It’s time for goodbyes, and among those is a farewell for now to our armchair aficionado, Free Ball.
Many thanks for all the ramblings and digressing again this year, hopefully there’ll be a return in a year’s time.
Read below for the last offering, but who is behind the Free Ball?
See Ya
By Free Ball
A massive congratulations to Mark Selby as he becomes World Champion for the second time. Since his final session against Marco Fu in the semi-finals, to his gritty performance throughout the final, he fully deserves the title.
I can’t recall a victor looking as shattered as he was after wrapping up the win on Monday night. I guess out of the majority of top players, nobody puts in as much neural effort as The Jester. It consistently amazes me how tough all the professional players are mentally. As an amateur occasionally “playing” for three hours at a time in my local club, my brain is fried afterwards. The only way obviously to gather myself, is to find the nearest refreshment shop on completion. It probably doesn’t come across well at times, but I truly have the utmost respect for all of them.
It was very pleasing to see Ding Junhui take the defeat on the chin. His focus and drive throughout the tournament was very warming, as I feel, like many others, I have watched him slowly mature and evolve over the last decade or so. It would be tragic if he never lifted The Old Lady, but I have reasonable confidence it will happen.
So after over two weeks of dodgy cushions, flying tips, one less appendix, tears with The Nugget, mobile phones, Hendry’s voice awakening, a dubious foul, and a great deal of pain and joy watching it all unfold – it’s over. Enjoy the break everyone. We deserve it.
