One of my favourite sporting events of the year, and one wher you can make a few quid. Like in the last two years this looks wide open again. Last year it was won by the hun Graeme Dott and the previous year by Shaun Murphy at prices that would have made the Grand National bookies blush at the thought of the amount of money they had just won off the punters.
Well lets hope its 3rd time lucky for us this year with a favourite winning and we get at least some value out of our bet over the next 17 days of snooker.
Lets look at the draw first. The 2nd quater of the 1st side is truly the GROUP OF DEATH.
1st side of the draw
1 Graeme Dott 0
Ian McCulloch 0
2 Anthony Hamilton 0
Marco Fu 0
…
3 Stephen Maguire 0
Joe Perry 0
4 Mark Williams 0
Joe Swail 0
…
2nd side of the first half of the draw
5 John Higgins 0
Michael Holt 0
6 Barry Hawkins 0
Fergal O’Brien 0
…
7 Neil Robertson 0
Ryan Day 0
8 Ronnie O’Sullivan 0
Ding Junhui 0
…
2nd side of the draw 1st half.
9 Ken Doherty 0
Mark Allen 0
10 Matthew Stevens 0
Joe Delaney 0
…
11 Steve Davis 0
John Parrott 0
12 Shaun Murphy 0
Judd Trump 0
…
2nd half of 2nd side of the draw
13 Peter Ebdon 0
Nigel Bond 0
14 Stephen Lee 0
Mark Selby 0
…
15 Allister Carter 0
Andy Hicks 0
16 Stephen Hendry 0
David Gilbert 0
…
The LEADING PLAYERS PROFILE BY the BETTING. First thing to NOTE is ALL the players out of form at the moment, which often means plenty of fun for us as punters as the bookies also have little to go on except past history which might or might not add up to much now.
OSULLIVAN 7/2 You either love this guy or hate him. I love him. He has been know to throw the baby out of the pram when things get rough. So his first round match with Junhui should be a humdinger and worthy of a final in itself. Has to be the man to beat this year even if he hasnt showing any great form this season. But he has a unbelievable difficult draw. With Junhui, Roberson, Higgins and Dott all to beat just to make the final.
HENDRY 10/1 Again badly out of form but has managed to find himself a decent draw with only Edbon to worry about to make another semi-final. Saying all that I think one of the new kids on the block Carter might give him a hard time in the 2nd round.
MURPHY 12/1 Has the t-shirt been a past winner two years ago. He like Henry couldn`t have asked for a easier draw has only either Steve Davis or John Parrot to beat to make a 1/4 final with either Doherty or young Allen from Ulster and then maybe Henry in the semi-final.
JUNHUI DING 12/1 Champion in waiting according to some shrewd judges. It took Ronnie 9 gos to win this, so for Junhui to win this first time of asking and with the draw he has (the same as ronnies) he would have to go down as one of the greatest potential long time champions of all time and one the sportbadly needs. Like Ronnie though he has been known to throw the baby out of the pram when times get rough if his Wembley appearance with Osullivan in January is anything to go by. He wanted to shake hands at 10 -2 rather than play the last game, blaming a hostile crowd for his poor show.
HIGGINS 12/1 Has a handy enough path to the 1/4 finals with maybe only Fergal OBrien awaiting in the 2nd round. Again he has the T-shirt . Has been a bit disappointing in recent years going out to Dott last years winner early on. Has OSullivan group winner as his 1/4 final opponetent.
DOTT 14/1 Last years winner. Is actually in better form than most after his win in China last week. Hasnt got a difficult draw either until the semi-final when he meets the winner of the OSullivan v Higgins group. Another thing in his favour is hes going to be a lot fresher in the semi-final than OSullivan if not Higgins. But can he beat the Crucible curse no first timer winner has ever defended his title.
EBDON 14/1 Another with the T-shirt. You couldn`t put anybody off backing him. He always seems a man for the big occassion. Has Mark Selby to beat in the 2nd round a young guy who knows how to win even if only 21. After that its Henry in the 1/4s and Murphy or Doherty to beat to make the final. Not the hardest draw either.
ROBERTSON 16/1 If only he hadnt got the same group as OSulivan he would be a serious contender. Holder of two of the 7 ranking touraments at the moment it could well have been three only for that slip up on the yellow against Dott last year at 12 all. Hes in good form at present but with the winner of OSullivan v Junhui awaiting in the 2nd round before Higgins and Dott you might do better just betting him in singles along the way.
DOHERTY 20/1 Will finished the season as No 1 if he wins this week. He has every chance from the draw but like a lot of the others he`s not firing. But he has the T-shirt and knows himself whats required. One thing for sure the winner from his semi-final is going to be a lot fresher than the guy who wins the other one. If he does fire like a lot of the others theirs no reason why it can be his or their day.
Well best of luck folks. I have backed Ding with various degrees of succes for the past couple of years and Im not gonna desert him now, despite the fact he has Ronnie in the first round. If he’s gonna win it, he’d probably have to beat him at some stage anyway.