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發表於 2007-3-21 11:36:53
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ROCKET FACES DING AT THE CRUCIBLE
20 Mar 2007 08:50:00
Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ding Junhui, previously considered by bookmakers the two favourites for the 888.com World Snooker Championship title, have been drawn together in the first round at the Crucible.
Ding, the youngest ever winner of three ranking titles, qualified for the televised stages of snooker’s most famous event for the first time by winning his qualifying match against Mark Davis last week.
But the Chinese 19-year-old faces a daunting Crucible debut as he takes on two-times World Champion O’Sullivan in his opening match on Sunday April 22.
It will be a rematch of this season’s Northern Ireland Trophy final, which Ding won 9-6, and the SAGA Insurance Masters final when the Rocket took revenge with a 10-3 victory.
Defending 888.com World Champion Graeme Dott faces Ian McCulloch on the opening day of the Championship – Saturday April 21. Preston’s McCulloch beat Dott 10-9 in the first round two years ago.
One of the most intriguing ties to come out of the draw, which was revealed on BBC Breakfast television this morning, brings together BBC Sport’s two most recognisable snooker pundits.
Veterans Steve Davis and John Parrott, seven world titles and 53 years of professional experience between them, will go head to head. It’s their first competitive meeting since the 2000 Irish Masters and a repeat of the 1989 Crucible final.
World No 1 Stephen Hendry is up against David Gilbert, 65 places below him in the rankings, while last year’s runner-up Peter Ebdon will face 1995 finalist Nigel Bond.
Shaun Murphy, the 2005 champion, will play 17-year-old Judd Trump, who will become the third youngest player ever to compete at the Crucible after Hendry and O’Sullivan.
Australia’s Neil Robertson, the only player to win two ranking titles this term, will take on Malta Cup finalist Ryan Day. Ken Doherty, the 1997 champion from Dublin, plays debutant Mark Allen from Belfast.
There are five debutants in all – the most since 1999.
The full draw is:
Graeme Dott v Ian McCulloch
Anthony Hamilton v Marco Fu
Stephen Maguire v Joe Perry
Mark Williams v Joe Swail
John Higgins v Michael Holt
Barry Hawkins v Fergal O’Brien
Neil Robertson v Ryan Day
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Ding Junhui
Ken Doherty v Mark Allen
Matthew Stevens v Joe Delaney
Steve Davis v John Parrott
Shaun Murphy v Judd Trump
Peter Ebdon v Nigel Bond
Stephen Lee v Mark Selby
Ali Carter v Andy Hicks
Stephen Hendry v David Gilbert
The 888.com World Snooker Championship runs from April 21 to May 7 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
888.com, the world’s No 1 online casino and poker room, has a five-year multi-million pound agreement with World Snooker to sponsor the World Snooker Championship - now known as the 888.com World Snooker Championship.
http://www.worldsnooker.com/tournament_news(id18558)-61.htm |
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