An over view of the top ten matches took place in the year 2010 continues. Moving on to the eighth match on the list:
Match # 8: Mark Selby vs. Graeme Dott
The semi-final of the world snooker championship is on the eighth spot in the top ten matches. Being the semi-final of the highest ranked and most prestigious tournament on snooker calendar, it was undoubtedly a roughhouse match with heaps of scuffle and
tussle.
Graeme opened the match in a fascinating manner as he began to gear up the lead with a striking 146 break. The second highest break ever at the crucible theatre was followed by Mark’s stunning reply of 142.
The tension on the table continued to rise as Graeme scored a marvellous break of 47 when Mark was not giving his opponent any room at all. The Scottish cue-man Graeme dominated the match as he retained the lead, however Mark with never-say-die attitude
kept himself intact with the match.
Both the cue-men produced beautiful snooker as the score-line of the match before the end of the first session moved to 14-10, with Graeme just being three frames away from glory.
The later half of the match proved to be a great tussle as Mark came back with the breaks of 46, 79, and 83. At this point, the incredibly long and nerve-wrecking 31 frames match had flown into a deciding frame.
However, Graeme went for the kill with his astounding break of 47, which proved to be fatal enough to knock Mark out of the championship.
Match # 9: John Higgins vs. Stephen Lee
The ninth match on the list belongs to the UK championship 2010. This was termed as a much-awaited match by snooker fans all over the world as Higgins made his return after the betting controversy.
The Wizard of Wishaw was to return to international competitions after the six-month ban. Higgins affirmed himself as the most persistent and talented cueist of today’s snooker, as he made a stunning comeback with a century.
With two consecutive centuries in the first two frames of the first match he played, Higgins looked like as if he had never been away.
Despite John’s rampage, Stephen made a comeback into the match with the help of two breaks of 82, and 73. From there on both the cueists produced marvellous snooker, as Higgins made two breaks of 91 and 64, Stephen replied with 64 and 61 to let John know
that he is still there.
The score-line was levelled up by Stephen before the end of the first session, as Stephen tried hard to linger around.
In the later session, Higgins returned to the table with a break of 99, to which Stephen replied with a century of 137 to clear the frame.
Until this point in the match, both the players were going head-on with the potting success ratio of 95 and 96 per cent respectively. It was the eleventh frame when John decided to go for the kill.
Despite another beautiful century of 137 from Lee, Higgins clinched the victory with a score-line of 9-6, moving onto the next rounds of the championship.
Match # 10: Mark Williams vs. John Higgins
Lastly and undoubtedly the most crunch match of the year, as John and Mark entered the fray in the final match of the UK championship.
The final proved to be the toughest battle of the year that took place on the green baize table between the two mighty cueists, as Higgins made a superb fight back to claim the titles when he was 9-5 down.
Mark Williams opened the match playing at his best, producing quality snooker shots. Mark’s sheer display of talent and experience doubtlessly shook John’s composure and made him a bit nervous. Mark completely dominated the first session with a score-line
of 6-2.
Higgins was way behind Mark and seemed unable to turn the match around in his favour. However, the Scotsman famous for his fighting spirit and making exciting comebacks indeed proved his class by winning four consecutive frames in the later session, dragging
the score-line from 9-5 to a 9-9 tie.
At this point, the match had entered into the decisive final frame. John dominated the final skirmish on the table by playing beautiful and high quality snooker.
Mark however did get some chances to seal the victory but luck seemed to have turned its back on him, as it was Higgins who after potting a ravishing long blue punched the air in glory.
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