German Masters 2019 preview – January 30 to February 3, 2019
Hot off the heels of the recent Masters tournament comes the German Masters, the next big ranking snooker tournament in the 2018/19 season. This is the 11th ranking event of the season and immediately after the conclusion of this players will be heading to compete in the World Grand Prix.
Starting the action in Berlin as reigning champion is Welshman Mark Williams who beat Graeme Dott in the 2018 final 9-1. Because of that success last season Williams is at 11/1 odds to defend his title in Germany* (betting odds taken from bet365 on January 28, 2019, at 10:18 p.m.).
German Masters 2019 winner odds*
Judd Trump 4/1
Mark Selby 11/2
Ding Junhui 10/1
Neil Robertson 10/1
John Higgins 11/1
Kyren Wilson 11/1
Mark Williams 11/1
Barry Hawkins 16/1
Jack Lisowski 18/1
Stuart Bingham 18/1
Shaun Murphy 18/1
Ryan Day 22/1
Stephen Maguire 25/1
Joe Perry 25/1
50/1 bar
* (betting odds taken from bet365 on January 28, 2019, at 10:18 p.m.)
2019 German Masters
The qualifying for this ranking tournament happened in December and in the qualifying process, Judd Trump produced a 147 maximum break over Lukas Kleckers. But of course, that has nothing to do with this tournament but it was well worth noting just because of achievement. This is a 32-man draw and the first three rounds are played over the best of nine frames. The Semi-final is competed over the best of 11 frames with the fFinal itself being the best of 17 frames.
Trump to the top
The newly crowned Snooker Masters champion Judd Trump is the outright favourite at 4/1 odds to win the German Masters 2019* (betting odds taken from bet365 on January 28, 2019, at 10:18 p.m.). So he will be going into the tournament with the extra pressure of expectancy following that big victory over Ronnie O’Sullivan in the final of the Masters.
That was Trump’s second title of the 2018/19 season having won at the Northern Ireland Open. Trump has a very good record at the German Masters and was a losing semifinalist last year. His best ever effort at the tournament was in 2014 when he was the losing finalist. In three of his other five appearances at the tournament, he has reached at least the quarter-final stage.
Can Selby step it up?
Mark Selby will be looking for his second title of the season and he is there as one of the front-runners in this field. His Masters campaign didn’t quite get going this season as he was stopped by eventual winner Judd Trump. Selby has bit of a strange record at the German Masters. In the early editions of the event he was a strong contender reaching two finals (winning in 2015) and he took a quarter-final berth in two of his other first five appearances. But then in the last three years, he has not been past the second round in Berlin.
Williams is a two-time winner of the German Masters his first title coming in 2011. But in the six years between his two titles at the event, he only managed to make it past the second round once. That is much like the overall form that he has this season. Williams took a title early at the World Open and really has done nothing of note since then. Ding Junhui, who nearly nailed a maximum break at the Masters, is another of the former winners of the German Masters back in the field. His success happened in 2014 and his best efforts beyond that have been quarter-final placings.
First-quarter
This is where Mark Williams, the defending champion is sitting and he looks to have received a pretty comfortable draw at least in terms of reaching the quarter-finals. In teh quarters he will meet either Peter Ebdon, Sean Murphy, Rory McLeod or Kyren Wilson. That’s a tough section they are all squished into. It is Wilson who is the 5/2 second favourite to win the quarter behind Williams* (betting odds taken from bet365 on January 28, 2019, at 10:18 p.m.).
Second-quarter
Judd Trump will be expected to come through this field in the second quarter of the German Masters 2019 draw. It really is a pretty wide open draw for him there to at least reach the quarter-finals. A likely opponent could be waiting for him there is former winner Barry Hawkins. But still, there is a pretty firm favouritism towards Trump who 5/4 outright favourite to win the second quarter of the draw* (betting odds taken from bet365 on January 28, 2019, at 10:18 p.m.)
Third-quarter
This could well and be the most competitive quarter of the draw for the German Masters 2019. John Higgins and Jack Lisowski are in the first section and they could be coming together for a big last 16 clash. In the other section of the third quarter of the draw, it is likely to play out to be a round of 16 battle between Ryan Day and former champion Ding Junhui. It is the latter who is the outright/4 odds favourite to win the third quarter, with Higgins and Lisowski at 3/1 odds and Day at 11/2* (betting odds taken from bet365 on January 28, 2019, at 10:18 p.m.)
Fourth-quarter
This is Mark Selby’s section and he will probably be feeling pretty disappointed in himself if he doesn’t reach the quarter-finals with what’s ahead of him. He opens against Ricky Walden and would face either David Gilbert or Ben Woollaston in the round of 16. Realistically the main contender to be squaring up to Selby in the quarter-finals would be Australia’s Neil Robertson. Because of how strong Selby is in the outright winner market for this tournament, he is the favourite to win the fourth quarter priced at 13/8 odds to do so* (betting odds taken from bet365 on January 28, 2019, at 10:18 p.m.).
Predictions
We got through the preview without mentioning the fact that Ronnie O’Sullivan is not taking part at the tournament. Of the front-runners heading into action, Selby looks the least appealing because of some indifferent form at the German Masters recently.
Because of his form, Trump should be running in a pretty confidente mood. Is he appealing enough at the 4/1 odds favourite though?* (betting odds taken from bet365 on January 28, 2019, at 10:18 p.m.) Maybe not.
Snooker is one of those sports where you don’t see a lot of repeat winners, or even back to back winners, over the course of a season. Because of that we are going to take a dip down the outright winner market and have a look at Kyren Wilson to prevail.
It was good stuff at the Masters recently from him, and while it is not the easiest section of the draw that he is in, he should get some early strong tests under his belt to build a push towards the title. As an 11/1 odds each way option it’s a reasonable enough contending option* (betting odds taken from bet365 on January 28, 2019, at 10:18 p.m.)
