snooker world championship final

dud is the commentators trying to attribute doherty with the "man utd influence"

is that the conway hall thing you went to?

COME ON KEN!

I just asked my li'l bro why he keeps saying "oooh, Ken's missed... come on Mark..." - apparently, he is "bamming me up". Fair do's.

Surely it's finished on a May Day BH Monday for ages?

Cor, 17-16... must watch exciting finish in bed. (Last year Pam fell asleep midway through 35th frame...)

''is that the conway hall thing you went to?''

yup.

I enjoyed 'Frame Academy' very much indeed. It put the 'OO' back into snooker for a few minutes, especially Steve Davis's elasticated balls.

I also enjoyed the odd glimpse of Terry Griffiths.

o'sullivan vs hunter 8:7 ...and 4 more to go, eh? or less, meh?
(it is live on eurosport, innit?)

Also these are a couple of sexy shits, eh?

They're both pretty great.

(xpost)

O'Sullivan's post-therapy interviews are a mind-boggling wonder of pop-psychology-speak (well, the only one I saw this week anyway).

https://archive.ph/4HfMX

Totally get the obsession to write about Ronnie, but I think this loses focus when she is writing about how the human mind is able to see things a computer or a technology cannot.

In terms of snooker I think Ronnie is also a product of modern approaches to sport, which includes psychology (his sports psychologist doesn't get a mention) plus how his energies into running and a kind of 'mindfulness'/fitness training would not have been in the culture and available to someone like Alex Higgins of Jimmy White. You see it in tennis, golf too where players were saved by changes approaches in therapy and sports science.

Snooker wise she doesn't really account for the four or five players that made the last twenty years of snooker the most technically and emotionally exciting era of the game. Ronnie might have won a lot more if it wasn't for John Higgins, Mark Williams, Selby and Stephen Hendry. The drop off in the last few years has been sharp with only Brecel and a couple of Chinese players maybe coming through (but not quite).

I think this loses focus when she is writing about how the human mind is able to see things a computer or a technology cannot.

absolutely. there could be and almost certainly have been books written about this, her rather uninformed 'makes u think' approach is pretty lame. she also vaguely suggests that positional play is something that ronnie is uniquely gifted at, when it's the absolute basics of the sport (even if ronnie is the best).

Yeah Ronnie had that 'cue ball on a string' with the most consistency for longest, but yeah its a skill that is kinda bog standard for a couple of hundred people in the UK and Ireland.

If I were to pull out a Ronnie match it has to be the Semi final of the WC where he beat Mark Selby for his 6th world title. They were both at their absolute best and Selby knew how to beat him with his tactical play (John Higgins the other who used tactical mastery to consistently beat him).

Ronnie pulled out the best ball striking I will ever see under pressure.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/graeme-dott-accused-sexually-abusing-35023624

Jesus..

Ten Chinese players in this world's. This is a ticking time bomb for a member of the BBC commentary team

That aside this is great news because I am not fussed by any of the English or UK players (maybe Allen aside), and not fussed about Ronnie winning the 8th. I like Brecel a lot and his win (esp his SF with Si) was the last great highlight, with last year's edition being one of the worst.

"But the most intriguing of this year’s Chinese contingent is Zhao Xintong. Suspended in 2023 as part of the match-fixing investigation that almost engulfed snooker in China, Zhao returned as an amateur late last year but has already become the first player to make a maximum on the amateur tour, and has come through qualifying."

Bring it on.

Lei knocking out Wilson!

Xiao - Higgins looks like an excellent duel at 8-8.

10-10. Last frame was an incredible tactical battle lasting over an hour with Xiao on top.

Higgins had chances to bury him. Its the type of frame he has been a past master at winning

Higgins got stronger and was within a black from winning three in a row.

He missed and Xiao cleared nicely so now they have to come back tonight for two more frames as we've run out of time. Great match.

This ofc went all the way. Higgins was so strong at the end. Again.

Top half of the draw is looking like a Ronnie - Xintong SF. Ronnie has had it easy so far. It will be good to see him under pressure.

Bottom half is less clear. Brecel was frighteningly good last night.

Xintong played a beautiful double, bridging over the pink.

Love this cheat.

Williams won the first four frames for 12-8.

After the interval Higgins wins the next three.

Its a decider. Higgins won't die.

Williams potted an incredible blue to win.

In the other QF if Si could cut some of the silly errors he could beat Ronnie who is getting through matches without much of a long game.

Brecel is awesome. Won all four against Judd so far. Everything is in the heart of the pocket. Nothing is safe.

Didn't watch it but changing your set up overnight and getting killed the next day is such a brilliant act of self-sabotage from Ronnie

Trump pulled out all the shots against Williams when 12-10 down. Final frame of the session coming up

Williams is playing really strong stuff. 13-11 as we go into the final session.

Really interesting final tomorrow. Wonder whether Xintong can get into a scrap if he needs to against Williams.

Anyone with tickets for tomorrow evening must be feeling concerned now. Another seniors exhibition beckons.

Lol yeah.

That was an incredible plant by Xintong in the last frame of the session.

Williams is in the final now but they are sharing it so far. Beautiful clearance by Xintong to steal the penultimate frame. 11-5.

Williams won that session when it was Xintong who had a great chance at the final frame. 5-4.

Xintong huge fave.

Yeah, I am anticipating that they will continue in the vein of the evening session and it'll be more or less even frame by frame until Xintong's big lead gets him to 18.

First two frames shared.

Zhao hasn't played out and out great since the first session but idk if Williams is gonna play well enough to take advantage.

Three superb long pots at the next out of nowhere for Xintong. Incredible 58 break. 13-7

Williams started with a 45. That broke down and it took two chances but Xintong wins. 14-7.

Forget a Williams come back, if Xintong wins the last four we won't get a final session.

Absolutely zero chance Williams is gonna beat this guy 11-3 or better in the remaining frames. If I was in his position, I'd be happy to lose this this afternoon and at least get my evening back.

still a little anxious until Zhao finishes the job tho

Don't really follow the snooker much these days but was talking about it earlier in the week and saying it's about time a Chinese player won it, 145% tariff on baize and cue chalk notwithstanding.

Only one away at the end of the session.

And for all the talk of the longevity of the likes of Higgins, O'Sullivan and Williams the latter pair had nothing to offer.

Xintong is excellent and a brilliant player but he wasn't pushed for more than a session each in the SF and F. Wonder what the likes of Ding will be feeling..

Williams has won three frames in a row..

Four

Incredible break in that final frame.

You find yourself making daft pronouncements like 'you only have so much luck' and that fluke + the double and...

I am so mad Williams has decided to turn up now

Thank you President Xi

When he got 3 in a row, I was thinking is it worth a punt. Then sense prevailed, clear that Zhao wouldn’t drop 6 on the bounce.

Really needed a translator for that interview

bbc radio news today was getting the pronunciation of Zhao completely wrong, thought they had people to sort this stuff.

Seemed like a pleasant young fellow. Hazel Irvine's attempts at getting Mark Williams to cry fell on stony ground, then the interview with Zhao fell flat. Good work, Hazel!

First World Champtionship I’ve got into for many many years, forgot how enjoyable Snooker can be to watch. Shame the final didn’t quite end up being the classic it might have been, but really great to see such an exciting young player.