Ding Junhui – Page 5 – Pro Snooker Blog

Battle For Number One: 2014 Shanghai Masters

August 25, 2014August 25, 2014 matt2745 Leave a comment

SelbyRobertson

Following next week’s 6 Reds World Championship in Thailand, the snooker circuit heads to China for the venue stages of the biggest ranking event of the campaign so far, the 2014 Shanghai Masters. The tournament also marks the second seedings revision of the current season, which although relatively insignificant compared to other cut-offs this season, could see the top ranking change for the third time this season.

Click below for a round-up of the various permutations, with Mark Selby and Neil Robertson in contention to end the tournament as world number one…

How Rolling Are The Rankings?

August 11, 2014August 12, 2014 matt2745 1 Comment

SelbyRobertson

Following Mark Selby’s victory at the first European Tour event of the season, it had been anticipated that the victory would be enough to see him climb back above Neil Robertson into top spot in snooker’s latest world rankings.

It now seems though that in fact the rankings will not be officially revised until after the next full ranking event, next month’s Shanghai Masters.

Click below for an explanation as to just how the rankings would appear to stand right now…

UPDATE: Since this article was posted, World Snooker have now published an updated ranking list, confirming that Mark Selby does in fact return to the world number one spot, as originally anticipated. Click here to view that at World Snooker.

The Big Neil Robertson Interview – Part One

July 30, 2014July 30, 2014 matt2745 3 Comments

Robertson1

During recent seasons, current world number one Neil Robertson has been one of the most consistent winners on the professional circuit, last year completing a career ‘triple crown’ with his victory at the UK Championship in York, as well as famously becoming the first player ever to compile more than 100 competitive century breaks during a single season.

With the return of professional snooker now just around the corner, I recently caught up with the Australian to talk about a wide range of subjects from his achievements on the table, the opportunities now available to younger players, ranking lists and playing conditions, to his off-table interests such as football, video games and HBO’s Game of Thrones saga.

Click below for part one of my chat with Neil…

Closing In On The Cut: July 2014

June 28, 2014June 29, 2014 matt2745 3 Comments

Selby1

We might still be in June as I write this, but little over a week from now will come the first seedings revision of the 2014/15 season, following the final of the Australan Goldfields Open in Bendigo.

Determining the seedings for this season’s Shanghai Masters, one of just three events remaining under the ‘non-flat’ draw structure, the cut-off marks the first mid-season revision under the new prize money based ranking list.

Click below for my analysis…

Ding Back To Winning Ways At AT1

June 21, 2014June 21, 2014 matt2745 4 Comments

Ding

Five times a ranking event winner last season, Ding Junhui got his hands on another piece of silverware this morning at the AT1 event in Yixing, defeating Michael Holt 4-2 to claim the title.

Click below for more…

2014/15: Money To Defend, Themes To Follow

June 7, 2014June 7, 2014 matt2745 Leave a comment

Ding

For those of us who like to keep an eye on all things rankings related, during each season there are usually a number of themes to follow just from a look at the various ranking lists.

For example a couple of seasons ago, it was only a matter of time before Judd Trump became number one, given the relative lack of points that he was defending compared to those above him, while last season it was the likes of Neil Robertson and Ding Junhui who were well placed to climb to the top of the list due to lesser performances two years previously.

This year has of course seen a change to a prize-money based ranking list, but the premise of a two-year rolling system remains the same and so below I take a look at a few themes that I will be following as the season progresses.

To assist, @joanneballanty n has also helped to put together the usual ‘money to defend’ lists (available here), which show which points will be coming off at each cut-off point.

Click below for more…

My 2014 Top Eight Revisited

May 13, 2014May 13, 2014 matt2745 10 Comments

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Five years ago following John Higgins’ victory at the 2009 World Championship at the Crucible, following a similar feature prepared by the BBC, I wrote a blog, predicting how the top eight of the world rankings would look in 2014.

Having been reminded of the article earlier during this year’s World Championship, now exactly five years on I take a look back at accurate my predictions were, all well as attempting to predict how the top eight will look in another five years in 2019…

World Championship 2014: Final Thoughts

May 11, 2014May 11, 2014 matt2745 Leave a comment

Selby1

Though Mark Selby’s World Championship victory may remain fresh in the memory, already amateur snooker has moved on at least with the start of the 2014 Q School, while the professionals will be back in action before the end of the month with the first qualifiers of the 2014/15 season in Gloucester.

Click below then for a few of my final thoughts on the events of the Crucible and talking points to have arisen from it…