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Ronnie O'Sullivan UK Champion 2014

Postby Snooker Overdrive

Wow, nearly a day has passed and I think we all calmed down now but I have say what a final and what a moment for Ronnie and his fans that was!

Ronnie pinched so many frames to lead 9-4 without even scoring that heavily. But what happened afterwards was just pure madness. Trump won 4 frames in about 40 minutes, I've never seen someone score that quickly against Ronnie before. Ronnie didn't have a chance between 9-5 and 9-8. He didn't look that good in the 18th frame, especially that black off the spot was terrifying. After he squandered his second chance as well I thought it was over. It all felt quite surreal to me really, mainly because Trump came back so quickly. But Ronnie once again as the pressure was at the highest thinkable level, he produced the goods. OK, he was fortunate to be able to hit the red near the green spot after nearly snookering himself behind the blue. But that snooker behind the green was just so good under the circumstances and the overall clearance was superb after what happened before. The shot from yellow to red was also very good.

Ronnie looked stunned but the question is who wouldn't have? Ronnie was exactly in Trump's position in the 2009 UK semi against Higgins, coming from 8-2 to down to force the decider. Higgins looked scared for his life back then. Just like Higgins in 2009, Ronnie found something from nothing in that decider to get over the line. The mark of a true champion.

In a way this UK win would be the perfect end of Ronnie's career. Back where it all started 21 years against the king of the 90s. Now near his 40s he edges the the up and coming prodigy in a deciding frame. He made it 5-5-5 in the majors. A truly legendary moment. I couldn't possibly think of a better ending. But fortunately Ronnie will carry on and chase more records. And why not? No one can take away what he achieved so far and even if he wins absolutely nothing anymore in his career he can always look back to this perfect moment.

Ronnie is now where us fans always wanted him to be. He's the perfect gentlemen, a role model with his own tv show, finally happy with his game and his place in the world of snooker and last but not least incredibly successful, reigning as the undisputed king of snooker.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan UK Champion 2014

Postby NNear

Mark Williams is just trolling you all.

Ronnie's done and so is Higgins. The Williams resurgence will see him get to 19 Triple Crown events including 8 World Titles, leaving Ronnie as only the second best of his era.


Good luck guys.
***


PS, pretty good result last night...

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan UK Champion 2014

Postby Cannonball

Snooker Overdrive wrote:Wow, nearly a day has passed and I think we all calmed down now but I have say what a final and what a moment for Ronnie and his fans that was!

Ronnie pinched so many frames to lead 9-4 without even scoring that heavily. But what happened afterwards was just pure madness. Trump won 4 frames in about 40 minutes, I've never seen someone score that quickly against Ronnie before. Ronnie didn't have a chance between 9-5 and 9-8. He didn't look that good in the 18th frame, especially that black off the spot was terrifying. After he squandered his second chance as well I thought it was over. It all felt quite surreal to me really, mainly because Trump came back so quickly. But Ronnie once again as the pressure was at the highest thinkable level, he produced the goods. OK, he was fortunate to be able to hit the red near the green spot after nearly snookering himself behind the blue. But that snooker behind the green was just so good under the circumstances and the overall clearance was superb after what happened before. The shot from yellow to red was also very good.

Ronnie looked stunned but the question is who wouldn't have? Ronnie was exactly in Trump's position in the 2009 UK semi against Higgins, coming from 8-2 to down to force the decider. Higgins looked scared for his life back then. Just like Higgins in 2009, Ronnie found something from nothing in that decider to get over the line. The mark of a true champion.

In a way this UK win would be the perfect end of Ronnie's career. Back where it all started 21 years against the king of the 90s. Now near his 40s he edges the the up and coming prodigy in a deciding frame. He made it 5-5-5 in the majors. A truly legendary moment. I couldn't possibly think of a better ending. But fortunately Ronnie will carry on and chase more records. And why not? No one can take away what he achieved so far and even if he wins absolutely nothing anymore in his career he can always look back to this perfect moment.

Ronnie is now where us fans always wanted him to be. He's the perfect gentlemen, a role model with his own tv show, finally happy with his game and his place in the world of snooker and last but not least incredibly successful, reigning as the undisputed king of snooker.


:hatoff: Nice, informed article, and so much better may I say, than Hendry's post match assessment of the final. See, it's not too difficult to write something interesting.

It's all about confidence, when you feel great and everything is right with your technique, sighting etc, you can pot anything and you will have a go at everything. Coaches say play the balls not the player, but in match situations, you have no choice. You have to adapt your game to what the other player is doing, how confident he is, you are and what sort of snooker he's playing. It's not quite a direct relationship, like tennis, but there is a big link between what you do and what he does on the table. It's rare to see both players on top of their game like the CoC, the repeat final we all hoped for. Usually, one player is in more form than the other and one has to play tough snooker, the other attacking snooker.

Ronnie's confidence was pretty low in the championship and he was short of match practice. He'll be thinking this: I've got a fractured ankle, I was in tonnes of pain, I can't move properly or play at the pace I like because of this bloody ankle, I haven't been able to practice, I'm missing things I can pot in my sleep and I still won the UK. With four hard weeks of practice, I think his confidence and standards will return for the Masters. As someone else said, it's great to see him dig in and not give up, but try and try and try to win. The other players now face two Ronnies:

- Ronnie full of confidence and form playing his A game, wiping the opposition out.
- Ronnie digging in, trying to win and lifting titles.

If he can maintain his form and ability over the next five years, I think the opposition has a bigger problem than they had ten or twenty years ago. Anyone who can play crap and lift the UK is a real threat.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan UK Champion 2014

Postby Dan-cat

As a Rocket fan ('that great snooker colossus' as Dave Hendon wrote on Inside Snooker) I enjoyed your article a lot Mr Overdrive. Cannonball, that's the most balanced post you've ever written! :)

It really was a roller-coaster, as Ronnie said on his Twitter. Long live the King.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan UK Champion 2014

Postby Cannonball

What's your opinion of the final then haggis?

Image

"Tha Rocket's nae bad, pure dead b-willwiant. Aye."