2017 World Championship - Main Event

[MrRottweiler]

Delighted to see John Higgins is doing so well and I hope he makes the final. A Higgins and Selby final could be a close battle and a late finish is long overdue.

[rich123]

Sport or entertainment? Suggest you try the wrestling

I believe they should both apply

[JimMalone]

Maybe I'm alone but I actually enjoy watching Selby play. He's got everything and his 143 yesterday was as entertaining as anything I've ever seen.

You're definitely not alone. I think Selby is a well balanced player. Together with Higgins he is the most intelligent player and he is able to play well in all departments, offensive and defensive. I enjoy watching him more than most other players and definitely more than Trump for example, whose style of snooker I just don't like. And I know that there are many people on this boards that think like we do.

[JimMalone]

Delighted to see John Higgins is doing so well and I hope he makes the final. A Higgins and Selby final could be a close battle and a late finish is long overdue.

Ding - Higgins would be a lovely final as well. Both options would have been my absolute dream final already before the tournament started.

[ghost121]

The Higgins half of the draw has been a walk in the park for him. Very fortunate and only that way because Trump is an idiot. Selby would probably beat Higgins in the final but I don't think Ding would. I have a horrible feeling that Higgins is going to win this one.

[Stony152]

The semi-finals were best of 31 for many years and went to a best of 33 in 1997. I wonder what the reason for the change was. So I have two eras to look at. Let's do the last 20 years first. I'm not 100% sure, but I think 17-7 means a victory with a session to spare.

17-15 (8)
17-14 (6)
17-16 (5)
17-13 (4)
17-12 (4)
17-11 (4)
17-10 (2)
17-9 (2)
17-7 (2)
17-8 (1)
17-6 (1)
17-4 (1)

17-7 - Doherty over Robidoux (1997), O'Sullivan over Hawkins (2014)
17-6 - O'Sullivan over Hendry (2008)
17-4 - O'Sullivan over Hendry (2004)

The two worst defeats over a best of 33 semi-final were administered by Ronnie O'Sullivan and in both cases the victim was Stephen Hendry.

[stephenm2682]

Maybe, but I think it is fair to say that Fu and Wilson played well beneath their level. Fu's A-game is good enough to beat anyone who isn't playing their best.

The Higgins half of the draw has been a walk in the park for him. Very fortunate and only that way because Trump is an idiot. Selby would probably beat Higgins in the final but I don't think Ding would. I have a horrible feeling that Higgins is going to win this one.

Ding actually has a good head to head record against higgins, and i would hate to see higgins win this event!!

[screw-back]

How tight is the referees jacket? And the neck is stretching his shirt collar just a bit too.

[gavpowell]

Ding actually has a good head to head record against higgins, and i would hate to see higgins win this event!!

I would like Higgins to at least make the final, as otherwise I fear it will be a dull affair - Hawkins and Selby are very good, but not terribly interesting to watch as far as I'm concerned.

[MrRottweiler]

Ding - Higgins would be a lovely final as well. Both options would have been my absolute dream final already before the tournament started.

I usually get in as much Snooker as I can for the two weeks of the WC but it has fallen when I'm working early shifts so I'm missing all the day time action and the evening highlights are on too late. I hate to admit but I've only seen a few hours worth so far and missed all the John Higgins matches. No matter who is in the final I'm getting all my weekend chores done on Saturday so I can watch every second of the final. I don't start work until lunchtime on Tuesday so I want it to to be another Davis/Taylor final frame. If John got to the final and won I would probably be jumping around the TV which I've not done for a long time when watching a Snooker match

[JohnF14722]

I would like Higgins to at least make the final, as otherwise I fear it will be a dull affair - Hawkins and Selby are very good, but not terribly interesting to watch as far as I'm concerned.

Why are you writing Ding off? Ding is 5-3 up and he looks to be playing with a huge amount of confidence, he even won a tactical frame against Selby. I think it'll be a close match but Selby will have his work cut out trying to beat Ding!

[Odrl]

Quite a lot of nerves shown by all four players today, understandable of course, but still slightly surprising. Especially for Selby and Higgins, who have played really well for most of this Championship. :smile:

[Diesel3390]

The thing with Higgins is that if he is on a title winning run, he brings out a B game that can scrap a game right to the end. How many times have you seen Higgins totally being out run by the opponent only to look at the score and see that Higgins is close behind or thereabouts. That's what happened in the year against Judd Trump in the final. The point is that Higgins has evolved so much through the years and when he's in title winning mood, he'll just strangle players into submission. I think it will be close regardless of who reaches the final but if Higgins plays how he does when he wins then I don't think Ding or Selby can stop him. He is a level above them.

[Diesel3390]

Why do you think Higgins isn't capable of producing great snooker over long tournaments? Is he an up and coming star? Or a legend who has done it four times before? Yes he's getting on a bit but when he's on form he can go all the way and some. His top game is better than Selby's or Ding's

[jonny66]

Looking forward to see how Selby's new tip effects his performance today.