First Round Preview
Ronnie O'Sullivan Vs Marcus Campbell (20th April 10am and 7pm) -
I like everyone else I would suspect, have no idea how Ronnie is going to play. He hasn't played in a ranking event since the last World Championship, but if he turns up he could turn everyone over and walk off with the title. Marcus Campbell will offer him a stern first round test and could well win the match quite easily too. Without seeing Ronnie, but knowing he's being practicing hard and will be fresh for this I have to go for him.Prediction: Ronnie O'Sullivan
Ali Carter Vs Ben Woollaston (22nd and 23rd April 7pm)- Ali Carter has a good record at The Crucible and has a good season so far, winning the German Masters and reaching the UK semi-finals. He will be a hot favourite against the debutant from Leicester and is a good outside bet for the title after being a losing finalist twice in his 5 previous campaigns. It's hard to know what to expect from Crucible debutants, but I think Ben will adapt well, already having a lot of experience on TV behind him, in a lot of PTC events. However, Ali should have the experience to get through.
Prediction: Ali Carter
Stuart Bingham Vs Sam Baird (24th and 25th April 7pm) - Stuart Bingham hasn't always played his best at The Crucible, but that doesn't mean this year won't be different. He was totally outplayed last year by Hendry in the first round last year, but Bingham has come on a lot more this season. At the Welsh Open he came very close to winning his first title in the UK and could well have a good run here. As for Baird, this is his Crucible debut but I don't see him adapting as well as someone like Woollaston. Baird is short of TV experience and doesn't really have any big results against top players to call upon.
Prediction: Comfortable Bingham win
John Higgins Vs Mark Davis (21st and 22nd April 2.30pm) - John Higgins hasn't had his greatest season ever, but that won't stopping winning a fifth world title. He has the Crucible experience and knows exactly how to win this title. He couldn't have had a much worse draw though, in Mark Davis. Davis is of course the top 16 player that had to go through the qualifiers, because of Ronnie being the top seed. Davis has had his best season yet and made the semi-finals in the UK Championships, beating Higgins in the second round. I still have to fancy Higgins for the job though.
Prediction: Tight win for John Higgins.
Shaun Murphy Vs Martin Gould (20th April 2.30pm and 21st April 7pm) - Shaun Murphy has had a consistent season, but as he said at the end of the China Open, he doesn't want quarter-finals and semi-finals - he wants titles. No ranking wins for 2 years doesn't really do him justice. He's a quality player who had good runs at the UK and Masters as well as the International Championship and China Open making at least the semi-finals in all four. As for Martin Gould, he has had a good year outside of the ranking events, winning the Shoot-out and the Championship League. On his day he's one of the best potters and break builders at the moment, and will be full of confidence. Gouldy has Crucible experience, but isn't a stranger to squandering leads in big games, as he did in the World Championship against Robertson in 2010 and in the UK's to Dott this season. Therefore a Murphy comeback might be how this one is determined.
Prediction: Very close, but Murphy win.
Graeme Dott Vs Peter Ebdon (21st and 22nd April 10am) - This one could be a very lengthy encounter and one where match play will definetly be a factor. These two have experience by the bucket full and this is in fact a repeat of the 2006 World Championship final where Dott was the victor. This year though it is a very different story. Both players have been badly struggling for form and first and second round loses for Dott especially have been no stranger. Ebdon's win against Maflin to qualify was his first of 2013 and he has struggled badly all season and has dropped down the rankings badly as a result. Due to the poor form of both, it's very difficult to tip a winner of this, however I just fancy Dott to win it and put behind him his "worst ever" match at the Crucible from last year.
Prediction: Dott win
Matthew Stevens Vs Marco Fu (23rd April 10am and 24th April 2.30pm) - This one is a repeat of last year's first round match that Stevens won comfortably on his way to a semi-final appearance. Since there fortunes have switched around completely. Stevens had a pretty good run last year and was in good nick, while Fu's form all year had been very patchy and he struggled to get results. This season though Stevens has struggled at times for results and threw in one he would want to forget at The Masters and was recently a first round loser to The Dentist in Beijing. As for Fu he has a good year that has included a quarter-final appearance in the PTC Finals, along with a great run to the German Masters final, where he beat Stevens in the quarters. Fu definetly has the edge on form, but that counts for nothing at The Crucible where Stevens has twice been a runner-up. I just don't fancy that this will be the Welshmen's year.
Prediction: A tight victory for Marco Fu.
Judd Trump Vs Dominic Dale (23rd April 2.30pm and 24th April 10am) - This is another repeat of a first round match from last year, where Trump was the winner and has been on all four occasions that these two have met. However, Dale could have won 3 of those matches at last years World Championships, the UK championship last season and at this years Welsh Open. Dominic has just never been able to get over the line, but every time they meet it appears that Dale is getting closer and was 3-1 up on Trump at the Welsh Open before losing 4-3. He will offer Trump a close match, who struggled himself in the other 2 Triple crown events this year, losing at the first round in the UK and only just avoiding the same fate at The Masters. This should be an intriguing contest but one that will probably go the way of the world No.3.
Prediction: Trump win 10-7.
Neil Robertson Vs Robert Milkins (24th and 25th April 2.30pm) - Neil Robertson is in fantastic form ahead of the World Championship. He won the China Open, was runner-up in the PTC Finals, The Masters and the International Championship this season. Neil also knows exactly what is needed to win the World Championship having done it 3 years ago and he will desperate to repeat that feat this year. Milkins meanwhile will probably be in the top 16 by this time next year, but hasn't played at the Crucible for a number of years. He has what it takes to beat Neil, but his temperament does occasionally let him down. Robertson though, has only lost in the first round twice since his World Championship in 2005, losing in that year and 2011 to Trump as defending champion.
Prediction: Neil Robertson 10-7 or 10-6 win.
Ricky Walden Vs Michael Holt (20th and 21st April 10am) - Ricky Walden has only ever played at the Crucible twice previously losing in the first round on both occasions. He has a reasonable season but couldn't really build on his victory in the Wuxi Classic, the years first ranking event. As for Michael, he hasn't really had his best season. He failed to qualify for the PTC Finals and whiling qualifying for a number of events he has been unlucky not to win more of his first round matches, coming close to beating Ding in Haikou and Maguire in Beijing. He did however, make the quarters of the German Masters and will offer a really test of Waldens ability who, up until now, has failed to produce the goods in UK events.
Prediction: Walden to steal it in a decider.
Mark Williams Vs Michael White (20th April 7pm and 21st April 2.30pm) - Mark Williams has really struggled this season and his best ranking performances this year were a semi-final appearance at the Shanghai and quarter-final appearances in the China Open and the Wuxi Classic. However, this is no time to write off the Welshmen but a series of first round exits this season suggest no reason why he could be World champions this year. Michael White is a real promising talent who really thrashed Andrew Higginson, who is one of the best players in that section of the qualifying draw in my opinion, 10-4 in a similar fashion to Jamie Jones' victory against Ricky Walden a year ago. I think that White has a great chance to cause an upset here and I think the youngster could be up to the job on his Crucible debut.
Prediction: Michael White win 10-8
Stephen Maguire Vs Dechawat Poomjaeng (22nd and 23rd April 2.30pm) - Stephen Maguire was a semi-finalist at the World Championships last year after being a losing finalist at the China Open. This year he arrives in Sheffield to face a Crucible debutant for the second successive year and he was a losing semi-finalist in Beijing, and but for an inspired Neil Robertson performance, i'm sure he would have won the whole thing. With renewed confidence from his Welsh Open win, there's no reason why he couldn't take the biggest title there is. I have to admit to never seeing Dechawat Poomjaeng before, but from what I've read, and from the victories he got in reaching the last 32 here and in the China Open qualifiers he seems like a good talent but I don't think he will be a match for Maguire.
Prediction: Stephen Maguire win 10-6 or better.
Mark Allen Vs Mark King (22ns April 10am and 7pm) - Mark Allen has played well most of the year, but has run into form players in most tournaments by the second round or quarter-final stage. He was unlucky in The Masters where his last shot in the decider was to snooker Neil Robertson. He came across eventual champion Robertson at the China Open, an on fire Barry Hawkins in Germany and 147 maker Ding Junhui in the PTC Finals. As for Mark King, this has not been his most sparkling year ever, but he did make the last 16 in both the UK Championships, Shanghai Masters and the German Masters. King can be a match for a most players when on form but he has struggled to show that this season and on Allen's form he may struggle to do so again.
Prediction: Comfortable Mark Allen win.
Ding Junhui Vs Alan McManus (23rd and 24th April 10am) - Ding Junhui hasn't had his greatest year ever, and has been quite inconsistent all season. His best runs came in winning the PTC Finals and as a losing semi-finalist in Newport. He had a disappointing defeat to Ryan Day last year having been 9-6 in their first round match, and he lost to Day again in York. His struggles in China continue, with his best in his home country coming in the World Open where he lost in the quarter-finals. He has recently admitted that he does struggle with the pressures of being China's No.1, but has also said he thinks he is ready to win the World Championships. The only reason why he might not this year is that he has landed in the quarter of death with Allen and Selby. Alan McManus will provide a good game for Ding, and has had to beat Tom Ford to get to The Crucible and he got to the Welsh Open quarter-finals so he could well shock Ding. Whether he still has enough to beat a top 16 player over the best of 19 frames is another story, and his best chance would be to frustrate Ding. As long as the Chinamen comes to Sheffield with a good temperament, he could well go far.
Prediction: Ding Junhui win by 10-7 or better.
Barry Hawkins Vs Jack Lisowski (20th April 2.30pm and 21st 7pm) - Barry Hawkins has had a great year, firstly winning his first ever ranking event (the Australian Open) and then breaking into the top 16. This has given him even more confidence than he had last year when he beat the injured Mark Selby in the first round. Hawkins however is the weakest seed in the quarter of death and it is hard to see him getting any further than the second round. He has also landed the toughest draw, the young man Jack Lisowski. Jack has had good wins in the last 2 ranking events. First he beat Selby in the PTC Finals which gave him the confidence to beat Judd Trump and Mark Davis on the way to the China Open quarter-finals. Even though this is his Crucible debut, that won't faze the confident young player who has finally found his feet on TV. Hawkins is going to have to keep it tight in this match and not leave Lisowski anything easy to go at, otherwise he will be in trouble with Lisowski's scoring power.
Prediction: Lisowski to win 10-8.
Mark Selby Vs Matthew Selt (23rd and 24th April 7pm) - Mark Selby is one of the favourites to win at Sheffield over the 17 day marathon. There are several things that point to him as this years World champion, like his great safety play, break building, his ability to grind out matches, his comeback ability and finally his great ability to win matches when he is nowhere near his best. Those last 2 have been a big factor in him winning The Masters and UK Championship this season. We only saw small glimpses of his best in the UK Championship as he came from 3-0 down to beat Ryan Day 6-4 and in beating Neil Robertson from 4-0 down in the round after. The best he played in either of those 2 tournaments was in the first session of the Masters final where I thought he was fantastic. His ability to stay in sessions when he isn't playing well will be key to his success in this Championship. He is probably my pick to win this year. That doesn't really give poor Matt Selt much hope and to be fair he had to play 2 very good and close matches to get through against Thirapongpaiboon and then surviving a Ken Doherty fight back from 9-4 down to 9-9, but Selt played a good decider. I don't think he will be a match for an in form Selby, so Selt will have to play flawlessly to win and that will probably be beyond him on his Crucible debut.
Prediction: Mark Selby win 10-5.
Predicted Final stages line-up
Quarter Finals:Ali Carter Vs John Higgins - Carter might just edge that as I don't think John is in the form he would need to be to win this year.
Shaun Murphy Vs Judd Trump - This could be a cracking encounter if it were to happen and one that I Murphy might take by the odd frame as his experience could show at the vital time.
Neil Robertson Vs Stephen Maguire - If this one were to happen, and be anything like there China semi-final then will be in for a feast of big breaks, with whoever makes the most going through and that would probably be Robbo.
Mark Selby Vs Ding Junhui - This one would be very tense if it took place as both players would want to go the extra step towards their first World title. They're both great scorers, but I think Selby might just edge the scrappy frames and that'll be all important in the end.
Semi-finals:
Ali Carter Vs Shaun Murphy - This would be very tense, but unfortunately Murphy has a poor record of losing in semi-finals, but he wouldn't underestimate Carter like some people do. Carter wouldn't give Murphy much to go at and that could be key.
Neil Robertson Vs Mark Selby - This would be so hard to call if it happened, never mind now. They've met a lot this season and I believe the wins have been shared 2 apiece in the big matches. The sheer determination of both players and the battling qualities make them hard to split and if I had to pick one name, it would be Selby because of his great comeback ability and record in close, big matches this season.
Predicted Final:
Ali Carter Vs Mark Selby - Both great players on there day, but unfortunately Carter has a already lost in 2 finals and won't want it to be third time unlucky. Selby has looked for me like a picture of a World Champion this season in his all round game and will be desperate to put this on his mantle. Another reason for him to do it this year is for him to complete the Triple Crown in the same season and I have thought since he in mind has been my pick for a while before this.Tournament Prediction: Mark Selby win.
I have been looking forward to this event for a long time and now that we are within touching distance of it's start, it has the feeling like it will be the best tournament yet. I will be keeping you updated with my views and reviews throughout the 17 days and good luck to everyone involved in the 2013 World Snooker Championships.
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