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'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 in the snooker players championship was definitely an improvement from his BildBet German Masters title last January. He defeated Jamie Clarke in the first round and lost to Chris Wakelin during the second round. Zhao battled back from falling behind 61-0 to win the frame with an impressive 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' defence of title
John Higgins' defence of the snooker players championship title 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 was forced to fight back to win the final. However, he scored four century breaks to secure the title. This was Higgins' third consecutive win in the competition, and he was first to win the title three times.
The Irishman was a masterclass in his performance. After an opening frame of colours, he won the following seven frames and led 8-3 after three frames. Higgins made an 84-break to regain the lead. Robertson got a chance after Higgins failed to hit a tricky yellow in his next frame on the baulk cushions.
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 victory at Sheffield has secured his world number-one ranking and made him one of the greatest snooker player of all time. He now shares seven world titles with Stephen Hendry and will be looking to win a supplementary title next year.
O'Sullivan was dominant in the opening part of match. Fu however had the chance to get a break between the balls. O'Sullivan extended O'Sullivan's lead after Fu missed his shot. Fu was unable to gain momentum after a tight opening frame. O'Sullivan then punished him with a break at 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 rise to prominence in the tournament was not without challenges. He has also suffered from injuries over the years. He was recently divorced and underwent gastric surgery. 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. But he was in for a bad year last year and has had to overcome a tough season. He managed to reach the final in Sheffield last year and save his ranking. He has struggled again this season with his results. He has displayed good form at Crucible and may be aiming for the final.