Mark Williams and Mark Selby will battle it out in the final of the 2011 Shanghai Masters after coming through contrasting semi-finals in China.
Selby demolished surprise opponent Mark King 6-0 in a speedy display and didn’t need to be at his best to overcome the qualifier.
King, who has all but guaranteed his place among the top 32 in the rankings with his run, has not appeared in a ranking event final in seven years and the pressure of the occasion showed as the Essex cueist failed to get going early on.
Selby wasn’t at his best but didn’t need to be and has the added bonus of being better rested for tomorrow’s final after his upcoming opponent, Williams, was made to work past midnight for his triumph over Neil Robertson.
The Welshman opened up a 3-1 advantage at the mid-session interval only for the Australian former world champion to clinch a topsy-turvy fifth frame on the black to reduce the arrears to one.
The next two frames were shared before Robertson took advantage of a tentative Williams to take the lead in the match for the first time at 5-4.
29 year-old Robertson, who has claimed at least one ranking event title in each of the last five calendar years before 2011, appeared set to complete the turnaround in frame ten.
However, a series of excellent pots on the colours from his Welsh opponent forced a decider – which he ultimately took to claim an important victory.
Tomorrow’s final is a repeat of the excellent German Masters final back in February where Williams came out on top 9-7 in front of a massive crowd.
However, the intriguing clash has added significance with Selby currently leading the provisional rankings ahead of Williams before October’s official revision.
Williams will be keen to keep his status as the world’s best player and will be aware that nothing short of a win tomorrow will be sufficient.
It will be interesting, though, to see if the 36 year-old has anything left to offer after a grueling battle with Robertson that took over four hours.
For Selby, it is an opportunity to quash doubters’ opinions that he has the consistency but not the mental ability to win an array of big titles in the game.
In addition, a title in the Far East tomorrow would be the Leicester potter’s second in a row following his PTC triumph at the Paul Hunter Classic in August.
Here’s hoping for a classic.
To view the full draw, click here.
Ribery scored his very first objective for France France struck two times in the previous ten minutes to see
off Spain and established up a quarter-last
assembly with Brazil. SOCCER Galaxy Mentor and GMArena, who led the
U.S. team in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, provides his consider on getting ready for the tournament and
the American side’s potential clients next calendar year in Brazil.
20-four several years soon after their very last good results in the
World Cup, Italy as soon as yet again lifted the trophy in 2006 and
only wore one particular package all of the way. ROBBEN ISLAND, South Africa – The successful team at
subsequent year’s World Cup will get $31 million in
prize funds.
Commenting on Goleo, the official lion-like mascot of the World Cup in Germany
(who curiously wears a shirt but enjoys parading about sans trousers) Spiekerman states, “This artificial lion is neither cute nor unsightly nor pertinent it truly is just uncomfortable.” Now, I am all
for presenting bare , and for the naked truth and all that.
But in community shows, donning pants is nonetheless extremely recommended.
Goleo appears to be a flop no physique enjoys him and the company which certified the European rights
to the pantsless mascot submitted for insolvency Read more about “Mr. No-Trousers” right here on the DW-World web site