Right now see’s the graduation of the forty seventh working of The Masters, most will agree, it’s the second most prestigious match on the snooker calendar. Whereas no person is bound who will win the 2021 Masters, one factor we could be positive of, is that like it or hate it, we are going to hear the time period “triple crown” many occasions over the following seven days……

One week in the past, The Masters was to be staged at The Alexandra Palace and Judd Trump headed the sector because the bookies favorite, to say his second Masters title. Every week on and the match will now be held in Milton Keynes with Neil Robertson and Ronnie O’Sullivan joint favourites with most bookmakers.

Sadly, Judd Trump and Jack Lisowski each examined optimistic for Covid-19 and needed to withdraw. Their replacements are Joe Perry and Gary Wilson. Sarcastically, Perry and Wilson may face one another within the quarter remaining with the winner assured a spot within the semi remaining. In final years Masters, Ali Carter was a late substitute for Ronnie O’Sullivan and he went on to succeed in the ultimate and final summer time Stephen Maguire was a late substitute for Ding Junhui within the Tour Championship and he went on to carry the title and prize cash totalling £250K. So be careful for the replacements!!

The 4 gamers within the first quarter of the draw all seem woefully off form. Defending champion Stuart Bingham, makes an attempt to defend his title in opposition to Masters debutant, Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. Bingham has had a barren season with solely a few final 16 appearances and equally, Un-Nooh has had a poor season too, with only one final 16 look in opposition to Ronnie O’Sullivan within the Northern Eire Open. The winner of this match will face both Shaun Murphy or Mark Williams, each former Masters champions, within the quarter remaining. Each have had wretched seasons. Murphy made the semi remaining of the European Masters again in September however has made a string of early exits since. Mark Williams hasn’t performed any of the championship league snooker and withdrew from the English Open. He has suffered defeats to Paul Davison and tour newcomer Peter Devlin. His greatest efficiency was a final 16 defeat to Judd Trump within the Scottish Open.

The second quarter see’s Mark Selby v Stephen Maguire and Neil Robertson v Yan Bingtao. Selby and Robertson have been on hearth within the first half of the season lifting 3 trophies between them. Maguire has been badly off form since lifting the Tour Championship in June and his frustration got here to a head in opposition to Zak Surety within the Scottish Open final month, when he smashed the reds open from his break off. Neil Robertson received the primary “triple crown” occasion of the season, the UK Championship in dramatic type in opposition to Judd Trump in early December. He historically does nicely round this time of 12 months and needs to be too sturdy for Bingtao, who can also be making his Masters debut.

The third quarter has been given a completely totally different look following the withdrawals of Trump and Lisowski. Kyren Wilson may very well be the most important benefactor on this quarter, as he was drawn to face Trump within the quarter remaining. He now performs Gary Wilson, a participant who himself solely final week on social media, admitted isn’t pleased together with his sport and isn’t having fun with his snooker at current. Joe Perry, the 2017 runner-up faces final years semi finalist Dave Gilbert. Gilbert is one other who has had an abysmal season successful solely 5 matches from sixteen.

The ultimate quarter sees 4 former Masters champions, John Higgins v Mark Allen and Ronnie O’Sullivan v Ding Junhui. John Higgins hasn’t received a rating occasion because the 2018 Welsh Open, nonetheless, he does seem to changing into into some good type and having simply spent the final week in Milton Keynes the place he topped his group within the Championship League, he may very well be simply too sharp for Mark Allen. Allen received the Champion of Champions in November and performed great all week, however apart from that win he has been largely inconsistent within the first half of the season. Ronnie O’Sullivan is trying to win his eighth Masters title and he has a significant higher hand within the face to face in opposition to Ding with 16 wins to five. O’Sullivan has made two finals of the Residence Nations occasions this season, dropping each to Trump and Selby. Ding received the Masters in 2011. His final rating occasion win got here within the 2019 UK Championship. He has confronted O’Sullivan twice in rating occasions this season dropping each.

My private prediction is that Neil Robertson will face both Kyren Wilson or John Higgins within the remaining.