Which decider would you rate as the most dramatic ?
by FoulNMiss » 04 Sep 2020 Read
Hello everyone !
Obviously there is nothing else than a victory at the Crucible. But don't you think that the 98 final actually contains even more drama ?
Firstly, IMO a respotted black looks even more terrific than a "simple" final black (which kills me to call it that way lmao), as Williams had to clear from the brown first to snatch the tie and this ultimate black ball, right after that insane fluke on the yellow by Hendry.
The issue of both of them looks very close : An undefeatable champion losing to an underdog on the last black of a decider after leading the whole match and missing a match ball on his last shot, a horribly painful defeat for both Davis and Hendry, even decades later.
The difference is once again, the fact that Davis still won plenty of majors after this hard hit (he hadn't reach yet half of them), and some could argue this defeat helped him to be even more successful in the rest of his career. Whereas in the case of Hendry, it came at a moment where his decade of total domination was already behind him, that was one of his last chances to win something massive and he left this huge opportunity, even if he won the WSC in 99 later. Really, I find this respotted black highly symbolic as both the end of an era (Hendry winning almost everything), and the beginning of a new era with Willo winning his first TC event, quickly followed by the first one won by J. Higgins few months later at Sheffield. I see it at the ultimate moment in the history of snooker where the class of 92 definitely took the succession of Hendo.
For all of those reasons, even if the final between Taylor and Davis stays more strongly in all the minds, I would rate the drama of 98 even higher, considering the whole history of snooker. I am curious to have your view about it ?
Obviously there is nothing else than a victory at the Crucible. But don't you think that the 98 final actually contains even more drama ?
Firstly, IMO a respotted black looks even more terrific than a "simple" final black (which kills me to call it that way lmao), as Williams had to clear from the brown first to snatch the tie and this ultimate black ball, right after that insane fluke on the yellow by Hendry.
The issue of both of them looks very close : An undefeatable champion losing to an underdog on the last black of a decider after leading the whole match and missing a match ball on his last shot, a horribly painful defeat for both Davis and Hendry, even decades later.
The difference is once again, the fact that Davis still won plenty of majors after this hard hit (he hadn't reach yet half of them), and some could argue this defeat helped him to be even more successful in the rest of his career. Whereas in the case of Hendry, it came at a moment where his decade of total domination was already behind him, that was one of his last chances to win something massive and he left this huge opportunity, even if he won the WSC in 99 later. Really, I find this respotted black highly symbolic as both the end of an era (Hendry winning almost everything), and the beginning of a new era with Willo winning his first TC event, quickly followed by the first one won by J. Higgins few months later at Sheffield. I see it at the ultimate moment in the history of snooker where the class of 92 definitely took the succession of Hendo.
For all of those reasons, even if the final between Taylor and Davis stays more strongly in all the minds, I would rate the drama of 98 even higher, considering the whole history of snooker. I am curious to have your view about it ?
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FoulNMiss - Posts: 367
- Joined: 04 September 2020
- Snooker Idol: Ronnie
- Walk-On: Dire Straits - Money for Nothing
