Jimmy White Returns to the Masters (Snooker)
January 6th, 2010 / Lee A JacksonOnce again the Masters Snooker tournament will get to see Jimmy White in action at the pinnacle of the game. Jimmy White is one of the legendary figures of sport, a maverick with an edge that captured the hearts of the public. He has battled with his problems, but his most recent scrutiny under the public spotlight came in the shape of appearance in TV’s “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here”. White belies that that experience has put him in good stead to make some progress at the Masters, snooker’s most prestigious event, and new season opener. He has been given a Wild Card into the Masters, and will take his snooker seriously despite being down in the 50’s in the World Rankings.
White will compete in one of two first round fixtures at the Masters, as he takes on Mark King. A match in the second round against Stephen Maguire will be awaiting the winner. There is no doubt that White will draw in the crowds, in the hope that he can make waves in the tournament. Much in the vein of Ronnie O’Sullivan, White was known in his heyday for brave and sometimes outrageous shots that most other competitors would never think of. He was a breath of fresh air against the rigid, perfectionist monotony of Steve Davis.
While he will court some money on him at the bookmakers, the real likelihood of him of him winning is far out there. He has won the Masters once in his career, back in 1984, and made many semi final appearances. His last appearance in the First Round of the Masters was in 2006 where he lost, and since then has been a loser in the qualifying draw. The 47-year old is still an icon of his sport, and still a fan favourite, but he will face more than an uphill battle to overcome the new breed of snooker player. Often an inspiration for a faster paced version of the game, White will, in all likelihood, ironically struggle to keep pace with the modern game.
But, there is no better stage than the Masters to showcase what natural talents “The Whirlwind” still has up his sleeve. The Masters brings together the Top 16 players in the world, with the addition of two Wild Card entrants, this year being Jimmy White and Rory McLeod. The top 14 are already sitting in the second round draw, with Mark King and Mark Williams having to fight their way through first round matches. The matches are the best of 11 frames, and all the action takes place at the Wembley Arena in London and starts on January 10th.
Defending champion Rocket Ronnie O’Sullivan, four times Masters Winner, opens his campaign on Tuesday against Australia’s Neil Robertson, while recent UK Championship winner Ding Junhui starts against Mark Selby. So where is the likely winner coming from this year? There is not much of a break between the UK Championships and The Masters, and so some from should be carried over from that. There is also the matter of experience and dealing with pressure at the highest level, and that helps lean favourably towards past winners. Here we cast an eye of the favourites as well as assess the chances of the outsiders.
Ronnie O’Sullivan
Of course he will be the one to beat. The world number one has all the qualities that makes a popular champion. He is down to earth and honest about his game, and his interest in the game. The rise and rise of Ronnie O’Sullivan has taken snooker to a new level, and helped maintain its popularity. Enigmatic and passionate, his emotions do sometimes get the better of him, and if he gets in a moody slump he can look disinterested. Such is the class of the man though, that even on his bad days he can beat anyone in the World. He has never won the Masters back to back, and that would be an achievement he would surely like under his belt. He has reached five of the last six finals, winning three of them in alternating years. An each way bet at the very worst, even when playing with a purple coloured cue (which apparently he has been practicing with).
Stephen Maguire:
Looked in really good shape in the UK Championships until he ran into eventual winner Ding Junhui, losing 9-5 in the semi finals. He has a good game, and decent focus, and has climbed his way up to number two in the rankings, and will be a force to be reckoned with. Have a bitter rivalry with Shaun Murphy. His best appearance in the Masters was a semi final appearance three years ago. Subsequently he has been knocked out of the last two tournaments at the Quarter Final stages.
Shaun Murphy.
Another one who fell to Ding Junhui in the UK Championships, but he was below par with the flu, and it showed in his game. He lost that match 9-3, which in normal terms probably would not happen. Murphy is a class act, but has failed to live up to his own standards when it has come to the Masters. Out of four appearances, he has made three Quarter Final exits and one second round exit. On his day he can easily challenge Ronnie O’Sullivan, and the draw for the Masters look favourable for him. He won the 2009/10 Snooker Premier League, beating out O’Sullivan, reached the final of the World Championships, and if he gets back into the swing of things, as snooker is all about momentum, then he is a great bet for the title. He would make a popular winner, though not with Stephen Maguire presumably (the story goes that Murphy made Maguire have a frame scratched because the Scot had forgotten his chalk and had to leave the arena to fetch it. The match didn’t start on time, Murphy was aggrieved and asked for Maguire to be punished. Maguire had the last laugh though as he won that match). Murphy can exude strength and has a lot of character. It could come down to a meeting of Murphy and O’Sullivan in the semi finals. Opens his account against Stephen Hendry, whose form at the UK Championship didn’t look great.
John Higgins:
The Scot has seen something of a resurgence in form as he is back in the top four. He made the final of the UK Championships, where he couldn’t get the better of Ding Junhui either. Has lost some of his edge from when he was dominating things, but on his day he can compete well. Probably more of an outsider than the others above, but is capable of causing an upset.
Ding Junhui.
He could be classed as the form player after winning the UK Championships. Quite an exciting player in a strangely understated and methodical way. Has an all round game and always looks composed under pressure. Still looks at times as if he as a little more to learn, but there is little doubt that he will get better and better, and he can be a world champion and dominate for a long time. Will be in the mix of things, as he won the UK Championships against the odds in many ways as he was fighting jet lag for his opening match.
Mark Selby.
Drifting out there in the odds, but has the repertoire of shots to pull through. If he can beat Ding Junhui in the second round, than that should do his confidence a whole world of good, and with that behind him he could very well make inroads into the opposition. An excellent choice for an outside bet, could be one to watch if he can navigate the somewhat daunting first hurdle which he faces. If you’re looking for Experience, then Selby won the Master two years ago, with an emphatic performance against Stephen Lee.
Snooker Masters 2010 Draw:
First Round
Mark King (Eng) v Jimmy White (Eng)
Mark Williams (Wal) v Rory McLeod (Eng)
Second Round:
Mark Selby (Eng) v Ding Junhui (Chn)
Marco Fu (HK) v Peter Ebdon (Eng)
Shaun Murphy (Eng) v Stephen Hendry (Sco)
Stephen Maguire (Sco) v King/White
Ronnie O’Sullivan (Eng) v Neil Robertson (Aus)
Allister Carter (Eng) v Williams/McLeod
John Higgins (Sco) v Mark Allen (NI)
Ryan Day (Wal) v Joe Perry (Eng)
Masters Outright Winner Odds
Ronnie O’Sullivan – 11/4 at BetFred
John Higgins – 11/2 at Totesport
Stephen Maguire – 10/1 at Expekt
Shaun Murphy – 10/1 at Bet365
Ding Junhio – 11/1 at ExtraBet
Mark Selby – 11/1 at ExtraBet
Neil Robertson – 14/1 at William Hill
Ali Carter – 18/1 at SkyBet
Ryan Day – 22/1 at Ladbrokes
Mark Allen – 25/1 at SkyBet
Mark Williams – 40/1 at Ladbrokes
Peter Ebdon – 30/1 at Bet365
Joe Perry – 40/1 at SportingBet
Marco Fu – 50/1 at Totesport
Stephen Hendry – 50/1 at William Hill
Mark King – 125/1 at BetFred
Rory McLeod – 150/1 at Boylesports
Jimmy White – 250/1 at SportingBet
If you are looking for more bets on the Masters snooker, then there are plenty of other markets to keep you interested. How about these options to boost your interests:
Will there be a 147 at the Masters 2010? Boylesports says Yes at 9/4 and No at 1/3
Who will make the Highest Break? This is in an interesting field, as everyone really is in with an equal shout at winning this. O’Sullivan (9/2 at SportingBet) is favourite, and he posts a lot of quick rapid scores, but is not necessarily one to follow in the highest break. More methodical break builders like John Higgins (8/1 at SportingBet) and Shaun Murphy (9/1 at Boylesports) could be. Remember Stephen Hendry (28/1 at SportingBet) who holds the joint record for the most professional 147’s with O’Sullivan, is in the competition too, if you’re looking for accomplished break builders, but everything comes down to the rub of the green on the night.
