Sonny wrote:Monique wrote:Sonny wrote:He hasn't won this event twice, last year he was given a wildcard. As for surprising a few in the event proper, well he'll surprise me if he wins more than 1 match to be honest. As I said earlier, he's no shot clock player.
Fu has won the event, once, in 2003, before shot-clock was used. He indeed struggles with the shot clock. Marco's average natural shot time is not far from the 25 seconds mark which makes it difficult of course. He has to force on his natural pace to cope.
Well if anything at least his inclusion will demonstrate to all who bother to notice these things that the shot clock is far from fair and should definitely never be introduced into normal tournament play.
And sorry I thought the comment about him winning the event twice was in reference to the Championship League. Either way it's wrong, he's won the PL once and the CL once. Of all the starters in the CL from day 1, his isn't the name I would've picked. Maybe it's only fair to have shot clock conditions in the CL as that's what the event they're qualifying for is all about?
I do find it bizarre that the CL is not played under shot-clock; it would be logical to do it. I've been told that the reason it's not, is because the Crondon venue is a two table set, even if it does not show on streaming, and it would be difficult to have the beep going in there, without the risk to disturb the other play in progress.
As for the shot clock being "unfair", well that's a different debate. It's certain that it does not suit certain players, who are naturally slow. It adds a level of stress for them. But now stress is also induced on fluent players by disruptive tactics, unecessary slowing down and more... even if the rules theoretically take care of the situation they are difficult to apply under most circumstances. Short formats are "unfair" to players who are slow to settle. Long formats are "unfair" on players with short attention spans or older ones. You could go on.
For me "shot-clock" is one form of the game, one particularly suitable for broadcasting. IF we had enough tournaments, in all sorts of formats and forms, so that, over the season all players would find themselves comfy in some events and maybe less comfy in others, but overall things even themselves, then, and only then, I wouldn't mind to have shot-clock in one or two official tournaments. It asks for quick thinking, a cool head, it keeps the game dynamic and positive.