The Snooker Players Championship is an international professional ranking tournament. It was held from 7-13 February 2022 at Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton, England. This article will examine Zhao's performance, Shaun Murphy's chances at reaching the final, and John Higgins defense of his title.
Zhao's form
Zhao's performance at this snooker player championship was a marked improvement on Zhao's BildBet German Masters triumph last January. He beat Jamie Clarke, 4-1, in the opening round. However, he lost to Chris Wakelin in round 2. Zhao, after falling behind 61-0, won the frame in the fifth with a break number 71. He won the match with four straight top run wins to secure his third season-high win.
Zhao Xintong is a good indication of his potential as a world champion. He will face O'Sullivan in the final, who has been the king of the sport for so long. Zhao is the heir obvious to the title of current world number 1.
John Higgins defends the title
John Higgins won the defence of the title as champion snooker players. Mark Williams was defeated 10-9. The Irishman beat Higgins to win the final after reaching the semi-finals at the 2009 UK Championship. Higgins had to come from behind to win the final but hit four century breaks in the decider to clinch the title. This was his third consecutive win at the competition. It was also the first victory for Higgins in three years.
The Irishman was a masterclass in his performance. After winning the colours frame, he went on to win seven more frames. He led by eight points after three frames. Higgins made an 84-break to regain the lead. Robertson then got the chance to win after Higgins missed the tricky yellow on the baulk pillow.
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 at Sheffield has secured his world number-one ranking and made him one of the greatest snooker player of all time. 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 for reaching final
Since his professional debut, Shaun Murphy has been a frequent contender for the snooker professionals championship. Murphy's success in the tournament was not always smooth as he suffered injuries in recent years. He underwent gastric sleeve surgery and recently divorced. He also has back and neck problems.
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 reached the Sheffield finals last year, which helped him save his ranking. He has struggled again this season with his results. However, he might be keen to reach the final because he has performed well at the Crucible.