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Which World Snooker Championship stands out for you?

Postby Tubberlad

You often hear of people proclaiming the 1970 World Cup in Mexico as the greatest ever held, while Italia 90 seems to have been a lowpoint for the famous tournament. The 2008 European Championship, 2003 Rugby World Cup, 2005 Ashes all go down as famous stagings of their respective sport's premier events, but which World Championship can lay claim to be the best ever...?

This year's tournament is only my thirteenth, so my opinion doesn't stretch back very far, but the best I've watched was either 2002 or 2003. The 2002 event featured some stunning games, in particular the semi-finals and finals, while 2003 was lit up by Doherty's amazing bouncebackability and the brilliance of Mark Williams.

1999 saw Stephen Hendry come through a nightmare draw and claim a record breaking seventh World title, producing 'snooker from the gods' in a semi-final line up that featured all of the 'big four'. 2004 witnessed Ronnie O'Sullivan play some of the best snooker ever played.

The worst events? No such thing in my opinion, but the least stand out ones for me were 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2010...

If I had to pick the least brilliant, I'd go with 2006. Not because Dott won and lead to many proclaiming him as the 'Worst Ever World Champion', because I actually enjoyed the final and felt Dott was a deserving winner. I just felt the quality and drama wasn't there as frequently as in other stagings of the tournament. The highest break was a meagre 140...

2010 was spoiled by what happened prior to the final, an awful shame for Graeme Dott and in particular Neil Robertson. His lifelong dream fulfilled, only for the game's greatest scandal to overshadow it...

Which ones were the best and worst for you?

Re: Which World Snooker Championship stands out for you?

Postby kostasmad

I think the best tournament for me was in 2007 (Higgins 2nd)...Stevens -Murphy match was amazing and also Higgins - Maguire in the semis.

Worst by far the 2006 one...Apart from the final mouthwatering session between Ebdon and Fu I dont remember anything else...

Re: Which World Snooker Championship stands out for you?

Postby gallantrabbit

Hate to show my age but 1982 for me. I was newly confimed snooker daft and desperate for Higgins to win and as the big seeds went , I could see the draw opening more and more for him.
I've mentioned this before but still can't believe that I wanted him to beat Jimmy in the semi... If I'd known then what I know now...
That match was of course incredible and the 69 break, Alex's legacy to the game. It was possibly the worst break of over 50 I've ever seen technique wise in the pro game, but Alex's raw courage was oozing out of him that night.
There was of course no way he could have lost to Reardon. If ever a name was on a cup it was Alex's. When he cleared with 135 in the last I was of course convinced that I'd just seen God at the table, but then I was only 13...and lost and married to snooker for ever and ever...
We always do look back at events from our childhood but this was the stand out worlds for me.
92 and 94 I prefer not to remember too much cos I was horribly gutted after both, possibly more so in 92 when Jimmy had played SO well and had been crushing Hendry...

All good though. ;-)

Re: Which World Snooker Championship stands out for you?

Postby vodkadiet

1986 was my favourite. Johnson was such an unlikely winner, even going into the final he was 7/1 to beat Davis.

The event started with Mike Hallett playing out of his skin against defending champion Dennis Taylor, and going 8-1 up after the first session, and winning 10-6.

Joe Johnson lead Terry Griffiths 9-7 in the quarter fianl after the second session, trailed 9-12, and then played brilliantly to win 13-12.

Steve Davis had an awesome battle with Cliff Thorburn in the semi.

In the final Davis lead 7-4 at the evening mid session interval and Johnson looked finished. Johnson went to the practice table at this point and the BBC screened him at the practice table playing a shot, which he completely miscued and almost ripped the cloth! Johnson just laughed.

On the last day Johnson came out wearing red and white shoes, which the commentators kept saying were his lucky shoes! They certainly were!

Worst Championship was 2004 or 2008. Not just because O'Sullivan won, but because there weren't many good matches played. 2008 was probably just worse, because Carter was in the final as well.
Last edited by vodkadiet on 07 Apr 2011, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Which World Snooker Championship stands out for you?

Postby Tubberlad

Doherty's comebacks in 2003 were quite something...

He came from well behind against Dott, his match with Higgins was simply magic. He went 10-0 up, I think Higgins got back to 10-8 before Doherty closed it out. Then of course the semi-final, and the bravest of fightbacks against Williams.

That was a magic tournament.

Re: Which World Snooker Championship stands out for you?

Postby vodkadiet

Tubberlad wrote:Doherty's comebacks in 2003 were quite something...

He came from well behind against Dott, his match with Higgins was simply magic. He went 10-0 up, I think Higgins got back to 10-8 before Doherty closed it out. Then of course the semi-final, and the bravest of fightbacks against Williams.

That was a magic tournament.


He also beat Shaun Murphy 10-9 on the final black. He was 2-7 against Dott. It was a shame he didn't win the event.

Re: Which World Snooker Championship stands out for you?

Postby Alex0paul

vodkadiet wrote:
Tubberlad wrote:Doherty's comebacks in 2003 were quite something...

He came from well behind against Dott, his match with Higgins was simply magic. He went 10-0 up, I think Higgins got back to 10-8 before Doherty closed it out. Then of course the semi-final, and the bravest of fightbacks against Williams.

That was a magic tournament.


He also beat Shaun Murphy 10-9 on the final black. He was 2-7 against Dott. It was a shame he didn't win the event.


Williams had a cake walk to the final too that year.

I don't ever remember Doherty moaning of exhaustion :chin:

Re: Which World Snooker Championship stands out for you?

Postby Tubberlad

GJ wrote:2010

2008 was pure crap

I can't say any tournament was pure crap. 2008 was certainly no classic but the O'Sullivan - Hendry semi-final remains my favourite snooker match by some distance...

2010 had it's high points, with Robbo's comeback against Gould and Davis rolling back the years, but I'll always remember it for the Higgins incident, which is a shame.

Re: Which World Snooker Championship stands out for you?

Postby GJ

Alex0paul WC wrote:2010 had three of the best quarter finals I can remember too. That wednesday was stunning.


totally agree

dotty v allen was class as was selby v ronnie and muprhy swerving and messing up in the final frame agianst carter was priceless :hatoff: <laugh>

Re: Which World Snooker Championship stands out for you?

Postby Alex0paul

GJ wrote:
Alex0paul WC wrote:2010 had three of the best quarter finals I can remember too. That wednesday was stunning.


totally agree

dotty v allen was class as was selby v ronnie and muprhy swerving and messing up in the final frame agianst carter was priceless :hatoff: <laugh>


Carter proved something to me in that match as at 4-8 I completely wrote him off. It was a great comeback even if it wasn't from the longest of distance as he was never one for comebacks.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_s ... 650571.stm

What a Frame

Re: Which World Snooker Championship stands out for you?

Postby The Cueist

gallantrabbit wrote:Hate to show my age but 1982 for me. I was newly confimed snooker daft and desperate for Higgins to win and as the big seeds went , I could see the draw opening more and more for him.
I've mentioned this before but still can't believe that I wanted him to beat Jimmy in the semi... If I'd known then what I know now...
That match was of course incredible and the 69 break, Alex's legacy to the game. It was possibly the worst break of over 50 I've ever seen technique wise in the pro game, but Alex's raw courage was oozing out of him that night.
There was of course no way he could have lost to Reardon. If ever a name was on a cup it was Alex's. When he cleared with 135 in the last I was of course convinced that I'd just seen God at the table, but then I was only 13...and lost and married to snooker for ever and ever...
We always do look back at events from our childhood but this was the stand out worlds for me.
92 and 94 I prefer not to remember too much cos I was horribly gutted after both, possibly more so in 92 when Jimmy had played SO well and had been crushing Hendry...

All good though. ;-)


Agrreed fella :hatoff:

For me 94 was worse as he just rushed the shot on the black ball,But for that miss he would have been what he should have been,A world champion,Never mind. :irk:

Re: Which World Snooker Championship stands out for you?

Postby jojo

i would probably say 1996 stands out for me the new trio of higgins williams and o sullivan making their mark davis and white trying to cling onto the elite funny things happened in that tournament

you had ebdon shouting come one which lit up the tournament a lot of people hated him for it a lot loved him for it you had the ronnie left handed shenanigans with robidoux then the press man ronnie and higgins had a great battle in the quarters as did ebdon and ronnie in the semis

jimmy edged out by ebdon in the decider jimmy played an awsome banana shot on the yellow and i remember a young jamie burnett losing out to griffiths i think when going in off or something or other with the ball he needed to win the match

Re: Which World Snooker Championship stands out for you?

Postby Alex0paul

jojo wrote:i would probably say 1996 stands out for me the new trio of higgins williams and o sullivan making their mark davis and white trying to cling onto the elite funny things happened in that tournament

you had ebdon shouting come one which lit up the tournament a lot of people hated him for it a lot loved him for it you had the ronnie left handed shenanigans with robidoux then the press man ronnie and higgins had a great battle in the quarters as did ebdon and ronnie in the semis

jimmy edged out by ebdon in the decider jimmy played an awsome banana shot on the yellow and i remember a young jamie burnett losing out to griffiths i think when going in off or something or other with the ball he needed to win the match


<laugh>

Re: Which World Snooker Championship stands out for you?

Postby vodkadiet

2000 was a good championship. Williams winning from 11-15 against Higgins, and 7-13 against Stevens.

The fuuny result from that championship was Dominc Dale beating Davis Gray 13-1.

Swail coming from 8-12 to beat Parrott to win 13-12 was a great match.