This year’s German Masters quarter-finals would have had to go some to beat last year’s for drama and entertainment – but they have certainly thrown up a fascinating semi-final line-up.
Read MoreFINAL FOUR PREPARE TO DO BATTLE IN BERLIN
DOTT TAKES SOUNDBITE HONOURS
Graeme Dott is a pretty regular contributor in any ‘quote of the tournament’ competition. The feisty Scot and former world champion only has to feel strongly on a subject and the soundbites just seem to spill out. The Crucible this year was no exception. When Dott was asked about his excellent record at the venue and in the longer-distance matches, he insisted he was “a Grand National horse being asked to run seven-furlong races for most of the season”, a reference to the plethora of best-of-seven contests since the New Year.
And asked about Anthony McGill, Dott said: “Anthony just loves snooker, I mean really loves it, completely and utterly, he lives and breathes it.
“Give him another 10 years and he’ll probably be like everyone else and hate it – but he’s not like that now, no battle scars and he’s like a kid in a sweetshop.”
BEWARE DANGERMAN DOTT
GRAEME DOTT knows he isn’t being talked about as one of the likely winners of the world title – and it won’t bother him one bit.
Read MoreDOTT CLOSING IN - BUT WHITE GONE
GRAEME Dott stands just one win away from getting back to the Crucible after reaching the final round of Betfred World Championship qualifying on Sunday night.
Read MoreCHINA TITLE OR BUST FOR DOTT
GRAEME Dott recognised on Tuesday that he must win a second China Open title to snatch the final automatic place at the Betfred World Championships.
Read MoreMILKINS TARGETS MAGUIRE IN CRUCIBLE TOP-16 SCRAP
THOSE players most at risk of missing out on an automatic place at the World Championships have been feeling the heat in Mumbai in more ways than the 35 degrees outside.
Read MoreDOTT ON THE LANDSCAPE
THE CORAL UK CHAMPIONSHIP began for Graeme Dott with him comparing the Sports Hall arena with a toilet but, based on today’s performance, it may end with him flushed with success.
Read MoreDOTT ENGAGED IN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
GRAEME Dott broke off from a heated debate on independence on Wednesday to set up a clash of former world champions against Shaun Murphy at the Shanghai Masters.
Read MoreDOTT PICKS OUT ZHOU AS CHINESE ONE TO WATCH
There is plenty of debate and discussion as to who might prove to be the next champion to emerge from China, following in the footsteps of the mighty Ding Junhui.
Quite an act to follow of course, with the world No2 having hoovered up just the five ranking titles last season alone and signalled his intent this term with success in his home Yixing Open last week.
Liang Wenbo’s time to truly seize the baton may have come and gone, and delving down into the next wave of young prospects several have their admirers.
Lyu Haotian gained some fame for reaching the quarter-finals of the International Championship at 14 and continues to progress.
And more recently the spotlight has fallen on Zhao Xintong, who beat Ken Doherty at 15 in that same Chengdu event two years ago and is improving with every event.
But former world champion Graeme Dott reckons world amateur champion Zhou Yuelong, who beat Zhao 8-4 in last year’s final for that trophy, could just prove to be the best of the bunch.
After seeing off Zhou 5-3 at the Wuxi Classic Dott said: “I have played him three times and I just think he has the best all-round game of all of them.
“I think he will be the next big player coming through from China. After Ding and Wenbo, people talk about Zhao, but Zhou is my favourite. He is the one to look out for.”
WILSON STUNS DOTT TO SEAL CRUCIBLE DEBUT
KYREN Wilson will make his Crucible debut this year after beating former world champion Graeme Dott at Ponds Forge on Tuesday night.
Read MoreDOTT STANDS IN WILSON'S CRUCIBLE PATH
THE first eight final qualifiers to reach the Crucible were set up after Saturday’s play at Ponds Forge in Sheffield – with eight more to be decided on Sunday.
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Experienced veterans of the China tournaments know to leave a little extra space in the suitcase for whatever gift the promoters come up with at the usually extravagant welcome ceremony. These have included everything from porcelain to pandas in the past, and this year’s Haikou World Open proved no exception when boxes of finest rice wine were bestowed on the distinguished visiting players. One travel solution would be to finish it off before the return trip, a dilemma facing Joe Perry, John Higgins and Graeme Dott among others.
Photographs courtesy of World Snooker