Ding Junhui came from 5-4 down to beat Mark Williams 6-5 in the opening round of the Johnstone’s Paint Masters, boosting his hopes of doubling his tally of titles in snooker’s biggest invitation event.
The result means that, for the first time since 2011, none of the ‘Class of 92’ of Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins and Williams are in the line up for the quarter-final stages. In that year, Ding went all the way to the title, and the Chinese ace will hope that’s a good omen. The 37-year-old certainly had his fair share of good fortune today, enjoying a string of lucky moments in the closing stages of an exciting contest.
It’s the second match already this year to go to a deciding frame, and Ding finished in style by taking it in one visit. He already has a huge title under his belt this season having won the International Championship in November and can now look forward to a meeting with Judd Trump or Barry Hawkins at Alexandra Palace on Friday.
After sharing the first two frames, Williams led 41-7 in the third when he mid-cued, attempting blue to centre, and Ding punished him with 69 to go ahead. Williams responded with breaks of 57 and 70 to go 3-2 up, then Ding made 64 and 60 to edge ahead at 4-3.
A tremendous 136 total clearance, the new front-runner for the £15,000 high break prize, gave Williams frame eight. Ding looked set to go 5-4 up until he missed a straight-forward black at 66-0 in the ninth, and Williams eventually cleared from the last red to black to pinch it by a single point.
In the last two frames, Ding missed three attempts at difficult reds, but each time was lucky not to leave his opponent a clear chance. Williams twice attempted awkward reds to a centre pocket, but couldn’t find the target and Ding capitalised with breaks of 76 and 90 to reach the second round for the eighth time in all and first since 2019.
Williams turns 50 in just two months and victory today would have made him the oldest winner of a match at the Masters since a 56-year-old Eddie Charlton in 1986. The Welshman said: “Ding had a hell of a run of the ball, especially in the last two frames when he could have left me in. I lost count of the number of times he held his hand up to say ‘sorry’, it must have been ten or 11 times. Those are the fine margins. I have had plenty of run in my time, that’s the game. He still had to make two really good breaks.
“I tried my best. It’s a great venue and the reception when I came in was unbelievable. I loved it, it’s the best venue we play in and I hope I get back next year.“
Ding said: “At 5-4 down, I missed a long red and the balls went everywhere, and I thought maybe today is done. Then I saw a bit of luck, Mark didn’t have an easy one. He had to take a difficult one under pressure, and when he missed I saw my chance was there. It was the same in the last frame. My concentration and confidence was good after the interval, I didn’t think too much about winning or losing.
“I still want to be the best I have ever been. I’ve been watching videos of myself when I was young and I am trying to get that feeling back. I used to just pot the balls without thinking too much, just playing the shots very clearly. I still struggle sometimes but I am feeling better than before.“
Mark Selby hasn’t reached the semi-finals at Alexandra Palace since 2014 but on today’s evidence he is among the favourites for the Johnstone’s Paint Masters title as he romped to a 6-1 victory over Ali Carter in the opening round.
Selby looked close to his best last week at the BetVictor Championship League, notably making six centuries in a single day. And he carried that momentum into tonight as he outplayed Carter, rattling in two tons and three more breaks over 50. The Leicester cueman’s reward is a quarter-final meeting with Mark Allen or Si Jiahui on Thursday.
World number five Selby had a tremendous record at the Masters between 2008 and 2014, winning it three times and reaching two further finals. Since then it has been slim pickings in London as he has failed to go beyond the quarter-finals. Selby, winner of the British Open in September, will be quietly confident of a deep run this time as he seeks to become the only player other than Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry to lift the trophy for a fourth occasion.
He took the opening frame tonight with a break of 62, and added the 41-minute second by getting the better of a safety exchange on the final brown. Stepping up a gear, Selby fired breaks of 108 and 93 to lead 4-0 at the interval.
In frame five, Carter led by 62 points with four reds left when he failed to double a red to centre, and his tenacious opponent battled back and gained the snooker he required, then could have forced a respotted black but failed to pot the blue along the top cushion, allowing a relieved Carter to pull one back. But Selby regained the initiative with a 126 for 5-1, and he made an excellent 53 clearance in frame seven to settle the result.
“I felt a bit edgy at the start but winning the second frame was huge, if Ali had gone 1-1 it could have been very different,” said Selby. “I kicked on after that and felt comfortable. It’s always great playing in front of a full house here and it gives you motivation.
“My only concern was not getting in my own way and freezing, which I do sometimes. That’s something I am trying to work on. I enjoyed it and felt I was zoned in and focused. I have been there and done it in this event which will stand me in good stead if I get to the business end.“
Carter said simply: “Mark was very good and I was absolute rubbish. He strangles you and zaps you of confidence. I just wanted to get out of there in the end.“
Neither Willo nor Ding played really well. Maybe they were still a bit tired from their Tibetan adventure. The match was very eventful with all sorts happening at the table. It was certainly entertaining albeit not of the highest quality despite some big breaks from both.
In the evening, it was the complete opposite. Mark Selby delivered a master class. If he can keep that level, he will probably win the tournament. Ali had no answers and, although he continued to apply himself, it was plainly evident that he was frustrated and, after the MSI, had given up hope and didn’t want to be there.
Ronnie was in the studio in the evening and gave an update about his own state of mind. He’s OK. He explained that by Sunday he was feeling OK to play, but had not wanted to delay making his decision in order to give whoever would replace him enough time to prepare. That was the right thing to do indeed. All things considered, he looked settled and thinking clearly. It’ reassuring.
Ronnie O’Sullivan ‘lost the plot’ as he explains Masters withdrawal and gives update on future
Ronnie O’Sullivan withdrew from the Masters on the eve of the tournament with snooker fans and his fellow pros concerned about the seven-time world champion
Image PA
Ronnie O’Sullivan has explained his decision to withdraw from the Masters – and insists he WILL be back on the baize.
Snooker icon O’Sullivan was due to defend his title at Alexandra Palace with his first-round match against John Higgins slated to get the tournament underway on Sunday. But he unexpectedly pulled out after snapping his cue following a defeat by Robert Milkins in the Championship League on Thursday.
O’Sullivan has had well-documented mental health issues in the past, and there were concerns for his wellbeing from fans and fellow pros alike. But the seven-time world champion insists he is OK and will return to the sport.
“I’m alright, not too bad,” he said while working for Eurosport on Monday evening. “It was a nightmare decision really to make, if you’d have asked me Sunday if I was ready to play I’d probably have been ok to play. But it’s such a massive tournament.
“I’d been on a three-week trip away playing and I just think I exhausted myself, a lot of pressure while I was away. The build-up of all that just got a bit too much really.
“I lost the plot on Thursday, snapped my cue, so that’s unplayable, so I knew at that moment in time the right decision was to not play and such a big tournament that I thought whoever was to come in should have had at least a couple of days notice.”
Neil Robertson was the man to take O’Sullivan’s place, and he staged a miraculous comeback from 5-1 down to pip Higgins 6-5 and advance to the quarter-finals.
I just knew at that moment in time, the right decision was to not play” .
On his cue, the Rocket added: “It was in the bin, one of them wheelie bins, but my mate said we can’t leave that here, so he got it out and brought it with us.”I’ve got a couple of other cues that I can start practicing with because there’s some tournaments coming up. I’m going to continue to play so I need to get used to the cue now.”
In words O’Sullivan fans will be relieved to hear, the 49-year-old even talked of a return to Ally Pally next year and still harbours aspirations of lifting a ninth Masters title.
“This is an unbelievable tournament, top 16, best players in the world, amazing crowd, I’ve won this tournament many times, been in 14 finals,” he said. “I’d love to come here and play again and hopefully be lucky enough to win the trophy again, that would be great.
After the evening match, in the studio, Mark and Ronnie had a very interesting and honest discussion about mental health
In the news there is also suggestion that Ronnie “faces” a lawsuit … This is misleading as I explained in this previous post.
When snooker’s greatest ever player eventually decides to put his cue away for good, his legacy will not just be his record number of titles and his unique relationship with fans worldwide, but also his willingness to pass on his knowledge and experience to younger players.
In recent years, Ronnie O’Sullivan has been generous with his time and willingness to offer advice to players who have asked him to help fulfill their talent.
Judd Trump benefited from O’Sullivan’s influence when they worked together in Romford during the early years of the younger man’s career. During their emotional embrace at the end of the 2022 World Championship final, Trump told the newly-crowned seven-time Crucible king: “Thank you for letting me practise with you. You took your time out for me and I really appreciate that. You’ve always taken care of me. The dedication, everything that you’ve put in, you deserve everything.”
In October this year, O’Sullivan was in Riyadh to open the new Ronnie O’Sullivan Snooker Academy, where he will play a role in nurturing the best young talent from Saudi Arabia. Ahead of that launch, we asked the 49-year-old about his coaching philosophy and his lifelong emphasis on hard work.
Ronnie, how exciting is it to be involved with the new academy in Riyadh?
It’s great to be part of it and to see what the development is like, and to help nurture the talent. Nigel Bond will be the head coach and he is perfect for that job. It won’t be easy for the local players to get to the standard of tour players, but if someone has the talent and the willingness then it can be done. Academies are so important in any sport, you can see that in Kenya for running, the USA for golf and tennis or football in France where the likes of Thierry Henry and Kylian Mbappe came through. It’s about being in the right environment with access to the best coaching as well as advice and nutrition.
How important is it for young snooker players to be coached from an early age?
Some players are blessed, like John Higgins. From the minute they pick up the cue, they are natural. Others need guidance. I don’t believe in over-coaching, because instinct is important. You have to allow a player to grow his own game and let his personality come through. But you do need someone to keep you on the right track.
How much coaching did you have when you started playing?
I didn’t have a coach but I watched a lot of Steve Davis videos and you can learn a lot from that. Not everyone can be a Jimmy White or Stephen Hendry, but anyone can be like Davis, John Higgins or me. If you can learn good fundamentals and get them right, you can become very consistent because it’s a repetitive sport. You can’t follow anyone better than Davis, no one comes anyone near him for doing all the right things. He didn’t coach me personally, but I watched everything he did. His tempo, the way he hit the ball, the way he played safe, his ability to keep still on every shot…he was incredible.
During your career you have often worked with coaches, notably Frank Adamson and Ray Reardon. Have you always wanted to learn more?
Everyone in every sport has to learn. People say I’m gifted, but I wasn’t the most gifted junior or amateur. I always had to work hard at my game. I was never a good safety player or potter, or not as good as some of the others who were playing at the time. I was always good at scoring, that was my thing. But I had to learn the other stuff. I didn’t have a good temperament, I still don’t deal with bad spells that well.
When you said you don’t believe in over coaching, do you mean that you have to give a player space to make the most of natural flair?
Yes. As a junior I saw very natural payers going to certain coaches and then become stiff and methodical, losing the ability to play at a high pace. Steady, slow and methodical doesn’t often get you anywhere. It might win you a few matches, but if you want to be a real winner you have to play at speed, in any sport. You have to be clinical, but speed is a big weapon. You can’t over-think this game. To play as quickly as you can without being careless is the goal.
In the latter part of your career, you’ve been generous with younger players and willing to give advice. Do you enjoy helping them?
If someone asks you for help it’s hard to say no. Victoria, who runs one of the academies in Sheffield, is passionate about her players and wanted them to do well. She asked me, and I always want to help if I can. I don’t see at as giving secrets away because there is no secret really, it’s just hard work and determination. It’s nice to try to pass on knowledge in any sport. In athletics, the Kenyan runners don’t keep it to themselves, they see sharing as a good thing.
Judd Trump is one such player you helped. When you first saw him play, did you see something of yourself in him?
He has amazing talent, he didn’t need to learn from me. But being in that environment when we practised at the same club in Romford helped him because he saw how hard I worked. A lot of people think it’s just talent, but if you ask players who have spent time with me, they are surprised at how dedicated I am and how seriously I take practice. When I was young I saw Stephen Hendry practise and realised he was the hardest worker on the tour. It’s true in any sport. That’s why they are the best, because they are willing to put the work in.
How much satisfaction does it give you when you see an improvement in a player you have given guidance to?
There was a player who is super talented and he’d had some success. He asked if I could help him. I had watched a few of his games and had the feeling that something wasn’t quite right but I couldn’t put my finger on it. We got on the practice table and I showed him a few things and he said he understood it. It was nice to see him develop as a player, that was a good feeling.
In your book Unbreakable you describe your obsession with practice and the technical side of the game. Have you always had that fascination?
I never used to as a kid, that was my biggest downfall, it held me back and made my career tougher than it needed to be. I got into bad habits when I was 16 or 17 and it got worse and worse That’s why I had to go and see Frank Adamson. I knew I wasn’t going to win the World Championship, I was good one day, terrible next, when in this game you need consistency. Frank had to deconstruct my game, take it apart. Within the first year I managed to win the world title – not by playing better, but just by being a bit more consistent.
So much for those who say Ronnie doesn’t care about his sport and its future. He’s not Mr Perfect. He has his ups and downs, violent mood swings that, at times, are difficult to cope with. But over the last 32 years and a half, he has given plenty to the sport, countless magical moments and even more talking points. He’s kept snooker in the news. It was not always for the good reasons but nothing is worse for a sport than to be “invisible”. And he has been giving to his sport away from the spotlights as well. He’s been helping other players, talented youth he certainly knew could become dangerous rivals. Judd Trump is the prime example.
Yes, he has set limits. Yes, he has done it his own way … but if you are in his position and you try to please everyone you will soon find it impossible and overwhelming. So many people want a piece of him at events, and even away from events … sponsors, media, aspiring players, fans … you name it.
It’s nice to see WST giving recognition to that side of him.
Ronnie O’Sullivan reveals new goal after rediscovering snooker enjoyment
Phil Haigh
Ronnie O’Sullivan hopes to keep playing for another 10 years as he says he is enjoying snooker more now than he ever has as a professional.
It has not been a great season so far in terms of results for the Rocket, without a final appearance yet and he has just suffered back-to-back first round exits at the Champion of Champions and UK Championship.
The 49-year-old is still number three in the world rankings after winning two big ranking events last season, so it is not disastrous and he says he has rediscovered some enjoyment in his game over the last few weeks.
Despite winning five tournaments in total last season, O’Sullivan cut a frustrated figure, dissatisfied with how he was playing.
Since working with coach Lee Walker he now feels like he is returning towards his best form and, although the results have not come yet, he is confident they will.
‘The last time I enjoyed playing snooker like I have done the last couple of months was when I was 14,’ said O’Sullivan. ‘I’m actually loving playing.
‘It’s quite weird, I played awful last year and pretty terrible at the start of the year, but I’ve won five tournaments last year, but just not enjoyed playing. Then I took a couple of months off, figured out a couple of things about the game and really enjoying it, loving the game.
‘The last three tournaments I’ve played pretty well, maybe just a little bit too open. I’ve realised that and I’ve worked the last few weeks on trying to tighten up a little bit, trying not to leave so many easy chances.’
Asked how he rated his game in recent times, the seven-time world champion reckoned he had really hit a low.
‘The start of this season and the whole of last season I would say it’s probably about 4 [out of 10]. Really bad. 3? Probably as bad as its ever been.
‘But I played what I felt wasn’t great and won five tournaments. Then I start to play great and can’t win a match. Maybe I’m better off playing terrible if I want to get results.
‘To be honest I always play the long game. My game’s in good shape. As long as I apply myself, little bit of run of the ball, a couple of opponents don’t play so well against you, get on a run, win the tournament, then before you know it you’re back in a good spot.
‘I never panic, I never worry. I’m not really bothered either. If I was bothered I might be worried. I’m not bothered, I know I’m on the back end of my career so it’s less important now. I’m just enjoying it.’
O’Sullivan has flirted with retirement for years, but he says it is now a long way from his mind and intends to keep playing for another decade.
O’Sullivan expects to get on a run again soon (Picture: Getty Images)
Still the sport’s biggest attraction and with business interests and opportunities in Asia and the Middle East, O’Sullivan doesn’t want to see his star power wane.
‘I’ve set a new goal. If I can just stay on the tour – even if I fell off the tour they’d probably give me a wildcard – but I’m enjoying everything about snooker.
‘I just said to Lee Walker, who I’ve been working with, just keep me going for 10 years, keep me enjoying it for 10 years. If I can enjoy it and not get many results I’ll take that, because I’ve had a lot of good results over my career.
‘I don’t have anything to prove, but I definitely don’t want to miss out on the next 10 years because things are quite exciting for me off the table more than it is on the table.
‘It’s a good combination I’ve got at the moment. I still like getting my cue out, people still like to see me play and I still like to think I can put in some good performances, but who knows? Maybe I won’t.’
I suppose that’s the article Mark saw a few days ago. It’s a nice change from the depressed doom and gloom that so often engulfed him. Long may it last. It’s not what us, fans want to see, but we have to be realistic. He’s in his 50th year, he’s given us a lot to enjoy for over 30 years. He deserves “me time”, we shouldn’t be greedy 💖.
Ronnie O’Sullivan ‘can’t be bothered’ playing UK snooker events
By Tom Parsons
Ronnie O’Sullivan has spoken out on his lack of desire to play at some snooker events.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has admitted he ‘can’t be bothered’ to attend some UK snooker events (Image: GETTY)
Ronnie O’Sullivan has admitted he “can’t be bothered” to travel long distances to play at some UK snooker events and has conceded that he would prefer to stay at home instead.
The 49-year-old pulled out of the Scottish Open in Edinburgh earlier this month before travelling to Saudi Arabia to compete in the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship.
The Rocket thrashed Ding Junhui 4-0 in his opening match in the Middle East as he took just 49 minutes to complete the rout.
But he missed out on the opportunity to land the £250,000 winning prize pot after being dispatched by eventual champion Mark Allen in the semi-finals.
O’Sullivan has been critical of a number of the UK venues he has had to visit in the past, with some snooker tournaments taking place at leisure centres across the country.
And the seven-time world champion said: “I’m not being harsh, it’s really difficult when you go to a leisure centre.
“You’ve got 50 to 100 people all standing outside. You’ve got to get through that, play a best of seven frames. Then you’re not sure when you’re going to be on. They say you could be on at 8.30pm but you get on at 11pm.
Ronnie O’Sullivan was dumped out of the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship by Mark Allen in the week (Image: GETTY)
“It’s a nine-hour journey from my house [in Essex] to Edinburgh. You weigh it all up and think you can’t be bothered. Ten to 15 years ago I’d probably have been fine, but I can’t play every tournament or every week.”
O’Sullivan then admitted he will limit his appearances at tournaments as he added: “I’ll try and play a minimum of 10 and I’ll pick the best 10 to play in.
“After that, if I feel like I need to play in a few more I will. I still want to play snooker but I want to spend time at home as well.
“I enjoy practising at home, going down the club, spending time with friends. I love being on the road as well. But it’s about getting that practice.
“In Saudi Arabia, the events we’ve had there, it’s been brilliant. Food, dressing rooms, shower rooms, loads of practice tables, courtesy cards, it was amazing. Same in China. With these tournaments they have 8 to 10 practice tables.
“Some of the events in the UK, there are 3 to 4 practice tables in a leisure centre, it’s not the easiest. They have bigger budgets in China and Saudi Arabia. Maybe in the UK not so much. They do the best they can with what they’ve got. It is what it is.”
I think it’s a normal evolution in life. As we are getting older, we want, and need, more comfort, more “me time”. Ronnie, more than any other player faces huge demands from the fans wherever he goes. I have witnessed him getting out of the Crucible, very downbeat and disappointed after losing and being met by dozens of fans wanting him to stop for a chat or an autograph. That’s not right. Those players have feelings, usually right after a defeat they only want one thing: they want left alone. For young players all this is new and exciting. For many older players, snooker is a mainly job and if they are not able to do it in a good environment – good conditions and respect of their privacy – it often becomes a burden.
Yesterday was a rather disappointing day for me as a Belgian. Indeed Julien Leclercq was in action and, after a decent start in the first session of the day, he really struggled in the second session and finished last of his group. I was even more disappointing because Julien had been interviewed by WST ahead of his return to action and appeared to be in an excellent frame of mind.
JULIEN LECLERCQ Q&A
On the cusp of his third season as a pro, Belgium’s 21-year-old Julien Leclercq reflects on what he has learned from his first two years on the tour, and looks ahead to the coming campaign.
Julien, how much are you looking forward to the new season? I’m very excited, I haven’t played a match since the World Championship qualifiers in April so I want to get started again. I only had a few days rest and then I was practising again.
How do you reflect on your results and performances last season? I got nervous towards the end because my tour card wasn’t safe. Going into the world qualifiers I had to win my first match against Haydon Pinhey otherwise I would have been going to Q School. I didn’t play well but I won 10-3 so that took a lot of pressure off. Next time I don’t want to be in that position again. My goal for the first part of the new season is to get well up into the top 64 so I am not risking dropping off the tour at the end of the season.
Still, to keep your tour card after your first two seasons is a good achievement. What have you learned? Yes I am happy just to keep my card. I have learned so much. Mainly about life on tour in terms of travelling to events. It is not easy, living in Belgium and going to the UK or other countries for every tournament. Things like arranging travel by train and booking the right hotels close to the venues, that takes time to learn everything, and I do it all myself, or sometimes my girlfriend Chloe helps me. I know a lot more about that now, so next season I won’t need four hours of searching online just to find the right hotel! That will take away some stress. In terms of my game, I have had to get better at safety. When I turned pro, my safety wasn’t great. But on the tour, if you can’t play safety you will be killed. The other thing I have tried to learn is to accept defeat. It’s hard when you lose. But there is no point getting angry or frustrated. Staying positive on the mental side is so important.
What was your best moment last season? Winning that first qualifying match in the world qualifiers because after that I knew I would probably stay on tour. My uncle Joel came to watch – he has been to a few tournaments, he absolutely loves snooker and it is great to have him in the crowd.
…and the worst? In the qualifying round for the International Championship, I was 5-5 with Si Jiahui and in the last frame I was 56-0 ahead but he cleared up with 68. That was painful because I want to qualify for more events in China. I played there three times as an amateur but I am yet to play in a pro tournament there.
Ben Mertens joined the tour at the same time as you, how much has that helped both of you over the first two years? He is my best friend and we have been playing snooker together since we were nine years old. He only lives 20 minutes away so we practise together a lot. There has never been any jealousy, we are always happy for each other’s success. We are going through some of the same experiences on tour so it really helps to have someone to speak to. And when we have time off we play video games like Call of Duty, but I always win, he’s a very bad gamer!
Have you thought about moving to the UK? When I first turned pro I considered it, but then I decided to stay in Belgium. I have Chloe there – she is studying psychology at university – as well as my friends and family, it’s more important to me to be close to them. People might think I would learn more by practising with other players in the UK, but I learn most by playing matches. And I often watch my matches again on video and try to work on the mistakes I made.
During your first season you reached the final of the Shoot Out, did that give you a taste for the big occasion? Yes – every player on tour wants to be in the big finals. Also I want to do well to help inspire more young players from Belgium.
What’s the best venue you have played at? The Tempodrom in Berlin. You are so close to the crowd, it’s an amazing atmosphere.
Finally, what’s the best thing about being a snooker player? The chance to travel the world and share some of those experiences with my family. And to play snooker on live TV – that’s what I always dreamed about. I can’t complain about anything.
In the tightest group yet at this week’s BetVictor Championship League, Jackson Page scored a superb late win over Robert Milkins to book his place in the second stage.
The first four matches in Group 10 were all drawn 2-2, leaving it in the balance heading into the concluding ties. Andrew Higginson scored a 3-1 win over Iulian Boiko and he looked favourite, particularly with a high break of 121 earlier in the day. But Page then came from 1-0 down to beat Milkins 3-1, and his break of 127 in the second frame edged him ahead of Higginson and secured his progress.
Success for the 22-year-old means that a Welsh player has topped a group every day this week, as Page follows Ryan Day, Mark Williams, Matthew Stevens and Michael White into the next phase.
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh topped Group 32 in another close finish, edging out Daniel Wells. Thailand’s Un-Nooh opened with a 3-1 win over Mark Joyce, then made breaks of 106 and 104 in a 3-0 defeat of Julien Leclercq.
Wells drew 2-2 with Leclercq and beat Joyce 3-1, so could have won the group with victory in his final match against Un-Nooh, and he started well with a break of 91 to take the opening frame. But Un-Nooh hit back to take the next two, and eventually progressed with a 2-2 draw.
Group 10 really delivered. There was no dead match and the group winner was literally decided by the second and last frames of last match on the day. Jackson needed to win, from 1-0 down, AND to make ea break of 122 or more. He managed both! Andrew Higginson must have felt sick.
Day 6 at the Crucible is the day when the first round finishes and the second round starts. The last two first round matches were played to a conclusion, with wins for Ronnie and John Higgins.
John Higgins, ever present in the top 16 for a record 29 years, maintained his hopes of keeping that elite status with a hard fought 10-6 win over Jamie Jones in the first round of the Cazoo World Championship.
Higgins first climbed into the top 16 at the end of the 1994/95 season and, incredibly, has been there ever since. But after a lean two years, he could drop out at the end of this Championship. Having knocked out Jones, he must still win one more match to have a chance of keeping his place in the top bracket of the rankings, and the 48-year-old Scot faces a tough test against world number three Mark Allen over 25 frames on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The pair have met five times already this season, Allen winning three of those.
The result means that the record for the most seeds falling in the first round – eight – has been equalled but not beaten.
Leading 5-4 overnight Higgins took the first two frames today to extend his lead to 7-4. In frame 12, he led 39-18 when a routine pink to a centre pocket hit the far jaw, and Jones responded with a 49 clearance to pull one back. Higgins regained control as breaks of 59 and 64 helped make it 9-5. Frame 15 came down to the colours and Higgins, trailing 58-38, missed a long pot on the yellow, which allowed Jones to narrow the gap. Both players had chances in the 16th, but Higgins got the better of an exchange on the last red and cleared to get over the line.
“Jamie still fancied it at 9-5, you could see by his body language,” said four-time champion Higgins, who has not landed a ranking title since the 2021 Players Championship. “He probably came into the match feeling he could beat me because he knocked out Neil Robertson in qualifying and he has beaten me a couple of times before. The draws are tough but you just have to roll with it and try to play your best. I felt my game was pretty good tonight.
“I’m really looking forward to playing Mark Allen over 25 frames, I have beaten him twice here before so I’ll have to draw on those memories. Mark is a fantastic player and competitor. I’m not thinking about the top 16, I’m just focussed on the next match. Tonight was a great win for me because you don’t know how many more times you’re going to play here, and it’s the the best place ever to play snooker.“
Jones said: “From 9-5 I was trying to battle as hard as I could. I could see John was trying a bit too hard and I tried to just stick in there. If it had gone 9-7 then who knows? I enjoyed the occasion, it’s always an amazing experience to play here.”
I didn’t watch any of it. After what happened in 2010, I will never again watch John Higgins unless I have to. I already explained why I feel that way, so I won’t bore you repeating it. Let’s just say this, if it had happened in 2024, and if John was Chinese, he would have been banned for many years, not just for a few months (most of it in the summer when nothing happened back then). His opponent Jamie Jones was banned for longer and fell off the tour merely for failing to report a corrupt approach, although he was cleared of match-fixing. He wasn’t even the one being approached, it was one of his mates and Jamie found it too difficult to denounce/report him. So, I dearly wanted Jamie Jones to win but it wasn’t to be. Don’t get me wrong, John is a great great player, with immense skills and a shrewd mind. But, even before the 2010 affair, for some reason I can’t understand myself, I never enjoyed watching him, he bores me.
Other than that there were some really interesting quotes by Barry Hearn reported in the press yesterday.
The Crucible Theatre has staged the World Championship since 1977, but former World Snooker Tour chairman Barry Hearn has cast doubt over the future of the sport’s biggest event in Sheffield beyond its current agreement in 2027. Hearn, speaking to Eurosport, said: “There is no point in saying: ‘Oh, think of the history’. You can’t eat history.”
Barry Hearn has been on a career-defining journey over the past 43 years when it comes to the ongoing subject of the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield being a suitable host venue for the World Snooker Championship, the sport’s landmark and most lucrative tournament.
When the former World Snooker Tour chairman was manager of Steve Davis in the 1980s and 1990s, he famously bounded down the stairs of the venue to greet Davis after the first of the Romford player’s six world title wins against Doug Mountjoy in 1981.
While it could be argued the Crucible was the scene of Hearn’s greatest moments in snooker overseeing the growth, development and dominance of Davis during the halcyon days of saturated TV coverage, sentiment will not get in the way of forward thinking when it comes to finalising the future direction of travel for the green baize’s blue-chip competition.
As president of Matchroom Sport, majority shareholders in WST, the Essex businessman has appeared to cast doubt over the future of the event being staged by the Crucible when the venue’s current agreement with Sheffield City Council expires in 2027 – the year that will mark 50 years of the World Championship in Sheffield.
Amid several media reports suggesting Saudi Arabia and China could be new destinations for the World Championship, Hearn – who once described the Crucible as “one of the world’s most iconic sporting venues” – told Eurosport: “Look, I can’t be more honest, my hand on my heart, I want to stay at the Crucible.
“I want to stay in Sheffield. Obviously, money talks and we are getting inundated with offers around the world.
“And there’s a certain argument that says we should actually take the World Championships around the world to a different venue every year. Some of the venues want to pay money I’ve never experienced, others just want to show their love and support for snooker.
“We’ve been very consistent. Broadcasters that we’ve worked with and have done a good job for us and have been part of our history, we’re going to stay with as much as we can if they want to stay with us.
“Venues that we’ve used and people that we’ve relied on to be the fans, have been good to us, we want to stay with them as long as they want us.
“Common sense says I have a fiduciary duty to the players to provide the biggest prize money because they’re professional athletes.
“And there is no point in saying: ‘Oh, think of the history’. You can’t eat history.
“Sport, to be progressive, has got to provide bigger and bigger prize funds or it is not going to be competitive in today’s world, and will no longer be aspirational to young people that we want to see come into the sport.“
As a celebrated sports promoter, Hearn traditionally uses the annual World Championship to deliver a state of the nation address on his plans for snooker, with the subject of the Crucible never far from his thoughts.
There was also this, reported by Phil Haigh about Hearn’s stance on players wanting to play in events “outside” the main tour:
Barry Hearn: ‘If people want to leave for a quick buck then I wish them well’
Phil Haigh
Barry Hearn has warned players of the ‘temptations for a one-off quickie’ (Picture: Getty Images)
As some players remain at odds with World Snooker Tour over what events they can and cannot play in, Barry Hearn says he will wish anyone well who leaves to chase a ‘quick buck’.
There is disquiet among professionals after the Macau Five situation this season, which saw John Higgins, Mark Selby, Luca Brecel, Ali Carter and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh sign up for a lucrative exhibition in China which was set to be held during the Northern Ireland Open.
WST were not happy about it and told the five in question that they would be in breach of their players’ contract if they took part in the exhibition while the ranking event was being played in Belfast.
The exhibition was eventually moved to December to avoid the clash, but the five men had already pulled out of Northern Ireland so they didn’t play in anything during that week in October.
Shaun Murphy told the BBC during the coverage of the UK Championship that he was ‘offered the same amount of money to go to that event in the Far East as I would have had for getting to the final of the Northern Ireland Open.’ Ronnie O’Sullivan has also spoken out on the subject, saying it is very hard to turn down the huge sums of cash being offered in China.
‘I get paid so much more for going to do that,’ the Rocket said of the Chinese events. ‘It’s really hard for me to turn them down, I can’t. I’ve got to think of my family and all that sort of stuff.
‘It’s all right if you win all of these tournaments, great. But if you get beat first round you’re struggling to pay your bills and stuff.’
Ronnie O’Sullivan picked up the £250,000 top prize at last week’s UK Championship (Picture: Getty Images)
WST say players are free to take part in exhibitions when professional events aren’t being staged, but Hearn, the president of Matchroom Sport, says that if there is a clash then players will have to choose between being part of the tour or exploring other opportunities.
‘Everyone has a choice in what they want to play in and whether they want to be a part of our tour,’ Hearn told Metro.co.uk.
‘I think the game’s in really good hands. There’s always going to be temptations for a one-off quickie, but we don’t do one-off quickies. We are a sustainable business that’s growing very well, with some great news that’s coming in the next month or so, we’ve got a big month coming up.
‘Look, you’ll always get someone who wants to do something for a quick buck, but that’s just not the way that I run businesses, nor will it ever be.
‘If people want to leave for a quick buck then I wish them well, they’ve got their own lives to run, they make their own decisions.
‘I won’t be unreasonable with anybody, but we have rules, contracts in place and we’re always happy to sit down and talk to them, but in a professional dialogue.
‘I don’t think there’s going to be any real issues, to be honest with you, I think Ronnie in particular is in demand in China. They offer him a lot of money and he wants to take advantage of that, I understand that.
‘But he can’t do anything that’s harmful to the players’ contract. He has the choice not to sign the players contract, that’s his call, not mine.’
‘I DON’T HAVE TO WIN, YOU KNOW‘ – SNOOKER LEGEND RONNIE O’SULLIVAN ON HIS FUTURE IN SNOOKER AHEAD OF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
BY ALEX LIVIE
The World Championship is looming into view and Ronnie O’Sullivan will arrive at the Crucible with an eighth title in his sights. The world No. 1 has had a superb season in terms of winning titles, but he is not happy with the state of his game but is ready to buckle down and fight to remain at the top end of the sport over the next 12 months and more.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has said he will dedicate the next 12 months to working hard on his game in a bid to extend his career at the top level.
O’ Sullivan has had some stellar results in the 2023/24 season, winning the UK Championship and Masters to add to his tally of Triple Crown events.
But despite the wins, the world No. 1 has been unhappy with the state of his game.
After beating Gary Wilson in the semi-finals of the Tour Championship, O’Sullivan spoke about battling the yips.
He has begun working closely with Steve Peters once again, and the revered Sports Psychiatrist will be in his corner at the World Championship and for the next 12 months.
“Steve’s gonna be there a lot,” O’Sullivan told Eurosport about his plans for a shot at an eighth World Championship, which gets underway on Eurosport and discovery+ at the weekend. “I told him, whenever you can make it, that’d be great.
“I’ve been speaking to him a lot on the phone recently.”
O’Sullivan is not happy with the state of his game, but has committed to working hard to feel comfortable at the table.
He continued: “I’m in that situation at the moment where I’ve just got to get myself in a frame of mind for maybe the next however long. I’ve given myself a year to the end of next year’s World Championship to work with Steve and hope, you know, to get back to where I feel it’s acceptable.
“I could do another year like this, I’ll commit to that playing how I’ve been playing and the struggles and what we all want to call it – the yips or the snatches, whatever you want to call it.
“I don’t consider that snooker, I’m butchering balls.
“Everyone’s got their own problems. But that ain’t fun for me.
“I’ve got two options. Like Steve said, you can learn to live with it. You can learn to live with anything and be happy or choose to be miserable.
“The task I’m gonna have to set myself is if I can’t get my game in the right place, and I really don’t wanna stop then I’ve got to get round my head round acceptance. Learn to live with it, play it.
“But if I can’t, then maybe do 18 months, two years, exhibitions, go see all the fans and really just go down that testimonial route and then hang my cue up. Would be, like 51, 52. No big deal.”
Should O’Sullivan triumph at the Crucible, it would give him an eighth world crown to go with his eight Masters and eight UK Championships.
Such an achievement would not be the trigger to consider retirement.
“I’ll only retire if I think I’m not playing well enough for long enough, which has been going on a while now,” he said. “That’s obviously something that distresses me enough to think. ‘I don’t want to keep doing that.’ But like I said, if I can learn to live with it.“
The lifestyle snooker has handed O’Sullivan is one of the reasons for him to keep playing.
He said: “I don’t have to win, you know, I just like travelling, I like the people I meet, I like the people I work with; I have a great time with all my sponsors and stuff like that. That’d be hard to give up.
“It’d be hard to give up all the exhibitions I do, the places I get to travel to. That’s why I don’t want to give it up.
“But you’ve got to enjoy the playing, you know, and it’s been a tough year.
“If I can get back to enjoy the playing, then I’ll be the happiest man in the world.”
Despite being unhappy with his game, O’Sullivan is pleased with how he has approached the mental side of snooker.
“I think I’ve mentally been really strong to just keep going at it,” he said. “But I thought I’ve won five tournaments, got to the finaI and I’m not enjoying it.
“I want to win and enjoy it. So that’s why I said to Steve, ‘come on, I need to work this out now.’
“I need to work something out where I can feel in a better place with it all.“
Provided his game is in shape, O’Sullivan does not feel this is his last shot at an eighth world crown.
“I think there are plenty of opportunities to win that World Championship,” the 48-year-old said. “It’s just if I’m not enjoying it. If I’m enjoying it and like I said when I’m playing snooker, I feel like my mind is young around that table.
“I think like a youngster, so age is not important.
“I feel agile. As long as I keep feeling that young when I’m out there, then it doesn’t matter if I’m 60 if I feel like I’m still performing well out there. And I’m making, you know, my opponent look sluggish to me. I’m like, ‘cool, we can still do this.'”
HE Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), has announced an agreement between Riyadh Season and WST to further expand and develop collaboration which will promise to bring the sport to more fans across the Middle East.
Ahead of this weekend’s World Snooker Championship, Riyadh Season has agreed to become an official partner for snooker’s most prestigious tournament, underlining the commitment to supporting the WST.
With the ambition to grow snooker throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond, HE Turki Alalshikh has also announced a new three-year ambassadorial agreement with world number one Ronnie O’Sullivan, who has won a record 23 Triple Crown titles. This agreement guarantees that O’Sullivan will play in all WST events in Saudi Arabia and will also make special trips to the Kingdom to coach and foster aspiring talent.
Saudi Arabia hosted its first-ever WST event last month –Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker – which was won by O’Sullivan. Such was its success, the tournament is confirmed to return as part of the calendar for Riyadh Season during the 2024/25 schedule and will feature the world’s top ten players in addition to two wild cards being invited.
The event will again feature the innovative golden ball, known as the Riyadh Season ball, which will give players a chance to score a world record break of 167 if they pot it at the end of a maximum 147, with HE Turki Alalshikh confirming that the prize for the ‘super maximum’ will be doubled to $1million should anyone succeed in achieving this milestone.
On this announcement, HE Turki Alalshikh stated that these initiatives will act to drive the development of snooker in Saudi Arabia, inspiring a new generation of young fans who idolise the sport’s biggest stars. This expansion of snooker is one of many sporting events offered by Riyadh Season, building a vibrant community of snooker fans that will increase the popularity of the game in Saudi Arabia, where all enthusiasts can thrive and pursue their passions.
HE Alalshikh added “Riyadh Season is delighted to be a partner of the World Snooker Championship, which will start next Saturday and continues until May 6th at Crucible in Sheffield.”
WST Chairman Steve Dawson said: “We are honoured to work with HE Turki Alalshikh on his visionary plans for progress. We share his ambition of bringing snooker to many more fans across the Middle East, and to foster new talent and develop grassroots structures. We share a dream that one day Saudi Arabia will produce a World Snooker Champion, and each of the three initiatives announced today are steps towards that dream. We are thrilled to be working with His Excellency and to deepen our relationship with Saudi Arabia.
“The inaugural Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker was a fabulous event and many of the players enjoyed the atmosphere created by the local fans. We look forward to returning to the Kingdom in the summer for the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, which will be the first ever world ranking event in the region. These tournaments grow the sport and provide fantastic opportunities for the players to compete for outstanding prize money.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan said: “Playing in Riyadh last month was an amazing experience, I love the atmosphere and the enthusiasm of the fans. We can make snooker huge in Saudi Arabia. So I am excited by this chance to work to grow the sport there and the opportunity to coach the best young talent and pass on my experience. I’m also relishing the chance to play in more big events in the Kingdom, and to work alongside HE Turki Alalshikh on his ambitions.”
As much as I disagree with the Saudi regime, developing snooker in new regions is not just good, it’s absolutely necessary. I wish such efforts could be made to get more and bigger tournaments in mainland Europe. Snooker faces serious challenges, we should not be deluded about it, notably because hey-ball has become the number one billiard sport in China, dethroning snooker. We have seen several British snooker platers being tempted by it this season, and they enjoyed the experience.
And maybe … only maybe … something good can come from this when it comes to the human rights situation. Further opening your country to visitors means being under more scrutiny. It also means more contacts between the local population and foreigners who grew in a different culture and have a completely different live style. No matter the regime efforts, this is unavoidable and it is bound to force some societal changes. At least I want to hope so…
Following the release of the latest episode of the OneFourSeven podcast, David Caulfield has published a very interesting piece on his blog.
Amongst other things he shares Shaun Murphy’s views on Ronnie’s withdrawal
“I’ve seen lots of things written about this,” Shaun Murphy said on the latest episode of the OneFourSeven Snooker Podcast.
“I’m curious. I want to understand and gauge the temperature and opinion of the snooker fraternity.”
“I think there’s quite a bit of misunderstanding here. No one is obliged to play in anything.
“Obviously he and I don’t see eye to eye on many things – everyone knows that – but he’s not obliged to play in anything.
“He’s well within the rules to withdraw from any event that he wants to. The reasons he gives? That’s a different subject.
“But he actually hasn’t done anything wrong by the letter of the law from WST’s point of view, so I’m confused where the narrative comes from.
“I think there is a nuanced difference between someone like Stephen Hendry, who has a tour card and chooses not to enter tournaments, versus someone who enters tournaments and withdraws last minute.
“Those two things are slightly different, and if you look at it from the point of view of the first reserve in this case, who is Anthony Davies’ son Alfie, he got the call to go to Edinburgh four or five hours before – it was completely undoable.
“Now, if O’Sullivan knew he had no intention of going and withdrew last minute, that’s not very good, because that obviously spoils the opportunity for young Mr. Davies.
“But you have no option in these cases but to take the player at their word.
“O’Sullivan has again cited health concerns, and I go back to what I said in the podcast a few episodes ago, he has had it really bad in recent times.
“He has been really poorly. He has been really ill, and to be that ill and to pull out of that many events on medical grounds, and then still turn up and win the UK Championship is incredible really.
That coming from Shaun, who admittedly often disagrees with Ronnie, does put things in a different light. Most of us only see the players on television, or from afar in the arena. But players like Ronnie and Shaun, who have been on tour for over 25 years and regularly meet at events, it’s different. They see each other close-up and away from the cameras. If Shaun says that Ronnie has been in ill health in recent months, then surely that’s true. They are not close friends, why would he lie about this? Of course, it’s worrying and it makes Ronnie’s UK victory even more extraordinary. So, yes, get well soon, Ronnie, or at least better, fingers crossed!
Shaun also speaks about what is at stake as the new board elections are about to take place
Murphy was also asked about his opinions on the ongoing saga between the World Snooker Tour and its players concerning contracts, players’ rights, and the possibility of a breakaway tour.
“This thing isn’t going to go away – the serious battle between the players, and the WPBSA players’ body that represents them, and WST with their players contract.”
“This isn’t going anywhere. It’s only going to increase in velocity and in seriousness, because these two parties are going to clash over this.
“I’m not sure which way it’s going to go. It’s a big week this week in snooker politically. We’ve got the AGM of the WPBSA and the elections to the WPBSA Players Board.
“Such is the interest in this – normally you have to crowbar players into these meetings and nominations – there are three spots available and there are seven candidates.
“That’s the first time in history that there are more candidates than spaces.
“Depending on who gets through the candidacy and the nomination process, if certain members find their way onto that board, that could cause WST a headache going forward.
“I know a few of the players who have put themselves forward have this as one of their key mandates to try to get a fairer and better deal out of WST.
“You know, we want a review of the contract. We want it looked at, we want to sit down and talk. It’s going to be interesting.”
So … it’s not just “some spoiled celebrities” … it’s the WPBSA representing the players vs the commercial body, WST. Note that Shaun, who is by no means an anarchist, uses the words “fairer” and “better deal”. That suggests that even him, known to be respectful of the authorities, finds the contract too onerous and too restrictive.
Interesting times ahead for sure …
David Caulfield on his blog always tries to be fair and expresses balanced opinions. I can only recommend any snooker fan to follow it, especially if they are Irish.
I’m grateful to David and a few others who regularly write about the most interesting topics discussed in the numerous snooker podcasts that are now available to the snooker fans… provided they aren’t partially deaf 😉 THANK YOU!
