The Champion of Champions tournament gets underway on Monday and it does so with a cracking group to start proceedings off with, one which should guarantee plenty of great snooker throughout the day inside the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes.
We have two former world champions on show and arguably the two best players never to have won the world title in their careers so far so it should be a high quality and competitive day for the most part, in keeping with many in the history of this event.
Neil Robertson vs Jimmy White
The opening match of the tournament sees the defending champion Neil Robertson taking on the oldest man in the event in Jimmy White over the best of seven frames for a place in the group final later in the evening.
White made it here in amazing circumstances having trailed 4-0 to Ken Doherty in the final of the World Seniors but he won the next five to land the title and book his spot here. He has pushed Ronnie O’Sullivan the distance in this tournament in recent times but you wonder if the lack of a crowd will go against the Whirlwind in this match. I wouldn’t say Robertson has enjoyed playing behind closed doors, his results suggest he hasn’t, but it will be much easier to play Jimmy without a crowd shouting him on. You’ve got to think Robertson will win this match and win it well but with nothing to lose Jimmy shouldn’t be disrespected. I’ll watch the tournament opener rather than bet on it.
John Higgins vs Ding Junhui
The real tasty action in the afternoon session on the first day of play is very much the second group semi-final as two of the best to have ever graced the green baize battle it out when John Higgins takes on Ding Junhui for a spot in the group final in the evening.
Higgins comes into this tournament off the back of a run to the semi-final of the English Open and making the final day of the Championship League and he did nothing wrong in exiting both events. Ding’s form is very up and down these days. When he’s on it he can win big titles as we saw in the UK Championship 11 months ago but that highlight is very much exactly that in the last couple of years. Maybe the magnitude of this tournament will bring the best out of him. It will need to though.
I referenced Higgins’ run to the semi-final of the English Open last month above and importantly he beat Ding 4-1 in the last 16 of that event and Ding had actually played well up to that point too. That makes me think that the Scot is the man to be with here. He rarely puts in a bad performance and looks to be cueing nicely as evidenced by his 147 here in the Championship League on Friday. Higgins is the one to beat here.
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Group Betting
Although I respect Jimmy White, I think we have to approach this group with the thought that Neil Robertson will be in the group final in the evening session, it is then about who joins him. There is nothing secure about John Higgins being that person but I do think it will be him as I’ve already stated and assuming I’m right it might be worth a cover of Higgins to win the group as well as if he does make it through he’s never been a 10/3 shot to beat Robertson.
The one thing we are guaranteed about the final is that it will be a tight and close match and when the odds and lines come up over 9.5 frames in the final will look a good thing if Robertson does indeed make it through but we won’t have that knowledge until the end of the afternoon session. Until then I’m happy to take my chances that Higgins comes through and then lays it down to Robertson in the evening session at a silly price, a price which will be even bigger in the unlikely event that he faces White in the final.
Tips
Back J.Higgins to beat D.Junhui for a 3/10 stake at 1.85 with 888sport
Back him here:
Back J.Higgins to win Group 1 for a 1/10 stake at 4.33 with BetVictor
Back him here:
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