Shanghai Masters Preview
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| Ding Junhui, the defending champion |
This tournament always give me the good memory of the 2012 Final, which was one of the most entertaining Snooker matches I've ever seen, between Judd Trump and John Higgins, the two big names in that year, and if you haven't watched it yet, you must do it, and see a bit of history being made in the Shanghai Masters with that incredible 147 Break by Higgins.
I know many peoples still remember when Dominic Dale did beat Ryan Day in the final of the inaugural event in 2007, most of it thanks to his blonde hair and to his performance of "My Way" (haha :-).
But the fact that Ronnie O`Sullivan lost to a young Ricky Walden in the 2008 Final, failing to complete a Ranking Title Hat-Trick which included a success in the World Championship early in that year made the tournament even more famous.
Anyway The Rocket won in the next year by beating Liang Wenbo 10-5, while Wenbo went on to be the first Chinese finalist of this Chinese Event.
After that, unfortunately O`Sullivan had many personal problems, get depressed and had dark times, including a withdraw in the Shanghai Masters 2010, when he was reigning and defending champion.
Anyway, Jamie Burnett, who got the bye against Ronnie in the first round, reached to his first Ranking Final after a great campaign, but lost to Ali Carter, who won his first Ranking Title there.
Then, in 2011, Mark Selby made an epic and usual comeback against Mark Williams in the final.
Mark Williams complained about the referee, who called that Selby'd hit the red after a escape and not the pink, but after check on TV that referee was right, he apologised, saying it was just in the "heat of the moment".
In 2013, the tournament didn't had that special buzz, but the fact that Ding Junhui and Xiao Guodong made the first ever all-Chinese Ranking Event Final - eventually won by Ding - made another piece of Snooker's history been wrote in Shanghai
In other words this is a tournament full of history and I can't wait to watch it.
Check the draw with dates here
Possible Semi-Finals:
Ronnie O`Sullivan Vs Ding Junhui
Neil Robertson Vs Mark Selby
Well, I can't try to predict a champion or even finalists, but these 4 players are favourite to reach to the semis of every event they play on.
The hard think about this tournament, is that many players get used to a more defensive/different style playing the six reds, and they maybe get difference to play with 15 reds again. Of course, after some frames they can get adapted, but it can be an X Factor at least in their first match.
There's also all the travels and the burn-out of all the action in Thailand for the 6 Reds.
But we can't be blind and forget that lose against Tian Pengfei in the last 16, which I still can't see a reason, just a single reason to explain that awful lost when defending the title.
But it's nice to avoid a semi-final match against Selby, Neil and Allen, who had both played some great stuff so far this season.
Anyway the draw isn't perfect, Ronnie will face an in-form Alan McManus in the very first round, and if the wins this and a possible Last 16 encounter with Maguire in the last 16, he can play Judd Trump - Winner in Australia and Runner Up at the Paul Hunter Classic this season - in the Quarter Finals.
There's still some players like Holt, Perry, Hawkins, Dale, Murphy and Fu who could make a good run there.
I just can't wait to watch (Live on Eurosport) the Shanghai Masters, a tournament full of tradition.
I hope that Ronnie can back to winning ways as well, as he maybe is living the same thing that Trump lived last season: playing great snooker, but something not going on.
Ronnie O`Sullivan (9) Alan McManus | September 8th, Monday.
Local Time: 19:30
UK Time: 12:30
Brazilian Time: 08:30
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