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Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby SnookerFan

Sorry if this is turning a bit into the Ronnie O'Sullivan fan club on here, but when we were talking about who he has lost to in events on another thread, something struck me.

The Premier League aside, Ronnie has only lost to three people this season. (Unless there's somebody I'm forgetting, but I don't think there is.) Those three people were; John Higgins, Mark Selby and Tian Pengfei. He does seem a bit out of place there, doesn't he? No disrespect to the Chinese lad, but this must rank as one of the biggest upsets in the history of the sport, right? Yet, it seems people forgot it happened a few months later.

When Buster Douglas became the first man to knock out Mike Tyson, the impact was huge. It happened in 1990, right at the start of the 90s, but was still voted upset of the decade at the end. Okay, boxing is a different sport, where each fighters win/loss is kept and announced regularly for continual analysis, and the guy was the first man to beat Tyson, and the only one to do it to the guy in his prime.

But it seems to me that a young Chinese wildcard beating one of the best players ever, and the player that some consider the best ever, is probably one of the biggest shocks in the sport's history, if not sporting history ever. And yet it didn't have the same impact on the fans that others have.

Was this just a case of people believing Ronnie is past is peak, or not trying any more as we've discussed in other threads? Or am I just not giving enough credit to the Chinese lad. Bear in mind I was at work when this match was televised. I didn't see it. It didn't even occur to me that it might be worth watching, as the kid had no chance of winning, but this may mean I didn't give him enough credit. People were probably as shocked when Ding Junhui won the China Open, but he went on to be Ding Juhui. And there is so much talent in the game these days, it's very rare anything is considered and upset.

What were people's feeling on this match, and upset? Am I overselling it, or was it a moment for which we may not see the like again in a long, long time?

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby N_Castle07

I think it didn’t go down as a massive shock victory because Ronnie clearly didn’t turn up and didn’t seem to give a rubbish about the match. And the less said about Ronnie’s final black in that match the better.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby SnookerFan

rocket_ron wrote:I couldn't give 2 shineys who ronnie loses to. but to play a whole season and only lose to 3 players isn't bad going <ok>


Well, it sounds good, but how many times did he lose to Higgins? It was three times wasn't it? Or four? When you get knocked out of like 50% of the tournaments by one man, it doesn't sound as good. <laugh>

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Rocket_ron

SnookerFan wrote:
rocket_ron wrote:I couldn't give 2 shineys who ronnie loses to. but to play a whole season and only lose to 3 players isn't bad going <ok>


Well, it sounds good, but how many times did he lose to Higgins? It was three times wasn't it? Or four? When you get knocked out of like 50% of the tournaments by one man, it doesn't sound as good. <laugh>

well i dont see ronnie ever beating mark selby again in a major tourney. and i dont mind ronnie losing to higgins because he has been good this season and his best is better than anyone elses best

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Noel

rocket_ron wrote:i dont see ronnie ever beating mark selby again in a major tourney


In one-on-one combat sports like boxing or MMA the "stare-down" before the fight is crucial.
The fighters can see it in each other's eyes and often know right then who will dominate.
If Ronnie walks into a match with Selby "in the mood", Mark will have lost before they throw a punch.
For sure.

Comparing Selby and O'Sullivan is like comparing a lightbulb to the sun.
On a cloudy day... Mark can shine.


=o|

Noel

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Rocket_ron

Noel wrote:
rocket_ron wrote:i dont see ronnie ever beating mark selby again in a major tourney


In one-on-one combat sports like boxing or MMA the "stare-down" before the fight is crucial.
The fighters can see it in each other's eyes and often know right then who will dominate.
If Ronnie walks into a match with Selby "in the mood", Mark will have lost before they throw a punch.
For sure.

Comparing Selby and O'Sullivan is like comparing a lightbulb to the sun.
On a cloudy day... Mark can shine.


=o|

Noel

@noel,
thanks for your reply, it was nice to read your view on this.

thing is ronnie's cloud is getting evermore blacker. sad to say :sad:

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Rocket_ron

wildJONESEYE wrote:don't be pessimistic mate he is hardly on his last leg is he.

why not, ronnie's had it, at least im owning up to fact, there being pessimistic and being a realist! Im being a realist

im doing it with ronnie and i will do it with robertson (when the time comes - hopefully a long way off)

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Monique

From the spring of 2005 until December 2007 Ronnie had nearly 3 years without woinning a ranker. So much so that Clive Everton had written an article explaining why he would never win another ranking event. He's since won 4, including the WC and the UK, and the Masters. He's never been Mr Consistency. He might never win another or he might have another wining spell. Only time will tell.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby SnookerFan

Monique wrote:From the spring of 2005 until December 2007 Ronnie had nearly 3 years without woinning a ranker. So much so that Clive Everton had written an article explaining why he would never win another ranking event. He's since won 4, including the WC and the UK, and the Masters. He's never been Mr Consistency. He might never win another or he might have another wining spell. Only time will tell.


Yeah. Suggesting Ronnie won't win again is just farcical.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Wildey

Monique wrote:From the spring of 2005 until December 2007 Ronnie had nearly 3 years without woinning a ranker. So much so that Clive Everton had written an article explaining why he would never win another ranking event. He's since won 4, including the WC and the UK, and the Masters. He's never been Mr Consistency. He might never win another or he might have another wining spell. Only time will tell.


since 2007 Higgins and Ronnie has won the same amount of Ranking Tournaments with Neil Robertson the other player on 4 since 2007

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby The Cueist

SnookerFan wrote:
Monique wrote:From the spring of 2005 until December 2007 Ronnie had nearly 3 years without woinning a ranker. So much so that Clive Everton had written an article explaining why he would never win another ranking event. He's since won 4, including the WC and the UK, and the Masters. He's never been Mr Consistency. He might never win another or he might have another wining spell. Only time will tell.


Yeah. Suggesting Ronnie won't win again is just farcical.



Evening wild.
:D

How are you?

Yep you are right about Ronnie,He is getting older but he is as fit as a butchers dog and still playing the best,The oppo has caught up and maybe i have underated Mark Selby in the past when i am blinded by Ronnies brilliance,He is that good. <ok>

His attitude is marmite and he could do with gagging at post match interviews but nobodys perfect . ;)

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby paperbackwriter

I agree that you never know with Ronnie, he could have a great season, beat Selby whenever they meet and then lose to someone like Tian Pengfei, and it will never be as strange as Federer losing in paralell situation.
But how much I would dislike it, from one angle it seems quite possible to me that Selby will win (maybe almost) every time and that's also why this rivalry lacks something for me (I'm not saying it's not exciting though). During their matches it seems that for Selby it's more important than anything to beat Ronnie, he's 100% concentrated and determined, he will try every possibility, even when the situation is nearly hopeless. And Ronnie may not like him, but he probably just doesn't feel like he needs to prove something by beating him and their relations don't matter that much from this point. He won't try everything to win, he'll still risk losing trying to do something impossible, on other occasion he won't fight for snookers, then he'll do something rush again getting impatient etc. He's a lot more likely to let chances slip with this attitude (and by saying that I'm not trying to take anything from Selby). But again, it may all become irrelevant when Ronnie has a great day or when something makes him as personally involved as Selby is (and I'm only saying that then things would become more interesting and Ronnie's chances would increase- not that Selby would be ridiculously outplayed).

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Noel

I expect to be gangbanged for shouting out like this but O'Sullivan only loses to himself.
True up.

=o!

Noel

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Witz78

Noel wrote:I expect to be gangbanged for shouting out like this but O'Sullivan only loses to himself.
True up.

=o!

Noel



i agree, basically if Ronnie is fully focused and on top form he never loses, even if his form is poor but hes remains focused and interested in the match he has a 50-50 chance but if his focus is gone, regardless of what flashes of form and brilliance he shows, ultimately he will gift too many frames lazily away to the opponents <doh>

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Wildey

that is where you are wrong in 2005 he was flying against Ebdon totally outplaying him for fun then Ebdon changed tact to get in to his head and he collapsed.

its never ever one player its always what both players do.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Tubberlad

Wrong. I've seen O'Sullivan lose in very good form to:

Stephen Hendry (1999 and 2002 World Semi-finals)
John Higgins (Masters final 2006)
Paul Hunter (Masters final 2004) this would be the best example
Stephen Maguire (UK Second round 2004)
Ricky Walden (Shanghai Masters final 2008)
Ding Junhui (Northern Ireland Trophy 2006)
David Gray (World Championship first round 2000) great example

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Wildey

thetubberlad wrote:Wrong. I've seen O'Sullivan lose in very good form to:

Stephen Hendry (1999 and 2002 World Semi-finals)
John Higgins (Masters final 2006)
Paul Hunter (Masters final 2004) this would be the best example
Stephen Maguire (UK Second round 2004)
Ricky Walden (Shanghai Masters final 2008)
Ding Junhui (Northern Ireland Trophy 2006)
David Gray (World Championship first round 2000) great example

also in the Grand Prix Final to Marco Fu few years back .

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Noel

Lads...
I respect your views and understand where you're coming from and love you and your love for snooker
but...

you're missing the bucking point!


Thank you.
That's all.

=o)

Noel

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Noel

I will throw down something precious.
Genius in fact.
A poem:
William Butler Yeats (The Wind Among the Reeds 1899)
It is a poem he sent to his lover.
It is much, much more.
It is what every musician and actor and dancer and performance artist
including sports people and snooker players feel... towards us.
They give us their brilliance and grace and it is only momentary.

"Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams."


Respect.


=o)

Noel

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby N_Castle07

thetubberlad wrote:Wrong. I've seen O'Sullivan lose in very good form to:

Stephen Hendry (1999 and 2002 World Semi-finals)
John Higgins (Masters final 2006)
Paul Hunter (Masters final 2004) this would be the best example
Stephen Maguire (UK Second round 2004)
Ricky Walden (Shanghai Masters final 2008)
Ding Junhui (Northern Ireland Trophy 2006)
David Gray (World Championship first round 2000) great example


Exactly mate and Ronnie is your second favourite player.

Great un biased comment <ok> <ok> <ok>

If Ronnie is in top form he can still be beat this rule applies to every snooker player over the years as we’ve seen.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Monique

Of course all players can be beat even on form. I wont agree completely with the list above (Ronnie was done when he played Waldo in Shanghai and I'm not sure about the NIT neither although he had been in great form for the rest of the tournament) but yes. The David Gray match in particular shook him: he made 5 tons during that match and was still beaten!

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby JohnFromLondonTown

If Ronnie O'Sullivan is playing to his best against anyone, then whoever his opponent might be, can just sit back & admire.

I agree with Noel, the only person that can beat Ronnie up is himself.

Morning btw. :D

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Rocket_ron

Noel wrote:Lads...
I respect your views and understand where you're coming from and love you and your love for snooker
but...

you're missing the intercoursing point!


Thank you.
That's all.

=o)

Noel

<laugh> <laugh> <laugh> <laugh> <laugh>

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Rocket_ron

thetubberlad wrote:Wrong. I've seen O'Sullivan lose in very good form to:

Stephen Hendry (1999 and 2002 World Semi-finals)
John Higgins (Masters final 2006)
Paul Hunter (Masters final 2004) this would be the best example
Stephen Maguire (UK Second round 2004)
Ricky Walden (Shanghai Masters final 2008)
Ding Junhui (Northern Ireland Trophy 2006)
David Gray (World Championship first round 2000) great example

very much agree with tubbs here.

if ronnie played at his all time best against john higgins at his all time best , higgins would win

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Tian Pengfei

Postby Wildey

absalutly bullocks noal Ronnie can be beaten when on form ive bucking seen it so dont give me that bucking rubbish it means buck all only biased Rubish.