Stephen Hendry snooker blog
Posts tagged Shaun Murphy
Neil Robertson and Shaun Murphy up against difficult opponents
0461 days
by Ismail Vedat
in Uncategorized
With only three weeks left in the snooker Premier League group phase, the race is on to decide who will make it to the play-offs.
Reigning world champion Neil Robertson and current Premier League champion Shaun Murphy are both in action tomorrow night. Robertson takes on table-topper Marco Fu, while Murphy has a tough match against the Masters champion Mark Selby.
Robertson and Murphy are the only players to have played just three times and are playing catch-up to the rest of the field. Both players have one win, one draw and a defeat to their name so far. Murphy is bottom of the league, but don’t read too much into that, as he is only three points off top-spot having played two games less than Fu. Ronnie O’Sullivan moved off the foot of the table to third place with a win in his last match, showing how tight this year’s competition is.
Robertson handed out a 6-0 thumping to Ding Junhui in his last outing, but against Fu a score like that is highly unlikely. Fu is the tournament’s biggest surprise. Sitting pretty on top of the pile, he already has one foot in the semi-finals. A point would guarantee that place, and enable him to relax and watch the others fight it out for the final three play-off spots over the next fortnight.
Fu sent Ding packing last week, winning 5-1 and ending the UK champion’s hopes of reaching the last four. Prior to last week’s match, Fu was the only player not to have made a century break and collect the £1,000 bonus, but he changed that in the final frame by grabbing one to round off a fine evening.
Robertson began his Premier League campaign with a defeat, but since then he has shown why he is the world champion and world No.1. He battled hard to get a point against Mark Williams, and got his first win by beating Ding. If Robertson wants to book his place in the semi-finals, he would have to beat Fu, and then remain unbeaten against O’Sullivan and Murphy in his final two games.
Murphy has tricky games left as well. He plays the Jester from Leicester Selby, then Williams, and he finishes his round-robin phase against the world champion.
Selby has won two and lost two in his four games so far. He beat Robertson 4-2 and blew Fu away 5-1. He has made four centuries along the way, and is currently on four points. With Fu at the top of the table, the final three places are going to be contested by Selby, Robertson, Williams, Murphy and O’Sullivan, and neither player can afford to lose a game.
Murphy kicked off the defence of his title with an emphatic 5-1 win over Ding. It has been some time since Murphy played a game, and when he did, he was involved in a high-quality encounter against O’Sullivan in the 3-3 draw.
Prediction: Robertson 3 Fu 3, Murphy 2 Selby 4
Power Snooker ready for switch on
0467 days
by Ismail Vedat
in Uncategorized
Snooker has been undergoing a major transformation over the past few months, and the arrival of Power Snooker is the latest attempt to change the face of the game.
Since Barry Hearn gained control of World Snooker by becoming chairman last year, he has introduced more ranking tournaments and more prize money, and the players are much happier than they have been in recent years.
Viewing figures however have dropped over the last 20 years, and the creators of Power Snooker, Rod Gunner and Ed Simmons, believe their idea can be a success. Not since the epic 1985 world championship final between Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis that was decided on the black has snooker enjoyed such high viewing figures, that final pulling in 18.5million viewers.
Power Snooker is hoped to do to snooker what Twenty20 has done for cricket, and the rules of the game are a change from the norm. Games will last 30 minutes and points will count rather than frames. There will be nine reds, rather than the usual 15, and they will be arranged in a diamond, not a rack.
The middle red will be the Power Ball, and when potted this will trigger a two-minute power play with any balls potted counting as double points. The players will also play against a 20-second shot clock.
The event will be full of glitz and glamour, and the players will also have a microphone attached to them so the audience can hear every word they say.
The format may not be to the liking of the traditionalists, but the quick-fire play that will be on show will suit one man. The Rocket, Ronnie O’Sullivan.
The three-time world champion is one of eight players to be playing at London’s Indigo2 Arena on Saturday. O’Sullivan has a match against 15-year old Belgian champion Luca Brecel. The inclusion of the wonder-kid is what Gunner wants the competition to be all about. “Luca is a young precocious talent and the young generation adapts to new rules very quickly,” said Gunner. “I firmly believe that sport is entertainment. Snooker has been stagnating and young people today want energy and instant gratification.”
O’Sullivan is the favourite to land the £35,000 first prize, and he is looking forward to playing in it. “Hopefully, it suits my game better than the others,” he said. “It’s difficult to make predictions but it’s going to be an exciting event to watch. It will show snooker in a different light and the sport desperately needs that.”
In the other games, reigning world champion Neil Robertson takes on current Premier League champion Shaun Murphy. Masters champion Mark Selby takes on Shanghai Masters winner Ali Carter, and the Whirlwind Jimmy White is up against UK champion Ding Junhui.
Whether Power Snooker is a success or not, all eyes will be on O’Sullivan to deliver.
Ronnie O’Sullivan drawn against Luca Brecel in Power Snooker
0482 days
by Ismail Vedat
in Uncategorized
Ronnie O’Sullivan will take on 15-year old wonderkid Luca Brecel in the brand-new format Power Snooker at the end of this month at the Indigo2 Arena.
The three-time world champion has been pitted against the Belgian in a highly-anticipated tournament that has been dubbed the Twenty20 of snooker, and is expected to change the face of the sport.
“I was hoping to get one of the more well-known lads as I don’t think Power Snooker will suit them,” said O’Sullivan. “Luca is a real wildcard and I think he will be waiting to put me on my backside.”
Brecel, the Belgian champion, is excited at the prospect of playing the Rocket. “I was delighted to be one of the eight players to get into Power Snooker, and to go head to head with Ronnie is fantastic.
“This is not traditional snooker, this is a real shoot out and I think I can beat Ronnie. Power Snooker is a young man’s game,” he added.
Games in Power Snooker will last 30 minutes and points will count rather than frames. A diamond rack will replace the triangle set of reds, with only eight reds and a golden ball included. If a player pots the golden ball, it will trigger a two-minute power play which any points that are scored are doubled. There is also a 20-second shot clock.
The draw has also thrown up some exciting matches, with reigning world champion Neil Robertson taking on current Premier League champion Shaun Murphy, the Whirlwind Jimmy White against UK champion Ding Junhui, and current Masters champion Mark Selby against Shanghai Masters champion Ali Carter.
Ronnie O’Sullivan draws again while Ding Junhui gets off the mark
0487 days
by Ismail Vedat
in Uncategorized
Ronnie O’Sullivan could only draw with Shaun Murphy in the snooker Premier League last night, while Ding Junhui overcame reigning Masters champion Mark Selby to win his first match of the event.
O’Sullivan versus Murphy always had a great ring to it, and the game was worthy of the audience’s ticket price as both players gave them a special treat.
In the build-up to the match, Murphy criticised O’Sullivan for his antics at the recent World Open – where he refused to pot the black for the 147 maximum break. When both players were asked about whether they had read the papers, both jokingly replied that they did have a quick look.
This game also was a repeat of last year’s Premier League final, with Murphy giving O’Sullivan a 7-3 pasting to be crowned champion. O’Sullivan certainly had two good reasons to get one over Murphy.
It looked as though Murphy was going to take the first frame being 52-0 up, but he missed an easy brown, leaving O’Sullivan to pinch it by five points. The current Premier League champion stormed to the second frame, missing out on the £1,000 bonus for a century as he broke down on 90.
O’Sullivan also missed out on a century bonus as he missed a red on a break of 93. The standard of play was exceptionally high, and Murphy levelled the match at 2-2 with a solid break of 71.
O’Sullivan paid the price in the next frame for using the rest while holding it in the air, allowing Murphy to go 3-2 in front and guarantee himself a point. A superb 110 break in the final frame of the evening ensured O’Sullivan would not lose.
“A needle match? You don’t play snooker with needle – you just play the balls and the table,” said O’Sullivan in response to Murphy’s comments. “I like playing Shaun and he plays a nice game. I find it harder playing the slower, boring players and then I get the needle because I can’t get to the table.
“We all say things. Look at the things I’ve said in the past, but it’s a pleasure to play Shaun. Papers twist and turn things but I take things with a pinch of salt and find it quite funny. Every interview from snooker people is about me.
“Ten years ago it would’ve made me more determined as I was a bit more of a competitive animal but now I’m playing more for enjoyment,” O’Sullivan added.
Murphy was in agreement with O’Sullivan over the comments. “I was pleased to see all the words were spelt correctly,” joked Murphy. “The papers do twist things but I didn’t like what went on at the World Open and was asked my opinion. Last time I checked, it was still ok in this country to voice your opinions.
“I also did say what a great guy Ronnie is and the game is better with him than without him. It was great to play the best player of the game in the last ten years,” he added.
In the first match of the night, UK champion Ding produced a flawless performance to beat Selby 4-2.
Ding was yet to win a game before his showdown with Selby, drawing with Mark Williams and O’Sullivan and losing to Murphy in week one. Against Selby he took the first frame with breaks of 54 and 69, but Selby levelled with a break of 50 after Ding missed several chances when breaking down on 44.
Knowing he should have been 2-0 up, Ding soon edged in front with a break of 78, and kept the run going in the next frame with a break of 69 to get at least a point. However, he made sure he wasn’t going to draw again by knocking in a fantastic 103 to inflict defeat on Selby. With the match out of his hands, Selby was on a maximum in the final frame, but he missed on 97 after leaving himself an awkward black, as he missed out on becoming the first player in the Premier League to make a 147.
Ding though was clinical and worthy of the win, and could even have whitewashed Selby.
Ronnie O’Sullivan and Shaun Murphy do battle in Premier League
0488 days
by Ismail Vedat
in Uncategorized
Premier League snooker returns tonight for week four, and there are two fantastic matches on offer at the Brentwood Leisure Centre in Essex.
Reigning Masters champion Mark Selby takes on current UK champion Ding Junhui, while the clash of the evening is a repeat of last year’s Premier League final between champion Shaun Murphy and Ronnie O’Sullivan.
O’Sullivan and Murphy have both won world and UK championships, and have met many times before, but this game will matter to both players. O’Sullivan is looking for revenge after losing 7-3 to Murphy in last year’s final. Unusually, O’Sullivan hasn’t won a match having played twice, while Murphy has a win and a defeat so far.
Murphy has added even more spice to this mouth-watering encounter by coming out this week branding O’Sullivan as “pathetic, unprofessional and disrespectful” following O’Sullivan’s refusal to pot the final black for a 147 maximum at the recent World Open in Glasgow.
O’Sullivan was persuaded to pot the black by referee Jan Verhaas after he staged a protest against no prize-money being made available for the 147, which he knew of before the tournament started.
While O’Sullivan said he was just having some fun, Murphy was not pleased about the Rocket’s actions. “I thought it was pathetic, unprofessional. It was disrespectful to the public who had paid to come and watch him play,” said Murphy. “£4,000 [prize for highest-break] is a lot of money to a lot of people. It was bad taste.”
Murphy could well have fired up O’Sullivan for tonight, and went on to say he is beginning to get annoyed by his antics on the table. “I’m a bit tired of all this ‘Ronnie’s Ronnie’ stuff. I don’t subscribe to it, that he should be allowed to get away with it. There’s no doubt Ronnie is the biggest draw in snooker and he is the person everyone flocks to watch. Snooker is better with Ronnie than without. He creates a buzz and I enjoy playing him.
“We play in the Premier League… as far as the players are concerned he is the benchmark even though he is not no.1. But from a bloke’s perspective, I watched what he did on TV and didn’t like it. Some of my mates thought it was quite funny when I told them but for the people who saw it, it was quite offensive,” said Murphy.
O’Sullivan will no doubt be desperate to get one over Murphy and give the crowd something to get excited about following the latter’s comments.
Selby beat reigning world champion and newly-crowned world No.1 Neil Robertson 4-2 last week, making breaks of 53, 104 and 119. After he lost his first match against Mark Williams, Selby played extremely well and showed why he is the Masters champion, making the big breaks at crucial times during the game.
Ding suffered a 5-1 hammering to Murphy in week one, and then battled for a point against O’Sullivan. Last week, he played out a 3-3 draw against an in-form Williams, making breaks of 68 and 65 after coming from 2-0 down.
Ding is yet to win a game so far in this year’s Premier League, but has played at his best in the draws against O’Sullivan and Williams and was unlucky not to win at least one of those games. A match against the Jester from Lester could go all the way, and Ding might have to settle for another draw.
Predictions: Ronnie O’Sullivan 4 Shaun Murphy 2, Mark Selby 3 Ding Junhui 3
Mark Selby beats world champion Neil Robertson in Premier League
0494 days
by Ismail Vedat
in Uncategorized
Reigning world champion and world No.1 Neil Robertson began his Premier League snooker campaign with a 4-2 defeat last night to Mark Selby.
Marco Fu was also victorious, beating current Premier League champion Shaun Murphy 4-2, while Mark Williams and Ding Junhui played out a 3-3 draw.
Having beaten Ronnie O’Sullivan in last week’s World Open final 5-1, Robertson was unable to play at his usual best, with Selby stamping his authority to secure a good win. The first frame was slow to take off, as both players missed simple chances. Selby, the current Masters champion, managed to take it with a fine break of 53.
A re-rack was required in the second frame with Robertson and Selby jokingly agreeing to it, and it would be the world champion who would level the match with a great break of 69, using the baulk colours with pink and black out of play to score the points.
Selby picked up a £1,000 bonus for making a century in the third frame. His break of 104 put him 2-1 in front, and it was Selby’s second century of the competition. The next frame was the longest frame of the match, with safety play coming out on top. A break of 36 was not enough for Robertson, with Selby taking the frame and guaranteeing himself a point for his efforts.
The final two frames were extremely quick, and Robertson was unlucky not to pocket a £1,000 for a century after breaking down on 78. The Australian made the score 3-2 and has his eyes set on a point, but Selby stepped up and made his second century of the night, this time a 119 to take a good win and get off the mark in this year’s Premier League.
In the first match of the evening, Fu beat Murphy 4-2. Fu won the Championship League to reach the Premier League and drew his first match with Ronnie O’Sullivan in this event. Murphy began the competition in emphatic fashion, beating Ding 5-1 on the opening night.
Murphy took off in the opening frame last night and looked to have secured it, but when he ran out of position on a break of 55, Fu was able to take his chance with a reply of 76 to edge into the lead.
The 2005 world champion was soon level, with efforts of 32 and 33 enough to make the score one each. Murphy then took a 2-1 lead and was looking like he would run away with the game as he made a break of 77.
Both players had opportunities in the fourth frame, and Murphy would have been scratching his head thinking how he wasn’t 3-1 in front. He made 48 early on, but was not able to find position on the pink. Fu came back with a break of 40, and then a long safety battle took place. When Murphy missed the green with the rest, Fu was able to make it 2-2 much to his delight.
Fu went 3-2 in front with a decent break of 67, and was the likely player to take all two points when it looked as though he was going to lose. When Murphy missed frame ball on a break of 55, Fu held his nerve to clear up with 43 and take a valuable win.
“I’m really happy,” said Fu. “I won the first frame but Shaun played really well after that and looked like he was going to win 4-2 or 5-1. He was a bit unlucky and I managed to steal a few frames.
“Anything can happen in this game and it’s difficult to predict what’s going to happen. When Shaun missed the pink I felt I could clean up and I felt comfortable as I already had a point on the board,” Fu added.
UK champion Ding recovered from 2-0 down to take a point against the Welsh potting machine Williams.
Having reached the semi-finals of the World Open last week by beating Ding 3-2 from 2-0 down, Williams went in front after Ding misjudged a safety shot and then doubled his advantage with a break of 73.
Ding however managed to compose himself and contributed with a 68 to halve the deficit after it was looking like Williams would go 3-0 in front. Instead of being 3-0 down, Ding found himself level at 2-2 with an effort of 65.
Williams was playing the better snooker, and after an unbelievable fluke, where the red was meant to go into the bottom right pocket but when into the bottom left, he went 3-2 in front with a 49. Two breaks of 36 in the final frame ensured Ding would drew the match.
“The score of 3-3 was a fair result as we both played poorly and neither of us deserved to win,” said Williams. “In this league it doesn’t matter who you play as you know it’s going to be tough and even with a 2-0 lead it’s still hard to win the match.
“It was a nice lead but not one where you think you’ve thrown it away. But I’m certainly enjoying being back in the Premier League and I’m happy with 3-3,” Williams added.
Premier League snooker preview
0496 days
by Ismail Vedat
in Uncategorized
Tomorrow night is week three of the Premier League, and reigning world champion Neil Robertson plays his first game in one of three matches at the Guild Hall in Preston.
The Premier League returns after taking a brief break because of the World Open, with Robertson taking on current Masters champion Mark Selby, Marco Fu playing reigning Premier League champion Shaun Murphy and Mark Williams taking on Ding Junhui.
Robertson claimed the sixth ranking title of his career by beating Ronnie O’Sullivan in last week’s World Open final. His 5-1 demolition of the Rocket confirmed him as the new world No.1, and the player to beat for the rest of the season. The Thunder from Down Under is not short on confidence at the moment and will be raring to begin his campaign in the league format.
Selby will have to be on top of his game as Robertson is in fine form. The last time Selby played in the league, he surrendered a 2-0 lead to Williams, who ran out a superb 4-2 winner on his return to the competition after five years. If there were any positives for Selby to take from the defeat, the fact he made breaks of 101 and 84 in around 20 minutes would have pleased him. As the reigning Masters champion, the Jester from Leicester suffered a shock exit from the World Open, losing 3-2 to Barry Hawkins. Selby has a lot to prove, and he always produces his best when there are questions asked of him.
Fu began the Premier League with a high-quality encounter against O’Sullivan. Although he drew 3-3, he played great snooker and was unfortunate not to win the game. A match against Murphy is a repeat of the 2008 UK Championship final, where Murphy was victorious in the deciding frame. Fu is considered the weakest opponent in this year’s competition, but he showed against O’Sullivan that he will be no pushover.
Murphy began the defence of his Premier League title in dominant fashion, winning 5-1 over Ding in week one. Like Selby, Murphy also suffered a shock early exit at the World Open last week, losing 3-0 to Dave Harold. Murphy will be keen to get back to winning ways, and Fu will have to play like he did against O’Sullivan to keep him at bay.
Williams enjoyed a great run in the World Open, reaching the semi-finals, but lost to Robertson 3-2 after having been 2-0 in front. Before playing Robertson, Williams beat Ding 3-2 after coming back from 2-0 down, and once again, they will do battle. In his second game in the Premier League, UK champion Ding shared the spoils with O’Sullivan in a 3-3 draw and put behind him the 5-1 drumming by Murphy.
If Williams and Ding play at their best, this could be the closest game of the night.
Predictions: Fu 2 Murphy 4, Ding 3 Williams 3, Robertson 4 Selby 2
Defending champion Shaun Murphy makes winning start in Premier League snooker
0522 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.
Ronnie O’Sullivan favourite for Premier League crown
0523 days
by Ismail Vedat
in Uncategorized
He’s always the favourite in every snooker tournament he enters.
Ronnie O’Sullivan is looking to win the Premier League for the seventh time in his career, and who would bet against him?
The Rocket takes off when he’s on the table, and because the Premier League format incorporates a shot-clock, it suits O’Sullivan right down to the wire. He was sent crashing down to earth in last year’s final, when Shaun Murphy denied him making it five triumphs on the spin. However, O’Sullivan enjoys playing in the Premier League, and he’ll want to get his hands back on the trophy once again.
If you take O’Sullivan out of the equation, then any one of the remaining six players can win the Premier League.
Mark Selby is the Masters champion, having won the tournament twice in the last three years. He could be the man to challenge O’Sullivan. They have played each other on many occasions on the biggest stages. Selby has beaten O’Sullivan recently in the last eight of the world championship and in the Masters final, and when they cross paths they always serve up a tremendous feast. Selby as a minimum will reach the semi-finals.
Don’t rule out the reigning world champion Neil Robertson. The Australian comes off the back of a fantastic season, as he kicked it off by winning the Grand Prix and ended it by becoming world champion. Like O’Sullivan, he likes to play at a quick tempo, and the format of the Premier League will see him be a force to be reckoned with.
The Welsh potting machine Mark Williams is another player who flies around the table. His relaxed-style of play along with good speed makes him a player to be aware of, and like Selby expect him to reach the semi-finals. Former world champion Murphy is looking to defend his title, but with O’Sullivan, Selby and Williams around, it will be a hard task for him. The added incentive of being reigning champion might get Murphy to the final, but definitely the semi-finals.
China’s Ding Junhui was the form player last season, winning the UK Championship and losing in two other ranking finals. He’ll be difficult to beat in the round-robin phase, but he might come up short in reaching the semis.
Marco Fu won the Premier League back in 2003. Repeating that feat again won’t happen, and the best Fu can hope for is not to finish bottom of the league.
Bank on O’Sullivan, Selby, Williams and Murphy to reach the last four, and out of the bunch, O’Sullivan is definitely the man to beat.