THE CRUCIBLE BUILD-UP
The Masters is behind us and the Players Series is underway. From now on, everything that goes on in the snooker world will be associated with this little event held in Sheffield from April 20.
And this might be the most exciting build-up for the World Championship of all time, with Ronnie O'Sullivan trying to complete the season Triple Crown for the first time in his career and Neil Robertson coming off qualifiers for what could be the biggest 1st round blockbuster we've ever seen at the Crucible Theatre.
There's still a lot of snooker to be played this season before the World's though, and here are four players to watch:
Luca Brecel trying to break the Crucible Curse
After winning the World Championship in such fashion last year, Luca almost followed that up with a big win in Shanghai, losing - as many other players have this season - to Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final.
In ranking terms, it's not been a great season for Brecel, who's failed to qualify for the World Grand Prix and therefore needs something special to qualify for the Players Championship and Tour Championship. But I'm curious to see what he's going to be like at the Crucible, because last year his run was a total shock since we had never seen him win a match there, and this year it's the complete opposite as we now expect and want to see big things from him.
Ronnie O'Sullivan the History Maker
O'Sullivan has now won four titles this season (Shanghai Masters, UK Championship, Masters and World Grand Prix - the latter three in succession). But what impresses me the most about him is the fact that now, at 48 and after 32 years on tour, he's still doing things he's never done before.
It's the first time he wins the UK and the Masters in the same season, and he's well on the way to complete his longest uninterrupted run at the top of the World Ranking - for that he needs to still be #1 at the end of the World Open, and given his current form and his lead over the others, that seems very likely.
He has before arrived in Sheffield as a huge favourite, 2014 and 2016 being the biggest examples, although he lost in both occasions. But this year, when he's coming there on his first ever attempt to complete the season Triple Crown and as World Number 1 for the third year running, there's something different I think. At the moment he's a bit like 2014-2017 Selby because when he's scoring he's unbeatable and when he's not scoring he's still near unbeatable, so it's hard to see him being beaten over the distance in those long World Championship matches. I'd say he's never been as favourite as he is this year, even though I know that won't mean a thing when the tournament begins.
Neil Robertson en route to Qualifiers!
Nobody would've predicted this two years ago when Neil had just won the Masters in great form, but bar something sensational and unlikely, the Australian will have to win two qualifying matches to make it to the Crucible.
Roberston is #30 in the provisional Crucible seedings, #88 in the one-year list, and has just managed to win his first ranking match of the season against Brazil's Victor Sarkis. He's got three more tournaments to play before Sheffield (assuming he can't qualify for the Players and Tour Championships), and although not in time to avoid the World Qualifiers I think he will gradually recover his form and manage to win two best of 19 matches in April.
If that indeed happens, that live draw on Thursday, April 18, will be HUGE and all about who meets Neil Robertson in round one.
John Higgins hanging on to the Top 16
The provisional end of season ranking sees John Higgins at #21. That means that the all-time legend could arrive at the Crucible this year needing a run to stay at the top 16.
That is big, because John Higgins is on a record 27-year span inside the top 16. If he's to keep that record going he needs either a title this season, or a deep run at the Crucible or in most of the other remaining events. At the moment he's not playing bad, but he's not been able to finish matches off, especially the big ones. Whether that's psychological and could change with a big win (which I think is the case) or it's the first sign that Higgins' best days are behind him, we'll have to watch and find out.
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