The Snooker Players Championship consists of a professional ranking snooker competition. It was held at Aldersley Leisure Village Wolverhampton, England from 7-13 Februar 2022. We will be looking at Zhao's form, Shaun Murphy’s chances for reaching the final and John Higgins’ defence of his title.
Zhao's form
Zhao's performance at the snooker players champion was an improvement on his BildBet German Masters win last January. He defeated Jamie Clarke in the first round and lost to Chris Wakelin during the second round. Zhao won the fifth frame after falling behind 61-0 and took the frame with a break score 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 the successor apparent to the current number one in the world.
John Higgins defends his title
John Higgins' defense of the title for snooker players champion was a triumphant one. Mark Williams defeated Higgins 10-9. He reached the semi finals in the 2009 UK Championship. 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 was a masterclass in his performance. After winning the first frame on colors, he won seven more frames and was leading 8-3 after three frames. Higgins responded with an 84 break to take the lead once more. 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, a major British snooker player, has returned to great form at the Snooker Players Championship. His two-day win in Sheffield has helped him regain his world number 1 ranking and established his status as one the most renowned snooker players. He is currently tied with Stephen Hendry in seven world titles. He will now try to win a supplementary World title next year.
O'Sullivan dominated the early part of the match, but Fu had a chance to make a break amongst the balls. O'Sullivan extended O'Sullivan's lead after Fu missed his shot. After a tense opening frame, Fu failed to build any momentum and O'Sullivan punished him in the final frame with a break of 105.
Shaun Murphy's chances at reaching final
Shaun Murphy has been a regular contender for the snooker players championship since he first made it to the professional circuit. Murphy's success in the tournament was not always smooth as he suffered injuries in recent years. He was recently divorced and underwent gastric surgery. 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. He had a terrible year last year, and has had to overcome it. He made it to the Sheffield final and saved his ranking. However, he has been struggling again in the current season, with poor results. But, he could be in the final as he has been showing good form at Crucible.