The Snooker Players Championship is an international professional ranking tournament. It took place in Wolverhampton from 7-13 Feb 2022. In this article, we'll examine Zhao's form, Shaun Murphy's chances of reaching the final and John Higgins' defence of his title.
Zhao's form
Zhao's performance at last January's BildBet German Masters was a significant improvement over Zhao. In the first round, Zhao beat Jamie Clarke 4-1, but lost to Chris Wakelin 2 rounds later. In the fifth frame, Zhao fought back after falling behind 61-0 to take the frame with a break of 71. Zhao then won the match, scoring four straight top runs to take the frame with a break of 71.
Zhao Xintong is a good indication of his potential as a world champion. O'Sullivan, who is the sport's champion for so long, will be O'Sullivan's final. Zhao is the successor apparent to the current number one in the world.
John Higgins' defence of title
John Higgins' defense of the title for snooker players champion was a triumphant one. After reaching the semi-finals in the 2009 UK Championship, the Irishman won the final by beating Mark Williams 10-9. Higgins had to overcome a setback to win the final, but he hit four century breaks in the decider for the title. This was his third consecutive win at the competition. It was also the first victory for Higgins in three years.
The Irishman performed a masterclass. After winning the first frame on colors, he won seven more frames and was leading 8-3 after three frames. Then, Higgins fired an 84-break to take the lead again. Robertson had a chance to win the title after Higgins made a mistake on the baulk pad.
Ronnie O'Sullivan's form
Ronnie O'Sullivan is back as a major British player and has performed well at the Snooker Players Championship. His two-day victory in Sheffield has re-established his world number one ranking and confirmed his status as one of the greatest snooker players of all time. He is now tied on seven world titles with Stephen Hendry. He will now be trying to win a second world title next season.
O'Sullivan led for most of the match. Fu was allowed to take a break in between the balls. O'Sullivan increased his lead when Fu missed his plant. Fu did not build momentum after the opening frame. O'Sullivan punished Fu with a break in the final frame of 105.
Shaun Murphy's chances to reach final
Since his first appearance on the professional circuit, Shaun Murphy is a regular participant in the snooker players champions. Murphy's success in the tournament was not always smooth as he suffered injuries in recent years. He had gastric sleeve and was recently divorced. He has also been affected by neck and back problems.
Murphy's record at the World Championship is excellent, reaching four finals and winning the first title in 2005. He had a terrible year last year, and has had to overcome it. He reached the Sheffield final last year, which saved his ranking. However, he has struggled in the current campaign with poor results. However, he might be keen to reach the final because he has performed well at the Crucible.