Who will win this years World Championship?

First topic message reminder :

First topic message reminder :

Who's your favourite for this years title ?

One of the seeds ? Or will it be a qualifier ?


We're down to the last 4, so let us know who you think will finally clinch it.

He gets there, limping. Who cares how bad you are right Ali? Just keep nicking them, and we'll forgive you.

He cant let Ronnie win the last mini session 3-1 or worse as it would be over for him.

Don't think the WC should go to China. a WC in any sport should be all about history and tradition and it has both at the Crucible.

Nope, me either. The World Championships should stay in England.

Besides, it would muck up my TV times

I forgot, they play 5 frames now

TSC wrote:Besides, it would muck up my TV times

and that is why it will go china, its why the f1 is on at random times around the globe- to max european time zone..

China has 2 3rds of the world champ viewers(if not way more)- thin k about how many they would have if the champs was at peak viewing for them. and how much more money that would bring into the game...

The tourment is possibly killed due to its naming as random as that sounds/ obviously we have the uk and the masters, imagine the world champs was just seen as the big major and was called something else- it wouldnt move and we could just have another major in china.

The fact its called the worlds is its downfall.. tennis and golfs(other individual sports) majors cannot get hit in the same way even if there was a shift east..

there is gonna be some major shuffling about in the next 20 years- just dont be suprised if it leaves. I would be gutted and would love to see it protected- but sometimes if you dont play ball- the sport splits up(fifa in worldball , darts,etc) and we loose out, and there would just be another world championship event in china.. basically the same situ as darts.

Is Ali for real? Miss the easy black twice man, Barry Hearn must have whispered to him. :/

The game is too sad to watch now, Worlds Scariest Flights for me.

You make some good points. Sadly I can see it moving but you never know.

Ali....... This is Ronnie's bad session (or at least he's not playing as well as he could). Gotta take the chances.

"If he hits the red first, definitely in off"

OH what a pot on the yellow.

Oh that's a shame. Never saw the black going in.

Ali Carter now playing a game of damage limitation. If he can get out of this session 10-7 or even better 9-8 he'd be delighted. Any worse and his chances have gone.

erm- gotta ask yourself how carter is only 3 behind.. game on though blimey!

he is gonna be happy

Actually I agree with Willie Thorne. He was spot on in his commentary that Ali had chances in all of the frames this evening and never took them. It was a weird session as Ronnie wasn't firing on all cylinders but still stretched his lead which just demonstrates how much of an uphill battle Ali faces.

From what i saw last night, Ronnie was giving away loads of chances, chances that a player like Higgins would have taken advantage of.

I dont know if Carter is feeling the pressure of playing in the final or if he is feeling the pressure of never having beaten Ronnie in a ranking event but he is not capitalising on Ronnies errors.

Ronnie is capitalising on Carters errors and is looking like its already too big a challenge for Carter. The biggest plus is that Ronnie didnt run away with it last night which is what i feared would happen.

Spot on billy. Carter just did not score as heavily as he should of with the decent chances he was served up and that it why he is a great match player and destined never to be a world champion it would seem.

luckily for ALI , ronnie didnt take all of his either, he is well in the game. And cant complain- to play that bad and only be 3 back on ronnie is decent.

No need to jump to any conclusions just yet. there is a long way to go

I just could not believe the chances Ronnie was leaving him. It was very unlike Ronnie. He didnt pressure Ronnie in the safety play early in frames either as he was rarely going to take a pot on which left Ronnie under no pressure in his safety game.

A game plan is one thing but to get to Ronnie you have to put him under pressure and thats not what Carter was doing. That may work against other players but Ronnie is too good for that tactic. I must admit that i have been very impressed with Ronnie's focus the WC.

Mysti this match has an air of inevitability about it end result wise. More so this year as Ronnie seems totally tuned in and Ali lacks the heavy scoring ability to win enough frames at one visit against Ronnie. We shall see but I'd be flabbergasted if Ali won now in what would surely be the biggest upset since Joe Johnson beat Steve Davis.

+1 CC.

I would be amazed if Ali turned this around. Not that he cant but i just think that Ronnie still has those extra gears to call on if needed.

judging players as destined never to be WC winners is jumping the gun.

I am 100% backing ronnie to win this, As i have stated plenty of times, I also backed ali to reach the final, i have also backed him to give ronnie a fight.. Ali is a great player and i think you need to be a bit patient before you damm him as a nearly man- he is that good a player (compared to the talent available) that in all probability even if he doesnt win today that he will get another crack at the title(illness withstanding offcourse).

Getting to two world finals is not a fluke..

For me, Carter is just one of these players who, when he needs to take a chance in one visit to win the frame, I never feel as though he can do it. He proved me wrong to a certain extent in the 1/4 and semi's but, so far I feel vindicated in my views.

Ali is a superb striker of the cue ball and has showed some excellent tactical play against Judd and Maguire, but I feel that the only player who can beat Ronnie in top form with safety play and the ability to score heavily in one visit, is John Higgins. I'd like to think Ali could make a game of it, and I will be surprised if he is within 3 frames of Ronnie going into the final session, but I just can't see any other result than a comfortable Ronnie win.

Oh, and I've decided to mute the players entrances due to Rob Walker's awful Ronnie introduction.

Its very difficult. I really like the work that Ebdon has done with Ali and the gameplan they are playing but i also feel that its slightly interfeering with Ali's natural game somewhat.



I feel that Ali has to win this afternoons session 5-3 in order to stand a chance against Ronnie tonight. Going into the final session 3 frames or more behind Ronnie will be too much.

Its very difficult. I really like the work that Ebdon has done with Ali and the gameplan they are playing but i also feel that its slightly interfeering with Ali's natural game somewhat.

Ebdon was decent player when he won the world title in 02 since then he started changing his game and it has not brought him much results... can't understand why Carter would take Ebdon's advice, as he has been a much better player than him last few years.

Ali should have asked Selby for advice..

Mysti, I haven't jumped the gun with regards to Ali. Some players are just destined to be nearly men and I think that applies to Ali. He won't beat Ronnie this year and he wouldn't be up to beating an on-form John Higgins, Neil Robertson and Mark Selby so where is this world title going to come from especially as time is not exactly on his side age and health wise. It isno disgrace and heck even Mark Selby may never win the coveted title as have many other great players in the past. Now don't get me wrong I am not rubbishing Ali at all as I love his gritty determination and battling spirit and enjoy watching him play. I just feel he lacks that killer touch world champions seem to have.

It's hardly been a classic final but I'm enjoying it nontheless. Half 2 resumption?

You can name so many players that have the game to win a World titel, of which Carter would be one.I agree with you CC, he just misses that something that is required to be a World Champion.



He could still do it of course and i would be very happy for him but i just cant see it.

I would be very happy for him as well but the way I see it is that he trails by three frames against a Ronnie yet to play his very best. That is very worryingvif you are an Ali Carter fan. Ifronnie finds top gear I suspect him to win perhaps 18-10 or 18-12 in the end.

Thats what i fear for with Carter, Ronnie could turn it and be out of sight very quickly.

On the other hand, Ali's not played his best yet so you never know.

That maybe true TSC but does he have the ability to turn it on?

Be honest TSC - Ronnie at his best versus Ali at his best and there is only one winner and it ain't 'The Captain.

I don't think so. He's not got the Ronnie or Maguire flair that, if he wins a couple of frames in a row, he can win 6 or 7 quickly in 1 visit.

Absolutely. As I (and someone else) have said, only Higgins at his best can stop Ronnie at his best.

I just cant see Carter being able to match Ronnie. He may improve but so may Ronnie. Ronnie has been very calm and controled these worlds.

TSC wrote:I don't think so. He's not got the Ronnie or Maguire flair that, if he wins a couple of frames in a row, he can win 6 or 7 quickly in 1 visit.

Absolutely. As I (and someone else) have said, only Higgins at his best can stop Ronnie at his best.

Exactly and Higgins seems to have the mental edge on Ronnie also. TBH I was hoping Maguire would make it to the final, when he's in form, he's one of the few players who can rock up 4/5 frames in no time with heavy scoring. I like Ali but he's one of these players in my view, who don't have the complete game or mental edge to win the world title.

Who is gonna be the next higgins or osullivan. Its a tough call because i am not sure if trumps all round game is ideal or even his head..

Higgins is possibly the best mental player since stephen hendry for sure. Ronnie is blessed with ubber skills. Mags hasnt shown to be good enough at either attribute as the before two. I honestly think the next one is gonna be a chinese from the massive player pool. But untill then players like ali will have a shot at the worlds

The Ronnie - Higgins thing is very odd. I believe John has the better allround game but if i was to be honest i would say that Ronnie is the better player.

I think Neil Robertson could go on and dominate considering his improvement of his safety play, coupled with his extraordinary potting, break building and ball striking ability. He did show mental frailties against Ronnie however, but, being Aussie, he should have a pretty good temperament.

Judd Trump for his obvious natural talent but needs to massively improve on his safety and break building to become a dominant player. Apart from those two, I doubt we will see two players like Ronnie and Higgins again, two players dominating the sport. Still, no one compares in my view to Stephen Hendry, simply the greatest player of all time, to win the WC 7X is incredible, and to win it, what was it 5/6 years in a row. Incredible.

Ding's temperament is stopping him from going up a level. Next Higgins or O'Sullivan... I don't know. Can there really be a "next" of them? So many fascinating battles over the years, especially the 2006 Masters Final (although I would bring that one up ).

We'll see how Luca does. He looks to be a brilliant player. Best debut since Hendry v Thorne?

TSC wrote:Ding's temperament is stopping him from going up a level. Next Higgins or O'Sullivan... I don't know. Can there really be a "next" of them? So many fascinating battles over the years, especially the 2006 Masters Final (although I would bring that one up ).

We'll see how Luca does. He looks to be a brilliant player. Best debut since Hendry v Thorne?

The best debut by a 17 year has to be when O'Sullivan played against Alan McManus in 1993 and lost 10-7.

I see neil as the next williams, great single potter, goodish mental game when in the big games. but maybe not quite upto the level shown by higgins or ronnie.

stephen hendry is one of them rare sportsman like tiger woods, jack nicklaus, phil taylor- someone who really truely dominated for a spell. i suppoe in that respect and in snooker only davies can be compared as up there on a mental level.

martyr_94 wrote:I think Neil Robertson could go on and dominate considering his improvement of his safety play, coupled with his extraordinary potting, break building and ball striking ability. He did show mental frailties against Ronnie however, but, being Aussie, he should have a pretty good temperament.

Judd Trump for his obvious natural talent but needs to massively improve on his safety and break building to become a dominant player. Apart from those two, I doubt we will see two players like Ronnie and Higgins again, two players dominating the sport. Still, no one compares in my view to Stephen Hendry, simply the greatest player of all time, to win the WC 7X is incredible, and to win it, what was it 5/6 years in a row. Incredible.

But Stephen himself has admitted that his 7 world title wins were made in a decade in which the overall standard of play was much lower than it is now and he himself said that to win a world title now in the current times would equate to winning all 7 of his world titles in the 1990's.

mystiroakey wrote:I see neil as the next williams, great single potter, goodish mental game when in the big games. but maybe not quite upto the level shown by higgins or ronnie.

stephen hendry is one of them rare sportsman like tiger woods, jack nicklaus, phil taylor- someone who really truely dominated for a spell. i suppoe in that respect and in snooker only davies can be compared as up there on a mental level.

What about Joe Davis?

gb - hendry is a modest lad- i would almost completely dismiss that opinion.

gboycottnut wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:I see neil as the next williams, great single potter, goodish mental game when in the big games. but maybe not quite upto the level shown by higgins or ronnie.

stephen hendry is one of them rare sportsman like tiger woods, jack nicklaus, phil taylor- someone who really truely dominated for a spell. i suppoe in that respect and in snooker only davies can be compared as up there on a mental level.

What about Joe Davis?

good call but didnt see what he did in my lifetime

mystiroakey wrote:

gboycottnut wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:I see neil as the next williams, great single potter, goodish mental game when in the big games. but maybe not quite upto the level shown by higgins or ronnie.

stephen hendry is one of them rare sportsman like tiger woods, jack nicklaus, phil taylor- someone who really truely dominated for a spell. i suppoe in that respect and in snooker only davies can be compared as up there on a mental level.

What about Joe Davis?

good call but didnt see what he did in my lifetime

Well he did win 20 world titles spanning 2 decades and although there may not have been the depth of players as was the case from the modern era onwards from 1977, I believe that should he have played in any of the eras from the 1970's onwards, he could well have been one of the the top 4 players in the world. I have seen the video footage of Joe Davis make a century break in a exhibition match V John Pulman around 1962 a long time after he had retired from competitive play and I could see the excellent solid technique he used for playing the game.

that is certainly some record and he is a deserved legend of the game.