Welsh Open Preview
The Welsh Open is the biggest annual sporting event staged in Wales’ third city. In 2010, it will step aside as Monty’s men take on the Americans in golf’s Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor Resort.
That won’t make any difference to snooker’s big guns though as they hunt down the first ranking title of a new decade in Newport.
Traditionally, this event throws up more than its fair share of shock results.
Whether that is because of the Christmas break, although the Masters should get the big guns back in the swing of things, or the scaled down ranking points and prize money fails to inspire the best.
However, one thing is for sure, if you look at the hall of fame, it reads like a who’s who of snooker, which means that the cream of the crop eventually rises to the top in South Wales.
Who will be the last man standing this time around?
Global Snooker takes a closer look at likely and less likely lads…
Ronnie O'Sullivan
Always the bookies favourite at the start of the event but proves to be less than reliable in Wales. The Rocket has NEVER won this title in its spiritual home of Newport Centre. He did win in 2004 and 2005 when it was held in Cardiff and two years ago came within a frame of breaking his duck, losing out to Mark Selby.
You can never tell how O’Sullivan will react to certain situations, although he has a history of coming back strongly after controversial incidents. The York Walk-Out, the China press conference he played like a man possessed in the next event.
New chairman, Barry Hearn openly criticised O’Sullivan’s attitude after the Masters, so maybe, just maybe that will give him the added inspiration to find his best and delight the Welsh fans with a maiden win in Newport.
John Higgins
He is usually Mr. Reliable. Over the past two seasons, he has been the man to beat. Painful defeats in the Grand Prix against Neil Robertson and in the UK against Ding Junhui are maybe taking their toll.
He looked tired in Wembley against Mark Allen, despite having a few weeks off over Christmas.
John first reached the final of this event in 1995 as a precocious 19-year-old. Fifteen years later, that precocious teenager has delivered on all fronts, achieving just about everything the game has to offer.
Sure, John has good performances and probably tournament wins in him, but whether they will come along with the same regularity only time will tell.
Mark Williams
Williams has featured on World Snooker’s promotional material in recent years more out of romance than being a serious contender. However, make no mistake about it, Williams is back and back to somewhere his best.
His trademark around 2003 when he did the Williams-Slam and held all four BBC titles at the same time, was not his ‘single-ball potting’ but his relentless ability to make seventy break after seventy break. His opponent might get in first, make a break of 50-odd, and miss and that would be it.
Against Murphy and Carter in Wembley that was the difference. And if that wasn’t enough, his match against O’Sullivan must go down as one of the all-time greats.
It has been a gradual return to form, and on where doubt may have cost him matches more than ability. Don’t be surprised if he remembered how good he actually is after Wembley and is back into the winner’s enclosure sooner rather than later.
Mark Selby
Last time, the Jester won the Masters [2008], he went onto win the Welsh Open a couple of weeks later. ‘Nuff said.
Neil Robertson
Last time he won the Grand Prix [2006], he went onto win the Welsh Open in the same season. After winning his fourth ranking title in Glasgow in October, he has become one of the favourites for all titles.
He does have a tough opener in the form of China’s Liu Song. Song will be out for revenge for his defeat in the 2003 world under-21 final.
Shaun Murphy
Murphy is currently without a ranking title to his name; a situation that he will not like. Murphy reached the final here in 2006, and one thing you can be sure, nobody will be trying harder.
Mark Davis
The newly crowned world six reds champion. For those who follow the game closely will be well aware of Davis. One of the most dangerous opponents in the qualifying rounds of events, he has failed to make a real impression on the latter stages of ranking tournaments.
Perhaps his win in Ireland just before Christmas might give the likeable 37-year-old, now in his nineteenth year on tour the belief that he has what it takes.
He faces an interesting opening round tie against defending champion, Allister Carter, who will be facing unknown pressures of his own.
Tony Drago
Drago was one of the most popular players on the circuit throughout the 90s.
He slipped into snooker obscurity a few years ago, but after winning the European Play-Off in 2009, returned to the Tour this season.
At his best, he still looks a class-act and came through four qualifying matches last week with relative ease, making more breaks over fifty than other player and a couple of centuries to boot.
He plays home-favourite Ryan Day in the first round, which won’t be easy, but if he can find his best care-free game then he will certainly make life difficult for Day.
Liu Song
We mentioned his re-match with Robertson after their world under-21 final in 2003.
Song led the Chinese Snooker Revloution in 2004 when he became the first player from mainland China to qualify for the final stages of a ranking event here in Newport.
He has since been overtaken by Ding and Wenbo but still only 26, Song has the game and perhaps now is the time that he joins his fellow countrymen at the top end of the game.
