best way to deal with Selby getting 3 in a row? get 4 in a row yourself of course. I'm not sure anyone's told Brecel that he's in the world championship final, he looks like he's just dicking about on the practice table in his local club, so relaxed
Gutted for Selby, really thought number 5 was coming but hopefully next year is the year, gave himself to much work in the 3rd session being 5 frames behind
But fantastic from Brecel he played incredible and is fully deserved to be world champion
On the playing side
Selby made the first 147 of a final and finished the season with the joint most centuries, won the WST Classic and English Open and got the the World Championship final and mixed doubles runner up
So not been a terrible season and hopefully he can take that into next season
Honestly thought Brecel had gone to pieces when he had those successive frames towards the end when he didn't pot anything at all. Glad he pulled himself together. What a final it was - a 147, a big lead, a strong comeback, even a re-rack to boost the tension. And ending with a century as well. Great match.
Two lovely speeches after the game - a credit to both men. Selby has had huge battles with depression and his openness about it will hopefully help others.
Brecel had a great tournament and promises an exciting future.
A very interesting Worlds, nice to see a new winner.. although i was routing for Mark Selby.
I did say I am not really a fan of Brecel, mostly based on his post 1st round interview... however i will take some back as he was very classy in his post match interview last night and really respectful towards Mark and his wife. He's not won me over just yet but he has gone up in my estimations, also he does play great there is no denying that.
Overall, he deserve to win. The come back from Ronnie 10-6 and then Si (hopefully that doesn't break Si as he had a fantastic tournament too)
In January one of the people on twitter said Luca will be World Champion this year, i responded ' Maybe one day, but too soon as he doesn't have the saftey game yet', i do find it hilarious and equally impressive the person who predicted it. proper egg on my face there
Chinese players Liang Wenbo and Li Hang have received lifetime bans for match-fixing in snooker's biggest corruption scandal.
A total of 10 players, all from China, have been disciplined by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA).
The allegations include manipulating games, approaching players to cheat, betting on snooker and fixing a match.
Yan Bingtao, the 2021 Masters champion, has been banned for five years until 11 December 2027, and UK Championship winner Zhao Xintong must serve a 20-month suspension that ends on 1 September 2024.
Brief summary of the bans, check WPBSA official statement for more:
Liang Wenbo - Lifetime Li Hang - Lifetime Lu Ning - 5 years Xintong - 1 year 8 months Jianbo - 2 years 4 months Bingyu - 2 years Bai Langning - 2 years 8 months Chen Zifan - 5 years Jianking - 2 years 11 months
Some have been reduced as they have pleaded guilty, it's worth looking at the offences to see why they are so different.
Hopefully now they have come down pretty hard on most, it might stop this thing happening again. Still a bit of a grey area, however they have been punished now so we move on.
Q school 1 - Was concluded last week but qualifiers: Liam Pullen Ursenbacher Pagett Higginson
Q School 2 - This was completed yesterday Carrington Heathcote Dean Young Alfie Burden
only one new face, i enjoyed following the events but as a lot of people in snooker are saying they might want to look at changing the format as some of the players who have missed out.
Personally i think something similar to golf/ darts where they have a second tour that mirrors it but then with a ranking system to reward the most consistent eg. top 8 get a card and then still have Q school.
The Asian/Oceania Q school, we have had 2 qualifiers and the second one is currently being played: Thor Chuan Long - He has been on the tour previously Phetmalaikul - Actually down as english, he is 24 years old but don't really know much about him, he was the only English entry
Five players have received increased bans from Chinese authorities for their involvement in snooker match-fixing.
Bingtao will be prevented from returning to the World Snooker Tour for seven and a half years, despite initially receiving a five-year ban.
Xintong is suspended until July 2025.
Lu Ning's ban has been extended to eight years, Bai Langning's to four years and Zhang Jiankang's to four years and five months.
The governing body has also backed lifetime bans handed to Liang Wenbo and Li Hang by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA).
Five players have received increased bans from Chinese authorities for their involvement in snooker match-fixing.
Bingtao will be prevented from returning to the World Snooker Tour for seven and a half years, despite initially receiving a five-year ban.
Xintong is suspended until July 2025.
Lu Ning's ban has been extended to eight years, Bai Langning's to four years and Zhang Jiankang's to four years and five months.
The governing body has also backed lifetime bans handed to Liang Wenbo and Li Hang by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA).
This is incorrect, the previous information confirmed their sentence but they got reduced sentences.
Poor from BBC, but this is factually wrong and the previous numbers i posted were correct. They clearly haven't read the documents which are available to all for example Xintong was reduced to 1 year and 8 months.
Five players have received increased bans from Chinese authorities for their involvement in snooker match-fixing.
Bingtao will be prevented from returning to the World Snooker Tour for seven and a half years, despite initially receiving a five-year ban.
Xintong is suspended until July 2025.
Lu Ning's ban has been extended to eight years, Bai Langning's to four years and Zhang Jiankang's to four years and five months.
The governing body has also backed lifetime bans handed to Liang Wenbo and Li Hang by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA).
This is incorrect, the previous information confirmed their sentence but they got reduced sentences.
Poor from BBC, but this is factually wrong and the previous numbers i posted were correct. They clearly haven't read the documents which are available to all for example Xintong was reduced to 1 year and 8 months.
I think there is conflicting stories here that's why there has been confusion
The WPBSA initially handed out the suspensions but reduced them due to early admission and guilty pleas, however the CBSA(Chinese Billards Snooker Association) have said the players shouldn't have had reduced sentences so have said their bans will be full length bans for CBSA events, Which would be their best route back on tour as being Chinese players living in Asia(which I would assume the length of these bans they would go home for) but if they did try and get back on tour via Q School when the WPBSA ban ends they wouldn't be allowed to enter any Chinese event until the CBSA ban ends
So basically they bans haven't been increased technically but they are increased for Chinese events to what they were going to be as the suspended part of the ban will now have to be served as well.
TBH I didn't expect the CBSA to step in so the fact the did and in this manner shows they are not happy with these players and what they have done to the game.
Two 147s this year. Ding had a tremendous 147 against Ronnie in the 1st round... shame John "where's the cue ball going" Virgo is STILL commentating for the BBC...
Mark Allen as part of his comeback against Selby in the quarter final got his 147.
Allen is now against Ali Carter in the semi. Allen is a frame up.
The other semi earlier saw an ok match with moaning about the cold O'Sullivan V Shaun Murphy. Ronnie got going through the gears to warm himself up in the last couple of frames to win 6-2.
Comments
Selby gracious in defeat...
But fantastic from Brecel he played incredible and is fully deserved to be world champion
On the playing side
Selby made the first 147 of a final and finished the season with the joint most centuries, won the WST Classic and English Open and got the the World Championship final and mixed doubles runner up
So not been a terrible season and hopefully he can take that into next season
Really happy for Brecel though, he plays spectacular stuff. And actually, played some lovely safety in the game that mattered most, at 16-15
Brecel had a great tournament and promises an exciting future.
I did say I am not really a fan of Brecel, mostly based on his post 1st round interview... however i will take some back as he was very classy in his post match interview last night and really respectful towards Mark and his wife. He's not won me over just yet but he has gone up in my estimations, also he does play great there is no denying that.
Overall, he deserve to win. The come back from Ronnie 10-6 and then Si (hopefully that doesn't break Si as he had a fantastic tournament too)
In January one of the people on twitter said Luca will be World Champion this year, i responded ' Maybe one day, but too soon as he doesn't have the saftey game yet', i do find it hilarious and equally impressive the person who predicted it. proper egg on my face there
Chinese players Liang Wenbo and Li Hang have received lifetime bans for match-fixing in snooker's biggest corruption scandal.
A total of 10 players, all from China, have been disciplined by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA).
The allegations include manipulating games, approaching players to cheat, betting on snooker and fixing a match.
Yan Bingtao, the 2021 Masters champion, has been banned for five years until 11 December 2027, and UK Championship winner Zhao Xintong must serve a 20-month suspension that ends on 1 September 2024.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/65641122
Liang Wenbo - Lifetime
Li Hang - Lifetime
Lu Ning - 5 years
Xintong - 1 year 8 months
Jianbo - 2 years 4 months
Bingyu - 2 years
Bai Langning - 2 years 8 months
Chen Zifan - 5 years
Jianking - 2 years 11 months
Some have been reduced as they have pleaded guilty, it's worth looking at the offences to see why they are so different.
Hopefully now they have come down pretty hard on most, it might stop this thing happening again. Still a bit of a grey area, however they have been punished now so we move on.
Liam Pullen
Ursenbacher
Pagett
Higginson
Q School 2 - This was completed yesterday
Carrington
Heathcote
Dean Young
Alfie Burden
only one new face, i enjoyed following the events but as a lot of people in snooker are saying they might want to look at changing the format as some of the players who have missed out.
Personally i think something similar to golf/ darts where they have a second tour that mirrors it but then with a ranking system to reward the most consistent eg. top 8 get a card and then still have Q school.
The Asian/Oceania Q school, we have had 2 qualifiers and the second one is currently being played:
Thor Chuan Long - He has been on the tour previously
Phetmalaikul - Actually down as english, he is 24 years old but don't really know much about him, he was the only English entry
Bingtao will be prevented from returning to the World Snooker Tour for seven and a half years, despite initially receiving a five-year ban.
Xintong is suspended until July 2025.
Lu Ning's ban has been extended to eight years, Bai Langning's to four years and Zhang Jiankang's to four years and five months.
The governing body has also backed lifetime bans handed to Liang Wenbo and Li Hang by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA).
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/65977212
Poor from BBC, but this is factually wrong and the previous numbers i posted were correct. They clearly haven't read the documents which are available to all for example Xintong was reduced to 1 year and 8 months.
The WPBSA initially handed out the suspensions but reduced them due to early admission and guilty pleas, however the CBSA(Chinese Billards Snooker Association) have said the players shouldn't have had reduced sentences so have said their bans will be full length bans for CBSA events, Which would be their best route back on tour as being Chinese players living in Asia(which I would assume the length of these bans they would go home for) but if they did try and get back on tour via Q School when the WPBSA ban ends they wouldn't be allowed to enter any Chinese event until the CBSA ban ends
So basically they bans haven't been increased technically but they are increased for Chinese events to what they were going to be as the suspended part of the ban will now have to be served as well.
TBH I didn't expect the CBSA to step in so the fact the did and in this manner shows they are not happy with these players and what they have done to the game.
Masters 2024
Two 147s this year. Ding had a tremendous 147 against Ronnie in the 1st round...
shame John "where's the cue ball going" Virgo is STILL commentating for the BBC...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/snooker/67912250
Mark Allen as part of his comeback against Selby in the quarter final got his 147.
Allen is now against Ali Carter in the semi. Allen is a frame up.
The other semi earlier saw an ok match with moaning about the cold O'Sullivan V Shaun Murphy. Ronnie got going through the gears to warm himself up in the last couple of frames to win 6-2.
Haven't seen any shoulder barges as of yet but that could still come after 7pm when the match resumes.