.
Peter Ebdon won the battle of the former world champions as he beat Steve Davis 3-1. Ebdon dropped out of the elite-16 last season for the first time in 16 years, and has desires on getting his place back where he feels he belongs.
“It hurt to drop out of the top-16 last season because I felt that I could stay in there for as long as I wanted,” he said.
“It’s time to re-focus and re-group now and I do have new impetus and motivation, not only to get into the top-16 but to be a serious competitor for the big titles,” Ebdon added.
A match against Fergal O’Brien awaits the 2002 world champion, while Matthew Stevens, who reached the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals in the first ranking event of the season, will play local player Alan McManus.
Joe Jogia plays Liu Song, while another Scotsman Marcus Campbell plays Mike Dunn. Stephen Lee plays Nigel Bond, James McBain takes on Ricky Walden, Martin Gould plays Matthew Couch, and Marco Fu plays Andrew Higginson.
Snooker World Open contenders
0612 days
by Ismail Vedat
in Uncategorized
The World Open starts this weekend, and there are a number of players who stand a great chance of winning the event.
The usual suspects will be competing for the £100,000 top-prize and the favourite, as he is heading into every tournament, is Ronnie O’Sullivan.
The Rocket missed the first ranking tournament of the season at the Shanghai Masters for personal reasons and was unable to defend his crown. He will be playing Mark King in the first round. Last season was one to forget for O’Sullivan, as he only won one ranking event, and by his standards, he should have done better. He lost in the Masters final to Mark Selby at Wembley after throwing away a 9-6 lead, and suffered at the hands of Selby once again in the quarter-finals of the world championship.
Two semi-final appearances at the UK Championship and Welsh Open were the best he could manage in ranking events other than his Shanghai win, and on both occasions he lost to John Higgins. Another defeat in a final, this time in the Premier League – where he was champion for five consecutive years – to Shaun Murphy came along as well.
O’Sullivan at times can be his own worst enemy, but if he is in the right frame of mind, then he will definitely be the one to beat. This season he has played twice in the Premier League, and has failed to win in both of them, drawing with Marco Fu and Ding Junhui.
Selby won the Masters for the second time in three years in last season, and he begins his campaign against Barry Hawkins. He has made a solid start to this season, winning a six-red tournament in Thailand and one of the new Players Tour Championship events as well. The Jester from Leicester is capable of going all the way to add to the Welsh Open -the only ranking event title of his career so far.
Reigning world champion Neil Robertson is certainly another contender for the World Open. The Australian began and ended last season with event wins – winning the Grand Prix at the start and becoming world champion at the end at the Crucible. The quick-fire format of the World Open – where matches are the first to three up until the final – will suit Robertson’s game. As world champion as well, he’ll have a lot to prove, and over the last few seasons he has become one of the more flamboyant players on the table.
Another contender is the in-form Ali Carter. He won the first ranking event of the season last week in Shanghai after beating Jamie Burnett in the final. Carter has been one of the most consistent players on the circuit over the last two seasons, which has seen him rise to No.2 in the world rankings.
Shaun Murphy is the reigning Premier League champion, and as that prestigious tournament is built on playing against the 25-second shot-clock, he should have no problems adapting to the best-of-five encounters here in Scotland.
A man who returned to form last season was Mark Williams, and last night he showed his true quality in the Premier League by coming back from 2-0 down to win 4-2. He won the China Open last season to end a run of four years without a ranking event win, and signs of the old Williams have been coming back. The Welshman is a dangerous opponent for anybody, and he could go far in this event.
With a tournament in Scotland, all eyes will be on a Scotsman winning the World Open at the end of the week. Stephen Maguire has won four ranking events in his career, but the last of them came in 2008 in China. At times he doesn’t play well, and this is his downfall, as he is not able to win the scrappy frames. Of the Scottish players – which also include Stephen Hendry, Graeme Dott, Alan McManus, Marcus Campbell and Jamie McBain – he is the most likely to reach the latter stages.
Snooker World Open preview
0612 days
by Ismail Vedat
in Uncategorized
The second ranking event of the snooker season begins tomorrow with a new tournament, the 12bet.com World Open in Glasgow.
At this stage of the season, the Grand Prix would usually be taking place, but the tournament has been rebranded as the World Open and offers a quick-fire and exciting format for the players.
All matches will be best-of-five frames up until the final, where it becomes the best-of-nine frames. All matches will also be played on just one table, and the event offers the prospect of the big names playing one another thanks to the random draw. It is being dubbed as the “FA Cup” of snooker and is something different for the players to get used to.
Some qualifying matches took place last month, with the Scottish trio of Marcus Campbell, Alan McManus and James McBain just some of the players already booking their places in the last-32, as amateurs from around the world had the chance to play against the professional players.
Eleven last-64 matches will take place to decide who will join them, and the random draw has produced some interesting ties. The stand-out tie is the clash between Neil Robertson and Graeme Dott in a repeat of the world championship final from last season, which saw Robertson become the first official world champion from Australia.
The Thunder from Down Under is anticipating another tough match against the Scot. “We all have good times and bad times, but Graeme has bounced back and I am expecting a very hard match. Mind you, at least it won’t go on until 1am in the morning again.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan will begin his quest to become World Open champion against Mark King, and Jimmy White, a six-time world finalist, plays Paul Davison. Ding Junhui plays Adrian Gunnell, and reigning Masters champion Mark Selby takes on Barry Hawkins.
Selby believes the short format will be tricky for the established players. “There is added pressure when you are playing best of fives,” he said. “I think we might see some players who are not familiar faces doing well in the event, because the short matches will give the lower-ranked players a better chance. It will definitely be an exciting event to watch for the fans in the arena and viewers on TV.”
Steve Davis reached the quarter-finals of the world championship at the Crucible last season after a remarkable run that saw him defeat then-reigning world champion John Higgins. The six-time world champion plays Peter Ebdon in another fascinating tie. Stephen Hendry takes on Belgian Bjorn Haneveer, and the seven-time world champion is excited about the event. “It’s the one tournament we have in Scotland, and with the new format there’s no doubt it’s going to be exciting.”
Mark Williams, the China Open champion, plays Igor Figueiredo of Brazil. Ali Carter won the first ranking event of the season at the Shanghai Masters last week against Jamie Burnett, and he is on the lookout for his third ranking event title against Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. Current Premier League champion Shaun Murphy plays Dave Harold, and Stephen Maguire plays Stuart Pettman.
Maguire is delighted to be playing the event in his homeland, and is dreaming of winning it. “With it being in Glasgow, I would love to win it – only winning the World Championship would be better,” he said. “One of the greatest feelings in the world is picking up the trophy at the end of the week. I’ve not had it for over two years, so I’ve almost forgotten what feels like.”
Recently, snooker has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, as one of Scotland’s finest Higgins was cleared of match-fixing after tabloid newspaper News of the World had footage of him and his manager Pat Mooney agreeing to throw frames for money.
Mooney was deemed to be solely responsible for the situation, while Higgins was found guilty of bringing the sport into disrepute and has been banned until November and fined £75,000. Higgins was also guilty of failing to report an approach from a would-be corruptor.
The Scottish star will be disappointed not to be playing on home soil, but at least he will be breathing a whole lot easier after enduring the worst four months of his career.
At last, all the talk about snooker can be about what happens on the table rather than off it.
Mark Williams makes winning return to Premier League snooker
0612 days
by Ismail Vedat
in Uncategorized
After five years away from the Premier League, Mark Williams came from 2-0 down to defeat Mark Selby 4-2 last night.
Williams won the China Open last season and returned to form after dropping out of the top-16 rankings.
Last night, the two-time world champion found himself a frame behind after he missed a red into the bottom left corner. Selby was able to clear up with a break of 101 and make the first century of the night.
Williams didn’t do much wrong, but found himself 2-0 down, as Selby made a break of 84. Less than 20 minutes had been played, and the first two frames were of the highest standard.
The quality continued, as Williams responded with his own century break, a 113, to halve the deficit. Selby broke down on a break of 22 in the fourth frame when he missed a red into the middle pocket, presenting the chance for Williams. However, when it looked as though he would draw level, he missed the final yellow on a break of 48, but Selby missed two frame-winning pots on the last pink. Williams wasn’t punished for his error and managed to square the tie.
The Welshman had all the momentum as Selby went off the boil, and he made breaks of 35 and 47 to lead the reigning Masters champion for the first time in the match. After a long safety exchange in the final frame of the evening, Williams’ effort of 42 gave him the two points.
“I can’t remember the last time I played in front of this many people,” said Williams.
“The more people watching, the more you enjoy it and you play better. Apart from two or three ranking tournaments, the Premier League is the best event in snooker. Selby started off really well, knocked in a century and I thought I would be three or 4-0 down within 45 minutes.
“That’s how good a player he is – I was two down before I had a shot but that’s what happens. I then got my chances and started making some good breaks,” he added.
In the night’s other match, Ding Junhui and Ronnie O’Sullivan played out a 3-3 draw. Both players have yet to win a game, and for O’Sullivan it is two games and two draws.
Ding came charging out of the blocks by knocking in a 122 to take the opening frame. The second frame saw both players involved in a good safety battle, and O’Sullivan took the frame to level. Another century of the night came, this time from O’Sullivan, as he compiled a delightful 119 to go 2-1 up.
Ding – who lost 5-1 to reigning Premier League champion Shaun Murphy on the first night – replied with a break of 89 to level at 2-2. O’Sullivan then went 3-2 in front to guarantee himself a point, as his break of 67 saw him recover from difficult shots from every position. The final frame should have been the Rocket’s, but he missed the last pink to give Ding a share of the spoils.
“I should’ve potted the pink but I missed it and you don’t deserve to win if you miss balls like that,” said O’Sullivan.
Premier League snooker preview
0614 days
by Ismail Vedat
in Uncategorized
The second week of Premier League snooker takes place tomorrow night with two cracking matches in prospect.
Mark Selby takes on Mark Williams, while Ronnie O’Sullivan plays Ding Junhui.
Selby and Williams are making their first appearances in the Premier League for this season, and it should be a great match. Selby is the reigning Masters champion after winning the prestigious tournament for the second time in three years at Wembley in January.
Selby reached the final in his debut appearance in the Premier League back in 2008, and was thumped 7-2 by O’Sullivan. He failed to make it in last year’s competition, but he is back this year. Last week, he reached the Shanghai Masters semi-finals, where he lost to eventual champion Ali Carter in the first ranking event of the season.
Williams is first up for the Jester from Leicester, and he comes off the back of a decent season after winning the China Open, his first ranking title for four years. The two-time world champion will relish the challenge of playing a feisty opponent and playing against the 25-second shot-clock. The Welsh potting machine has returned to form and the match could go the distance.
Williams dropped out of the top 16 rankings a few seasons ago and was on the brink of quitting the game. After more than five years since his last appearance in the Premier League, Williams thought he’d never be playing in the competition again. “It feels very good to be back in the Premier League,” he said.
“I wasn’t confident of getting back in the Premier League and I thought it was far away and the chance had gone. I was too far down the rankings and was never going to get a wildcard as you have be in the top six or seven to have a chance. For 12 to 18 months it looked like there was no way on earth that I would get up there but somehow I’ve managed to do so.
“I dropped down the rankings like a stone and at one stage I was at 47 and couldn’t see a way back to the top. But with a lot of hard work and practise I started to climb the rankings the right way. It’s a lot easier to fall down the rankings than to climb back up,” Williams added.
In the other match of the evening, O’Sullivan and Ding failed to win their opening matches. Ding was all at sea as he lost 5-1 to reigning Premier League champion Shaun Murphy, while O’Sullivan had to take a point against former winner Marco Fu in a 3-3 draw.
Murphy was in imperious form and began the defence of his title in dominating fashion. Ding had no answer, and if he thinks it doesn’t get tougher, well it does.
A match against O’Sullivan is always one to watch, and as the six-time champion of the Premier League, O’Sullivan is looking to avenge for last year’s defeat in the final to Murphy. He began this year’s Premier League campaign on the opening night against Fu, and it was a high-quality affair. O’Sullivan trailed all the time as Fu played exceptionally well. Despite knocking in two century breaks, the Rocket was unable to disrupt the rhythm of Fu, who took his chances when they were presented to him.
O’Sullivan didn’t play badly, and neither did Fu, so a draw at the end of the night was a fair result. O’Sullivan was unable to play at the Shanghai Masters last week as he pulled out due to personal reasons, but he will be back and might cause Ding a lot of problems.
Predictions: Mark Selby 3 Mark Williams 3, Ronnie O’Sullivan 4 Ding Junhui 2
Defending champion Shaun Murphy makes winning start in Premier League snooker
0626 days
by Ismail Vedat
in Uncategorized
Shaun Murphy began the defence of his PartyCasino.com Premier League title with a 5-1 over Ding Junhui last night.
Murphy beat Ronnie O’Sullivan in last year’s final, and on his return as reigning champion proved too much for Ding.
Ding was on course to take the opening frame with a break of 51, but Murphy was able to steal it, and then he took a 2-0 lead after Ding broke down on a break of 28.
The UK Champion responded in the third frame by constructing a 65 break, but Murphy opened up a 3-1 lead when he made a superb 124, collecting an extra £1,000 for his efforts to guarantee himself a point.
Ding was given an opportunity to pull another frame back after Murphy missed a red on a break of 55, however, when he missed an easy red to the right-middle pocket on a 31 break, Murphy was able to clinch the frame and the two points. The 2005 world champion ended the night by making his second century in the final frame, a 109.
“Job well done, a good start,” said Murphy. “It’s a long tournament though and it’s not how you start though, it’s about getting in the top four and that was a good start. Winning frames you’re not meant to is like a double whammy as it gives you a boost and it’s also what it does to the other player.
“The scoreline was flattering though as Ding played well in parts, but I’ve got a happy but long drive home,” he added.
Six-time Premier League champion O’Sullivan had to settle for a point against Marco Fu in the second match of the night after drawing 3-3.
The opening frame was more than 20 minutes long, but Fu seized the initiative by knocking in a break of 63. Three-time world champion O’Sullivan hit back immediately with breaks of 76 and 61 to square the tie.
Fu, winner of the Premier League back in 2003, was not to be overhauled by the Rocket, and he edged in front again after making 47. The match was turning into a high-quality affair, as O’Sullivan recorded his first century of the match with a 119 break.
O’Sullivan was playing well, and so was Fu, and it would be the man from Hong Kong who secured a point after making an excellent 87. Playing catch-up all night, O’Sullivan ensured the match would end as a draw as he made his second century break, clearing the table with a 103.
“I played all right and scored when I was in the balls. Marco looked comfortable at the table so I’ve got to be happy with the point,” said O’Sullivan.
“[Finishing] 3-3 is kind of a fair result as we both had chances to win the match. I played better and felt a little more comfortable as we’re playing more matches this year. I feel confident and hopefully can continue like this,” said Fu.
Meanwhile, O’Sullivan has pulled out of the Shanghai Masters – the first ranking event of the season – which starts on Monday. O’Sullivan is the defending champion, and there was confusion surrounding his withdrawal.
He informed World Snooker of the decision last night, but the story breaking the news had been removed from their website, fuelling rumours he hadn’t pulled out. However, it has been confirmed he will miss the tournament, citing personal reasons was behind the decision.
O’Sullivan said in a statement: “This has been a very difficult decision to make, however I have a very young family and at this moment I need to spend more time with them. I’m truly sorry to my fans in China, I love meeting and playing in front of some of the most passionate people in the world. I very much look forward to returning to China soon.”
World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association chairman Barry Hearn said: “It’s very disappointing for his fans in China but we understand the personal reasons behind Ronnie’s withdrawal.”
Also, John Higgins will find out next week whether he is found guilty of match-fixing. Higgins, along with his manager Pat Mooney, stand accused by the Sunday newspaper News of the World for agreeing to throw frames in exchange for £261,000. He is expected to be attending a hearing on Tuesday.