World Grand Prix, 13-19 December, Coventry Arena

Luca going for a max! 10 reds and 10 blacks down - looking good here...

Played to move one from close to a cushion (should have left it where it was)... Break ends on 88 - wins the frame though, and goes 3-0 up

waynescales1

Brecel v Trump, with both players in good form, when it happens, is gonna be some match.

Joe_ Public

Good to see Tom Ford making a match of this. Good player when he can summon a bit of belief in himself.

waynescales1

What a miss by Ford, baffling.

waynescales1

Oh that is so bad by Ford, misses the green by a mile and hits the black, 7 foul points instead of 4.

eric hoone

Decider, kind of fancy Ford the way the balls are rolling

Joe_ Public

Could never trust Ford, but Trump has been very slack so may well get a decent chance or two to clinch it.

eric hoone

Ford just hasn't got the killer instinct

waynescales1

That’s a scandalous miss on the black.

Joe_ Public

Took his chance in the end, finally. Judds run of patchy form continues.

Joe_ Public

Other than Dave Gilbert, i can't think of any player more likely to be interviewed after beating two of the world top 5 and make it sound like he lost both matches than Tom Ford. Forget the quality mate, you should be absolutely buzzing.

waynescales1

Looks like Mark Allen has been practicing the “Chinese Snooker”.

Sandor Clegane

Selby just too strong for Allen.

I can't see Ford winning this one.

Joe_ Public

One or two alarm signals from Ronnie there. Safety seems to be getting looser and looser this past while.

Joe_ Public

Strange enough match, ronnie not fully firing but leads. Vafaei trying to keep it tight and tactical but not sure that really suits him.

Joe_ Public

After a dicey start, ronnie stamped his authority on it quite emphatically. Brecel needs one more to beat Jimmy Robertson to set up a qf v ronnie which would be a pretty tantalising prospect right now.

Sandor Clegane

The ability to make chances out of nothing is amazing, then all of a sudden its frame over.

Sandor Clegane

Could we finally be seeing the end of O Sullivan?

You can only get so far on talent and if you aren't willing to put the work in then you're going to fall short no matter who you are.

I mean its understandable that the hunger to practice would wane after being so long in the game, that coupled with the fact that you're going to be in a bit of decline at 46 anyway regardless.

Personally I think if his dry spell continues he may actually pack it in, Ronnie wants to be a winner and if he's not winning I can't see him going on too long more, he doesn't want to take part and have fun, he wants to be winning events.

Joe_ Public

I don't know the answer but he has been repeatedly saying - to the point of irritation - that he doesn't care about winning anymore, he just wants to turn up and enjoy it, see how far he goes. Now, how much of that is purely Steve Peters-influenced mental kidology, I've no idea tbh. I do personally think he wants to win can still be a force, at least reach finals and possibly win an odd one, for another 3-4 years anyway. But up to him whether he wants to keep doing it or not, haven't seen anything that would lead me to suspect he's likely to step away from the game imminently, but you never know with him i suppose.

Joe_ Public

And so Jimmy Robertson brings Brecels run of form to an end so no Ronnie-Brecel qf as anticipated. A lot of the big guns falling this week, you'd have to say might be best chance Ronnie gets to end his mini title drought for a while.

waynescales1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118331524#Comment_118331524

He literally said the exact opposite in a recent interview. Said, unlike Hendry and Davis, he's quite happy to just turn up, play and see how he gets on without focusing on winning. He mentioned Jimmy White a number of times, who has been doing exactly that for about 15 years.

Sandor Clegane

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118331944#Comment_118331944

I don't believe he's that type to be honest, as much as he likes to say he is, he's a winner and wants to keep winning, I could see him packing it in if he's winless run continues, now it may not be this year or next but he wont continue on if he's not challenging and winning titles imo.

Sandor Clegane

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118331745#Comment_118331745

Selby, Robbo still in it though and Id have them favorite if they meet.

Arthur Daley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118332000#Comment_118332000

I'd say you are right. If he slipped out of the top 10 I'd not see him hanging around all that long. He might do it for a bit but he'd soon move on to something else. A bit like the phase he went through last year playing on with multiple snookers required. The novelty of it would wear off.

Joe_ Public

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118332016#Comment_118332016

Well, sure, i wouldn't expect him to face Jordan Brown every time he makes a final. But if he reaches this final he'll have beat Hicks, Vafaei, J Robertson and winner between Maguire/Bingham so on that basis, I'm not sure he'll get too many better title winning opportunities than this. Whether he wins is another matter entirely.

Joe_ Public

Was hoping they'd go for other match on live broadcast but not surprised they stuck with no.1 and world champ. At least Ford making him work for it now.

eric hoone

Sat nav Selby being tested here

Joe_ Public

Well done Neil Robertson, that was a great finish. Thought Yan had actually played an ok safety shot there, great pot to nick that in and get on the pink. Best of 9 makes a big difference with these matches I feel.

Joe_ Public

First sf tonight, cracker on paper and look hard to split. Interesting though that while h2h is tight, Robertson has beaten Selby in 10 of their last 11 meetings, 7 out of 8 if you exclude league clashes. Hard to know whether to read anything into that, but it is a good record. Encouragingly, a lot of deciders among those matches.