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Ronnie O'Sullivan given unfair advantage?

Postby snooker_loopy

Hi, new here. Thought I'd post something a bit controversial for my first post. :-D

Not wishing to be some conspiracy theorist but has anyone else noticed how Ronnie O'Sullivan has been given a big break between his first and second round matches. His fist match was on Saturday 20th April, his second round match is tomorrow, Saturday 27th, giving O'Sullivan *a week* of extra practice. Compare that to Dechawat Poomjaeng. He won his first round match on the 23rd, and started his second round match on the 25th, yesterday. That left him *one day* of extra practice.

Can't see how that's fair. Surely a week of extra practice can help iron out any problems with a player's technique or improve their overall potting or just help them to relax more. This does seem to give the likes of O'Sullivan an unfair advantage. This is not O'Sullivan's fault, it's just the way the format is, but even so.... a week of extra practice does seem more advantageous than one day's extra practice. Hmm.... :chin:

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan given unfair advantage?

Postby Wildey

i dont think its a advantage for Ronnie quite the opposite in fact...Nothing wrong with Ronnies Practice form what Ronnie wants is Matches to play in and see where hes at.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan given unfair advantage?

Postby snooker_loopy

I think Ronnie's second match should have started yesterday and Dechawat's second match on Saturday. That would allow both players a similar sort of practice period. Perhaps the format needs a little tweaking so all the players have a similar amount of time in between 1st and second round matches.

It's not a big deal as all the players would have put in a lot of practice before the event started but it did seem a bit weird or unfair how Dechawat has just one day's gap between his first and second round match whereas Rocket Ronnie has a full week.
Last edited by snooker_loopy on 26 Apr 2013, edited 2 times in total.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan given unfair advantage?

Postby Sickpotter

A case could be made for the reverse...it's not fair for Ronnie to have to wait such a long time for his second round.

Double edged sword having long gaps between matches, particularly if you've had a long wait and your opponent hasn't.

With so many in the event and the lengths of the matches involved it's pretty much impossible to ensure that players get equal length breaks between matches.

Personally I think it adds to the drama. Seeing if a player can maintain their form with long breaks between matches is big, only the best can do it with any consistency and consistency is the name of the game in the WC.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan given unfair advantage?

Postby snooker_loopy

"A case could be made for the reverse...it's not fair for Ronnie to have to wait such a long time for his second round. Double edged sword having long gaps between matches, particularly if you've had a long wait and your opponent hasn't."


Yeah, I suppose you could look at like that. Perhaps the format needs some alteration to shorten the gap for all players but I don't know if that's possible. Shortening the toilet gaps would help, though. Graeme Dott mentioned that after his first round match.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan given unfair advantage?

Postby SnookerFan

As stated it could also be seen as a disadvantage. He plays for a day, then gets a week off.

It's just how the draw works out sometimes. In a lot of tournaments you get players who get a rest, and others who keep busy. There's advantages and disadvantages to both.

The best players just knuckle down and get on with it.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan given unfair advantage?

Postby Smart

can work both ways....you win and you win well playing straight away is great - you take that form (hopefully) into the next match, you win but with flaws means you have time to iron them out......Its a long tourney and long frame matches so someone is gonna have a long wait after R1 ...this time its ROS. Who cares ??? I bet he does not. Not an advantage, not a disadvantage, just the way its worked out THIS TIME :wave:

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan given unfair advantage?

Postby vodkadiet

O'Sullivan has a year off before his first round match. Waiting a week before his next match is hardly a long time in comparison!

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan given unfair advantage?

Postby vodkadiet

The scheduling was worse years ago. In 1984 Cliff Thorburn and Will ie Thorne had to play two long sessions starting at 3pm and 7.30pm in a second round match(Thorburn winning 13-11), and Thorburn had to start his quarter final with Jimmy White at 10.30am the following morning. Men were real men in those days. No more heroes anymore.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan given unfair advantage?

Postby SnookerFan

vodkadiet wrote:The scheduling was worse years ago. In 1984 Cliff Thorburn and Will ie Thorne had to play two long sessions starting at 3pm and 7.30pm in a second round match(Thorburn winning 13-11), and Thorburn had to start his quarter final with Jimmy White at 10.30am the following morning. Men were real men in those days. No more heroes anymore.


I bet the fans barely mentioned it either. :hatoff:

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan given unfair advantage?

Postby Smart

SnookerFan wrote:
vodkadiet wrote:The scheduling was worse years ago. In 1984 Cliff Thorburn and Will ie Thorne had to play two long sessions starting at 3pm and 7.30pm in a second round match(Thorburn winning 13-11), and Thorburn had to start his quarter final with Jimmy White at 10.30am the following morning. Men were real men in those days. No more heroes anymore.


I bet the fans barely mentioned it either. :hatoff:


the internet had not been invented then :wave:

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan given unfair advantage?

Postby SnookerFan

Smart wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:
vodkadiet wrote:The scheduling was worse years ago. In 1984 Cliff Thorburn and Will ie Thorne had to play two long sessions starting at 3pm and 7.30pm in a second round match(Thorburn winning 13-11), and Thorburn had to start his quarter final with Jimmy White at 10.30am the following morning. Men were real men in those days. No more heroes anymore.


I bet the fans barely mentioned it either. :hatoff:


the internet had not been invented then :wave:


Of course. Fans never spoke to each other before the internet was invented. <doh>

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan given unfair advantage?

Postby vodkadiet

SnookerFan wrote:
Smart wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:
vodkadiet wrote:The scheduling was worse years ago. In 1984 Cliff Thorburn and Will ie Thorne had to play two long sessions starting at 3pm and 7.30pm in a second round match(Thorburn winning 13-11), and Thorburn had to start his quarter final with Jimmy White at 10.30am the following morning. Men were real men in those days. No more heroes anymore.


I bet the fans barely mentioned it either. :hatoff:


the internet had not been invented then :wave:


Of course. Fans never spoke to each other before the internet was invented. <doh>


We used carrier pigeons....

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan given unfair advantage?

Postby The Cueist

Smart wrote:can work both ways....you win and you win well playing straight away is great - you take that form (hopefully) into the next match, you win but with flaws means you have time to iron them out......Its a long tourney and long frame matches so someone is gonna have a long wait after R1 ...this time its ROS. Who cares ??? I bet he does not. Not an advantage, not a disadvantage, just the way its worked out THIS TIME :wave:



Well said!!!!!!!!!!!!!Dont forget to wave bye!!!!! :wave:

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan given unfair advantage?

Postby Smart

vodkadiet wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:
Smart wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:
vodkadiet wrote:The scheduling was worse years ago. In 1984 Cliff Thorburn and Will ie Thorne had to play two long sessions starting at 3pm and 7.30pm in a second round match(Thorburn winning 13-11), and Thorburn had to start his quarter final with Jimmy White at 10.30am the following morning. Men were real men in those days. No more heroes anymore.


I bet the fans barely mentioned it either. ::


the internet had not been invented then :wave:


Of course. Fans never spoke to each other before the internet was invented. <doh>


We used carrier pigeons....


I preferred the days of smoke signals, I was a hamlet cigar man, blowing loads of funny shapes to get my message "heard". :wave: