2020 World Championship Thread

[CaledonianCraig]

First topic message reminder :

How about a thread to discuss the 2020 World Snooker Championships at The Crucible.

The delayed tournament starts today with a limited audience allowed in to watch the matches. The draw is as follows:-

Judd Trump (1) v Tom Ford
Yan Bingtao (16) v Elliot Slessor
Stephen Maguire (9) v Martin Gould
Kyren Wilson (8) - BYE
John Higgins (5) v Matthew Stevens
David Gilbert (12) v Kurt Maflin
Jack Lisowski (13) v Anthony McGill
Mark Allen (4) v Jamie Clarke
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Mark Williams (3) v Alan McManus
Stuart Bingham (14) v Ashley Carty
Ding Junhui (11) v Mark King
Ronnie O’Sullivan (6) v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Mark Selby (7) v Jordan Brown
Shaun Murphy (10) v Noppon Saengkham
Barry Hawkins (15) v Alexander Ursenbacher
Neil Robertson (2) v Liang Wenbo

Anthony Hamilton who suffers from asthma and qualified for the tournament has withdrawn due to COVID-19 and the fact there will be fans attending. This means Kyren Wilson gets a bye through to the Second Round.

This year there are five players making their Crucible debuts those being Elliot Slessor (England), Jordan Brown (Northern Ireland), Ashley Carty (England), Alexander Ursenbacher (Switzerland - the first Swiss player to play at the Crucible) and Jamie Clarke (Wales).

[eirebilly]

Yeah, can't see Trump coming back, unless he suddenly flicks a switch and plays like he did in the final last year (unlikely to be fair). RoS needs to win the afternoon session to have any chance of overturning his deficit.

The two games this morning already look over. Wonder if McGill can wrap it up before the evening?

ROS is more than capable of winning 5 or 6 frames on the trot in quick succession. I never believe that ROS is beaten until the match is over. Even if he was 12-0 behind, i would still not write him off.

[eirebilly]

Trump is also someone i would not write off.

[CaledonianCraig]

Much better from Maflin. A solid break under pressure of 87 and he pulls a frame back. He trails 7-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

Trump is also someone i would not write off.

Not normally but Trump has been off form. On top of that Kyren Wilson is no shrinking violet. He is a top notch match player and mentally strong who has a good record against Trump. To ask Trump to turn around a four frame deficit (in my opinion) is asking too much in the given circumstances.

[CaledonianCraig]

Maflin in with an early chance in frame ten after McGill misses a black off the spot. Selby with the winning line in sight is at the table and building a potential match-winning break.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby brings down on 56. A reprieve for Robertson but you feel it is delaying the inevitable.

[CaledonianCraig]

Maflin reciprocates with a missed black off its spot. Can McGill counter?

[CaledonianCraig]

A frame both players had great chances in goes to Maflin. He now trails 7-3. He is slowly hauling himself back into this.

[CaledonianCraig]

Robertson battles on but has a 40 point deficit to overcome with two reds left on the table.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Robertson wins a marathon frame to keep his tournament alive. He still trails 12-6 though. Maflin at the table and sniffing his third frame on the bounce.

[CaledonianCraig]

That was a big steal for McGill in a tense drawn out frame. He comes from behind to take it and leads 8-3. Maflin will be kicking himself.

[CaledonianCraig]

Once more Selby builds a decent lead and breaks down. Robertson clinging on by his fingertips.

[CaledonianCraig]

Maflin fluffs a good chance and McGill steps in to take the frame with a break of 86. He heads to their mid-session interval leading 9-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

Robertson looks like stealing another frame.

[CaledonianCraig]

But he misses a makeable green. Can Selby complete the coup de gras?

[Guest]

12-7

[CaledonianCraig]

And Robertson stays afloat and it is now 12-7. You still feel the inevitable is being delayed.

[CaledonianCraig]

Robertson and in building a break. Looking good to make it 12-8. A chance for Maflin to pinch frame 13.

[CaledonianCraig]

Robertson misses a black off the spot. Selby with another great chance to seal the match.

[CaledonianCraig]

Maflin, meanwhile, makes it 9-4 and ensures we will have a third session in this match.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby refuses a tricky last red and Robertson breathes again.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby again in and surely he can't fluff this chance.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Selby seals the win to reach the semis. He beats Neil Robertson 13-7.

[CaledonianCraig]

Maflin wraps up his 5th frame and McGill's lead cut to 9-5.

[eirebilly]

Well done Selby but i would not be a great fan of his style of play. Effective for him though and he will be hard to stop.

[CaledonianCraig]

McGill will be pretty happy with the scoreline in his QF. Sure he lost the session but it was a case of damage limitation. He takes a 10-6 lead into their final session.

This afternoon sees Williams resume 6-2 ahead of O'Sullivan and Trump facing an uphill task trailing Wilson 10-6.

[CaledonianCraig]

Trump in with a big break to clinch the 17th frame. He needed that. Wilson still leads 10-7.

[CaledonianCraig]

Williams forces loose safety from Ronnie but cannot take advantage. O'Sullivan with a great chance here.

[CaledonianCraig]

Wilson snaffles up the next frame in fine style. He leads 11-7.

[CaledonianCraig]

Key frame between Williams and O'Sullivan. Ronnie looked odds on to take it but Williams has a sniff of stealing it here.

[CaledonianCraig]

A black ball shoot-out now.

[Guest]

Shocking frame to lose for Ronnie. Wonder if he folds now, with this deficit.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Williams takes it with a lovely long pot. He leads 7-2. Food for thought for O'Sullivan.

[Duty281]

Was lazy from O'Sullivan to lose that one. Think if he goes 8-2 down, it's curtains.

Six frames on the bounce for Williams currently.

[Guest]

Has to win the next three, for me. Otherwise, he’ll lost interest

[Duty281]

Well that's O'Sullivan at his fluent, brilliant, two-handed best.

[Guest]

Should really of been 6-4 now

[CaledonianCraig]

The Rocket fills his boots when Williams misses a straight forward black. A century break and it is 7-3. On the other table Trump has a century of his own and so Wilson leads 11-8.

[Guest]

7-4 to Williams

[CaledonianCraig]

Williams lead cut to 7-4. O'Sullivan with a break of 74 seals frame 11.

[CaledonianCraig]

Williams goes 8-4 up with a break of 57 and they head to their mid-session interval. Williams will be satisfied with that.

[Duty281]

Very unfortunate for O'Sullivan in that last frame. Not on a red after splitting the pack, then Williams fluking a red which turned out to be crucial.

The Welsh player will be delighted to tie that mini session 2-2, when it could have easily been 0-4.

O'Sullivan needs to win a minimum of 3 of the next 4 frames, otherwise I can't see him coming back.

[Oioi]

Some pretty bad luck for Ronnie at a couple of points in that frame but Williams did well to clear up.

[CaledonianCraig]

Very unfortunate for O'Sullivan in that last frame. Not on a red after splitting the pack, then Williams fluking a red which turned out to be crucial.

The Welsh player will be delighted to tie that mini session 2-2, when it could have easily been 0-4.

O'Sullivan needs to win a minimum of 3 of the next 4 frames, otherwise I can't see him coming back.

Nah. He chucked away the black ball frame. That was of his own making with poor shots flung in. Same with the opening frame. He should have won it and played sime slack shots and paid for it. I'd accept 7-1 in that session to Ronnie but no way 4-0.

[CaledonianCraig]

O'Sullivan takes the 13th frame comfortably and reduces the deficit to 8-5. Wilson has a handy 48 point lead over Trump.

[CaledonianCraig]

Wilson takes that key frame and he leads 12-9. One frame from the semis. Williams'[ bad luck and has to play safe.

[CaledonianCraig]

Should be 8-6 in a few minutes. Williams again unlucky. Two frames left in the session. Wilson building a lead but has to play safe. A 22 point lead and the finishing line is in sight.

[Guest]

Think Williams will take a 9-7 lead now

[Duty281]

Another sensational break from RoS. Far too many misses this afternoon from Williams, highly costly with his opponent in this form.

Would be surprised if Ronnie doesn't level it up at 8-8...and I see Trump's defence is over and the Crucible Curse is still alive.

[CaledonianCraig]

You feel Williams needs this frame badly - 9-7 he will see it as damage limitation. 8-8 all the momentum with Ronnie. Really not surprised to see Wilson hold firm. He isn't a bottler and has a very solid all-round game. For me he's already in the final. I cannot see McGill or Maflin troubling him.

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