Fantasy 2020 World Snooker - Now running

[forestfan]

What odds on Hendry making the Crucible?

[blahblah]

If he wins his next one (Weds evening) he won't win the one after (Sat afternoon).

[blahblah]

Hendry is about to go 1 up on Eurosport Player... Well was

[forestfan]

Yeah, easily seen off by the trophy engraver’s favourite player, Xu Si.

With a bit more match practice I think he will be capable of making it to major tournaments again.

[blahblah]

Yep. As he said it's next season....

[forestfan]

I wonder what his ceiling is, given full commitment to it? He’s 52, but that’s only 6 or 7 years older than the “Class of ‘92” who are still contending for big tournaments on a regular basis.

Not suggesting he could win a major again, but Steve Davis I believe was the last player to make the Crucible last eight in his 50s, and there must have been a few others in the earlier days, so something like that must be plausible.

[blahblah]

Wrong Davis? Fred went along way one year.

Yes it could be interesting if he does practice......

[forestfan]

Wrong Davis? Fred went along way one year.

Steve made the quarter-finals in 2010 aged 52. Fred made the last four in 1978 at the age of 64

[blahblah]

#blahnose

He played really well too and made a ton at a daft age in 81 or 2? He was one of my fave players way back when.....

[blahblah]

The Black Green side pocket is shocking from top cushion but open from side cushion....

[forestfan]

#blahnose

He played really well too and made a ton at a daft age in 81 or 2? He was one of my fave players way back when.....

Elite snooker seemed to start off old, then get younger and younger (to the point that I think John Parrott was the oldest Crucible qualifier one year when only in his mid-30s) and then go back the other way, with players in their 40s now regularly challenging for big titles.

[blahblah]

For anyone with Eurosport Player there is a great match on now Zhou (great prospect) vs bod who beat Hendry.

[blahblah]

#blahnose

He played really well too and made a ton at a daft age in 81 or 2? He was one of my fave players way back when.....

Elite snooker seemed to start off old, then get younger and younger (to the point that I think John Parrott was the oldest Crucible qualifier one year when only in his mid-30s) and then go back the other way, with players in their 40s now regularly challenging for big titles.

I think there are missed\shite generations between the older ones and the under 20s. If not Snooker could hit very low places...

[forestfan]

#blahnose

He played really well too and made a ton at a daft age in 81 or 2? He was one of my fave players way back when.....

Elite snooker seemed to start off old, then get younger and younger (to the point that I think John Parrott was the oldest Crucible qualifier one year when only in his mid-30s) and then go back the other way, with players in their 40s now regularly challenging for big titles.

I think there are missed\shite generations between the older ones and the under 20s. If not Snooker could hit very low places...

Perhaps a bit like tennis, where Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have cast a shadow over a couple of following generations that they have found impossible to overcome.

China’s seemingly been the future of snooker ever since Ding emerged, but it’s only now that they have started to develop multiple players who look capable of winning big titles.

[blahblah]

Yes and yes, but Europe has a few too.

Before the last lockdown I got to see Cahill close up, but watched an olde bod on next table as he was different class.

[forestfan]

Yes and yes, but Europe has a few too.

The (mainland) Europeans still seem to be more promise than results, though.

[blahblah]

Yes and yes, but Europe has a few too.

The (mainland) Europeans still seem to be more promise than results, though.

As are the best Chinese. I think Yan is a false dawn and there a fair few better coming through. The "Hendry" match was probably the best China vs China match I've seen

[forestfan]

Matchplay seems to trump pure talent, though, and experience counts for a lot now that so many players can rattle off big breaks. Some take time to learn that match craft, others never quite seem to get there, especially in the long formats.

[blahblah]

Kinda yeah...

There are loads of younger "potters" but they can't match play. Trump made a huge change in his attitude etc, but Jack and the Chinese are well behind that.

[forestfan]

I see it kind of like this... the original TV generation (Hurricane Higgins excepted) came along with a safety-based game that probably hadn’t changed a lot since the old Davises. Then Steve Davis came along and raised the bar, Hendry did so again, and then the likes of Ronnie and John Higgins took potting and break-building to further new heights.

At that stage players had probably reached the ceiling of what was possible, and that combined with the decline in public profile in the UK led to fewer young players emerging, and things levelling off and evening out a bit. And the experience of the old guard counted for a lot, obviously players eventually decline through waning eyesight and concentration but that can be held off for a while if the next lot aren’t redefining the game.

[blahblah]

Yeah kinda. A tad drinkled watching the golf so remind me if I don't reply tomorrow afternoon...

[bluenosey]

I know Trump has changed his game but his genius and natural talent remains undiminshed:



Simply jaw dropping

[blahblah]

I believe there is coverage on YouTube of the last round - I don't know which channels, but idiot on tv said it was..

[Darbyand]

Graeme Dott, the gritty Scot, back from 1-8 to 7-9.

[blahblah]

Did he lose? I didn't get to watch it all.

[Darbyand]

Yep lost 10-7 in the end. His Crucible games were often a slog so no great loss.

[murf]

World Snooker Championship 2021: Louis Heathcote's incredible snooker shot - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/snooker/56735917

I presume he played for that (hit not necessarily pot) as I can't see what else he was trying to do.

Quality anyway!