Post by NigelS on Mar 31, 2007 17:34:31 GMT
To continue our polls with a sporting theme, who do you think will win the Snooker World Champs this year (starts April 21st)
Always very difficult to tip a winner for this especially with surprise winners Graeme Dott and Shuan Mrurphy over the last couple of years.
Neil Robertson is the form player this year with 2 ranking titles, but has a tough first round match with Ryan Day, then has the winner of, in my opinion the best 2 players around at the moment, O'Sullivan and Ding Junhui.
Graeme Dott has just reached the final of the China Open and will probably be big favourite to make the semis, where he will meet the winner of the Robertson/Higgins/O'Sullivan/Junhui section. And first time winners don't usually retain their title because of the 'crucible curse'.
In the other half, Ken Doherty is current world number 1 (might be overtaken by Dott after China) but has to overcome good Crucible campaigner Matthew Stevens before probably facing 2005 champ Shaun Murphy or Steve Davis in the quarters The other quarter of this half is likely to see Ebdon face Hendry in probably the weakest section.
Ok I suppose I have to put my neck on the line here and it is difficult. I am going to go with Hendry. I am sure he will win another title before he packs up, and although has not won anything for a while he is very consistent and i think it may be his year. Ken Doherty is probably a good bet at 25/1 - probably the highest odds ever for a currently world ranked number 2 (and provisional number 1) player.
Here is the draw - (seeds in brackets)
Graeme Dott (1) v Ian McCulloch
Anthony Hamilton (16) v Marco Fu
Stephen Maguire (9) v Joe Perry
Mark Williams (8) v Joe Swail
John Higgins (5) v Michael Holt
Barry Hawkins (12) v Fergal O'Brien
Neil Robertson (13) v Ryan Day
Ronnie O'Sullivan (4) v Ding Junhui
Ken Doherty (3) v Mark Allen
Matthew Stevens (14) v Joe Delaney
Steve Davis (11) v John Parrott
Shaun Murphy (6) v Judd Trump
Peter Ebdon (7) v Nigel Bond
Stephen Lee (10) v Mark Selby
Ali Carter (15) v Andy Hicks
Stephen Hendry (2) v David Gilbert
And the latest odds
O'Sullivan, Ronnie 3/1
Junhui, Ding 15/2
Higgins, John 8/1
Hendry, Stephen 9/1
Murphy, Shaun 10/1
Ebdon, Peter 12/1
Robertson, Neil 14/1
Dott, Graeme 14/1
Stevens, Matthew 16/1
Maguire, Stephen 16/1
Doherty, Ken 25/1
Williams, Mark 33/1
Day, Ryan 33/1
Lee, Stephen 40/1
Selby, Mark 40/1
Fu, Marco 40/1
Trump, Judd 50/1
Hawkins, Barry 66/1
Carter, Allister 66/1
Allen, Mark 80/1
Perry, Joe 100/1
Mcculloch, Ian 100/1
Swail, Joe 125/1
Davis, Steve 150/1
Hamilton, Anthony 150/1
Hicks, Andy 150/1
Holt, Michael 150/1
O'Brien, Fergal 150/1
Gilbert, Dave 200/1
Bond, Nigel 250/1
Delaney, Joe 300/1
Parrott, John 500/1
Always very difficult to tip a winner for this especially with surprise winners Graeme Dott and Shuan Mrurphy over the last couple of years.
Neil Robertson is the form player this year with 2 ranking titles, but has a tough first round match with Ryan Day, then has the winner of, in my opinion the best 2 players around at the moment, O'Sullivan and Ding Junhui.
Graeme Dott has just reached the final of the China Open and will probably be big favourite to make the semis, where he will meet the winner of the Robertson/Higgins/O'Sullivan/Junhui section. And first time winners don't usually retain their title because of the 'crucible curse'.
In the other half, Ken Doherty is current world number 1 (might be overtaken by Dott after China) but has to overcome good Crucible campaigner Matthew Stevens before probably facing 2005 champ Shaun Murphy or Steve Davis in the quarters The other quarter of this half is likely to see Ebdon face Hendry in probably the weakest section.
Ok I suppose I have to put my neck on the line here and it is difficult. I am going to go with Hendry. I am sure he will win another title before he packs up, and although has not won anything for a while he is very consistent and i think it may be his year. Ken Doherty is probably a good bet at 25/1 - probably the highest odds ever for a currently world ranked number 2 (and provisional number 1) player.
Here is the draw - (seeds in brackets)
Graeme Dott (1) v Ian McCulloch
Anthony Hamilton (16) v Marco Fu
Stephen Maguire (9) v Joe Perry
Mark Williams (8) v Joe Swail
John Higgins (5) v Michael Holt
Barry Hawkins (12) v Fergal O'Brien
Neil Robertson (13) v Ryan Day
Ronnie O'Sullivan (4) v Ding Junhui
Ken Doherty (3) v Mark Allen
Matthew Stevens (14) v Joe Delaney
Steve Davis (11) v John Parrott
Shaun Murphy (6) v Judd Trump
Peter Ebdon (7) v Nigel Bond
Stephen Lee (10) v Mark Selby
Ali Carter (15) v Andy Hicks
Stephen Hendry (2) v David Gilbert
And the latest odds
O'Sullivan, Ronnie 3/1
Junhui, Ding 15/2
Higgins, John 8/1
Hendry, Stephen 9/1
Murphy, Shaun 10/1
Ebdon, Peter 12/1
Robertson, Neil 14/1
Dott, Graeme 14/1
Stevens, Matthew 16/1
Maguire, Stephen 16/1
Doherty, Ken 25/1
Williams, Mark 33/1
Day, Ryan 33/1
Lee, Stephen 40/1
Selby, Mark 40/1
Fu, Marco 40/1
Trump, Judd 50/1
Hawkins, Barry 66/1
Carter, Allister 66/1
Allen, Mark 80/1
Perry, Joe 100/1
Mcculloch, Ian 100/1
Swail, Joe 125/1
Davis, Steve 150/1
Hamilton, Anthony 150/1
Hicks, Andy 150/1
Holt, Michael 150/1
O'Brien, Fergal 150/1
Gilbert, Dave 200/1
Bond, Nigel 250/1
Delaney, Joe 300/1
Parrott, John 500/1
