Crucible 2017 – Ronnie beats Shaun Murphy by 13-7 in the last 16

April 22, 2017April 3, 2020 Monique Professional snooker tournament Professional snooker

Ronnie booked an 18th appearance in the QF of the World Championship by beating Shaun Murphy convincingly this morning.

Saturday 22 Apr 2017 12:20PM

Ronnie O’Sullivan completed a 13-7 victory over Shaun Murphy at the Betfred World Championship as he stepped up his challenge for a sixth Crucible crown.

O’Sullivan was never behind in this much-anticipated second round clash, and having built leads of 6-2 and 10-6 over the first two sessions, he added the three frames he needed on Saturday morning. The Rocket is through to the quarter-finals in Sheffield for the 18th time since 1995 and will now face the winner of the Chinese derby between Ding Junhui and Liang Wenbo.

Chigwell’s 41-year-old O’Sullivan previously lifted the trophy in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2013 and is clearly focused on making it six titles to equal Steve Davis’s tally and get within one of Stephen Hendry’s record of seven. He is also seeking an 18th career Triple Crown victory and second of the year having won the Masters in January.

O’Sullivan made a break of 67 to take control of today’s opening frame and sealed it by potting the last red to go 11-6 up. Murphy made 55 in the next then O’Sullivan countered with 52 before running out of position. A safety battle on the yellow followed, and Murphy potted it to a centre pocket then cleared the table to raise his hopes of a fight back.

World number five Murphy crucially missed the final green in the last frame of the second sessionwhen he had a chance to close to 9-7, and he passed up another opportunity in frame 19 while on a break of 22, though this time it was a kick which caused his red to a top corner to miss its target. O’Sullivan punished him ruthlessly with 111, his fourth century of the tournament.

Both players missed chances in frame 20, and when Murphy failed on a red to top corner when he trailed 46-17, it proved his last shot as O’Sullivan added 55 to cross the winning line.

“I’ve practised for this tournament for six or seven weeks,” said world number 12 O’Sullivan. “It doesn’t mean I’m going to play well but I’ve put my work in and I hope I’ll get stronger each match.

“I come here and get in a little cocoon and do what I’ve got to do. It’s very hard, it is a long slog mentally for me and I know it is for everybody else.

“The fans pay their money and they come to watch, we are in a sport of entertainment and you like to give people value for money, so if I can be involved in another good match that would be fantastic.

“I look at myself as a band or a singer nowadays. You want to write great albums every year but I’m not confident enough in writing albums every year, so I just choose to come and play the tournaments and have fun and enjoy it and do my best to be fiercely competitive. But my main thing is to go round, play exhibitions, travel, do my stuff for Eurosport and work with different people outside of the snooker industry.

“I’ve become like a band when they do a world tour and they pitch up and play and there isn’t that pressure there, if you have a good night or bad night it doesn’t matter. I enjoy that position more, but I have a responsibility to try and play to a certain level, for myself as well.

“I haven’t had the greatest of seasons, I haven’t written a great album this year. But it hasn’t been a bad year. I just need to be a supporting act. I don’t mind letting the other guys write the good albums. The Rolling Stones are the big act, they don’t support anyone. I’m maybe a bit likes James Blunt, he seems a pretty cool dude.

“I’ve never been driven by records and titles and being the greatest player on the planet. I just feel lucky and privileged to play snooker and not have to get up at six in the morning to get on the Central Line into London and do a 9-5 job. I’m truly blessed for that.”

Murphy said: “Any match against Ronnie O’Sullivan is a test of your skills. You have to play at your absolute best to win and I didn’t. There were fine margins between the match being a lot closer. I didn’t think 13-7 reflected the match but he’s into the next round and I wish him all the best.

“Coming in today at 9-7 would have felt better than 10-6, but I still came here today feeling confident and I’ve won here from further behind so I knew I could do it. I had the kick on the red in the third frame and there is nothing I can do about that.

“Ronnie played really well in the whole match and if he plays like that with that level of focus I think he’ll win. I don’t subscribe to this not being bothered stuff that he comes out with, but he looked like he was trying to me. He is still the benchmark by which we all measure ourselves, if he turns up for his next game with that level of focus then whoever he plays is in trouble.”

Ronnie was true to his word and put his dispute with the authorities aside as he gave a good interview, both in the studio and later in the press room.

Here are few more images courtesy of Tai Chengzhe – Thanks Tai!

Coverage (BBC)

Session 1:

Session 2:

Session 3:

Ronnie’s post-match:

Crucible 2017 – interviews, anniversaries and needle

April 21, 2017April 3, 2020 Monique Professional snooker tournament

Yesterday saw the conclusion of the last 32, with Neil Robertson and Barry Hawkins duly emerging the winners. No surprise there. But Neil spoiled the media with two quality interviews: speaking to Desmond Kane on Eurosport, he revealed how his video game addiction threatened to ruin his career and impacted his private life and he also gave a very good postmatch interview touching on the subject of Ronnie’s issues with the authorities and Judd’s refusal to talk to the press after his defeat.

Here are both:

Neil Robertson opens up to Desmond Kane about his addiction to computer games and its effect on his form and personal life.

He is already part of snooker’s league of legends, but Neil Robertson has revealed how the computer game of the same name threatened to burn his career after it became more important to him than his sport.

Australia’s greatest player – world champion in 2010 – has admitted he has been forced to go cold turkey after becoming addicted to online computer games including League of Legends and World of Warcraft.

Robertson, 35, became only the third non-British winner of the World Championship after Cliff Thorburn (1980) and Ken Doherty (1997) at the Crucible Theatre seven years ago.

He has made good on his burgeoning talent as one of the game’s greatest attacking threats by lifting the Masters title in 2012, and the UK Championship in 2013 and 2015.

Yet the Melburnian – who faces Noppon Saengkham of Thailand over the best-of-19 frames in the first round on Wednesday and Thursday – admits his form has deserted him in recent times due to his obsession away from the green baize.

“I’ve had really good application in my practice after dragging myself away from playing too many video games,” Robertson told Eurosport.

“I’m two months sober if you like from playing them. My friend said to me: ‘you don’t get to choose the crack you are addicted to’. And the multi-play online ones I can’t touch because I just get too hooked on them. “

“One of the games, World of Warcraft is an MMO (massively multiplayer online) role playing game.

“I was part of a raid team, and we played a few nights a week. When we got out to China for a tournament, I was trying to make the raid slot. When I got out there, the connection was so bad that I couldn’t get access. I was furious for four or five days.

“All I was thinking about was getting back home for a connection from China. I lost my spot on the team, and all of a sudden that became more important than the snooker which is absolutely crazy.”

Robertson said he knew he was in trouble when he was staying up all night long to play video games rather than focus on snooker practice the following day.

He started this season strongly winning the Riga Open, and reaching semi-finals at the World Open and European Masters.

But his results have been indifferent by his own standards with quarter-final appearances at the Masters, the Gibraltar Open and the Players Championship the best he has managed as the titles have dried up.

Robertson concedes his partner Mille has been less than impressed as he juggled video games with fatherhood.

“Those kind of games are designed to take over your life really,” said Robertson. “You find yourself sitting in front of the computer screen for six, seven or eight hours straight. Which is obviously not healthy.

“It is a bit like Football Manager, but probably worse. The referee Brendan Moore jokes that he knows a few people who have got divorced over that game.

“I’ve been playing some video games, and end up playing it through the night. One of them was League of Legends which is the most consuming game of all time. Many people agree with that. “

“In fact, my partner Mille was talking to one of the designers of the game. She met him in Cambridge, and he said they are trying to make more games that don’t ruin people’s lives.

“In the past, I’ve been staying up and playing it. Then all of a sudden, it is 6am, the birds are tweeting and I’m thinking: ‘Oh my God, I’ve got to get up in a couple of hours to take my son Alexander to school. Then I’ve got to practice.

“Mille absolutely hates it. League of Legends is banned in my house. And rightly so. It is just awful.

“If you are a single guy, and work in a normal job, you can get around it. But you can’t win professional snooker matches when you are tired.”

Robertson says he is not the only snooker player to suffer from the affliction with China’s leading Ding Junhui a fellow recovering addict.

“Ding used to be hooked on League of Legends too. We used to talk about it,” said Robertson.

“I think it is one of the reasons he had a poor season two or three years ago. We were both playing it non-stop, both glued to our laptops playing League of Legends.”

The ninth seed, nicknamed ‘The Thunder from Down Under’ completed his feat of 100 centuries in a season in a 13-11 win over Judd Trump in the quarter-finals here three years ago.

He feels he would have made more than 100 centuries if he had not become fascinated by FIFA 14.

“The years I had the 100 centuries, I should probably had around 120 because I got addicted like hell to FIFA 14,” said Robertson.

“I was obsessed with winning the title against other players. I’d get up in the morning to take Alexander to school then turn on the Xbox, thinking ‘I’ll just have one game with a cup of coffee to wake myself up’.

“Before you know it, it is 2pm in the afternoon. It is then too late to go to the club to practice because I’ve got to pick Alexander up from school.

“That really affected the second half of my season. I wouldn’t say I would have won a lot more tournaments if it wasn’t for video games, but I think I would have given myself more opportunities to go further in other events.”

Robertson is more interested these days in “Warhammer 40,000 where you paint models” but has taken a life lesson out of it all.

“I’ve never been one to neglect my son. It sets a bad example too. He comes back from school and is talking about YouTubers when he is far too young to be talking about that sort of stuff,” said Robertson.

“I’ve made a point of taking my son outside after school. We go to the park, and kick a football around every day.

“It is really sad to see that there is no longer any kids playing at the park. Empty goals, empty basketball courts and empty snooker halls when you think about it.

“They’re all at home playing computer games. They’re designed like that for the kids and on a sidenote, I think it is important for parents to keep the Ipads away from kids if you want them to develop healthy life habits.”

Desmond Kane at the Crucible Theatre

Regarding this one, I’ll just say that of course, Paul Hunter’s attitude was admirable, but situations are different. Although losing a match doesn’t even compare with Paul’s fight against cancer, Judd’s reaction was an “on the moment” thing, he wasn’t prepared for it, and, maybe, if he had been given a bit of time, say half an hour to gather his thoughts and get a grip on himself, he would felt able to speak to the press.

Yesterday saw also Ronnie take a 6-2 lead over Shaun Murphy. This match isn’t finished of course but I found this analysis by Georges Riley quite revealing.

BBC Radio 5 live’s George Riley on the O’Sullivan v Murphy rivalry

The bottom line is that although there’s great professional respect between these two superstar players, they don’t particularly like each other.

That comes down to a spectacular clash in personalities. Shaun is very much the eloquent, thoughtful, considered company man who will probably be involved with the governing body one day.

Ronnie is the unpredictable enigma who will never be anything other than his own man. Murphy clearly thinks O’Sullivan’s claims of bullying by the game’s authorities are nonsense and said as much. That will have really wound Ronnie up. He was prowling the length of the Crucible corridors as they awaited their introductions into the arena.

I walked past O’Sullivan and he had that look of channelled fury in his eyes that scares you. You could tell he wanted to hammer Murphy.

And Ronnie found time yesterday for the disabled snooker players who were present at the Crucible in the context of the disability day:

Finally, today we celebrate two anniversaries:

Ronnie’s first 147 at the Crucible, exactly 20 years ago:

And Stephen Hendry’s last 147, also at the Crucible, days before he retired, that was 5 years ago:

Crucible 2017 – Round 1 concludes …

April 20, 2017April 21, 2017 Monique Professional snooker tournament Professional snooker

There is no play this morning at The Crucible as the tables are re-clothed, and, in the afternoon and evening, the last 32 round concludes and the last 16 round begins.

The two remaining last 32 matches are mid-way and pretty one-sided. Neil Robertson leads a totally overwhelmed Noppen Saengkham by 8-1, whilst Barry Hawkins is 7-2 up on Tom Ford. I don’t expect any shocks here today, as both Neil and Barry have solid temperaments and a vast experience at the Crucible.

Should they win, it would mean that only 4 qualifiers came through the opening round at the “theatre of dream”: Stephen Maguire, Graeme Dott, Xiao Guodong and … Rory McLeod.

Both Maguire and Dott of course have been in the top 16 for long periods of time, have played many matches here before, and, we shouldn’t forget it, Graeme has been in three finals and is a World Champion. So no shocks by any means. I had witnessed Maguire coming through the qualifiers the previous week and I totally expected him to beat McGill; I don’t think that winning the shoot-out is a reliable indication of form. Ali’s defeat at the hands of “Dotty” was less expected, but no shock either. Graeme is a quality player, one who is unfairly branded slow and boring, when, in fact he’s an attacking player. This was what made the difference in the end actually: he attacked when he saw his chances, Ali didn’t. And, for some reason, Graeme Dott always performs at the Crucible: the long format and the place suit him. Xiao also is a quality player, he’s been runner-up to Ding Junhui in the Shanghai Masters in 2013, and although he has gone a bit under the radar since, his results improved this season and he looked very sharp in Ponds Forge.

And then we have Rory McLeod sending the tournament favourite home … something, bizarrely, that Maguire had called in this first round press conference. So, what went wrong, other that Rory playing really well? Judd it appears was suffering from a shoulder injury, but, as McLeod observed, he went 4-0 up in no time and his manager on twitter had mentioned that he was injured but was nevertheless OK. I don’t think this was the key factor. What was key though is something Ronnie had pointed at in his “Rocket files” and mentioned in this interview: Judd tends to be over-confident and can’t always cope when things take a turn for the unexpected and don’t go his way. That was clear for all to see in the first session: after the MSI, Rory completely derailed Judd’s game and thinking process. Another huge factor, in my opinion, is the amount of pressure Judd had put on himself by claiming that this was his year, that he was the best and going to win it. Confidence is a good thing, but this goes well beyond confidence. And when you do that, and go out to a player who, at 46, a pro since 1991, has never really achieved much in the sport, it hurts … and it hurts your image too. Judd refused to do his press conference after the match and will probably be disciplined. His manager claimed that he was unwell, which is probably true, although I would think the issue was more his emotional state than his shoulder. Should he be disciplined? I’m not sure. Of course, it’s part of the players contract, and of course this is a big story and something the members of the press, who have to work really hard to make a living, want to cover in extenso. But, on the other hand, press conferences for the losers happen only minutes after the match and I have seen players coming there clearly not emotionally fit to cope with it. I remember Ali Carter breaking down to tears in Berlin and it was, really, really awkward for everyone involved. Players are human beings, not machines, and Judd must have been in an awful state emotionally at the end of this match. I feel that common sense should apply in all situations, and that rules should not come above human decency and understanding.

Now a short word about some of the seeds and how they went through.

Marco Fu had a stinker of a first session but managed to win from 7-2 down, without playing really well in the second session either. His opponent, Luca Brecel lost this match, more than Marco won it. Luca has a huge, huge talent, but, in my opinion, not the temperament, or the mindset, that should go with it. He is, of course, only 22, and I hope, for the sake of his future, that there will be a serious debriefing of this match with his coach.

Shaun Murphy was really pushed by young Yan Bingtao, and it’s experience that got him through IMO. Yan, only 17, climbed to n° 56 in his first season. Some achievement! He will be back and will be a danger!

Zhou Yuelong, Stuart Carrington and David Grace were other debutants who did give a very good account of themselves. Zhou was facing a daunting task: playing his hero and role model, Ding, a national icon, on the biggest scene of all under the scrutiny of Chinese media. He did well. He’s only 19, in his third season and reached the top 32. He should be proud.

Ronnie’s Statement

April 18, 2017 Monique Media, Snooker Media, Snooker

This was sent to the media just now…

Crucible’s Greatest Matches – a must read

April 18, 2017 Monique Book, Media Book, Media

Hector Nunns, one of the most dedicated and honest sport journalist you could possibly meet, has finally fulfilled his dream and published a book.

He was interviewed by Worldsnooker:

Tuesday 18 Apr 2017 10:18AM

This year we’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first World Championship in Sheffield, and to mark the occasion, snooker’s leading journalist Hector Nunns has written a book about the Crucible’s greatest matches.

The book throws the spotlight on classic matches involving Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry, Jimmy White, the late and much-missed Alex Higgins and Paul Hunter, Cliff Thorburn, Terry Griffiths, Ken Doherty and of course the 1985 black-ball final between Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis.

The book is available to buy now and makes a fantastic souvenir of the 40th anniversary, or a gift for anyone who loves snooker. Click here for more details.

The book is also on sale in the Crucible throughout the Betfred World Championship.

We spoke to Hector to find out about his experience of writing the book…

Hector, how much fun did you have writing The Crucible’s Greatest Matches?

A lot of fun. I knew from last summer I wanted to do a book, my first, that was in some way related to the 40th anniversary of the Betfred World Championship taking place at the Crucible in Sheffield. So it was just choosing what to do, and I quickly settled on a book of greatest matches to celebrate at the same time a special venue, a unique tournament, and the game itself. And I knew I wanted the chapters to be long enough to be self-contained stories, taking in some career and season background on the players when we met them for the first time in the book, as well as the blow by blow account of the match. Interviewing is probably my favourite part of journalism, and I wanted to have first-hand recollections from as many of the players involved as possible. Given that some great players featured more than once I also thought I needed to have as a bare minimum Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Jimmy White on board. Luckily that happened, and for those featured sadly no longer with us like Alex Higgins and Paul Hunter, I was able to add quotes from those that knew them well in addition to past interviews and cuttings. Then, armed with all my interviews, Chris Downer’s Crucible almanac, and watching a lot of archive footage, I spent most of November, December and January writing it up, either in the wooden cabin that serves as an office at the end of the garden, and then in my hotel at the Masters.

Which players gave the most fascinating interviews during your research?

The first thing to express is my gratitude and appreciation for all the players who generously gave of their time to talk about the matches selected. Whether they were legends of the game, or players who simply were part of one amazing match at the Crucible, they spoke candidly and honestly, and basically made the book. Of course, it is fascinating to hear Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis talk about the 1985 ‘black-ball’ final, and even though it is hard to get anything really new (given it is one of the most discussed and written-about moments in sporting history) hopefully there is the odd new perspective. But I loved the conversations with both Ronnie O’Sullivan and Peter Ebdon about their incredible 2005 quarter-final, when eventual winner Ebdon slowed the pace down so much that he was accused of doing so deliberately and ‘cheating’ by journalist Matthew Syed in The Times. Ebdon sued over the comments, and lost. My respect for Jimmy White – always high, as one of my favourite players as a kid – only increased as he was able to talk about painful defeats with such a total absence of bitterness. Regret, but no rancour. Ken Doherty and Paul Hunter’s former manager Brandon Parker spoke very well about one of my own favourite matches that I covered as a journalist, the 2003 semi-final that saw the Irishman come back from 15-9 down to win 17-16. And the (costly) transatlantic phone call to Cliff Thorburn was more than worth it as he spoke about the 1980 final against Alex Higgins, and the 1983 match against Terry Griffiths that saw the first Crucible 147. The Canadian remains one of snooker’s great characters, as does Tony Knowles whose recollections of being out nightclubbing until 4am during his 10-1 win over Davis in 1982 had me laughing out loud.

You have been covering the World Championship yourself for over a decade. Do you have a personal favourite moment at the Crucible?

While I had covered the World Championship from the office for a couple of years, and done a few player interviews in London, my first time in Sheffield was in 2004 when Ronnie O’Sullivan won his second title, and the first time will always be special. Of course I will always remember it but the matches that mainly sticks out for me apart from the final was the semi-final and seeing the player I had watched dominate for a decade, Stephen Hendry, absolutely destroyed by O’Sullivan 17-4. Also the last-16 match between Matthew Stevens and the late and still much-missed Paul Hunter; great friends, two players I always enjoyed watching and a cracking match won 13-12 by the Welshman. I would have to say that this year’s 40th anniversary gala celebration in the arena, and seeing all the former Crucible champions, was a great evening. Away from the table and work there are plenty of good memories, not all of which centre around big nights out in Sheffield, a city I have always had a lot of time for having also studied here. There is a camaraderie in the media, and team curries help you through the marathon. I try to get out towards the Peak District and have a walk around Ladybower Reservoir if I can, and sneaking out of the venue to relive my youth at a Happy Mondays gig over the road one year was another major highlight.

In writing the book, did you find yourself immersed in the intensity and emotion of those classic matches – even the ones which happened before you covered snooker?

I would say just about every match in the book I either watched all or most of at the time, or was here covering them at the Crucible. Then in writing the book I spent hours going over any old footage I could find to remind myself of key moments, and sometimes find shots or misses that the players had specifically raised in their interviews. So in that sense yes, you had to immerse yourself, and certainly writing the book brought back many of the feelings from watching the matches live. That said, it is of course far more intense for the players – with the possible exception of Jimmy White. Yes he was very upset, but he thinks (and I agree) there are still fans who were more upset than him he never won a world title, and he regularly has to console people to this day.

Do you feel snooker has a unique capacity – among all sports – to create that kind of drama?

Without any doubt snooker has the power and the capacity to create huge drama in an almost unique way. World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn was kind enough to pen the foreword for the book, and as usual he puts it better than most: “Unlike a lot of sports snooker can be a slow burner, the tension builds minute by minute, frame by frame, hour by hour and especially at the Crucible where the matches are the longest we see. It is like reading a long book with a series of plot twists, and you are gripped but don’t know until the final page what will happen.”

There are so many tournaments around the world now but do you feel the World Championship still stands alone in terms of the atmosphere and attention it generates?

There are some great tournaments around the world, and I have been fortunate enough to cover snooker from many of them including events in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Mumbai and Berlin – the German Masters for many years one of my favourite events in an incredible city. Could any of these one day stage a successful World Championship? Probably they could. But could they stage a World Championship with the same atmosphere, buzz and unique appeal that we have now at the Crucible and in Sheffield? It is very hard to believe that would be possible, and the question is now redundant for 10 years at least. I have included in the book a quote from Paul Hunter from an interview I did with him in April 2003, just before his run to the semi-finals at the Crucible. In it he said: “I just like going down the M1 and seeing the signs to Sheffield, it gives me a huge buzz.” I think he spoke for everyone.

I will just add that I’m well into the process of reading this book, and I’m loving it. The psychological insight into the matches, and into the players mindset, before, during and after the actual action adds something really unique and invaluable. It has changed my view and opened my mind about things I had witnessed, lived through, but only understood from “outside”. Thank you Hector, and thanks also to all the players who gave you their time, and spoke candidly about their feelings and how they were changed, as players and men, by what they went through, in victory as well as in defeat.

A must read.

Froth off the media soap …

April 18, 2017April 18, 2017 Monique Media Media

Following Ronnie’s emotional press conference the media soap continued in full force producing foam and froth … I’m sure to the delight of most editors!

So, where do we stand now?

This article by Hector Nunns somehow summarises the situation:

The Rocket accused Hearn and the sport’s governing bodies of “bullying” and “intimidation” following his 10-7 win over Gary Wilson at the World Championships in Sheffield on Sunday night.

O’Sullivan’s astonishing outburst stemmed from a letter he received after the Masters warning of possible disciplinary action for fiercely criticising referee Terry Camilleri and swearing at a photographer.

No action was taken but O’Sullivan sees himself as the victim of unfair treatment for his comments in recent years and warned he may contact the lawyers of artist pal Damien Hirst.

Now Hearn has hit back threatening legal action of his own.

He said: “I personally take any accusation of bullying and intimidation by me or World Snooker very seriously.

“Unfounded accusations such as these are damaging to World Snooker’s global reputation, as well as my own.

“And we will take whatever action is required to protect this reputation from such inaccurate comments.

“I hope all parties can move on from this position and concentrate on the brilliant entertainment provided by players at the Betfred World Championship.

“Neither World Snooker nor myself have received any communication from Ronnie O’Sullivan’s lawyers in regard to his responsibilities or concerns in relation to his signed players’ contract.”

Snooker’s governing body, the WPBSA, says it will take no action over O’Sullivan’s latest blast.

But WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson added: “In terms of bullying and intimidation – we don’t accept that at all.

“I’m more than happy to sit down with Ronnie and discuss the issues.”

Speaking after yesterday 10-5 first round win over Peter Ebdon at the Crucible former world champion Stuart Bingham said: “You hear there are no characters in the game but we feel we are doing interviews like this with tape over our mouth.”

Bold was added by me.

So in short:

Ronnie opened up about his feelings, saying he felt bullied by the way the authorities reacted to some of the things he said, whilst admitting at the same time that what he says isn’t always right.
Barry Hearn issued a statement, refuting what Ronnie claimed and hinting at the fact that he might take legal action.
Jason Ferguson, who is actually in charge of WPBSA, the body that deals with disciplinary matters, said that Ronnie’s comments were not acceptable, but that no action will be taken and offered to discuss the situation with Ronnie.
Stuart Bingham, in his own press conference, strongly hinted that in fact he sympathises with Ronnie, insofar he feels that the players are constantly under threat to be punished should they speak openly to the press whilst at the same time there are ongoing complaints that they should show more “character”.

Now, for those who have the patience, here is my analysis of the various elements of this soap…

Justified or not, Ronnie’s feelings are genuine and have been bothering him for months. This is something I know first hand. He chose to speak out, and maybe this might help him focus on his snooker, now that he has it out of his system.

Are those feelings justified?

Well, I believe they are at least to an extend. Clearly Stuart Bingham also feels that the players are being excessively controlled and threatened with fines when talking openly to the press. We live in an era where “politically correctness” seems to rule the way we interact with each others. Personally I don’t think this is healthy at all and maybe there is food for thoughts here for the people in charge of the sport, of any sport. We, every one of us, as persons, are imperfect. We fail, we do and say things we shouldn’t. It happens, often enough, and it’s part of being human. I find it very hard to relate to “perfect people”. I can’t believe that they are genuine, honest, real. As hard as we try, none of us can be that way in real life, always “perfect”, always nice, always controlled. If you look at the sportsmen/women who endeared the fans most, they aren’t the perfect guys. They are the Alex Higgins, the George Best, the Jimmy White, the Paul Gascoigne. Some of those would be nightmares in real life if they were close to you, but people can relate to their imperfections, whilst they can’t relate to the perfect images they know can’t be genuine. So maybe indeed, the authorities, and not just in snooker, should be a bit more relaxed about the occasional slip of the tongue or ill-timed reaction in the heat of a moment.

Another aspect is touched in this post by Snookerbacker, who has never been shy in criticising players, including Ronnie, and authorities:

here is an excerpt:

Having had time to reflect and watch it again in the cold light of day away from the Crucible bubble I’d say a couple of things to Ronnie. Firstly, if that’s how you feel then that’s absolutely fine with me, I just wish you’d have said all this earlier before all the one word nonsense and singing, but that wouldn’t have generated headlines at the biggest event of the lot would it? His point about giving enough to the sport over 25 years is of course 100% correct, whether meaning to or not, nobody has created more column inches for snooker since Alex Higgins and for that snooker and in particular Barry Hearn owe him a debt of gratitude, but not a license to behave however he likes.

I’d also make a further point that I have seen one of the letters he refers to, not his, but one to another player and I have indeed (quite deservedly by the way) in the past been sent one and I would agree that the language is threatening in tone, perhaps in my view excessively so, but wholly legal. However, if someone is very sensitive to such things, which Ronnie professes to be, it could quite easily cause a great deal of stress and anxiety.

However this leads me on to my final point. It’s only snooker. At this event in particular you could be forgiven for thinking that the world has stopped and that we are the new focus of it. I haven’t watched the news for a few days which I have to say has made me feel a lot happier, but in the great scheme of things we are just a group of people watching skilled sportsmen knocking balls around with a stick, this isn’t The People versus OJ Simpson. This is an arguably over-bearing world governing body being perceived to be bullying their best asset. That’s all.

I don’t alway agree with SB, but I totally second this.

I’m also glad that Jason Ferguson took the stance he took. Jason is a man I respect greatly. He’s a former player, he knows what it is like to be in the players position. He loves his sport and wants the best for all involved. And he’s open and understanding to human frailties. I hope that Ronnie takes his offer to discuss the issues with him, not as an “authority”, but as a person. There is only good that can come out of it, for both sides.

And finally, here is Barry Hearn statement:

Statement from Barry Hearn, Chairman of World Snooker

In view of Ronnie O’Sullivan’s comments yesterday regarding ‘bullying and intimidation’ by Barry Hearn and World Snooker, I find it necessary to respond as follows:

All players have contracts with World Snooker Limited by way of a players’ contract which was written in conjunction with WPBSA and agreed with the players’ governing body. This sets out the obligations of the players and applies to all participants on the World Snooker Tour. There are no exceptions. Ronnie O’Sullivan has signed this contract and is therefore eligible to play in any World Snooker events as he wishes.
World Snooker owns the worldwide commercial rights for professional snooker. WPBSA is the governing body and represents the professional players on the World Snooker Tour. The WPBSA is exclusively responsible for all disciplinary matters pertaining to snooker, its players and their responsibilities outlined in the players’ contract. Neither World Snooker nor myself have any involvement whatsoever in disciplinary matters.
Neither World Snooker nor myself have received any communication from Ronnie O’Sullivan’s lawyers in regard to his responsibilities or concerns in relation to his signed players’ contract.
I personally take any accusation of ‘bullying and intimidation’ by me or World Snooker very seriously. Unfounded accusations such as these are damaging to World Snooker’s global reputation, as well as my own, and we will take whatever action is required to protect this reputation from such inaccurate comments. I hope all parties can move on from this position and concentrate on the brilliant entertainment provided by players at the Betfred World Championship.

I will just add this comment: basically what Hearn says there is “You are barking at the wrong tree, me and WS have nothing to do with disciplinary matters and we haven’t heard from your lawyers”. Isn’t that a bit hypocrite? Just a bit? Because everyone since years is used to say “World Snooker”, as Ronnie did in his presser, when indeed we should say “WPBSA” if we were being accurate, but it’s been that way for years, it’s a legacy of the past history of the game. So, this for me, is a “non answer”, a denial of an issue that is real and needs solving for the sake of the sport AND the human persons involved, a denial coupled with threats. Me, I wouldn’t be proud of this … well I wouldn’t do this in the first place, not this way.

Players are the game biggest asset, it takes years of hard work and dedication, countless hours of practice, sweat and tears to become of good snooker player, not even mentioning to become a great in the sport. Maybe, sometimes, it should be acknowledged: they are not just disposable items in a commercial game of power.

Update (Tuesday 18 April 19h15)

Now John Higgins has expressed his sympathy with Ronnie as well and raised another point, the players contract. It’s been reported by various media, here is an excerpt of an article by SportingLife

Four-time champion Higgins addressed the issue after booking his own place in the second round with a 10-6 victory over Martin Gould.

“I have a degree of sympathy for him,” he told BBC Radio Five Live.

“If I am led to believe what I have heard about how he was reprimanded, it is out of order.

“He has a lot to take on his shoulders in this sport because he is the biggest name – along with Ding (Junhui), the biggest name in the Far East.

“The game would be a lot poorer without him.”

In a television interview with BBC Two, Higgins elaborated on the subject of player contracts and the requirements placed on them.

“There are things in the players’ contracts that are too severe but the only way we can change that is if all the top players got together and stood together, tried to get things taken out,” he said.

“But I don’t think every top player is going to stand together.”

And that’s unfortunately very true. Too many players seem to think that they have just to accept whatever Barry Hearn decides to come up with. But he can’t do anything without them and, if they were united, they would have the power to make their voice and concerns heard and taken into account… IF …

Crucible 2017 – Ronnie beats Gary Wilson in the last 32 and gives a very emotional press conference.

April 16, 2017April 3, 2020 Monique Interview, Professional snooker tournament Interview, Professional snooker

Ronnie played an excellent second session to beat Gary Wilson, who played extremely well himself, by 10-7. He will now face either Shaun Murphy or Yan Bingtao in the last 16, starting on Thursday night.

The whole match was very high quality as those stats prove:

There were 16 breaks over 50 in the match, 10 from Ronnie, 6 from Gary, including 4 centuries, 2 from Ronnie, 2 from Gary. At one point in the second session, Gary was on 93% pot success and losing ground in the match because Ronnie was on 98%.

At the end of the match, Ronnie celebrated wildly, something very unusual for him.

Here is the report on Worldsnooker:

Sunday 16 Apr 2017 07:17PM

Ronnie O’Sullivan held off a resolute Gary Wilson to reach the second round of the Betfred World Championship with a 10-7 win.

The Rocket faltered at 5-1 up in the opening session, to end with a 5-4 lead. However, both players produced some high quality snooker this afternoon in a fascinating clash.

Despite his exit, the potter from Tyneside has enjoyed a memorable World Championship campaign, making his second career 147 in qualifying and reaching the Crucible for the first time.

O’Sullivan clinched a record breaking seventh Masters title earlier this year with victory at Alexandra Palace and if he were to win at the Crucible it would see the 41-year-old draw level with Ray Reardon and Steve Davis on six world titles.

The pair went blow for blow in terms of big breaks this afternoon. At 6-4 down Wilson was the first to notch up a ton with a contribution of 100. Not to be outdone, the Rocket restored his two frame advantage with a sublime run of 124. Breaks of 74 and 83 then put him on the verge of victory at 9-5.

However, Wilson refused to back down, taking the 15^th frame and then compiling a break of 103 to pull back within two. The Rocket wasn’t to be denied his victory and punched the air with delight after a fine break of 90 secured the 10-7 win.

Wilson was clearly disappointed at the defeat, but was pleased to have put on a good showing on his Crucible debut.

“I’m pleased that I’ve got so close and that I put up a bit of a fight. I honestly felt if it got a bit closer that I had a chance of winning,” said the 2015 China Open finalist. “There’s no better feeling than when you’ve got a chance of beating Ronnie O’Sullivan at the World Championship.

“When it’s your first time that little bit of pressure isn’t there, the expectation isn’t there. I was thinking that it doesn’t matter what the scoreline is, just keep enjoying every frame as much as you can. Obviously if I’d been here 10-15 times, I’d have been annoyed at being 5-1 down, but I’m just happy to keep digging in and showing what I’m capable of. I’ve got fighting spirit, I’m not just gonna lie down and let him walk all over me.”

And a few pictures, courtesy of Tai Chegzhe – Thanks Tai

You may have noticed that there is no mention of Ronnie’s quotes in Worldsnooker report. It’s not because Ronnie didn’t do his press conference, or said nothing… in fact, pressed by Georges Riley, he gave a quite emotional one, hitting out at Barry Hearn and his board.

Here is the report by Shamoon Hafez from BBC Sport

An emotional Ronnie O’Sullivan has attacked World Snooker for using “threatening” language and said he will not be “bullied” by the governing body.

The five-time world champion is angry at a disciplinary letter sent to him.

After beating Gary Wilson 10-7 in the first round of the World Championship, O’Sullivan said: “I phoned [chairman] Barry Hearn four weeks ago and told him I am done with you and your board.

“I don’t think I’ve done a lot wrong,” added O’Sullivan at the Crucible.

“A friend told me to let the lawyers deal with it. I won’t get involved anymore because I am not being bullied.”

Why is O’Sullivan upset?

Since victory at the Masters in January, five-time world champion O’Sullivan has only replied to questions by the media with one or two-word answers, and has also sung an Oasis song in reply, and on another occasion responded as a ‘robot’ in protest at his perceived mistreatment by World Snooker.

If I did not have good lawyers, I would probably have walked away because I am too old to be dealing with things like that

Ronnie O’Sullivan

That grievance seemingly dates to an incident during his record-breaking seventh Masters triumph at Alexandra Palace, when he publicly criticised a referee and swore at a photographer.

World Snooker ultimately took no action as they accepted his explanation of the incidents.

But O’Sullivan was sent a letter by snooker’s governing body about his behaviour after the Masters row and was warned he could face further sanctions including a fine. He responded by saying that repeated disciplinary action could cause him to reduce his playing time and media commitments, among other things.

In five events since then, O’Sullivan has failed to win consecutive matches.

Explaining his behaviour, the Englishman said: “I have no problems with the press. Sometimes I say things I should not say, I get myself into hot bother, and I get a letter through saying I need to respond in 14 days – a day before a tournament.

“It messed up my last three or four tournaments. I did not really win a match and it is not fair on the fans or those who invested in me.

“I phoned Barry Hearn four weeks ago and told him I am done with you and your board of people. A friend of mine told me to let the lawyers deal with it. I won’t get involved anymore because I am not being bullied. I am not letting people do that to me ever again.

“I just want to play and have fun. I like Barry but I am not being intimidated or bullied anymore. The language can be quite threatening and intimidating in some of these letters. It is very unsettling.

“To go in with all that on my head, having to see lawyers and having to fight off something I feel I should not have to, they pushed me too far.

“If I did not have good lawyers, I would probably have walked away because I am too old to be dealing with things like that.”

World Snooker said it was unwilling to comment.

‘This felt different’ – analysis

BBC Radio 5 live’s George Riley at the Crucible Theatre:

“We had no idea whether Ronnie would show up and, when he did, he was visibly emotional. Given he has chosen not to engage with the media since the Masters other than through robot impressions and Oasis songs, I didn’t feel there was any alternative but to challenge him.

I have heard Ronnie threaten to retire and talk of falling out of love with the game on so many occasions that you no longer bat an eyelid when he does so. But this felt different – his voice was cracking with emotion when he spoke of feeling bullied, intimidated and threatened by the governing body and its leader Barry Hearn. There were nerves among the press too. It felt like a very tense 10 minutes.

Whether you side with O’Sullivan on this or feel – like Hearn does – that his behaviour is becoming embarrassing, there was raw anger here at the guys who run this sport. While some fellow players feel O’Sullivan receives preferential treatment, he himself feels persecuted.

This was a powerful and reasoned explanation as to why he is so upset. If this had come sooner rather than a series of childish media conferences, O’Sullivan might have found far more sympathy. Yet it appears that in his war with World Snooker, his relationship with the media has become a casualty.”

‘Another world title won’t make a difference’

O’Sullivan, though, did not speak about his victory over Wilson, after which he celebrated enthusiastically by punching the air a number of times, hand-slapping a fan in the front row and blowing a kiss to the crowd.

‘The Rocket’ was 5-1 up in the match, before being pegged back in the first session, but a blistering second session with breaks of 124, 90, 83 and 74 saw him advance.

The 41-year-old goes in search of his sixth world crown, as he looks to equal Stephen Hendry’s record of 18 ‘Triple Crown’ event wins.

“I like to play for the fans, I get a kick out of it,” he added. “It is about entertaining and put in good performances. That is the most important thing.

“I do not need to prove anything to anybody, I have won five worlds, seven Masters and five UK titles and I’m only one behind Hendry on the majors list. Another world title will not make a massive difference.

“I would love to win another world title but it is about working with people I enjoy working with and getting some satisfaction by playing with freedom.”

Here it is in full:

Where this will lead us I don’t know, but maybe getting his emotions out of his system will help Ronnie focus on the job better. After Ronnie’s victory today, Stephen Hendry, who had been writing him off, admitted that this was the best he had seen for a very long time and declared “He’s here to win.”

Now, of course, we should expect some statement by WS.

The match

First session: