Crash of the Titans
Continuing on from my last blog, day two of the China Open has inflicted more casualties. Five of the top ten players were dispatched today by lower ranking players. After I posted my blog earlier today, fellow bloggers started posting their own versions of the same crisis. A cynic would say this a blip and players will come back to the fold for the World Championship. This may be the case but at this time we see some of the greatest players being swatted like flies on the green baize.
This chasm was initially inflicted by Ronnie O’Sullivan and has widened as the season has progressed. This is a worrying time and shows how far the standard of professional snooker has slipped. It is frankly upsetting to watch seasoned players playing sub standard snooker, missing a simple red when in the balls or seeing their long ball potting crumble.
I am a passionate fan of snooker and write such blogs because I want to not only educate my readership but also point out issues in the sport. Opponents would say I am being über critical but surely if snooker bloggers such as myself don’t point out these problems, then this malfunction will only worsen. The China Open largely operates in the shadow of the World Championship but this really is the prequel to Sheffield and should showcase the talent that is offered on the tour and not instead be an embarrassment.
Since its creation, snooker has always been a sport that has produced many twists and turn and does always favour a victor who turns up on the day. I would never dismiss the great wins of Wattana, Doherty and Robbie Williams because they played out of their skins to achieve their wins but it clear that their opponents were elsewhere when playing. Judd Trump could have killed off his match in the deciding frame but instead let Williams off the hook and couldn’t clear up to take his scalp.
The top 16 need to go back to the drawing board and reset their confidence and concentration clocks because if they don’t do this soon their snooker springs will snap and be beyond repair. What is so worrying is that O’Sullivan is not even in this tournament and so players have nothing to fear. We need to back from an episode of You Been Framed to the Oscar winning performance.
This chasm was initially inflicted by Ronnie O’Sullivan and has widened as the season has progressed. This is a worrying time and shows how far the standard of professional snooker has slipped. It is frankly upsetting to watch seasoned players playing sub standard snooker, missing a simple red when in the balls or seeing their long ball potting crumble.
I am a passionate fan of snooker and write such blogs because I want to not only educate my readership but also point out issues in the sport. Opponents would say I am being über critical but surely if snooker bloggers such as myself don’t point out these problems, then this malfunction will only worsen. The China Open largely operates in the shadow of the World Championship but this really is the prequel to Sheffield and should showcase the talent that is offered on the tour and not instead be an embarrassment.
Since its creation, snooker has always been a sport that has produced many twists and turn and does always favour a victor who turns up on the day. I would never dismiss the great wins of Wattana, Doherty and Robbie Williams because they played out of their skins to achieve their wins but it clear that their opponents were elsewhere when playing. Judd Trump could have killed off his match in the deciding frame but instead let Williams off the hook and couldn’t clear up to take his scalp.
The top 16 need to go back to the drawing board and reset their confidence and concentration clocks because if they don’t do this soon their snooker springs will snap and be beyond repair. What is so worrying is that O’Sullivan is not even in this tournament and so players have nothing to fear. We need to back from an episode of You Been Framed to the Oscar winning performance.
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