Betfred Masters Final: Yan Bingtao v John Higgins

On reflection, I don't think Trump not being in the field should take from Yan's victory, despite Trump being the best player in the world.

Discipline is a huge part of any sport, and it looks as though a lack of discipline may have cost Trump a tournament he might well have won.

But if Alex Higgins or Jimmy White missed a tournament because they'd injured themselves while out on this snake hiss, that's their tough.

csprince wrote:why is it when someone like bingtao wins there's always one person who has to degrade it. oh so and so wasn't playing or he didn't beat so and so or so and so didn't play well.

On this forum, it seems to depend on who the player is as to what people are allowed to say and what they're not. I certainly remember a lot of people bemoaning the fact that Selby had an 'easy' run to his last final, and that 'upset' a lot of people on here. And that the 'talking point' of his win was that he 'said a 'salty' joke'.

I'm not rushing to defend any belittling of Yan, I think he had a fair and traditional bunch of antagonists to plough through, but I think it's a bit harsh to bum-rush someone for doing what people normally do 'round 'ere...

D4P wrote:To be fair, all I did was add to Andre's comment about how Yan might have benefitted from having no crowd by saying that he also benefitted by not having to play Selby and Judd.

And I stand by my comment, because it was quite obviously correct.

Mate I did say I expected Yan to win the tournament under normal conditions as well. What I saw this week from him was enough.

Pink Ball wrote:On reflection, I don't think Trump not being in the field should take from Yan's victory, despite Trump being the best player in the world.

Discipline is a huge part of any sport, and it looks as though a lack of discipline may have cost Trump a tournament he might well have won.

But if Alex Higgins or Jimmy White missed a tournament because he'd injured himself while out on this snake hiss, that's their tough.

+1

D4P wrote:To be fair, all I did was add to Andre's comment about how Yan might have benefitted from having no crowd by saying that he also benefitted by not having to play Selby and Judd.

And I stand by my comment, because it was quite obviously correct.

WUM

LDS wrote:

csprince wrote:why is it when someone like bingtao wins there's always one person who has to degrade it. oh so and so wasn't playing or he didn't beat so and so or so and so didn't play well.

On this forum, it seems to depend on who the player is as to what people are allowed to say and what they're not. I certainly remember a lot of people bemoaning the fact that Selby had an 'easy' run to his last final, and that 'upset' a lot of people on here. And that the 'talking point' of his win was that he 'said a 'salty' joke'.

I'm not rushing to defend any belittling of Yan, I think he had a fair and traditional bunch of antagonists to plough through, but I think it's a bit harsh to bum-rush someone for doing what people normally do 'round 'ere...

thats my point certain players win then suddenly someone has to pick apart who they beat or didn't beat or so and so wasn't playing just give the guy who won there dues.

It's also the manner in which he won it.

3 deciding frames agaisnt 3 world class opposition, plus another tight 10-8 against John Higgins, one of the greatest of all time. Selby won this in 2008 in similar fashion, with 3 deciders, but his Final was a confortable win. Yan didn't have it confortable all tournament and showed his tremendous bottle.

Wildey wrote:

Pink Ball wrote:On reflection, I don't think Trump not being in the field should take from Yan's victory, despite Trump being the best player in the world.

Discipline is a huge part of any sport, and it looks as though a lack of discipline may have cost Trump a tournament he might well have won.

But if Alex Higgins or Jimmy White missed a tournament because he'd injured himself while out on this snake hiss, that's their tough.

absolutely its not as if Yan had a easy draw.

Neil robertson UK Champion
Stephen Maguire Tour Champion
Stuart Binghan Masters Champion
John Higgins enough said

It's a nightmarish draw.

I also expect his record against the very best players to improve on the back of this. This win should be massive for him.

csprince wrote:thats my point certain players win then suddenly someone has to pick apart who they beat or didn't beat or so and so wasn't playing just give the guy who won there dues.

Sure. I agree.

But is that a realistic proposition or merely an idealistic fantasy akin to "Imagine all the people, it isn't hard to do, it's easy if you try"?

I mean, isn't dissecting who they played and the quality of who they played par for the course not only round here, but on any sporting forum at any time? Isn't that, like, half the conversations we have around here?

LDS wrote:

csprince wrote:thats my point certain players win then suddenly someone has to pick apart who they beat or didn't beat or so and so wasn't playing just give the guy who won there dues.

Sure. I agree.

But is that a realistic proposition or merely an idealistic fantasy akin to "Imagine all the people, it isn't hard to do, it's easy if you try"?

I mean, isn't dissecting who they played and the quality of who they played par for the course not only round here, but on any sporting forum at any time? Isn't that, like, half the conversations we have around here?

there's a fine line between looking at who someone beat and then degrading that achievement by going on about who they didn't beat and who didn't play.

I see similarities with Selby actually.

Yes he did reach the World Final in 2007, but his major breakthrough came when he won this tournament in 08, similar fashion to Yan, and won the Welsh Open after.

Here, Yan has already won the Riga Masters, but like Selby this tournament is the first big one. If he goes on to be anything as good as Selby, then great.

its pretty shocking there isnt a TC winner yet who was born in the 90's.

TheRocket wrote:its pretty shocking there isnt a TC winner yet who was born in the 90's.

Like tennis, it already feels as though that was the lost decade.

Pink Ball wrote:

TheRocket wrote:its pretty shocking there isnt a TC winner yet who was born in the 90's.

Like tennis, it already feels as though that was the lost decade.

Yes its very similar to Tennis. Eventually Wilson should win a TC title at some stage like Thiem won a Grand Slam but I cant really see a 90's born player having a huge amount of success in the future.

It might help some of the young players, particularly the Chinese ones to see someone in their age group winning a major title.

@ D4P: here: https://cuetracker.net/rankings/2019-2020/birthdays

You can sort by age.

Congrats to Yan. Really a great tournament, way better than last year's which was pretty much bereft of close finishes (final excepting).

Brilliant interview.

Yan The Man!

Pink Ball wrote:I've said for quite a long time that this kid is the great hope for the future. Not your Luca Brecels, Zhao Xintongs... this kid had something those two just can't seem to get their heads around: he plays snooker, not trickshots.

I still enjoy Xintong more, his style is more entertaining. But Bingtao's tactical game is far superior.