2017 English Open

[Stony152]

Just out of interest, there has indeed never been more than six nations represented in the quarter-finals of any major ranking event, even if we use the broad definition of the term and include short-format stuff such as the Indian Open. Six is surprisingly common though. Since the ranking circuit was introduced 40 years ago, there have been 24 ranking events with players from six different nations in the quarter-finals. It's perhaps become slightly more common in recent history, but it's still spread quite evenly over the years. The first time it happened was all the way back in the 1978 World Championship, with players from England, Wales, Ireland, Australia, Canada and South Africa in the quarter-finals. The countries have changed a little over the years. For example, Malta and Thailand were present in a lot of combinations in the late 80s and early 90s, while China is almost always present these days.

This week was the second time it's happened this season. The first was the World Open last month, where we had players from England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, China and Belgium. It's also worth noting that it seems to happen in Asia a lot more often than it does in Europe. The last six tournaments where this has happened have all been in Asia, and of the 15 tournaments where this has happened since the year 2000, 10 have been in Asia.

We have also never had the extreme scenario with all eight quarter-finalists from the same nation. There have always been at least two nations represented. We've had only two on 14 different occasions, and here the stats are reversed, as 13 of those 14 were tournaments held in the UK. England has always been one of the two nations represented when this has happened, 10 times in combination with Scotland, and once with Ireland, Northern Ireland, South Africa, and most recently Hong Kong in the 2012 Australian Open. :wink:

Fascinating. Thanks for the information.

[cebs]

If they had held off starting Selby by about 15 mins they could have it on table one. Play finished on there. about 4.15 and I have seen matches start that late before this week.

Meant loads of people had nothing to do till seven apart from take their sits at some point to make sure they got one.

They don't even let you know inside what the plan is, whenever they show the schedule on the screens it's always old or says table tbc.

Is there still a rule about being ready to start the match btw?

Jack got handed his two extensions a few mins into frame one. Now if he got docked at frame, that match would have been very different.

Judd played the best I had seen this week till tonight and even before his break-off shot in frames 3,5 and 7 were almost identical. Just one red coming out and back in the pack and one solo red on the other side. Twice Jack was snookered and Judd won the frame from one of his escape attempts and got the first red/black in the last frame but broke down.

I would have liked to have Judd/Ronnie tomorrow as they have produced some great matches the last few seasons.

Still some interesting players on the main table tomorrow so see heat happens.

Either some new blood for the title or much needed points for Ronnie or Robertson come Sunday night.

Hussain definitely enjoyed his win this morning after getting dragged back to 3-3, I saw him on tv a few times last season so looking forward to his match.

[richiet]

Foulds on Eurosport just referred to a frame that Tony Drago won in three minutes. Would love to see that. Was it televised?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVaUhlgIa6U
fastest century - (vs J Higgins in a tournament)
fastest ever century recorded on camera, previous was Alex Higgins 2 mins 55 in a exhibition game

Ah, I see thanks. I assumed Foulds meant the fastest frame (i.e. from break off to concession/pot black). The Drago vs Higgins frame would have been considerably longer as Drago was already on 27 points before he started his break.

[DeanH]

Ah, I see thanks. I assumed Foulds meant the fastest frame (i.e. from break off to concession/pot black). The Drago vs Higgins frame would have been considerably longer as Drago was already on 27 points before he started his break.

finally found it
Fastest Frame in 3 Minutes by Tony Drago vs Danny Fowler at the 1998 Fidelity Unit Trusts International, Stoke-on-Trent.
Not televised I think.

[DeanH]

I do pay the extra £5 per month for the Eurosport player, but it wasn't even on there. As you say, very frustrating.-

ouch, My subscription is up for the year, and currently looks like £29.99 for 12months; which is more than I paid last years (when we found a cheaper option at £17.99 IIRC) but is less than what Eurosport (originally) was asking last year £39.99(?)

They sent about 5 different emails between Weds morning and evening - absolutely ludicrous.

How did you get these email?

Anyway, the sessions today appear to be all on one table so we should not miss anything, as long as Eurosport put the plug in

[jonny66]

ouch, My subscription is up for the year, and currently looks like £29.99 for 12months; which is more than I paid last years (when we found a cheaper option at £17.99 IIRC) but is less than what Eurosport (originally) was asking last year £39.99(?)



How did you get these email?

Anyway, the sessions today appear to be all on one table so we should not miss anything, as long as Eurosport put the plug in

Evening sessions are both on at the same time, seems a little unfair but it was like that last year as well no?

[cebs]

I wondered why they hadn't got rid of table two overnight.

Real shame they are putting the two evening games on at the same time tonight.

Plenty of time to do both, some games have started past nine pm this week I am sure.

Until Ronnie's match finished, pretty much everyone will be watching table one.

I would like to have been able to properly watch all four games today.

[crocodile]

WTF just happened at the end of ROS's match lol A lady came up on stage to play teh last shot Never seen that on the life of me

Thing is, did she pot the ball in question? (I didn't get to see the match)

[Odrl]

Thing is, did she pot the ball in question? (I didn't get to see the match)

It was the final black, she missed the pot initially, then had another go and missed the black completely. :smile:

[Odrl]

As for playing all four quarter-final matches consecutively on one table... The Welsh Open used to have that a few years ago, and most of the time it worked fine. But there was that extreme scenario in 2009 where the first three matches were very slow, so it was past midnight CET when Robertson and Fu started their quarter-final. Needless to say, the match wasn't very good, but at least they have a story to tell... :wink:

[crocodile]

It was the final black, she missed the pot initially, then had another go and missed the black completely. :smile:

Oh well .... better luck today perhaps!

[DeanH]

yes but on WS Sessions they have the Exclamation icon which means usually they follow one another
- I hope anyway

[cebs]

If you click on the exclamation point, it sadly just says the not before time and it's showing 7pm for both tonight's games.

If they brought the evening session forward even half an hour they could squeeze both in, plus no one really means a midnight finish....

A midnight start is a different but that's got to be rare.

[DeanH]

I see that both tables are still there in the arena, so both could be on at same time.
Will have to get the Eurosport player up on two windows

[PatBlock]

ouch, My subscription is up for the year, and currently looks like £29.99 for 12months; which is more than I paid last years (when we found a cheaper option at £17.99 IIRC) but is less than what Eurosport (originally) was asking last year £39.99(?)

Sorry, I just checked and I actually pay £2.99 a month, not a fiver. Cheap as chips.

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