Post by ffctom_b on Mar 27, 2011 9:29:47 GMT 1
It's been said that, in spring, a young man's fancy turns to thoughts of love. Well, not if they are a snooker player it doesn't. For snooker's elite this time of the year means only one thing: a claustrophobic theatre in Yorkshire and the chance for glory. In just three weeks time the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield will once again play host to the World Championship and it is the close proximity of the game's biggest event to the China Open that makes betting on Beijing troublesome. Very rarely does the player who wins the last event before the Big One go on to triumph at the Crucible. In fact, the last time it happened was 13 years ago when John Higgins followed up his British Open success by capturing his first world title.
Don't think snooker's great and good won't be trying in Beijing, but there's no doubt that, perhaps subconsciously, they are thinking about how to peak in time for Sheffield. Therefore, the China Open provides an opportunity for those not among the leading favourites for the world title to shine. Someone like Mark Allen, whose fierce natural talent is yet to deliver him a ranking title.
Allen has appeared in five ranking semi-finals, plus the semis of this season's Wembley Masters. All this knocking on the door will surely yield some silverware soon. Stephen Hendry said recently that when the Northern Irishman first appeared on the scene, surrounded by the usual hype that accompanies the arrival of a new young talent, he didn't believe he was that special but that he has since changed his mind after observing him at close quarters. Hendry admires Allen's fearless attacking game, which is reminiscent of snooker's greatest champion in his heyday. Where Allen has fallen down while Hendry flourished is in winning close matches under pressure.
But the 25 year-old is not one to be overwhelmed by reputation. On his TV debut at the age of 19 he beat Steve Davis and, in his next match, John Higgins. He has beaten Ronnie O'Sullivan at the Crucible and Wembley. His time will surely come and, with the attention of the very best diverted by what is to come at Sheffield, there is no reason why it shouldn't come this week. The only real issue with Allen (and perhaps a reason he is yet to appear in a major final) is his hot-headedness if things aren't going his way. He needs to keep cool because there is little doubt he has the game to start landing the game's biggest prizes.
The draw has produced a fiendishly tough top quarter which features defending champion Mark Williams, who plays an in-form Stephen Lee, plus O'Sullivan, who tackles resurgent Welshman Ryan Day. Also in there is Hendry, who plays Matthew Stevens, back to form having just won the qualifying competition for the Premier League. Completing the line-up is Chinese hero Ding Junhui, all competing for a solitary semi-final spot.
Avoiding all this carnage in the bottom half of the draw is John Higgins, whose sense of purpose after returning from his suspension last November has been clear from the four titles he has won since. Better value, though, is provided by another Glaswegian in Graeme Dott, China Open winner in 2007, who has steadily produced some good snooker in the last year ever since he reached his third Crucible final.
The eight lowest ranked qualifiers have to play invited Chinese wildcards, who tend to vary in quality. The best of them is Tian Pengfei, who beat an admittedly poorly motivated O'Sullivan in Beijing last year. On Monday, Tian faces the enduringly popular Jimmy White, who will have his work cut out to progress to the first round proper. Tian is on home soil and, as he doesn't have ranking points or prize money to play for, is not under anywhere as much pressure as the Whirlwind. The other wildcard to watch is Jin Long, who has more experience than his fellow compatriots having played on the pro circuit and could threaten to cause an upset against Nigel Bond.
In the last 32, Barry Hawkins is worth supporting against Stephen Maguire, whose practise time has been limited due to the recent birth of his third child. Martin Gould, a former casino croupier, is on a high after his surprise run to the final of the Players Tour Championship and is more than capable of beating world no.15 Ricky Walden. Stuart Bingham, a fluent break-builder but yet to appear in a major semi-final, has enough firepower to see off Shanghai Masters champion Ali Carter.
Don't think snooker's great and good won't be trying in Beijing, but there's no doubt that, perhaps subconsciously, they are thinking about how to peak in time for Sheffield. Therefore, the China Open provides an opportunity for those not among the leading favourites for the world title to shine. Someone like Mark Allen, whose fierce natural talent is yet to deliver him a ranking title.
Allen has appeared in five ranking semi-finals, plus the semis of this season's Wembley Masters. All this knocking on the door will surely yield some silverware soon. Stephen Hendry said recently that when the Northern Irishman first appeared on the scene, surrounded by the usual hype that accompanies the arrival of a new young talent, he didn't believe he was that special but that he has since changed his mind after observing him at close quarters. Hendry admires Allen's fearless attacking game, which is reminiscent of snooker's greatest champion in his heyday. Where Allen has fallen down while Hendry flourished is in winning close matches under pressure.
But the 25 year-old is not one to be overwhelmed by reputation. On his TV debut at the age of 19 he beat Steve Davis and, in his next match, John Higgins. He has beaten Ronnie O'Sullivan at the Crucible and Wembley. His time will surely come and, with the attention of the very best diverted by what is to come at Sheffield, there is no reason why it shouldn't come this week. The only real issue with Allen (and perhaps a reason he is yet to appear in a major final) is his hot-headedness if things aren't going his way. He needs to keep cool because there is little doubt he has the game to start landing the game's biggest prizes.
The draw has produced a fiendishly tough top quarter which features defending champion Mark Williams, who plays an in-form Stephen Lee, plus O'Sullivan, who tackles resurgent Welshman Ryan Day. Also in there is Hendry, who plays Matthew Stevens, back to form having just won the qualifying competition for the Premier League. Completing the line-up is Chinese hero Ding Junhui, all competing for a solitary semi-final spot.
Avoiding all this carnage in the bottom half of the draw is John Higgins, whose sense of purpose after returning from his suspension last November has been clear from the four titles he has won since. Better value, though, is provided by another Glaswegian in Graeme Dott, China Open winner in 2007, who has steadily produced some good snooker in the last year ever since he reached his third Crucible final.
The eight lowest ranked qualifiers have to play invited Chinese wildcards, who tend to vary in quality. The best of them is Tian Pengfei, who beat an admittedly poorly motivated O'Sullivan in Beijing last year. On Monday, Tian faces the enduringly popular Jimmy White, who will have his work cut out to progress to the first round proper. Tian is on home soil and, as he doesn't have ranking points or prize money to play for, is not under anywhere as much pressure as the Whirlwind. The other wildcard to watch is Jin Long, who has more experience than his fellow compatriots having played on the pro circuit and could threaten to cause an upset against Nigel Bond.
In the last 32, Barry Hawkins is worth supporting against Stephen Maguire, whose practise time has been limited due to the recent birth of his third child. Martin Gould, a former casino croupier, is on a high after his surprise run to the final of the Players Tour Championship and is more than capable of beating world no.15 Ricky Walden. Stuart Bingham, a fluent break-builder but yet to appear in a major semi-final, has enough firepower to see off Shanghai Masters champion Ali Carter.