The conclusion of the UKPTC2 event in Gloucester today marked the end of the first stage of the 2012/13 season, with the seedings now revised for the upcoming International Championship, snooker’s newest major, in terms of ranking points and prize money at least. Click below for a summary of all of the movers and shakers in the rankings…
NOTE: The new projected seedings list for the all-important second cut-off, will hopefully follow over the next few days, once confirmation has been received as to the points which will be deducted at that revision.
- Click here to view the final standings at the third mid-season seedings revision
The Top 16
No Change
Though it was not decided until Mark Davis’ first round defeat to Ben Woollaston on Saturday, there is no change to the top 16, with Ali Carter and Davis remaining just outside, while Australian Goldfields Open finalists Barry Hawkins and Peter Ebdon have also closed what was a wide gap at the end of last season.
With Ronnie O’Sullivan now entered into the International Championship, unless there have been any other non-entries inside the top 16, it now looks as though Crucible finalist Ali Carter will have to qualify for the event, having previously been elevated up the seedings list in events this season due to the non-entries of others ranked above him.
17-32
IN
OUT
Following his run to the quarter-finals of the Wuxi Classic, as well as his other consistent results over the past couple of years, Robert Milkins moves back into the top 32 for the first time since the 2006/7 season.
Joining him is Michael Holt, though the Nottingham man having started the season ranked 33rd, has effectively been seeded among the top 32 already this season due to the retirement of the higher-ranked Stephen Hendry. With relatively few points to be deducted this season in comparison to those around him, even with an average season, Holt looks to have every chance of re-establishing himself back inside snooker’s second tier during the upcoming months.
With Hendry’s retirement as already mentioned, Fergal O’Brien in 33rd place will also be seeded through to the final qualifying round for the International Championship, at the expense of young Welshman Jamie Jones who drops five places to 34th. Having broken new ground with his run to the last eight at the World Championship in April, Jamie has so far found the going somewhat tougher in 2012/13, as he has so far failed to win a match in five attempts.
Also falling out of the top 32 is Anthony Hamilton, who having moved back up into that bracket at the end of last season, has won just two matches this term, like Jamie with the result that he drops five places in the rankings to 37th.
33-48
IN
OUT
Having won just one match in 2012 up until the end of last season, Alan McManus has enjoyed a strong start to the new season with a run to the venue stages of the Australian Goldfields Open, as well as successive quarter-finals in the first two UKPTC events in Gloucester. His reward is a rise of four places in the rankings to 48th at the first mid-season seedings revision.
Dropping out is Jimmy White, though with Stephen Hendry absent, 49th ranked White is nevertheless assured of a top 48 seeding for the International Championship.
49-64
No Change
With all players ranked outside of the top 64 beginning the season on zero points, there was never going to be any change to the top 64 and indeed I would not expect to see a change for at least 18 months.
Importantly however, with Stephen Hendry and Joe Jogia absent from competition this season, there is effectively a race on for 65th and 66th places between all of the players either new to the tour or having otherwise regained their places for the new season.
The players to have earned those spots at the first cut-off are Rod Lawler and Cao Yupeng, both of whom have made excellent starts to the new campaign, Rod in particular as he told me in his recent interview for PSB.