World Championship (Wed 2nd of May) Q Final Disscusion !

Alex0paul wrote:Stevens can only win if he wins big. Not a chance of winning a close semi with all of his battle scars although no player has lost more Crucible semi finals that O'Sullivan.

But three of those lost semis were in the 90s and Stevens doesn't have that great of a semis record either does he?

Ronnie was extremely calm in his postmatch interview. That is the secret to success really, don't put pressure on yourself and just enjoy playing.

Skullman wrote:

Alex0paul wrote:Stevens can only win if he wins big. Not a chance of winning a close semi with all of his battle scars although no player has lost more Crucible semi finals that O'Sullivan.

But three of those lost semis were in the 90s and Stevens doesn't have that great of a semis record either does he?

Both have lost to Dott, Ebdon and Higgins. O'Sullivan has also lost twice to Hendry.

Alex0paul wrote:

Skullman wrote:

Alex0paul wrote:Stevens can only win if he wins big. Not a chance of winning a close semi with all of his battle scars although no player has lost more Crucible semi finals that O'Sullivan.

But three of those lost semis were in the 90s and Stevens doesn't have that great of a semis record either does he?

Both have lost to Dott, Ebdon and Higgins. O'Sullivan has also lost twice to Hendry.

So Ronnie has to either be beaten by a hard matchplayer or blasted off the table by a Hendry-esque player. I don't think Matthew quite falls under either category.

Ronnie reached his 9. Crucible semi final today.

John Higgins for example only reached 8 World semi finals in his career, Williams only 6.

it funny with ronnie the first thing he says in his post match interview all the time when i say all the time i mean this year is all credit to the opponent it doesnt matter what the interviewer ask him

yes he very calm and he knows the titles in the bag though he wont admit it but i can see him beating stevens by about eight or nine frames

if he play against carter it likely to be by even more however maguire will put up a fight for the first two sessions maximum but lose comfortably

as for it being the hardest route to winning a world title i would say ronnie possibly had the hardest first round match and quarter final other than that he probably would have hand picked his three other opponents he has an unbelievable record against them

people may say maguire beat ronnie last time but that was 5-4 in a smaller ranking event on the final black which was a semi fluke the way maguire potted the black i wouldnt mind maguire winning the title but i just cant see anyone left getting close to ronnie

Snooker Overdrive wrote:Ronnie reached his 9. Crucible semi final today.

John Higgins for example only reached 8 World semi finals in his career, Williams only 6.

Higgins may reached less semis, but he converted more into finals and titles.

I can't see any signs this year that Ronnie's game is in decline. To be honest he's playing his best and most consistent snooker I have ever seen him play.

Snooker Overdrive wrote:I can't see any signs this year that Ronnie's game is in decline. To be honest he's playing his best and most consistent snooker I have ever seen him play.

May have peaked too soon

He's never been in decline, the whole thing is nonsense. Ronnie will be capable of titles when he's in his 50s, it's all about how much he wants it.

Higgins for example just scrapped through this matches with his B game last year, Ronnie played his A game in most of the sessions this year.

And whether Higgins, Selby and maybe Trump are in his way.

Alex0paul wrote:

Snooker Overdrive wrote:I can't see any signs this year that Ronnie's game is in decline. To be honest he's playing his best and most consistent snooker I have ever seen him play.

May have peaked too soon

in this tournament? I don't think so because he would be out of it now without his A game against Robbo

Alex0paul wrote:Stevens can only win if he wins big. Not a chance of winning a close semi with all of his battle scars although no player has lost more Crucible semi finals that O'Sullivan.

how many semis has he lost ?

Jimmys lost 5 i think, i always thought it was him whod lost most

I don't think Ronnie has had a bad session yet. If he does have one, it be interesting to see how he copes.

Sonny wrote:He's never been in decline, the whole thing is nonsense. Ronnie will be capable of titles when he's in his 50s, it's all about how much he wants it.

You wrote earlier that Ronnie might retire should he win the World Title. I don't think he would. He said in Germany that he thinks he can still win lots of tournaments and he knows that his game is way too strong to retire right now. Also he's in love with the game again (unlike Hendry) and he isn't putting himself under that much pressure anymore. He can skip events if he wants to but I don't think he will retire although it would be a perfect timing after winning a World title.

Witz78 wrote:

Alex0paul wrote:Stevens can only win if he wins big. Not a chance of winning a close semi with all of his battle scars although no player has lost more Crucible semi finals that O'Sullivan.

how many semis has he lost ?

Jimmys lost 5 i think, i always thought it was him whod lost most

1996 - Ebdon
1998 - Higgins
1999 - Hendry
2002 - Hendry
2006 - Dott

Jimmy lost 4

1982 - Higgins
1987 - Davis
1988 - Griffiths
1995 - Hendry

Witz78 wrote:

Alex0paul wrote:Stevens can only win if he wins big. Not a chance of winning a close semi with all of his battle scars although no player has lost more Crucible semi finals that O'Sullivan.

how many semis has he lost ?

Jimmys lost 5 i think, i always thought it was him whod lost most

Jimmy has lost four (82, 87, 88, 95) , Ronnie has lost five (96, 99, 00, 02, 06).

Skullman wrote:I don't think Ronnie has had a bad session yet. If he does have one, it be interesting to see how he copes.

his 1st v Robbo wasnt great tho he still shoulda scrambled a 4-4 out of it

his 1st v MJW wasnt brilliant either and 5-3 prob a bit of a result

Even though Ronnie hasnt won the title yet, I have to give credit to jojo here because he's been saying since probably February or March that Ronnie would win this year's Worlds, and now it is looking increasingly likely that he'll win it for a 4th time.

JOJO

Alex0paul wrote:Jimmy lost 4

1982 - Higgins
1987 - Davis
1988 - Griffiths
1995 - Hendry

cheers, for some reason i had it in my head hed lost 5

Witz78 wrote:

Skullman wrote:I don't think Ronnie has had a bad session yet. If he does have one, it be interesting to see how he copes.

his 1st v Robbo wasnt great tho he still shoulda scrambled a 4-4 out of it

his 1st v MJW wasnt brilliant either and 5-3 prob a bit of a result

But they haven't been bad. Bad would be like Robbo's afternoon session today or Day's session last night, where Ronnie's not even playing decent. Of course it doesn't have to happen. but just noting he hasn't had one.

Andre147 wrote:Even though Ronnie hasnt won the title yet, I have to give credit to jojo here because he's been saying since probably February or March that Ronnie would win this year's Worlds, and now it is looking increasingly likely that he'll win it for a 4th time.

JOJO

Yes jojo, I don't know how you do it but your predictions were spot on so far.

Andre147 wrote:Even though Ronnie hasnt won the title yet, I have to give credit to jojo here because he's been saying since probably February or March that Ronnie would win this year's Worlds, and now it is looking increasingly likely that he'll win it for a 4th time.

JOJO

The title's not his until he reaches 18 frames on Monday.

Sonny wrote:He's never been in decline, the whole thing is nonsense. Ronnie will be capable of titles when he's in his 50s, it's all about how much he wants it.

He has said it himself in an interview that if he really wants it, he could still win titles in his 40s.. It's all down to his will to win.

And I can garantee you, and most players say so too, that had he got always the hunger to suceed and to win, he would have long surpassed Hendry's record of titles... The only problem is that maybe it wouldn't be same Ronnie O'Sullivan we all know

jimmy lost four against alex higgins steve davis terry griffiths and stephen hendry

ronnie has never been in decline and the danger is for those that hate seeing ronnie win is theres only three players who he may start underdog against and they are higgins selby and trump and im not even sure about trump because ronnie is able to tie him up tactically and he beat him the last time they play

he own most of his peers ie maguire murphy carter day williams lee stevens they pretty much all beat before they play him and these are the players ronnie will come up against

ronnie is the only player capable of beating hendrys world championship record higgins wont his game uses up far too much energy of the two higgins is in decline he won this title last year with his d game and huge slices of luck in critical moments in three of those matches

ronnie not in decline he can win tournaments for another ten years at least it just depend if he want it bad enough his tactical game is as good as anyones when he need to use it and his breakbuilding is as good as its ever been his long potting has come back

i laugh at those who think he in decline

Andre147 wrote:

Sonny wrote:He's never been in decline, the whole thing is nonsense. Ronnie will be capable of titles when he's in his 50s, it's all about how much he wants it.

He has said it himself in an interview that if he really wants it, he could still win titles in his 40s.. It's all down to his will to win.

And I can garantee you, and most players say so too, that had he got always the hunger to suceed and to win, he would have long surpassed Hendry's record of titles... The only problem is that maybe it wouldn't be same Ronnie O'Sullivan we all know

I would be amazing seeing Ronnie winning titles in his 40's

He just has so much talent - Terry Griffiths said it this afternoon: "I have never seen a player who strikes the ball better than O'Sullivan". Age doesn't seem to affect him that much if at all.

Sonny wrote:He's never been in decline, the whole thing is nonsense. Ronnie will be capable of titles when he's in his 50s, it's all about how much he wants it.

so if hes not in decline and never likely to go into decline does that make him GOAT

Anyone who thought he was in decline was stupid. He just wasn't bothered and I think one season recently he just kept running into Higgins (back when he was good) who owns him.