I’m back writing my third column for OnCue snooker blog and it’s been a massively busy month for me.
I refereed my first match for World Snooker in more than five years, and pulled the curtain down on what has been one of the most enjoyable Premier League events since it began back in 1987.
Barry Hearn has delivered some great news on my homeland competition, the Welsh Open, and I'm looking forward to a return to Telford where a clutch of the top players are enjoying a fine spell of form, which should result in a massive tussle for the title.
I've enjoyed no end of good moments on the baize in November but unfortunately the month didn't end on the highest note...
Away from snooker, I own a small cafe in Wales and while I was away refereeing the Premier League’s final at the weekend in Norfolk, I’ve had one of water pipes burst.
It’s been no end of a nightmare for me, with the place flooded, but it’s all part and parcel or running your own business I suppose.
On the table though, a lot of this month’s talk has been about the Welsh Open, held nearby my home in Newport. An announcement was made to try to rejuvenate the tournament, and frankly, I think it’s about time.
Being from Wales, I've always looked forward to this event, and I thought we were treated to a really good tournament last year when Ali Carter won it.
But ever since the demise of tobacco sponsorships in snooker, the old Regal Welsh has really struggled. It’s continued to be a ranking event because it has television coverage on BBC Wales but it’s held in disregard by certain players and fans these days.I think the change in the ranking system, meaning rankings will be amended straight after the Welsh Open will make a massive difference to the tournament. Players will now go to the event knowing their performances here could have an impact of whether they play at the Crucible or not. This should make plenty of pros take it more seriously moving forward.
I also think games being played as best-of-seven-frame matches will help. There will be no intervals and with less tables, the paying fans will miss less of the action and see more players. The changes are only small but I think they will make a big difference.
November also saw the completion of the new PTC series. As I’ve said in my column before, I think they’ve been a roaring success. And now, the grand finals have been announced to be hosted in Ireland. It’s not a million miles away and it’s nice to see the Irish back on the calendar. They’ve got some really passionate fans who love their snooker. They deserve it.
Towards the end of the month, I was refereeing the conclusion of this year’s Premier League competition too.
I can honestly say that the semi-finals on the Saturday night were of an incredible standard. There was a break of at least 50 in all but one frame and I thought Shaun Murphy played as well as I’ve seen any player in many years.
After seeing Shaun and Ronnie O’Sullivan in such great form, I was gearing myself up for one of the all-time classic matches in the final.
I wouldn’t say it was disappointing, but it could have been much closer. Ronnie won 7-1 because Shaun missed a few balls early on and then he put his foot down.
Ronnie is so tough to catch once he gets ahead. He played really well and I think it probably had something to do with his father being in the crowd. He must have been keen to play well for him as he’s always been close to his father.
I’m not sure if he’ll be going to watch Ronnie at Telford as well, but I’m sure it would have an impact there too. It’s good to see him making Ronnie happy again. I think inevitably he may miss a few tournaments, but with there being so many, he can afford it now. I think the important thing is that when Ronnie does play, he’ll be in a much better state of mind.
This month I also returned to work for World Snooker after a five-year absence. I was refereeing at the UK Championship qualifiers for four days. My first match was Liu Chuang against Igor Figueiredo.
It was nice to return. I always knew I’d enjoy myself and in the build-up I was really looking forward to it, but I was surprised how nervous I was. I’ve got to admit it was great to get those old feelings of a ranking event back.
I also took charge of the Tony Drago and Liam Highfield match, which was an absolute pleasure. I’ve always got on well with Tony and it was nice to see him playing well again. He’s a good character for the game and when he’s doing well, he’s such a quick and effective player.
I’ve been invited back to the UK Championships in Telford now, and although I’ll probably start on the non-televised tables, I’m hoping to get some big matches in the tournament.
I can’t really say too much on my predictions but Ronnie will obviously be one of the players to beat with the form he’s in.
Murphy is another player on the top of his game. If he plays like he did in his Premier League semi-final, he could be lifting the trophy.
It’s a massive week for John Higgins as well. He’s had a tough time, but has managed to come through it. He’s played as well as anyone has throughout the whole PTC series since his comeback, but retuning to the UK is a different challenge.
Some people had already buried him before his match fixing verdict, while others couldn’t believe he was ever being accused. Whatever your opinion, the verdict has been made and you’ve got to respect it.
He’s a great snooker champion, and now it’s time for his cue to do the talking.
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