Ding Junhui versus Jamie Burnett – 2011 Betfred.com World Snooker Championship Preview
Ding Junhui and Jamie Burnett are set to meet in the first round of the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship 2011, which is going to be staged from 16 April to 3 May at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England.
Both players have faced each other only once in a professional competition at 2008 Grand Prix at the SECC. However, it was a nightmare at noon for Burnett, as the Chinese Sensation whitewashed him by a frame score of 5-0.
As far as their Crucible history is concerned, the Chinese Sensation, Junhui, has appeared four times before in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 whereas the Scottish player, Jamie Burnett, has participated two times before in 1996 and 2009.
Junhui, ranked 5th in world ratings, apart from having more experience of playing at the world of snooker, has also had a pretty good season this year. Although he didn’t start off well with the PTC events, he recovered in his last 16 appearance
in the Shanghai Masters followed by a quarter-final in the World Open. He also participated in the UK Championship where he defeated Mark Allen by a frame score of 9-8.
Prior to this, he also produced a very high standard game to clinch his maiden Masters' title at Wembley. He defeated the likes of Mark Williams, Graeme Dott, Jamie Cope and Marco Fu. Though he lost his battle again in the quarter-finals of the Welsh Open
and German Masters, an appearance in the semi-final of the China Open was certainly a confidence booster for him.
For the world number thirty-seven, Burnett, it has been a mixed season. His best performance came at the Shanghai Masters where he made an accomplishing performance to shrug off the likes of Andrew Higginson, Mark Davis and Jamie Cope to reach his first
ever final which he lost to Ali Carter. Since then he has been trying to comeback, as he just qualified for two further occasions in the Welsh Open and Crucible. However, he was unable to perform in the early PTC events.
Keeping these facts in mind it is fair to say that the Chinese Sensation is going to be a favourite for the match. He has not been able to make it to the quarter-finals as of yet but hopefully this year he will. He has compiled 33 centuries this season and
also has improved his temperament. Burnett might be older in age but he lacks experience against the Chinese top cueist. He has not been able to win a match at the Crucible Theatre. If he gets caught cold by Junhui then his chances are less.
However there are a few things which go in the favour of the 35-year-old Scottish as well. First of all he will be an underdog, so there should be less pressure on him. Secondly if he is able to produce the level of game which he produced while qualifying
for this event then he certainly has a chance.
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