First time Ranking winners in 2010/11

New season still a few months away, so what better time to discuss the next first-timers to win ranking event winners from next season onwards

Who do you think will be the next player follow the likes of Ali Carter in Wales 2009, Ricky Walden in Shanghai 2008 and Mark Selby in Wales 2008 ? Some of the contenders include (by ranking):

Mark Allen - Age 24.
Next season will be his third in the top 16. He's reached a World semi-final in 2009 and that remains his best result in a ranker to date.

Ryan Day - Age 30.
Three times a ranking finalist but yet to break through with that win. Peaked @ #6 in the rankings last year, has the all-round game but perhaps lacks temparement.

Mark King - Age 36.
Now entering his sixth season in the top 16, two times he's been a win away from winning that elusive first title. Running out of chances at the highest level.

Liang Wenbo - Age 23.
Still in the infancy of his top-level career, managed to reach the 2009 Shanghai final which helped him force his way into the 16 for the first time. Likely a matter of when, not if, he wins one.

Jamie Cope - Age 24.
Like Wenbo, still a relative youngster but seems to have been around forever and still hasn't reached the top 16. Two ranking finals but nothing for nearly three years.

Judd Trump - Age 20.
All the signs at this stage of Trump's career suggest he'll reach the pinnacle of this sport, but is it too soon now ? Best result in the Grand Prix 2 years ago reaching the last four.

Plenty of other worthy candidates around too but perhaps an equally valid question is, will there be a first-timer next season ? There weren't any last season, one could point towards the small number of rankers available but the dominance of the likes of Higgins, O'Sullivan and now Robertson could last a while longer yet.

Lets Qualify a Ranking Tournament although there are Ranking points on offer at the PTC they are not recognized Ranking Tournaments in this sense.

so i don't think nobody will be first time winners this season.

Mark Allen i think will come close to it and probably reach a Final and be pretty consistent

Yeah where do the PTC events come in when we talk about ranking events? They've got to go somewhere on a profile. Maybe half a ranking event status.

Anyway, like the choices of Liang, Cope, Allen and Trump. I think with 20 events to watch it would be unlikely if all 4 don't win at least one each. They are the future.

I'll stick my neck out and say Martin Gould will win an event this term. No it's nothing to do with the fact I've chatted with him, I genuinely think he's more than capable of winning an event and I would put his chances higher than some current top 16 players.

I was going to say Ricky Walden but of course he's already won his maiden ranker. Maybe Joe Perry is an obvious candidate along with Ryan Day because both of these two deserve to have that status in the game.

Perry and Day are players that promised but will never deliver possibly PTC events but Full Rankers cant see it.

Regarding PTC Events i cant see how you can give Ranking Status to go on to your CV from the 3 day events however i think the Winner of the TV Final should get full Ranking Status.

Well luckily it's not up to you to decide then

Sonny wrote:Well luckily it's not up to you to decide then

that will be the case otherwise Tony Drago,Troy Shaw and Joe Swail are Ranking winners

Why, have they won PTC events which carry ranking points? I thought they hadn't started yet.

Sonny wrote:Why, have they won PTC events which carry ranking points? I thought they hadn't started yet.

they won challange events around 1991/1992 that carried Ranking Points.

I really don't know much about these PTC things but I was more referring to the conventional ranking tournaments throughout the season that we all know about.

Bourne wrote::huh: I really don't know much about these PTC things but I was more referring to the conventional ranking tournaments throughout the season that we all know about.

as i said i dont think we will have a first time winner.

im expecting big things from the likes of Selby,Robbo,Murphy,Ding, Ronnie of course and Mark Williams im not ruling John Higgins out because i think he will be banned but his mental state must have been affected when he plays again.

Holt

I think Allen will win something this season, maybe the Masters. Hoping Dott adds to his tally too.

Alex0paul WC wrote:I think Allen will win something this season, maybe the Masters. Hoping Dott adds to his tally too.

yes it would be great to see dott building on sheffield with some solid performances.

allen or jamie cope will win a first time ranker this year

I'd love to see Mark Allen winning a ranker but I don't think it will happen this season and same goes for other players mentioned (though I expect at least one of them- maybe Allen or Liang or Cope- to reach the final).

Ah I think the PTC events will go on the CV as a separate entity.

However the Grand final of the PTC would possibly be a bigger coup than most ranking events, maybe the 4th major?

In terms of win tally's the standard rankers still hold stock ahead of the other 12 events imo. The PTC provides a great opportunity for players to play extra games and become more sharp for the bigger events. I expect a rise in the standard this year as a result remember there won’t be the same amount of pressure and money at stake. The events won’t be televised (streamed maybe?) So when you take that all into consideration I don’t think you could rate them as high as a standard ranking event.

Yes I think a players profile will go like

Name
Ranking Event titles
PTC titles
Other titles

Sonny wrote:Yes I think a players profile will go like

Name
Ranking Event titles
PTC titles
Other titles

Obviously the Masters will get a special mention in the other titles as would the grand final of the PTC

but i do think the winner of the whole thing should be credited with a ranking title what it is roughly a season long ranking event.

Definitely and I think the PTC wins should count as half a ranking title at least. There's an arguement for calling it a full ranking title given the field of entrants and the number of frames needed for a win.

I think Allen and Trump will win a PTC event. Also Allen and Wenbo to strongly challenge for a full ranker this season.

Edit.

The PTC could save Trump's career in a way. With the old ranking system he would be starting 41 on the one year list, meaning he would have a big battle to stay in the top 32. Now the new system will give him the chance to get into the 16 quickly

the PTC should be right up trump's street if he can cope with pressure the pressure being getting as far as possible to get the maximum amount of points.

im not so sure he can cope with that i must be honest. but time will tell.

So it should be right up his street but he won't be able to handle the pressure so it's not his sort of event?

Sonny wrote:So it should be right up his street but he won't be able to handle the pressure so it's not his sort of event?

it should be hence he wins tournaments with limited amount of spectators but he doesent when theres ranking points on them

ok wild

Sonny wrote:ok wild

Cheesyman99 wrote:Holt

Going by his performance in this Pink Ribbon thing, you might be right. I'll vote for Holt too.

SnookerFan wrote:

Bourne wrote:

Cheesyman99 wrote:Holt

Going by his performance in this Pink Ribbon thing, you might be right. I'll vote for Holt too.

I doubt it.

then he lost his first match in the PTC.