The Snooker Players Championship is an international professional ranking tournament. It was held at Aldersley Leisure Village Wolverhampton, England from 7-13 Februar 2022. In this article we will discuss Zhao's form and Shaun Murphy’s chances to reach the final. We also examine John Higgins’ defense of his title.
Zhao's Form
Zhao's form at the snooker players championship was a definite step up from his BildBet German Masters victory last January. In the first round, he beat Jamie Clarke by 4-1 but fell to Chris Wakelin the second round. In the fifth frame, Zhao fought back after falling behind 61-0 to take the frame with a break of 71. He won the match with four straight top run wins to secure his third season-high win.
Zhao Xintong has shown great potential to become a world champ at Snooker Players Championship. O'Sullivan will be O'Sullivan's opponent in the final. O'Sullivan has been the sport's king for so many years. Zhao is currently the world number one.
John Higgins defends his 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. The victory was his third consecutive victory in the competition and was the first time that he has won the title three times.
The Irishman performed a masterclass. After an opening frame of colours, he won the following seven frames and led 8-3 after three frames. Higgins then fired an 84-break for the second time. 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 has reestablished himself as a major British sport and has been in excellent form at the Snooker Players Championship. His two-day triumph in Sheffield has brought back his world number one ranking. It also confirmed his status of one of the best snooker players ever. He now holds seven world titles in a tie with Stephen Hendry, and will attempt to win another title next year.
O'Sullivan won the first part of the match but Fu was able to break through the balls. O'Sullivan extended O'Sullivan's lead, but Fu missed his plan. 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 for reaching 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 suffered from back and neck issues.
Murphy has a strong record in the World Championship. He reached four finals, and won his first title in 2005. Murphy had a difficult year last year. He made it to the Sheffield final and saved his ranking. However, he has been struggling again in the current season, with poor results. He may be eyeing the final, however, as he showed good form at Crucible.