Welsh Open Preview

Stephen Maguire, the reigning champion

The Welsh Open will run from 19 (Wednesday) to 02 (Sunday - March), and the BBC Wales coverage starts on Monday 24 (There is no matches on Sunday - 23).
For me, this event is unpredictable, because the Top Players had a lot of important tournaments recently, and they are getting rest and preparing themselves for the Big One, the World Snooker Championship.
But many players will play this tournament trying stay on the tour. Others want to get sponsors for the next season, and a event on BBC is a great chance for them.
So, I will not be surprised if players considered favorites lose in the earlier stages and I will not to try preview the champion or the semi-finalists.
Draw and Format

Mark Selby

A player who I will pay attention is Mark Selby. He used the excuse of Burn-Out after lost to Hawkins(the player who played more frames in 2012/13) in the last 16 of the World Championship last year, and he is looking a bit rusty after his big loss to Ronnie O`Sullivan at The Masters in January.
The question is: Is Selby getting a rest, or he is really playing bad?
But my answer is that all we know Selby, and if he wins in Wales, it isn't a surprise.
I heard peoples saying that his lost against Ronnie affected his game, and I would like to say that I agree, but I don't agree. Anyway it have some sense because he was so confident before met Ronnie in January, cause he beats Ronnie in Antwerp months before that.





Names like Neil Robertson and Ding Junhui are hot favorites, but I don't think any of them will win it, I believe in MARK ALLEN.
Stephen Maguire is the defending champion and he is playing well too, one of my favorites too.

Ronnie O`Sullivan still don't confirmed in his twitter that he will travel to Wales, but his name is there, and this looks like the start of his preparation for the World Championship.
He will face Mitchell Travis in the first round. Travis is a young from England who beats Marco Fu and Kurt Maflin to reach to the last 32 of the UK Championship; And he said that he dreams to beat his idol in Wales - "I've got nothing to lose and everything to gain".
The match will be played on Wednesday (19) at 19:00 (UK Time) and 16:00 in my loved Brazil.
For sure Ronnie will not be able to play against Travis how he did against Rhys Clark at the UK Championship (playing crazy shots and trying the 147 all the frames), because Travis have played a Big Event and beat a Top Player, but Ronnie is Ronnie and we never know.
I think Ronnie is unplayable to Travis, but he isn't the same when he isn't playing in Big Events....
And this event have short matches (up to and including last 16 - best of 7 ; Quarter Final - best of 9; Semi Final - best of 11; Final - best of 17 frames), and we know that Ronnie's game is prepared for long matches, I think I don't need to explain why.




I hope to do reviews in every Ronnie's matches, and I'm looking forward to watch this. I want also to see if World Snooker is learning to do events with 128 players, anyway I don't agree with 128 players in a Big Event.
For that guys who can't wait for snooker, the China Open QualiFier will be played in Gloucester days 16, 17 and 18 (Sunday to Tuesday), and you can watch it in World Snooker Live Stream.
Good Snooker for you guys! Thanks to read! Come on Ronnie!!!!