With the final first round match due to start tonight, the standard so far has been top notch. The calibre of players still left in does make you stop and think who lost their opening match.
Gone are the likes of Ding Junhui, Matthew Stevens, Mark Allen and Stephen Maguire leaving some of the bestest names in the sport still standing. However another 4 top class players will leave us before the semi final stage.
The first quarter final is a mouth watering showdown between Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump. Any match with O'Sullivan in seems to be a fitting final and this is no exception. Much will depend on the Rockets long potting although he may try the cagey game of getting in off Trump's misses. If O'Sullivan turns up firing on all cylinders I do think he will edge this one but it promises to be some match.
Quarter final number 2 is another match up between two great potters. Possibly the best single ball potter in Mark Williams versus the Aussie Neil Robertson. Both are capable of knocking off frames with single visits but the winning factor will be in the safety department. Robertson is not a natural here while Williams has an uncanny knack of taking on risky shots in ways that leave nothing for his opponent. I think Williams experience and temperment will just see him cross the line.
Another mouth watering quarter final sees Shaun Murphy face Mark Selby. While Selby is dominating the top of the rankings these days, the one thing missing from him is the title that Murphy has won. Selby is to good not to be a world champion and he is one of the best all round players in the game. While Murphy has one of the best cue actions his squaky clean image does not endear him to many of the fans. I'd like to see Selby win this one and I see no reason why he shouldn't
The final quarter final pits John Higgins against Ali Carter or Graeme Dott. Higgins is rightly in the top 5 best players of all time in my eyes and undoubtedly the best match player there is. Although he is not getting any younger I think he will have the better of either opponent. Should he play Dott then the match could turn into a slight bore but if Carter beats Dott then the standard of a potential Higgins/Carter match will bring the best out of both.
Semi Final predictions will be available after the quarter finals have been concluded.
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