Your Favourite Matches - 2022 World Snooker Championship
Round by round or just random picks.
For me:
Round 1:
Kyren Wilson 10 - 8 Ding Junhui
This looked like it would be a match and a half on paper, and it turned into that for real. Ding's first time qualifying for many years meant he'd be one of the toughest draws for one unlucky seed, and Kyren drew the short straw. In a belter of a match, it could have gone either way at 8-8 and although it seemed like Ding would steal it at the death, the final frames somehow managed to fall to Wilson. The match was never a forgone conclusion until the final ball dropped.
Century breaks were expected, century break came, five in all along with 3 more 90+ breaks. In all, Wilson had 7 breaks over 50 versus Ding's 10 breaks over 50.
Round 2:
Mark Selby 10 - 13 Yan Bintao
No-one really knew how this one was going to pan out. Selby was going to Selby but Yan had consistently proved to be his bogeyman. Yan kept getting the lead only for Selby to come roaring back time and time again. 4-4 it looked like Selby would take control, but Yan strode ahead again. But Yan just couldn't pull away. 11-10 to Yan and it, again, looked like Selby was going to take control. But Yan pulled away yet again. Even at 12-10 you felt the match wouldn't be over until that last ball was potted.
A grinding festival was predicted but centuries were actually delivered, 6 in all, delivered equally by both players. What's more amazing is that Yan managed to do it with only 4 total breaks over 50 while Selby knocked in 11.
Neil Robertson 12 - 13 Jack Lisowski
A Robbo lolstomp of Lisowski was expected, a traditional Robbo WSC collapse was what was delivered. At 4-4 most people were just confused. At 6-9 it still didn't feel real. The Robbo surge was going to come at some point, it was just a matter of when. At 11-10 it kinda seemed all over. Just as it did at 12-11. But 12-12 somehow managed to arrive. Somehow Robertson was missing just as many balls as Lisowski. The thrill was on. And somehow Lisowski actually won.
Centuries and bungled centuries were expected and that was what was delivered, 6 centuries in all, equally delivered with 10 breaks over 50 for Lisowski and 11 for Robertson.
Quarter Finals:
Yan Bingtao 11 - 13 Mark Williams
No-one had a clue what to expect from this match, likely including the players themselves. Williams had been on-fire throughout the tournament and Yan had exactly the kind of game that could deliver a big ol' bucket of water. Williams fired and it looked even Yan had nothing to hold back the flames, it looked like a drubbing was on the cards at 2-6. But then Yan suddenly started winning frames and Williams went a whole 10 frame stretch of nothing over 50. Suddenly it was 8-8 and very much game-on. then it was 10-8 and Williams looked spent. But, oh my, the match had only just warmed up, and that final session from Williams was quite the thing to behold. At 11-12 it really could have gone either way.
Five centuries were knocked in throughout but, as expected, the big breaks weren't quite as forthcoming as other matches as Yan totalled 8 and Williams only 7.
Semi Finals:
Mark Williams 16 - 17 Judd Trump
A feast of break making was expected in a match where it was very difficult to pick a favourite at the start. Judd soon put paid to that concept when the scores very quickly went to 2-9. It was going to be a session to spare jobby. And just as everyone's fingers were hovering over the channel hopping device, Williams got a frame back. Then another. And it was exciting snooker to-boot. Even at 12-5 it was touch and go if the match was going to be worth watching, but, once it had then got to 13-11, the remote was a long and distant memory. A classic was quite obviously unfolding before our eyes.
We were honoured to witness 8 centuries, equally divided between the two, all contributing to Williams' 11 breaks over 50 and Judd's 12.
The Final
Goes without saying. A default selection.
For me:
Round 1:
Kyren Wilson 10 - 8 Ding Junhui
This looked like it would be a match and a half on paper, and it turned into that for real. Ding's first time qualifying for many years meant he'd be one of the toughest draws for one unlucky seed, and Kyren drew the short straw. In a belter of a match, it could have gone either way at 8-8 and although it seemed like Ding would steal it at the death, the final frames somehow managed to fall to Wilson. The match was never a forgone conclusion until the final ball dropped.
Century breaks were expected, century break came, five in all along with 3 more 90+ breaks. In all, Wilson had 7 breaks over 50 versus Ding's 10 breaks over 50.
Round 2:
Mark Selby 10 - 13 Yan Bintao
No-one really knew how this one was going to pan out. Selby was going to Selby but Yan had consistently proved to be his bogeyman. Yan kept getting the lead only for Selby to come roaring back time and time again. 4-4 it looked like Selby would take control, but Yan strode ahead again. But Yan just couldn't pull away. 11-10 to Yan and it, again, looked like Selby was going to take control. But Yan pulled away yet again. Even at 12-10 you felt the match wouldn't be over until that last ball was potted.
A grinding festival was predicted but centuries were actually delivered, 6 in all, delivered equally by both players. What's more amazing is that Yan managed to do it with only 4 total breaks over 50 while Selby knocked in 11.
Neil Robertson 12 - 13 Jack Lisowski
A Robbo lolstomp of Lisowski was expected, a traditional Robbo WSC collapse was what was delivered. At 4-4 most people were just confused. At 6-9 it still didn't feel real. The Robbo surge was going to come at some point, it was just a matter of when. At 11-10 it kinda seemed all over. Just as it did at 12-11. But 12-12 somehow managed to arrive. Somehow Robertson was missing just as many balls as Lisowski. The thrill was on. And somehow Lisowski actually won.
Centuries and bungled centuries were expected and that was what was delivered, 6 centuries in all, equally delivered with 10 breaks over 50 for Lisowski and 11 for Robertson.
Quarter Finals:
Yan Bingtao 11 - 13 Mark Williams
No-one had a clue what to expect from this match, likely including the players themselves. Williams had been on-fire throughout the tournament and Yan had exactly the kind of game that could deliver a big ol' bucket of water. Williams fired and it looked even Yan had nothing to hold back the flames, it looked like a drubbing was on the cards at 2-6. But then Yan suddenly started winning frames and Williams went a whole 10 frame stretch of nothing over 50. Suddenly it was 8-8 and very much game-on. then it was 10-8 and Williams looked spent. But, oh my, the match had only just warmed up, and that final session from Williams was quite the thing to behold. At 11-12 it really could have gone either way.
Five centuries were knocked in throughout but, as expected, the big breaks weren't quite as forthcoming as other matches as Yan totalled 8 and Williams only 7.
Semi Finals:
Mark Williams 16 - 17 Judd Trump
A feast of break making was expected in a match where it was very difficult to pick a favourite at the start. Judd soon put paid to that concept when the scores very quickly went to 2-9. It was going to be a session to spare jobby. And just as everyone's fingers were hovering over the channel hopping device, Williams got a frame back. Then another. And it was exciting snooker to-boot. Even at 12-5 it was touch and go if the match was going to be worth watching, but, once it had then got to 13-11, the remote was a long and distant memory. A classic was quite obviously unfolding before our eyes.
We were honoured to witness 8 centuries, equally divided between the two, all contributing to Williams' 11 breaks over 50 and Judd's 12.
The Final
Goes without saying. A default selection.
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LDS - Posts: 11398
- Joined: 31 October 2020
- Snooker Idol: Ray Reardon
- Highest Break: 32
- Walk-On: Borderline https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZuhiwyyunw
