Snooker Special Report: Top ten moments of 2010 (Part 2)
The list of the top ten moments of the year 2010 continues
07. The white rising
Jimmy White is a renowned English snooker player; he has reached as many as six finals of the world championships and is famous for losing all the finals he contested.
However Jimmy has always remained very much in to the spot light, referred to as “people’s champion” after Alex Higgins, Jimmy has millions of fans all over the world. The 48-years-old cueist is still playing the sport and finally won a trophy with the word
‘world’ imprinted on it.
The event of ‘2010 Wyldecrest park homes world senior’s championship’ was held this year in Bradford. Unexpectedly and pleasantly, Jimmy the whirlwind won the tournament which might have relieved his fans and surely himself.
Jimmy had beat Dennis Taylor and John Parrot in-order to make it to the finals, where he played astonishing snooker against the legendary Steve Davis. After winning the final match with a score-line of 4-1, Jimmy expressed his feelings by hoping that the
event will be held on a regular basis so that he will get a chance to defend his title.
It was a brilliant event as legends and players over 40-years of age participated and played the great sport once again for the fans.
06. Martin Gould; Dramatic defeat
It was surely an unforgettable and one of the most melodramatic moments of 2010, as the qualifier Martin Gould lost his grip on an affirmative victory in the last-16 round match against Neil Robertson in the betfred.com world snooker championship.
The 26-years-old Martin led the match with six frames to zero, with such a score-line Martin seemed to be in complete control of his destiny, however before the end of the first session he conceded two frames.
Martin retained his lead to an extension of 11-5 in the later and concluding session. Until this point in the match, Martin played in a glistening manner. Unfortunately, he lost his focus, allowing Robertson to take advantage and show what a great player
he is.
Robertson fought back in an astounding fashion, winning five consecutive frames and bringing the score-line to 11-10. Although Martin won another frame, Neil replied by claiming two more frames dragging the match into the deciding frame with a score-line
of 12-12.
Opening the last frame with a break of 52, Neil sealed the victory. It was for sure a devastating blow for the English cueist, as he was dominating over Neil right from the beginning, but somehow lost the focus and consequently the match.
05. Ronnie’s controversial 147
As it is said for late Alex Higgins that he brought the sport of snooker into public’s eye, it is also said that Ronnie the rocket is a cut from the same cloth, and can be called Alex of today’s snooker. As Ronnie is always surrounded by controversies which
are due to his volatile personality, it does not matter if one loves or hates him, but one just cannot ignore him. No one can deny his capacity for creating sensation in the so called boring sport.
This year however, in the ‘world open’ championship, Ronnie played glistening snooker in his opening match against Mark King. On the verge to score his 73rd official maximum break of 147, Ronnie refused to play the black ball on the score of 140
as a notion of protest, as there was no reward for the maximum break.
After some inducement from the match referee, Ronnie agreed to play the ball, but he played it with such a force and anger that a camera man cringed with fear.
A long and lengthy debate regarding Ronnie being right or wrong followed the incident, and as a matter of fact, Ronnie is really good at making people talk.
Neil Robertson said “Asking if there’s a price for 147 before potting the last black is pure genius, for sure Ronnie knew that there was no reward, he was just setting it up, and when he does things like this he makes the sport more interesting”.
Whereas Ronnie said that, “he did that to amuse the audience and get the people talking”.
To be continued..
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