Snooker 2024-25

[Silas Loom]

I think the loss of Felix Jones from that English coaching group has had a huge effect. The defence which was coming together is regressed again. Itoje needs to be dropped for the 6 nations.

Was that meant for the kabaddi thread?

 

[two sheds]

Williams played really well, final against Xiao tomorrow on ITV

We'll never guess what happens next

 

[two sheds]

Match starting now

 

[stavros]

Xiao was very rabbit-in-the-headlights at the start, and you had the feeling it'd be an early night. I still expect Williams to win, but he'll have to change his game a bit from this afternoon.

His one-handed escapes from snookers against Robertson were great, and apparently not just showing off. Maybe a bit like O'Sullivan playing left-handed when he first came along.

 

[two sheds]

Williams was 5-0 up in the final.

You'll never guess what happens next

 

[stavros]

I know what happens next: UK Champs starting properly next Saturday.

 

[blairsh]

Really enjoyed the latter stages of Champion of Champions and always love seeing Williams in form as he is a joy to watch when hes on it

 

[stavros]

1pm start tomorrow for the UKs, on the BBC.

 

[blairsh]

1pm start tomorrow for the UKs, on the BBC.

On it. Locking myself in for this weekend, some cracking first round matches (er... The Hawk vs The Rocket! Judd vs Robertson... again! )

 

[two sheds]

Really enjoyed the latter stages of Champion of Champions and always love seeing Williams in form as he is a joy to watch when hes on it

yes me too - did he win? I went to bed and haven't seen the result.

 

[blairsh]

yes me too - did he win? I went to bed and haven't seen the result.

I think i watched highlights to suggest so in the early hours but i can't account for that time of day as insomnia and fleeting dreams collide

 

[RoyReed]

Ronnie out of the UK Champs in the first round!

 

[two sheds]

Zhao playing some tremendous snooker against Murphy - 5 each

 

[blairsh]

Ronnie out of the UK Champs in the first round!

...to Barry Hawkins!

 

[two sheds]

Hawkins played well though - something like 300 unanswered points towards the end.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

China's Bai Yulu came within one match of the TV stages. Won three matches in qualifying. That's by far the best performance by a woman at a ranking event. She's only 21, so could become the first woman to properly break through.

 

[stavros]

Hendry absolutely loves Ding, you can tell, and he's obviously gutted he's never pushed on and fulfilled that potential.

 

[Lotte]

I also love Ding and was really glad he won. It was a close one as well, I thought Milkins had a chance of catching him until he missed that yellow!

 

[Happy Tree]

Do you think Ronnie will ever be invited into the inner circle of old fogey commentators? Or is he too much of a loose cannon?

 

[Lotte]

I can't see him commentating with Davis and Hendry, the guy has no brain-to-mouth filter.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Generally speaking my opinion of sports commentators ranges from neutral to hostile. In some sports, they're needed to put across information. Notably athletics. Where that function doesn't exist, and tbh in snooker it doesn't exist if you know the game, they usually just annoy me.

In snooker, somehow ITV gets it totally wrong. Commentators speaking when they shouldn't be speaking, mouthing crap, empty platitudes. But the BBC's band of former (and sometimes current) players really really works (as long as Rob Walker isn't allowed near them). No non-player to lead the commetary, just two ex-pros telling us what they think of what is going on. What the next shot is, how it should be played, how hard it is. I'm a snooker player myself and I really appreciate the insight (even though the only side I will generally use is the accidental kind).

And yes, that means even John Virgo is ok in my book.