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Is Hawkins finished as a topplayer?

Postby TheRocket

He is the World number 17, outside of the Top16 for the first time since 2012/2013. His last ranking event final has been the 2018 Welsh Open which he lost to Higgins. He won the Paul Hunter Classic this season but it was a bo7 non-ranking event and the far majority of topplayers didnt even play in that one.

His great record at the Crucible has also come to an end, losing in the 2nd round for two consecutive years. And his so called beast mode performances have become very rare these days.

its fair to say he's done very well over the last 7-8 years given he was pretty much a journeyman for the first half of his career but I think his good period has come to an end now.

Re: Is Hawkins finished as a topplayer?

Postby Alex0paul

He will be in and around the top 16 like Joe Perry for the next few years with the odd deep run I’d imagine

Re: Is Hawkins finished as a topplayer?

Postby Iranu

Didn’t he also have personal issues about a year ago that affected his season?

His best is probably behind him but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him back in the top 16. Maybe another ranker but that’s less likely.

Re: Is Hawkins finished as a topplayer?

Postby D4P

Iranu wrote:Didn’t he also have personal issues about a year ago that affected his season?


IIRC his wife's brother died, or something like that. Plus, he had that boating accident...

Re: Is Hawkins finished as a topplayer?

Postby D4P

Cloud Strife wrote:I believe he is a future world champion in the making, personally. The potential is there for all to see.


Definitely one to keep an eye on.

Re: Is Hawkins finished as a topplayer?

Postby PLtheRef

I wasn't aware of the personal issues that were listed in the earlier post.

I suppose looking back Hawkins is a funny one. If you'd said ten years ago that Hawkins (having gone out of the World Championships in the First Round for a fifth consecutive year (and having not won a match at the Crucible) that he would go on to make the most appearances on the one table set up during the 2010s people would have been more than surprised.

The Hawkins which reached the Crucible Final of 2013 did come through an easier half of the draw, but also saw him produce some great performances in eliminating Selby, Ding and then recover from 12-8 behind in the Semi-Final against Walden and then given O'Sullivan a decent test in the Final.

The following year there wouldn't have been as much expectation on Hawkins given the side of the draw he found himself in, yet his quarter opened up a little and he found himself back in the Semi-Final, and the year after that as well. Arguably had it not been for a poor start against Marco Fu in the quarter-finals of the 2016 World Championship, whose to say he wouldn't have made it six Semi-Finals in a row at the Crucible.

To an extent, I wonder if he is still feeling a little bit of the effects of losing that Last 16 match to Kyren Wilson in 2019 having led 6-1. That's not to say he threw the match away, Kyren made five centuries and thoroughly deserved to complete the comeback 13-11 but you wouldn't expect a Barry Hawkins at the Crucible to give up a five frame advantage like that (even if it was in the first session of a three session match)

Can he get back into the top 16? He's certainly more than capable and indeed along with Joe Perry, he's probably one of those players outside the 16 that the elite group would rather be in it (to avoid him in the draw) however he needs a big season next year. 22nd on the one year list and almost £30,000 behind 16th

Re: Is Hawkins finished as a topplayer?

Postby Dragonfly

Hawkins is a good player. Nothing particularly outstanding about his game. He does inhabit that halfway land. Too good for journeyman, not good enough for elite. But he does have a good temperament which means he can be a handful for any of the very top players.

I'd be shocked if he was ever world champion. But he can make life very difficult for anybody he meets and will cause more upsets. And he will probably still get to a few finals of lesser events. I doubt he will win a major event.

Re: Is Hawkins finished as a topplayer?

Postby Ck147

Dragonfly wrote:Hawkins is a good player. Nothing particularly outstanding about his game. He does inhabit that halfway land. Too good for journeyman, not good enough for elite. But he does have a good temperament which means he can be a handful for any of the very top players.

I'd be shocked if he was ever world champion. But he can make life very difficult for anybody he meets and will cause more upsets. And he will probably still get to a few finals of lesser events. I doubt he will win a major event.

+1 (Beast mode only usually gets him through one sticky situation per tournament.)

Re: Is Hawkins finished as a topplayer?

Postby McManusFan

I like Hawkins, he seems like a good lad, and when he's playing decent he's pretty good to watch. He does seem to have a problem with loosing from in front. He does seem to be declining of late, but I reckon he's possibly got one more title in him - let's hope it isn't the shootout!

Re: Is Hawkins finished as a topplayer?

Postby LC

Cloud Strife wrote:
D4P wrote:
Iranu wrote:Didn’t he also have personal issues about a year ago that affected his season?


IIRC his wife's brother died, or something like that. Plus, he had that boating accident...


https://www.rte.ie/amp/944875/

I had no idea that had happened to Barry’s family, I thought he hadn’t been playing to his usual standard for a while and it’s understandable why now.

Re: Is Hawkins finished as a topplayer?

Postby mick745

I am not sure that Hawk has got the recognition he deserved. Had a great WC record and could give all he top players a real game. Inevitably though some of the more established players will start to slide down the rankings, Murphy may be one, Bingham another, make way for some new blood.

Re: Is Hawkins finished as a topplayer?

Postby SnookerEd25

Holden Chinaski wrote:
Dan-cat wrote:Why doesn't he play beast mode all the time?

My girl loves it when I go beast mode. Can't do it all the time though.


Exactly. Daft question. :no:

Ban yourself, Dan. :gag:

Re: Is Hawkins finished as a topplayer?

Postby SnookerFan

SnookerEd25 wrote:
Holden Chinaski wrote:
Dan-cat wrote:Why doesn't he play beast mode all the time?

My girl loves it when I go beast mode. Can't do it all the time though.


Exactly. Daft question. :no:

Ban yourself, Dan. :gag:


Temporary ban. Sorry mate.

Re: Is Hawkins finished as a topplayer?

Postby chengdufan

Ronnie79 wrote:He might win a shitty ranking or the shoot out. He won't ever win a triple crown event

Not sure why the shootout always gets mentioned in these debates. The chance for any individual to win it is small.
What you have to look at for each tournament is how many players realistically have a chance of winning. The World Championship, I'd say about 20 (remember Bingham and Dott). Probably about 40 have a chance of winning a best of 7s/9s then longer final type tournament. About 50 could win a best of 7s throughout. But any one of about 80 could win the shootout.
In addition, you note that the fewer players that have a chance of winning, the bigger the gap in the chance of winning between number one and the least likely. In the worlds, number 1 is much much more likely to win than number 20. In the shootout, the chance of number 1 winning is not much different from the chance of number 80 winning (relatively speaking).

So if you're Hawkins, who at the moment is about the 25th-30th best player, his best chance of winning a tournament would be a short format early rounds, long format final type tournament.
Him getting back into the top 20 for at least a year or two is quite likely. He has the ability. Getting into the top 20 and winning the world's is very unlikely.
Winning the shootout will always be very unlikely.

Re: Is Hawkins finished as a topplayer?

Postby SnookerFan

Ronnie79 wrote:He might win a shitty ranking or the shoot out. He won't ever win a triple crown event


A shitty ranking event or the shoot-out? Other than the Shoot-Out, what ranking events do you consider to be shitty?