Grand Prix 2009 - 1st round discussions!

[Odrl]

I see, you just can't wait to see a mouth-watering Burnett vs Higgins clash

Nah, looking forward too O'Sullivan-Higgins as much as anyone, but I did find myself cheering on Burnett towards the end.

O'Sullivan not great today. I'd say Higgins is favourite, judging by what we've seen this week. But tomorrow is another day.

[Mal]

I hope that the Ronnie - John match is better than the last time they played, which was disappointing in terms of standard, but especially so from John Higgins perspective.
A few interesting clashes, such as Williams Hendry, Allen - Cope. Robertson - Doherty (again after Shanghai)

[doorag]

edit: nevermind

[darrus]

Like German journalists like to say - Hauptsache gewonnen.
If he intends to play like that against Higgins tomorrow, then I'm glad I'm gonna miss that match

[montoya10]

Ronnie wins 5-3 and through

Good day for me, my both favourite players got the wins..

[noel]

Ronnie is playing with disdain.
By that I don't mean just lack of respect for Jamie.
I mean when he isn't pressured into playing his best he won't.
It's why he misses disdainfully easy shots yet makes the incredible ones.
Then he starts feeling disdain for himself... and then who knows!
It is most unlikely you would ever see O'Sullivan playing Higgins like this.


=o\

Noel

[montoya10]

Great clearance. Can he win the last two?

I see, you just can't wait to see a mouth-watering Burnett vs Higgins clash

[spike]

And he's in with a chance of taking this 8th frame if he can hold his nerve.

[doorag]

another strange miss from ros...

[Odrl]

Great clearance. Can he win the last two?

[gby4]

Well played from Burnett, nice clearance.

[doorag]

good steal from burnett...

[Mal]

He's definitely in the top two in snooker's history of breakbuilding!

[montoya10]

It was very good, but not in the class of a Williams, Robertson, Hendry, even Murphy. I'm not getting at him - He is an exceptional player, but his strenght was always his breakbuilding, fluency, speed, and his nerve (when in the mood) He missed quite a lot, and of course when highlights are shown, it is only of the great stuff. It would be interesting to see the percentage of long potting for a career.

Now, I would say his B game is second to none, his breakbuilding is the best in the current game, safety has improved over the years to be very impressive and his play under pressure is still superb. His percentage play is also very good. He occasionally has the odd falter, down to mood perhaps, but no more so that other players.

Not as good as Mark Allen or Stephen Hendry though

He was never in the top class as a long potter, but many hail him, including me, as the greatest break-builder the game has ever seen, so I have never worried about his long ball potting ability as he needed it very rarely at his best

[spike]

Hard to see Burnett winning now. But he did have chances in almost every frame.

Yes agreed, though he can count himself a little unlucky as O' Sullivan has a had a pretty good run of the ball at times..