2014 World Snooker Championship Thread

[The Special Juan]

First topic message reminder :

*Insert preview here*

[The Special Juan]

14-12. Do I believe yet?

[The Special Juan]

ROS can't make Selby play his brand of snooker but Selby can certainly do the opposite. 15-12.

[The Special Juan]

I love a montage. We've not had a good one for ages.

[The Special Juan]

He's going to make a century here and then be ground down again by Selby.

[Liam]

Anyone else think the crowd have been poor this year, in regards to shouting out, certain comments being made and phones going off? really got on my wick this year and shouldn't be happening.

Anyway, great final so far, unbelievable effort from Selby, although even if he goes 17-12 in front, you can't put it past Ronnie to come back so for me anyway, fingers crossed mark gets over the line.

[Dave.]

Dennis and JV doing the last frames. Dennis is always the number 1 (in terms of prestige) commentator, but who would you say is number 2? I'd say Willie or JV.

[The Special Juan]

Anyone else think the crowd have been poor this year, in regards to shouting out, certain comments being made and phones going off? really got on my wick this year and shouldn't be happening.

Anyway, great final so far, unbelievable effort from Selby, although even if he goes 17-12 in front, you can't put it past Ronnie to come back so for me anyway, fingers crossed mark gets over the line.

Yeah but that's what I expect every time ROS plays. You always get a few "Moronnies" (as I call them) causing disturbances. But even when he's not played the crowd have been suspect at times. 99.98% of them have been superb though.

[Dave.]

Michaela usually sorts them out with an icy death stare.

[The Special Juan]

15-14. Belief sapping.

[The Special Juan]

Michaela usually sorts them out with an icy death stare.

I do love the death stare.

[The Special Juan]

Someone's wheeled The Hoover out. A 127 takes him to 16-14 - just what the doctor ordered. Belief ebbing back... DID YOU KNOW: Neil Robertson never made a century in the 2010 final against Dotty but won.

[The Special Juan]

It's 17-14. I believe!!

[The Special Juan]

Nervous?

[The Special Juan]

I don't know what to say!! Congratulations Mark Selby - a marvellous, marvellous performance. But more shocking than the result is that Ronnie's black shirt didn't work...

[Duty281]

Well bloody done, Selby.

Fabulous and against the odds.

[NickisBHAFC]

Selby that is amazing, what a man.

Been a bluddy great World Championship tbf!

[LastDamnation]

Immense bottle, wp Selby

[CaledonianCraig]

Well where do I start - first up many congratulations to Mark 'The Jester from Leicester' Selby on becoming the world champion.

Now I never saw any of today's play due to work. After watching last nights play I only gave Selby two hopes (Bob and no) today but boy did he pull off the mother of all comebacks. He grinded out the frames and (going by what I followed on BBC text) Ronnie was starved of chances to such an extent he got more desperate. Now I know some will call it anti-snooker what he played but I'd say it is sour grapes. He played tight, tough matchplay snooker and that is definitely the way to beat Ronnie as Peter Ebdon and Graeme Dott have proven in the past. I really feel the ability to grind out wins is just as impressive a trait as winning frames with centuries and if anything it is more important to be able to play top match play snooker than be a brilliant potter as frames don't always lend themselves to big breaks.

I was delighted Mark won purely because it would be tragic if he went through his career without winning the big one. He is now up there alongside Peter Ebdon for me - both world title winners, both great match players and gritty with it and both winning world titles against legends of the sport in the final. It is also a win that will really boost him for future such-like matches against Ronnie.

As for Ronnie well he will be disappointed but he handles himself much better in defeat now and is head seems in a far far better place now. This defeat though could be defining. I cannot see Ronnie surpassing Hendry now as it is inevitable that his game will not get any better now. Even though he reached the final he wasn't doing it nearly as much in one visit like he used to. In short his mind in a better place but this defeat (his first in a world final) tells me his game is on the wane.

As for the final it was one of the best for a few years excitement-wise but the standard (breaks-wise) was not brilliant although the safety was great. One of the best world finals for about five to ten years though but I would say there have been better.

Congratulations again Mark.

[PhoenixBeer]

Nicely summed up CC. It was a great clearance from Selby to win it. Very pleased for him. Thought ROS lost it yesterday. He really should've been more than 10-7 up. Think Mark had a huge desire to win, not pretty at times, but he did what he had to do, and he's a world champion because of it!

[consigliare]

Great to see Rigsby lose.

He was cashing in on this poor era and starting to rack up titles, but nice to see still one proper player out there with the gonads to do him, instead of laying down, happy to play their role like the rest.

Well done Selby. fantastic comeback. run of 13-4 in frames over the supposed 'genius' that everyone likes to constantly fawn over. I even turned the vol up on my TV by the end to hear the BBC coms obvious devastation.

Anyone else notice Virgo shouting with glee when Rigsby played a cannon into a pack of a few reds off the blue late on tonight, then Selby produced a more impressive version shortly after and he was far less excited?

Hendry still the greatest ever. Alex Higgins most talented.

[CaledonianCraig]

Am I right in saying it seemed that Mark was ravenous for this title and had the appetite for the fight whereas (in post-match comments/reaction) Ronnie didn't seem too fussed which strikes me of a little less hunger.I may be wrong but that is how it comes across to me.

[consigliare]

Ah, time for the old Rigsby "wasn't bothered" excuse. Knew it wouldn't be long.

[CaledonianCraig]

No consigliare not from me. I am a staunch Hendry fan but it did come across that way. I mean Selby was there fist puching and clenched teeth whilst Ronnie had thrown away a five frame lead twice yet still seemed happy enough. Odd.

[consigliare]

No consigliare not from me. I am a staunch Hendry fan but it did come across that way. I mean Selby was there fist puching and clenched teeth whilst Ronnie had thrown away a five frame lead twice yet still seemed happy enough. Odd.

When the pressure's off, he can often put on quite a good show of seemingly looking sporting in defeat, a bit like Mourinho in a way. I always think it comes across as fake personally.

Very rarely do you ever see it during the match though when the pressures on. Very little etiquette shown, unlike most pro's in the game. for instance, notice you'll never see him tap a table to acknowledge an opponents good shot etc, because he's too busy feeling sorry for himself and smirking at suffering what he see's as "bad luck" against him.

[CaledonianCraig]

I am by no means a fan of his but his etiquette has improved and head seems in a better place now. I just cannot stomach his neanderthal fans who often you hear cheering when an opponent goes in off or something - that really is pathetic and makes me mad. Ronnie won't surpass Hendry now as his game is clearly (to me) on the wane now.

[88Chris05]

Just go on YouTube and read some of the comments from the Ronnie 'fans' on the videos for this match. Selby cheated, wasn't fair on Ronnie because he played a lot of safety and didn't let O'Sullivan get in the balls, is a disgrace to the game and Ronnie should have hit him.

I wish I was joking, but I'm not.

But the man himself took his defeat properly and to be fair to him it's one of the few times I've seen him muster a proper smile and a warm congratulations to his vanquisher. All credit to Selby because after having the kind of 'mare he was having for much of Sunday I don't think any other player, aside from the Higgins of a few years back, could have hung on in there to keep in it against O'Sullivan like that.

[CaledonianCraig]

People should accept that snooker is a game of differing styles of play.

Ronnie comes into the category of excellent potter and break builder with great natural talent and you could put the likes of Jimmy White, Stephen Hendry and Alex Higgins in there. Difference was Hendry was so much mentally strongest in this category and learned to win scrappy frames as well.

There is also another breed of consistent performers with excellent all-round game who possess a great match play brain. In this category I'd put Steve Davis, John Higgins, Peter Ebdon, Graeme Dott and Mark Selby. They could/can grind out frame wins when things go very tactical and tight. Grit and determination and mental toughness is their forte and it is just as admirable a quality as potting ability.

[Hibbz]

I thought it was a really enjoyable final. Anyone who's ever read previous WC threads will know I'm no fan of O'Sullivan and as such was cheering on Selby all the way but I've got to say I thought Ronnie was very gracious in defeat.

Went up hugely in my estimation as I was fearing the old "it's only a game, I couldn't care less I'm retiring nonsense".

The only time he appeared to throw in the towel was just before the mid-session interval during the final session. Came out trying his best after but Selby was just too cool.

Really pleased for Selby and it's his ability to perform under pressure not his safety that has got him to world number one. It's the same reason that Hendry remains in my opinion the greatest ever.

[Sponsored content]