The World Snooker Championship it is over for some days now and so is the 2016/2017 snooker season: a time for despair for many of us: snooker followers, bloggers, journalists and so forth.

The query “And now what?” involves thoughts, is not it? In order that’s why I considered sharing a number of of the highlights of this yr’s World Championship.

I have not performed this in years, so for these of you who’ve forgot or don’t know what doing an “after” piece is all about, here is the bloody, bloody reality: what you’ll learn subsequent are simply my views. It is my flip to be bias.

A particular version 

2017 marked the fortieth anniversary from when snooker graced the Crucible Theater with its presence. It has been one hell of a journey, one that’s sure to proceed for a minimum of 10 years as we had been assured simply earlier than the kick off, of this yr’s version when World Snooker Chairman, Barry Hearn signed the papers.

“The house of snooker” will stay in Sheffield, on the Crucible Theatre a spot so tiny and claustrophobic, however one which guards so many beautiful and painful recollections nonetheless. It is really paradoxical how a spot so small can seize so many nice moments.

The fortieth anniversary bought some nice protection from the BBC, a celebration get together earlier than the beginning of the brand new World Championship, some superior TV-shows, plus a re-play of “The Rack Pack” – a movie that presents (in a really bizarre mixture of unhappy and humorous) the “change of guards” from Alex Higgins to Steve Davis.

I’m what you’ll name “old skool”, so I can not however be overjoyed by the truth that snooker has discovered such an important and comfortable place because the Crucible for its residence and that for 40 years this has been the stage the place snooker’s been the winner.

“Shocks on the rocks” 

Most likely that the most important shock of the match was the truth that one of many largest favourites to win the title this yr, Judd Trump suffered an out-of-this-world defeat from world quantity 54, Rory McLeod.

McLeod, whose final main victory was recorded again in 2015 when he received the Ruhr Open, beat Trump 10-8 within the first spherical.

A match that I suppose proved to Trump what the expression “nerves of metal” is all about.

Marco’s comebacks 

Marco Fu has been a really sturdy contestant and his kind this season might be his greatest to this point. So in all probability isn’t truthful to say I used to be shocked to see him battle his approach by means of matches, performing multiple comeback.

The primary got here when he was 7-1 down within the first spherical, in opposition to Belgium’s greatest Luca Brecel. What an important efficiency for the Hong Kong man! He went on and received the match 10-9.

The second piece of historical past occurred within the subsequent spherical, the place he confronted the mighty Neil Robertson. This snooker encounter was stuffed with a variety of errors and unhealthy missed, as the person himself was going to state after the match and though the lads went hand in hand for more often than not, all the pieces modified when Robbo went 10-8 up.

Ultimately although, Fu managed to win 13-11. He bought overwhelmed within the quarters although, 13-3 by the reigning world champion, Mark Selby.

Break of sample for Ding

Ding Junhui loved a fairly good run throughout this yr’s World Championship, however his most notable efficiency should undoubtedly be the victory he obtained in entrance of his idol, Ronnie O’Sullivan.

“The Chinese language Sensation” hasn’t beat O’Sullivan in 10 years! So to do it right here, on the Crucible, within the quarter-finals of the World Championship should actually be one thing value remembering. Not only for the lad, but in addition for us.

I suppose all of us bear in mind the time when Ding ended up in tears after shedding to O’Sullivan, again in 2007 within the Masters’ last. 10 years later, the coed was overcomes his grasp.

146 – the brand new 147 

I do not learn about you, however I’m a sucker for optimum breaks. It will get me all heat and fuzzy inside. So the truth that this yr we did not have a 147 on the Crucible was a bit unhappy.

Nonetheless, we had the following smartest thing, which is a 146 fantastically cued by the one and solely Ronnie O’Sullivan within the match in opposition to Ding Junhui.

Curiously sufficient we’ve not had a most break on the Crucible since Stephen Hendry’s 147 from 2012 – the yr he really retired kind skilled snooker.

Selby will get 3 out of 4 & joins elite group 

Selby hasn’t simply retained his world title, however has additionally recorded a fairly particular deal: he received three out of 4 World Championship finals!Which, regardless of not being everybody’s cup of tea is a fairly superior factor.

Plus, the truth that he defended his title additionally places him subsequent to snooker’s elite: Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan.

These three gents are the one ones to have received back-to-back world titles.

Classic Higgins

Again in 2011 Higgins received the World Championship in a splendid approach. He loved an amazing season, profitable the 2010 UK Championship and the 2011 Welsh Open so I suppose it was solely regular to finish that season in grand fashion. Plus, if you happen to nicely bear in mind he had one thing to show after the six-months ban.

Since then although, his kind has been oscillating and though this season he captured the Champion of Champions title, he did not appear to regain his excellent cuing fashion.

However this World Championship we had a really good shock from the Scotsman.

Though not at his greatest, he was sturdy, decided, his lengthy potting was simply excellent and he reached the ultimate the place he battled like a lion.

Certain, it was a time when all the pieces got here to items, however it was with none doubt a classic Higgins working across the snooker desk this yr.

Snooker conquers Social Media 

I’ve been running a blog about snooker for nearly seven years now and I’m so pleased to say that this yr was in all probability one of the best in regard to how snooker was current and promoted by means of Social Media.

Both we’re speaking about Fb, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube – snooker was there. World Snooker even determined to make use of Fb as a instrument for broadcasting the World Snooker Championship in elements of the world the place the transmission wasn’t accessible – which by all means is nice publicity for the game itself.

Snooker reached information territories and flooded all Social Media channels with footage, quick movies, LIVE periods, information and so forth.

Every thing was there up for grabs. Each minute of the World Championship bought protection from the officers, in addition to from us – the snooker blog-sphere – and the snooker followers from all world wide.

The snooker household bought collectively as soon as extra and shared distinctive moments, concepts, jokes and so forth. It actually was an amazing yr for snooker to interrupt the web. I dare to day snooker conquered the web for 17 days 😉

So that is it, grosso modo I’ve said my case (of which I’m sure, as Sinatra stated in a really well-known music – I will allow you to guess which one) of my highlights for this yr’s World Snooker Championship.

And now what? – the identical query arises. Now it is your flip! Write me about your favorite/worst moments, the highlights, the humorous elements … no matter springs to thoughts. I’ll you should definitely learn all of them. 

Photographs credit score: World Snooker