Snooker Chat

Opinion by Nigel Slater, Snooker Chat editor Snooker’s answer to T20 cricket has been on show  – and it’s been brilliant. This year the World Snooker Tour (WST) got the Shoot Out absolutely spot on. Firstly, bringing it back to the iconic Blackpool Tower was a master stroke. It’s a wonderful venue that perfectly fits in with and symbolises the event’s uniqueness. There was no over-the-top gimmickry this year – no extravagant dancing or nightclub style music blasting out in between frames.

Snooker youngster Liam Pullen is through to his first ranking event quarter-final and says his game is getting stronger and stronger. The 20-year-old is enjoying an impressive Xi’an Grand Prix in which he beat four-times world champion John Higgins in the qualifying round. Victory against Daniel Wells on Saturday will secure him a place in the semi-finals and a guaranteed cheque for £34,500. And of course, a step closer to reaching a major final.

Stan Moody has talked down recent reports stating he is the “new Luke Littler of snooker”. The 19-year-old has been compared to the teenage darts sensation, who has taken the sport by storm and was crowned world champion at the start of the year. A recent article in The Guardian was partly headlined: “Snooker’s answer to Luke Littler?” Moody has enjoyed an impressive season so far on the baize reaching the quarter-finals of both the Wuhan Open and the British Open.

Snooker’s greatest stars have told their stories in a new book exploring the sport’s history – written by one of its leading broadcasters. Commentator David Hendon’s new book “Pots of Gold” was released for sale at the end of September. The book gives an insightful take on some of the key stages in snooker’s story. Starting from its early working-class upbringing and to becoming a global sport with millions of prize money on offer.

Shaun Murphy paid tribute to his coach and former world champion Peter Ebdon after winning the British Open. And he revealed his intention to become one of the world’s top performing stars again. Murphy followed up his Masters triumph at the start of the year with victory in the FA Cup-style ranking event. He beat Anthony McGill 10-7 in the England vs Scotland final. The 2005 world champion collected £100,000 for winning the ITV televised event after an impressive week on the table.

Snooker has produced some wonderful and talented stars over the years. But the man who possibly transformed the game more than ever is probably less well known. Snooker’s headline makers and dominant stars over the decades include Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry, Jimmy White, Steve Davis, Ray Reardon and Alex Higgins. And of course it is right they take the headlines. Their talents on the table have been adored by snooker fans across the globe and earned them millions in prize money.

Dennis Taylor has told the story of his “upside down glasses” which helped him become world snooker champion. Taylor memorably won the sport’s biggest prize in the famous 1985 World Championship final against Steve Davis. The match went all the way to a very nervy and dramatic final frame. Its incredible climax was understood to have been watched by more than 18 million people who were captivated by the action.

Former world champion Shaun Murphy has repeated his call for a new spotted cueball to be launched in snooker. The current Masters champion believes introducing a new-look white ball will be a “positive addition” to the sport. World number 17 Murphy expressed his desire for the change on his YouTube channel. Murphy told viewers he believes a spotted cueball would add valuable insight for the watching public. He feels it would show how players use spin on their shots.

Universally regarded as one of the greatest to pick up a cue, Ronnie O’Sullivan continues to stun fans with his epic performances. He fired in TWO maximum breaks, along with breaks of 142 & 134, in his win over Chris Wakelin to reach the Saudi Arabia Masters showdown – his 68th ranking event final. Unfortunately for fans of the Rocket, he was defeated in a final frame decider by Australian Neil Robertson. But his performances were a refreshing glimpse of the return of the dominant force he is.

Judd Trump “will be a little bit hurt” by his start to the season – legend Stephen Hendry has told a podcast. The world number one star has failed to defend both his Shanghai Masters and Saudia Arabia Masters titles from last year. Trump goes into the upcoming Wuhan Open with just one win under his belt so far this season – a win over Neil Robertson in the Last 16 in Shanghai. But in Jeddah Trump lost out to Oliver Lines in his first match, meaning he failed to pick up any ranking points.