2016 UK Championship

[JimMalone]

Mark Selby is taking over from Ronnie. Judd was supposed to do it but he is not good enough.

Judd still has no top overall around game. His shot selection is not good enough IMO. But so far this season he was making steps into the right direction I think. Lets see how he develops.

As for Ding he has the game and its rather a lack of confidence and/or concentration I suppose. I hope that he can soon recover from his latest struggles.

[SnookerFan]

I really hoped reaching The Crucible final would be a turning point for Ding. He has always struggled at that venue, and reaching the final would've given him the confidence. It was the one thing left to achieve for him, and he came his closest to actually doing it.

When he won the Shanghai Masters, I was thinking maybe Ding could really push on. But since then, he's starting struggling again.

[ken147]

Great post; that really would be the ultimate player. So Ding needs Judd's long game and confidence and Judd needs Ding's patience and control.

Ding is lacking a consistent B/C game and his concentration levels over the season is also suspect. Also when he is break building he is too meticulous and gets upset when his intricate cannons do not come off.

[Big Splash!]

It would be rather nice to have Ding and Judd's best qualities.

Jack Lisowski was telling a story how Ding got straight off a 12-hour flight from China, rocked up in Sheffield, Jack said "Fancy a game?", Ding: "Yeah sure"...

*Jack breaks off*

*Ding makes 147*

Great post; that really would be the ultimate player. So Ding needs Judd's long game and confidence and Judd needs Ding's patience and control.

[PatBlock]

And Nadal like Selby takes an inordinate amount of time to do anything, it breaks the concentration of the opponent and that's whay they do it.

Even Ronnie now acknowledges that this rather paranoid perspective is nonsense.

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[Ronnington]

It would be rather nice to have Ding and Judd's best qualities.

Jack Lisowski was telling a story how Ding got straight off a 12-hour flight from China, rocked up in Sheffield, Jack said "Fancy a game?", Ding: "Yeah sure"...

*Jack breaks off*

*Ding makes 147*

[sealer]

Mark Selby is taking over from Ronnie. Judd was supposed to do it but he is not good enough.

[JimMalone]

In the last 15 Triple Crown events,

Selby has won 5 (2 WSC, 2 UK, 1 Masters)
Ronnie has won 5 (2 WSC, 2 Masters, 1 UK)
Robertson has won 3 (2 UK, 1 Masters)
Bingham has won 1 WSC
Murphy has won 1 Masters

It's not surprising at all to see Ronnie and Mark dominating but it is kinda surprising how much Ding and Trump have regressed in recent years.

If someone told me 5 years ago that neither would win one Triple Crown event, i would not have believed it at all.

Didn't think about this. Can't believe it's already more than five years that Ding won a triple crown event. I'm positive that he will win one again in the future though.

[itsnoteasy]

In the last 15 Triple Crown events,

Selby has won 5 (2 WSC, 2 UK, 1 Masters)
Ronnie has won 5 (2 WSC, 2 Masters, 1 UK)
Robertson has won 3 (2 UK, 1 Masters)
Bingham has won 1 WSC
Murphy has won 1 Masters

It's not surprising at all to see Ronnie and Mark dominating but it is kinda surprising how much Ding and Trump have regressed in recent years.

If someone told me 5 years ago that neither would win one Triple Crown event, i would not have believed it at all.

I agree that's a good post, quite revealing, if asked, there is no way I would have said Trump or Murphy hadn't won one of the last fifteen of the big ones.

[mikeyd100]

In the last 15 Triple Crown events,

Selby has won 5 (2 WSC, 2 UK, 1 Masters)
Ronnie has won 5 (2 WSC, 2 Masters, 1 UK)
Robertson has won 3 (2 UK, 1 Masters)
Bingham has won 1 WSC
Murphy has won 1 Masters

It's not surprising at all to see Ronnie and Mark dominating but it is kinda surprising how much Ding and Trump have regressed in recent years.

If someone told me 5 years ago that neither would win one Triple Crown event, i would not have believed it at all.

Good stat that.

[Kargetina]

In the last 15 Triple Crown events,

Selby has won 5 (2 WSC, 2 UK, 1 Masters)
Ronnie has won 5 (2 WSC, 2 Masters, 1 UK)
Robertson has won 3 (2 UK, 1 Masters)
Bingham has won 1 WSC
Murphy has won 1 Masters

It's not surprising at all to see Ronnie and Mark dominating but it is kinda surprising how much Ding and Trump have regressed in recent years.

If someone told me 5 years ago that neither would win one Triple Crown event, i would not have believed it at all.

[SnookerFan]

Well, if that would be true it would be a real weakness for a top player. I think this is unfair to Ronnie as he often has proved he is better than that. Otherwise he also wouldn't have had nearly as much success as he enjoyed.

To be honest, that was one frame. Most of the rest of the final was pretty attacking.

I really don't think Ronnie lost the final because of not liking the style of play in one frame.

[JimMalone]

Have to disagree, ronnie looked up for it and up for getting a fast start, then i think he missed a red in 2nd frame when in amongst them, and the frame took nearly an hour then, that bogged him down and messed his plans up, i think it would of been a similar match to the masters final they played if ronnie had of not got frustrated during first mini session, 2-2 wasnt the outcome he was looking for.

Well, if that would be true it would be a real weakness for a top player. I think this is unfair to Ronnie as he often has proved he is better than that. Otherwise he also wouldn't have had nearly as much success as he enjoyed.

[daffie]

The reaction of the final has been nothing but spectacular!

Shaun Murphy wrote this: ''Anyone watching the snooker has witnessed the bar being raised. Practice table for the rest of us! Congrats to @markjesterselby #history''

I went on twitter last night and 99% of the comments were about the outrageous play of both Ronnie and Mark, their attitude and the respect after the match. No complaints, just awe and enjoyment.

A healthy rivalry between the two best, is amazing for the sport. They have different styles and personalities but they're both fantastic in their own ways. Tennis has suffered a lot since the decline of Federer and Nadal, just as it suffered after the decline of Sampras and Agassi.

What was the last great snooker rivalry? O'Sullivan and Higgins 10 years ago? Selby and O'Sullivan have had a great rivalry for years but i think yesterday's final has pushed it over the edge as far as the casual fans are concerned. May it last at least 5 more years.

Hear Hear! I've been enjoying the rivalry between Mark and Ronnie over the past years. Mark is one of my all time favorite players (together with John Higgins and Shaun Murphy).

I did notice a slight change in his attitude towards his game over the past tournaments (that I have seen). He seems a bit quicker around the table, more attacking and less tendency to scrap it out. Of course when need be he will turn on the screws, but all 'n all he seems to have tweaked his game a bit lately...to be an even better / complete player.

[daffie]

I think in the preview of last years UK final where Ronnie was in the studio with Jimmy White.

Nope...like I said he mentioned this during a BBC interview this week (aired the day before he played Mark Selby).