36 G T T dered virtues in , which has undergone a undergone has which snooker, in virtues dered and professionalism are consi- gamesmanship year? this And ... trophy the took who Bingham Stuart Englishman was it year Last Open. Goldfields the hosted has town rush gold Open. Goldfields Snooker Australian the for recently Victoria Bendigo, in while day rainy one did Hawkins, Hawk” “The Barry and Davis Mark players, snooker English pro two what exactly that’s But events. important most and newest sport’s their of one of final the in aplace and $70,000 worth pot aprize for out it battle to due they’re before hours just I Hang on, mate. Patience, mental focus, focus, mental Patience, mate. on, Hang historic the that running year second the is This world he O oldfields mate right Australia’s . off for ’s Mark Davis. Mark England’s for off tucking into a friendly pub lunch together together lunch pub afriendly into tucking sportsmen two day see you every not t’s a ‒ A pub lunch with a a with lunch Apub and rival ‒ rival and - pla class didn’t pay pay didn’t b in B pen l endigo was vastl ret y which e - u t to o rned destined to stand one step shy of the limelight – limelight the of shy step one stand to destined seem who blokes –those underdogs suffering long- the while appearances, brief surprisingly be to out turns what in put tournament the at gold strike to expected are who players the happens), shit (weird snooker of knowns known the of $435,000. of pool prize a total for competition atopsy-turvy in lights leading snooker’s of assortment impressive an with along crowd, ahome of front in playing be to excited who’s Robertson, Neil baize, the on man our says sport. flagging the revitalising about set and 2010 in Association Snooker and Billiards Professional World the of ownership majority acquired Hearn Barry promoter sports since renaissance global Topsy-turvy? In a perfect illustration of one one of illustration aperfect In Topsy-turvy? snooker,” for wonders done Hearn’s “Barry y to snooker the y different o u atr shores prestigio the ppe r o ...... remember u might a place in the final. the in a place himself potting and 6-2 winning Fu, Marco Kong’s Hong with match semi-final his through sails that after day the and 5-4, early home Junhui East” the of Star “The Ding sends he Murphy, dispatching after day The improved. has game his aday, bananas organic adozen around away putting started and vegan Ebdon. Ebdonator” “The Peter to 5-4 falls who Murphy, Shaun seed seventh for unlucky proves 13th the Friday while Selt, Matthew to 5-4 down goes he when nightmare round first- asimilar has Bingham, boy, golden year’s Last Burnett. Jamie Scot 37th-seeded to 5-3 losing round, first the past it make even doesn’t Selby 1Mark no. world Current fore. the to come Ebdon is no newcomer, but ever since he turned turned he since ever but newcomer, no is Ebdon u s Au s stralian , the clean-living Englishman Englishman clean-living , the

photos by Getty Images it’s more disappointing to go out on home soil. I soil. home on out go to disappointing more it’s 61. and 81 67, of 65, breaks with frames four next the taking it, of most the makes chips ‘n’ fish for apenchant with player Sussex-born-and-bred the and baize, the onto Davis lets 39 on second the in black the on a kick but frame, first the wins Robertson tournament. the in place his and game his with along window, the out goes routine practice pre-match his undoing; his be to out turns salt) the pass to Hawkins asking bloke the (that’s Davis against game next his before does the experience.” enjoying really I’m everyone; with up catch to fantastic It’s friends. closest my all and well as here up family my all got “I’ve afterwards. comments he Australia,” in playing be to special really “It’s crowd. home ajubilant of front in 113 and 92 81, 135, of breaks impressive with Bond Nigel Englishman over win round first 5-1 confident. feeling Open Goldfields the to up fronts from left-hander blond the and Robertson, for good looking is life short, In $450,000. than more banked he’s seasons, two last the In events. Tour Championship Players two at champion was and , The event, invitation prestigious most snooker’s won he 2011/2012, In Open. World and Championship World the won he season, 2009/2010 the In Prix. Grand 2009 the and Championship, Snooker Bahrain 2008 the Open, Welsh 2007 the U Down “It’s always disappointing to lose, and I guess Iguess and lose, to disappointing always “It’s Robertson amiable an up” “catching the But acomfortable scoring start, agood to off gets He From Thunder “The Neil visited last we Since nder” Robertson back in 2007, he’s won won he’s 2007, in back Robertson nder” O’Sullivan himself, who announced after winning winning after announced who himself, O’Sullivan U Down trip the make to not O’Sullivan isn’t here. because peeved, abit be to going he’s O’Sullivan, Rocket” “The Ronnie of likes the from expect to come we’ve drama high and showmanship fiery U Down it amongst U the from travelled has who audience the in chap one least at there’s and players, the than committed more are ‒fans sometimes snooker a spectator-favourite world sport. make to plan master marketing-savvy Hearn’s of part –all breaks televised the for more get They incentives. cash with breaks high achieve to encouraged are players and growing, is money year. Prize this million 350 estimated an to 2006 in million 75 from grown has audience television international Snooker’s Australia. 2011, since and, Brazil , Thailand, Bulgaria), Poland, Belgium, (Germany, Europe across spread 28 are there Now, Sheffield. in Crucible the at Championship World the one, big the and tournaments until up catching the leave to resolved has and Open, Goldfields Australian an win to determined is who Robertson, says again,” 16 last the in out gone I’ve unfortunately and year, last 16 last the in out went Everyone’s disappointed that O’Sullivan chose chose O’Sullivan that disappointed Everyone’s ‒ that knowns known sport’s of another It’s U six just be to used There after his game next year. next game his nder. But if he’s expecting the the expecting he’s if But nder. nder – except –except nder K-based ranking ranking K-based allowed t allowed K to get get K to play th play slow a is E bdon is joke.” “How P e er ter be the only Chinese player currently in the top 16, } 16, top the in currently player Chinese only the be might He millions. worth is Ding, 25-year-old player, star its and audience, television global snooker’s of cent per 50 than more up makes China through. coming competitors international more see to expect can we world, snooker new brave Hearn’s of indicator an as China in interest. their will so 2004/2005), in held first was it since $600,000 to $300,000 from doubled has Open China the for pool prize the given likely, seems (which grows money prize the as that out pointing on, when choose and pick can players top ever, the than more mean, shake-up snooker Hearn’s by state of play: the increased offered opportunities sport’s the of areflection is it as mind of state O’Sullivan’s of indication an much as It’s foot). his broken he’s heard, we (last break a six-month taking be he’d that Championship World year’s last and where they appear. In fact, the long-haul long-haul the fact, In appear. they where and If we take the phenomenal growth of snooker snooker of growth phenomenal the take we If a

t o o waiting for his big-name mates to clock clock to mates big-name his for waiting flight to Australia and concerns about about concerns and Australia to flight

snooker in Australia. He’s just just He’s Australia. in snooker only the not O’Sullivan’s mean jetlag we’ll be seeing more world-class world-class more seeing be we’ll big name no-show: a smattering asmattering no-show: name big globalisation, and reckons reckons and globalisation, of other top-16ers also decided decided also top-16ers other of is right behind snooker’s snooker’s behind right is not to come. come. to not miss,” says Robertson, who who Robertson, says miss,” a of abit is it in O’Sullivan Ronnie have doesn’t that “Obviously any tournament Ding “The Star Of Of Star “The Ding The Junhui. East”

37 loved the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association so much, he bought it in 2010.

“Barry Hearn’s done wonders for snooker.”

but five (or six, counting ’s ) should’ve got. My safety let me down; it just the-money touch, feel and cue ball control. of his fellow countrymen are in the top 60 (more wasn’t good enough, all the way through the game. Hawkins, a man of few words at the best of than any other non-British country). “Playing a friend in a semi-final, I tried to treat times, is both thrilled and stunned and comes For now, the Englishmen dominate, and the it like another game. I didn’t win, but obviously close to cracking up on camera at the thought biggest drama of this year’s Goldfields Open is I’m over the moon that Barry is in the final. He’s of his wife and pre-schooler son, Harrison, arguably The Ebdonator’s characteristically slow, a great mate of mine and a great lad.” back home. “Even during the good times, intense and methodical style. He averages a shot The Goldfields Open final between Hawkins there’s still doubt; you start questioning time of 38 seconds against Ding (who averages and Ebdon takes place the next afternoon, yourself, thinking, ‘Am I ever going to win a big 25), and gets a share of the blame from the crowd Sunday, in front of a full house. Davis is sitting up tournament?’ I’ve come close quite a few times, for Robertson’s poor form when his long-winded in the players’ lounge watching, and Robertson but that was a few years ago now, and I hadn’t match, which precedes Robertson’s second-round swings by with his Mum for a spot of reached a quarter-final for a while. To be the last match against Davis, causes the home favourite’s commentating and a look-see. one standing is unbelievable.” game to run two hours behind schedule. There’s a lot riding on this match. For Ebdon, a Hawkins’ commitment illustrates another, more Criticism comes from his colleagues, too. “How chance to secure his tenth ranking crown and recent known known: there’s not much time for is allowed to play that slow is a joke,” cement his place as the vegan poster boy and slacking on Hearn’s new and improved snooker tweets , snooker’s second seed and its comeback king. For softly-spoken Hawkins, who scene. “Barry Hearn’s given us all a big kick up the current young upstart. But it’s water off a duck’s has been playing professionally since 1996, but backside,” says Robertson. “In the past when I back for Ebdon, who’s been here before: at the never won a major event, it’s a chance to finally won a tournament, I could take a couple of months Crucible in 2005, he inspired O’Sullivan go all the way. off, just chill out and not do anything.” to draw blood scratching his own forehead Ebdon takes the first frame, despite fouling Now, the former champ won’t take his foot off in frustration, and makes no apologies. after mistaking the brown for a red, then hands the gas. “I was a little bit lazy before, not going to “C’mon England,” some smartarse shouts from over to Hawkins, who comfortably wins the next the club when I should have, but I’ve learnt from the stands two days later, as a nervous-looking four frames with breaks of 57, 74, 106 and 114. A that and have to keep going because we’re playing Hawkins and a philosophical Davis, who wisely tight-faced Ebdon hasn’t sunk a ball for just over so many tournaments.” went their separate ways after lunch, get started an hour when he wins the sixth frame, helped by a Hawkins is singing the same tune, and is on their semi-final game. The match begins well 63, to reduce the deficit by one. Both players win heading home with tournaments lined up arse to for The Hawk, and he goes into the interval with a a further frame each before the session ends, ear for the rest of the season. But first: the pub. 3-1 lead. Davis finds some form after the break, Hawkins leading 5-3 going into the interval. Earlier in the week he put his success in Australia and levels the match with breaks of 98 and 93. The Hawk soars in the evening, winning all four down to having a few pints of an evening, and he Hawkins takes the seventh, ninth and tenth frames and achieving a break of 133 to seal a and Davis are off to celebrate with the locals –

frames – and the match, 6-4. memorable maiden victory. “Barry’s been a winner despite all their success, it’s where these ordinary Images Getty It was a bittersweet moment for Davis, who waiting to happen for quite some time,” says blokes are most at home. Let’s hope they don’t “really fancied” winning the tournament. “I didn’t Ebdon afterwards, who succinctly describes his lose touch.

play badly, but I missed a couple of balls that I own form as “crap”, and no match for Hawkins’ on- ‒ Vanessa Murray photos by

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