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Suzy's Diary

Postby footygirl

JUDD COMES UP TRUMPS

JUDD Trump sent defending champion Neil Robertson crashing out of the World Championship with a 10-8 victory.

Robertson, who had seen his form disintergrate since victory in Glasgow soon found himself in trouble as the Crucible collywobbles got to work early on the Australian who was to see his name added to a list of champions who had failed to negotiate the first round of their opening defence of the title. The list that includes Steve Davis, Dennis Taylor and Graeme Dott has now claimed another champion

Resuming from 5-4 Trump was forced to sit and suffer as Robertson reeled off 3 out 4 frames to move ahead 7-6 at the mid session interval. Trump though, who deserves great credit for mainitaining his concentration and not taking unecesaary risks remained unruffled and promptly claimed the next three frames to lead 9-7.

Robertson whose game descended into a catalogue of errors committed the cardinal sin of letting Trump in with a missed red that left the Bristolian with the table at his mercy. A 53 left the Australian teetering on the brink, but Robertson was to enjoy an outrageous fluke on the red. From there he clawed his way back into the frame but a missed red on 17 saw the scores showing at 37-53. One red left on the table with the colours in emminently pottable positions.

Trump should have finished it off at that point but played the final red too thickly and left it cuttable to the centre. With a deep breath Robertson dropped the red in and cleared to the pink. Robertson nailed the pink to the corner and with a puff of the cheeks closed to 8-9.

But any thoughts of a fightback that Neil may have been entertaining were quickly snuffed out when Trump stroked in a long red and pieced together a stylish 83 to seal victory and with it a warm handshake from the vanquished champion. The reward for ousting the champion will be a match against either Marco Fu or Martin Gould.


Suzy Jardine

Re: Suzy's Diary - Day 1

Postby footygirl

WILLIAMS AND CARTER STROLL THROUGH

MARK Williams and Ali Carter breezed into the second round of the World Championship in Sheffield with comfortable victories over Ryan Day and Dave Harold.

Williams looked in total control throughout and gave a strong all round performance which should see the World Number 2's title odds slashed as she pursues a third world title.
Resuming at 6-3 the two times world champion stretched his lead to 8-5 at the mid session interval and then completed the formalities with a 10-5 victory.

Meanwhile Ali Carter made sure that Dave Harold would not add to the Stoke success story today as he disposed of his fellow Englishman with the score of 10-3.

Suzy Jardine

Re: Suzy's Diary - Day 1

Postby footygirl

HAWKINS EDGES DECIDER

BARRY Hawkins won his first match at The Crucible - as he overcame a spirited fightback from Stephen Maguire 10-9.

Hawkins got a flyer in the early stages as he won the first four frames of the match before Maguire finally got a blow in as he pulled two frames back to trail 5-2, with the final two frames of the session shared to leave Hawkins leading 6-3.

Resuming Hawkins had to withstand a gritty fightback from Maguire as the former UK Champion traded blows with the Dartford professional to level the match at 9-9 and send it into a final frame shootout.
But any thoughts that Maguire had of pulling off a great escape were swiftly curtailed by Hawkins, who constructed a vicious snooker on the green that Maguire, while escaping could only leave a red to the corner. Grabbing his chance Hawkins showed great composure to piece together a break of 91 and finally break his Crucible hoodoo- and with it seal a 10-9 victory.

And Stephen Hendry was certainly teetering on the brink of a first round exit as he let slip a 6-3 lead against Joe Perry to find himself level at 6-6 with the Cambridge professional. Hendry though was able to pull himself together and snatch the fourth of the session and lead 7-6 at the mid session interval. Perry wasn't finished and stuck with the Scotsman to force a decider as he levelled the match at 9-9.

Incredibly there was more drama to come as Hendry looked to have established a decisive advantage in the final frame only for Perry to force his way back into the frame. And Perry will surely be kicking himself as clearing the colours he missed the brown. Hendry presented with a another chance to put the match to bed held his nerve to sink the brown and blue and move into the last 16 where he will play Mark Selby or Jimmy Robertson.

Elsewhere Ronnie O'Sullivan has a comfortable 7-2 lead over Dominic Dale while Stuart Bingham captured the final three frames of his opening session to hold a slender 5-4 advantage over Peter Ebdon.

Suzy Jardine

Re: Suzy's Diary - Day 1

Postby footygirl

BINGHAM FIGHTBACK HALTS EBDON CHARGE

STUART Bingham roared back from 7-5 down to stun Peter Ebdon 10-8 and book a place in the last 16 of the world snooker championships in Sheffield.

The Essex professional, who led the former world champion 5-4 at the end of the first session was soon under pressure from Ebdon who reeled off three straight frames to translate a 4-5 deficit into a 7-5 lead. It looked for all the world that Peter would go on to triumph. But Bingham snatched the last frame before the mid session interval to close to 7-6 and stay in contention.

Ebdon though is not easily rattled and duly captured the 14th frame to lead 8-6 but Bingham raised his game and rolled in breaks of 88, 63 to level at 8-8 and then move 9-8 in front. It left him one up with two to play. Could Ebdon respond.

The answer was to be no as Stuart banged in a long red and put himself among the balls. From it he could only make 28 before missing a tricky red. With the balls split kindly it looked as if Peter would capitalise but in cueing up a black suffered a horrendous kick and saw the ball veer away from the pocket. Backing away from the table Peter could only watch helplessly as Stuart stroked in a decisive 42 to seal the match 10-8.

Elsewhere Ronnie O'Sullivan strolled into the last 16 with a comfortable 10-2 victory over Dominic Dale - and set up a showdown with Shaun Murphy.

Suzy Jardine

Re: Suzy's Diary - Day 1

Postby footygirl

HIGGINS STROLLS PAST LEE

JOHN Higgins cruised into the second round of the world championship with a 10-5 victory over Stephen Lee.

Resuming at 6-3 the Scotsman promptly stretched his lead to 8-3 before Lee fought back ,winning the final two frames before the mid session interval to stay in contention at 8-5.
But Higgins soon snuffed out any thoughts that the Trowbridge professional may have had of sustaining a comeback when he dominated the 14th frame to lead 9-5 and finally finished off Lee with a break of 81 to seal victory and set up a second round match with Rory McLeod.

Meanwhile Mark Williams gave Jamie Cope in matchplay snooker as he opened up a commanding 7-1 advantage over the Staffordshire man. Cope guilty perhaps of some weak safety play. And Judd Trump, who knocked out defending champion Neil Robertson leads Martin Gould 5-3 at the end of their first session.

Suzy Jardine

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby footygirl

ALLEN EDGES PAST HAWKINS

MARK Allen ruined Barry Hawkins's birthday by winnign a deciding frame to book a placve in the last eight of the world championships.

Resuming at 5-3 the Antrim man swiftly cancelled out the overnight lead that the Dartford man had built by winning six out of the eight allotted frames in the morning to lead 9-7. That lead was swiftly extended to 11-7 before Hawkins fought back to take the next two frames, punishing mistakes that Allen missed long reds.

Allen though remained focused as he took the 21st frame but if he thought Hawkins was going to surrender then he was to be wrong as Hawkins hit a purple patch to ram in breaks of 117,80 and 70 to level the match at 12-12 and so send the match into a final frame shootout.

But any thoughts and dreams Barry may have had about celebrating his birthday in style were virtually blown out as quickly as any candles on a birthday cake as his break off left Allen a long red. Drilling in the red Allen followed with the black. Eleven reds tne blacks later and the fans were nudging each other as Allen stood on 96. A 147 was beckoning, with the colours all on their spots as Allen lined up the black, only to suffer a kick that finished the dreams of a maximum but saw him over the line into the quarter finals for the third time in as many years.

Elsewhere Judd Trump wasted little time in polishing off Martin Gould to set up a showdown with former champion Graeme Dott who ended the hopes of Ali Carter. Ronnie O'Sullivan holds a 6-2 advantage over Shaun Murphy while Mark Selby was in scintillating form in powering into 7-1 lead against Stephen Hendry. And unless Hendry takes at least three of the allocated eight frames of the second session then we could be saying so long farewell to Stephen Hendry as a player.

Suzy Jardine

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby GJ

is hendo definetely retiring

is it confirmed ?

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby footygirl

GJ wrote:is hendo definetely retiring

is it confirmed ?


It does say we could as he would likely drop out of the top 16 - but who knows - it is a possibility that needs a mention

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby Roland

I don't think anyone would be surprised, and if he's not playing in any PTCs next time then he is more than likely needing to go to the qualifiers to get to the Crucible and that isn't how someone of the class of Hendry will want to be remembered, even though he would doubtless win, with the strength of the top 16 these days an exit in round 1 would possibly beckon.

It's his decision at the end of the day, but he knows he is not the player he once was and will never get back to that standard.

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby PLtheRef

It wouldnt surprise me, he is now 16th in the provisionals, assuming he loses this match, he can still be caught, however Bingham would need to win over Ding, Hendry in 16th may be enough, retiring at the tournament where his career, his name was made, 25 years ago may be the way to leave the professional game as a player.

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby footygirl

Yeah it hasn't escaped people's notice that 25 years ago this is where he made his name and his entrance against Willie Thorne. If I was a betting lady then I would be inclined to think he will retire- but it Stephen's decision as to what he wants to do

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby Roland

It escaped you, you said 15 years earlier :chuckle:

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby footygirl

Sonny wrote:It escaped you, you said 15 years earlier :chuckle:


hey cheeky - typo error - we are all human lol <doh>

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby Roland

typo error - yehrite :redneck:

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby Roland

Let's just say I'm buzzing on two factors - Mark Selby's performance and the new Scar Symmetry album which I just downloaded from amazon and is currently blasting through the speakers as I write.

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby footygirl

Sonny wrote:Let's just say I'm buzzing on two factors - Mark Selby's performance and the new Scar Symmetry album which I just downloaded from amazon and is currently blasting through the speakers as I write.


I'll take that as a yes then :roll: <laugh>

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby Roland

Plus a couple of glasses of :wine: but not more than that, honest gov

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby footygirl

Sonny wrote:Plus a couple of glasses of :wine: but not more than that, honest gov


I knew it :chuckle: i needed a stiff drink after the first half of the sunderland match today - it was dire. Half term report started as thus

Four letters sum this half up - D U LL dull, dull, dull

How does that sound

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby footygirl

footygirl wrote:
Sonny wrote:Plus a couple of glasses of :wine: but not more than that, honest gov


I knew it :chuckle: i needed a stiff drink after the first half of the sunderland match today - it was dire. Half term report started as thus

Four letters sum this half up - D U double L dull, dull, dull

How does that sound

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby Roland

As dull as Sunderland and football usually is, naturally.

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby footygirl

Sonny wrote:As dull as Sunderland and football usually is, naturally.


it was terrible - and then we got six goals in the second half

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby Roland

:zzz:

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby footygirl

I am here at the Crucible today - and what a quarter final line up we have.

Judd Trump v Graeme Dott referee - Terry Cammilerri
Mark Allen v Mark Williams referee - Colin Humphries

Ronnie O'Sullivan v John Higgins
Mark Selby v Ding Junhui

Judd Trump v Graeme Dott
Mark Williams v Mark Allen

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby footygirl

wheelsofsteel wrote:none of us had noticed


Right can we end the sarcasm there please. I am here to do a job for you - and a bit of support wouldn't go amiss

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby wheelsofsteel

footygirl wrote:
wheelsofsteel wrote:none of us had noticed


Right can we end the sarcasm there please. I am here to do a job for you - and a bit of support wouldn't go amiss


Are you Director General of the BBC?

Because that's who does a job for me at the Crucible

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby wheelsofsteel

footygirl wrote:Do you have to be so rude


I wasn't being rude. You were overstating your importance when you said you were there doing a job for me. I merely pointed out you were not.

Re: Suzy's Diary

Postby footygirl

wheelsofsteel wrote:
footygirl wrote:Do you have to be so rude


I wasn't being rude. You were overstating your importance when you said you were there doing a job for me. I merely pointed out you were not.


I was referring to the people who read snooker island in general- and if you have a problem with me I think it is best we take this indoors by the PM rather than having digs at me in public