Wembley Arena, Londra, 10-17 ianuarie
Avem semi-finalistii acestei editii de Masters: Mark Selby il va intalni pe Stephen Maguire, dupa meciuri cu o desfasurare opusa : Mark Selby a ajuns in joc decisiv in meciul cu Mark Allen (dupa ce a condus cu 3-0), iar Maguire l-a invins categoric pe Ryan Day cu scorul de 6-1, dupa un meci destul de plicticos. Cealalta semifinala se disputa intre Ronnie O’Sullivan si Mark Williams, ambii castigand cu scoruri apropiate, si cred ca Ronnie tocmai a devenit cel mai mare cosmar al lui Peter Ebdon.
* Rezultatele sferturilor de finala:
Mark Selby 6-5 Mark Allen Stephen Maguire 6-1 Ryan Day Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-3 Peter Ebdon Mark Williams 6-4 Shaun Murphy.Meciurile notabile din prima runda ar fi infrangerea lui John Higgins (3-6 cu Mark Allen), a lui Ding Junhui – care a reusit un rusinos 6-1 cu Mark Selby si a lui Stephen Hendry (6-4 cu Shaun Murphy), precum si victoria lui Ryan Day, care l-a invins la 0 (zero) pe Joe Perry.
De remarcat ar mai fi declaratia lui Ronnie de dupa meciul cu Neil Robertson:
I'm not the player I was when I was 15 or 16. A lot of the time I'm playing sub-standard shots. Now and then I catch hold of one and play a killer shot.
The only time I play a pure shot is left-handed. The last time I played a good tournament was the (2003) European Open in Torquay and the Irish Masters a couple of weeks later.
I don't want to have to rely on the occasion of being 3-0 down in front of a big crowd to salvage some pride. I can't pot a ball in practice.
My attitude will be the same in my next match - I won't be surprised if I win or lose. I didn't panic. You can't panic, that's rule number one, because if you panic it's a disaster.
I made just two out of 10 long pots, and I think Neil will be disappointed to have beaten someone making just two of 10 long pots. I'd give my long potting two out of 10. It's hard to get excited.
To make two or three centuries in a match is not a big deal, that's how the modern game is. I would have accepted winning or losing."
si faptul ca prezenta lui Mark Williams a fost incerta, dat fiind faptul ca orasul sau – Cwm din Tara Galilor, era izolat de zapada; interventia unuia dintre spsonsorii turneului, care i-a pus la dispozitie un jeep 4x4 a facut posibila evolutia la acest eveniment a galezului. Si drumul pana la Londra se pare ca a fost cu peripetii, masina in care se afla acesta fiind implicata intr-un accident, iar Mark Williams alegandu-se ca urmare cu dureri de gat, care l-au tinut cateva zile.
* Asadar rezultatele primei runde:
Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-4 Neil Robertson Marco Fu 2-6 Peter Ebdon Allister Carter 3-6 Mark Williams Shaun Murphy 6-4 Stephen Hendry Stephen Maguire 6-3 Mark King Ryan Day 6-0 Joe Perry Mark Selby 6-1 Ding JunhuiJohn Higgins 3-6 Mark Allen.Mai trebuie spus ca Jimmy White a primit un white-card din partea organizatorilor, care a starnit controverse in lumea snookerului la un momentul anuntarii, dat fiind faptul dupa evolutia din acest sezon Liang Wenbo ar fi fost o optiune evidenta; motivele organizatorilor au avut considerente publicitare si sentimentale, Jimmy fiind mereu preferat de publicul englez, iar acesta i-a recompensandu-i pe toti printr-o infrangere.
* In runda wild cardurilor s-au intalnit:
Mark King 6-2 Jimmy WhiteMark Williams 6-2 Rory McLeod.O inovatie la acest turneu, este prezentarea fiecarui jucator pe anumite teme muzicale, la alegere:
Jimmy White - Money for Nothing -- Dire Straits
Mark King - You Can Do It (Put Your Back Into It) -- Ice Cube
Mark Selby - Underdog -- Kasabian
Ding Junhui - Eye of the Tiger -- Survivor
Peter Ebdon - Can You Feel the Force? -- The Real Thing
Marco Fu - I Gotta Feeling -- Black Eyed Peas.
xxx
(sursa foto: blue space@ art4linux.org)
