Players Tour Championship 2011/2012 – Event 4
The Paul Hunter Classic 2011 ( Event 4 of the Players Tour Championship 2011/ 12) was a snooker tournament, which was held in Fürth and Nuremberg from 25 to 28 August 2011. As in the year before it was an official ranking tournament of the Main Tour and thus part of the snooker season 2011/12. For the first time Euro Sports broadcast the games of table 1 in the 500 -seat interior separated during the three main days ago. It was the first time ever that one of the 12 singles tournaments in the Players Tour was broadcast on television. It was played in the Stadthalle Fuerth, as in previous years, a total of 10 tables.
Due to the high number of participants - 244 - the first round was fought near the town hall in the new, located in Nuremberg Billiards Center of the organizing SSC Fürth with free admission. In addition, parallel to the Paul Hunter Classic a wildcard tournament for amateur players from Continental Europe took place in which they could qualify for the wildcard round of the German Masters 2012.
Defending champion was the Englishman Judd Trump. Ronnie O'Sullivan gave his last-minute cancellation last year his debut in Fürth. With its maximum break in the third round, the first in the history of the Paul Hunter Classic, he managed one of the highlights of the tournament.
Only four Main Tour players came forward from the outset not for the tournament: Stephen Maguire, Jamie Burnett, Andy Hicks and Igor Figueiredo. Even the non - participation of Björn Haneveer - which was indeed reported, but had to cancel again due to a shoulder injury - it was clear before the tournament starts. As the tournament also Allister Carter, Graeme Dott, Tony Drago, Liam Highfield, Robin Hull, Joe Meara, Lucky Vatnani Liang Wenbo and were happy to participate from different reasons. Stuart Bingham, who had previously won the Australian Goldfields Open, was during the days of the tournament father and was also not present.
- 2.1 Round 1 to knockout round
- 2.2 quarterfinals to finals
- 2.3 final
Preliminary round
Preliminary Round 1
Preliminary Round 2
Preliminary Round 3
Finals
The most prominent German player Lasse Munster man and Patrick Einsle did not make it to the main tournament, but with Stefan Joachim, Christof Biniarsch and the German - British Phil Barnes were three German representative in the first round. However, they lost there all strong opponents.
The biggest surprise of the first three rounds succeeded Passakorn Suwannawat. The heavyweight Thais, who took his second start on the main tour this season, defeating the world number one Mark Williams and was able to power by defeating Ken Doherty confirm. After that, he also won his round against Jamie Jones. Another second-round match was won by the sovereign launched former world champion Neil Robertson against a strong Mark Joyce. The Englishman Joyce had previously prevailed in one of the most dramatic games against his compatriot Mark King. King had already caught two snooker in the decisive seventh frame and looked like the sure winner, and the game ball slipped him the sinking of the penultimate, pink ball in the middle pocket.
Convincingly played Mark Davis, who had recently approached the top 16 in the world rankings. Each 4:2 he defeated Jimmy White, Jamie Cope and Matthew Selt in the second round. A surprising second round there was between the Welshman Michael White, who had sent the two-time winner Shaun Murphy PHC home early, and the Irishman Fergal O'Brien, who had fought against Ding Junhui. In direct comparison, the Irishman got the upper hand. The most sovereign players in the round of 16 was the world number three Mark Selby, who had until then not leave a single frame. Also, Andrew Higginson, who had previously turned off after all defending champion Judd Trump, he had then no frame. PTC specialist Joe Jogia had managed among other things against top -16 player Mark Allen back to the first knockout round, where, however, Stephen Lee was a terminus for him.
The first, as always accompanied by enthusiasm appearance of Ronnie O'Sullivan in Fürth was very successful. As Selby he gave to the knockout stages from no frame. In addition, he succeeded in round 3 cameras running a much acclaimed Maximum Break. It was the eleventh of his career and the 78th official maximum break of snooker history. After six months divided to first place in the list of players with the most maximum Breaks with Stephen Hendry, he was from this time again the sole Leading in these statistics. Li Yan, who had previously defeated the world champion and world number two John Higgins, could afford only temporary resistance at 2:4 the popular Englishman in the round it. The only one of the numerous representatives in Chinese who survived the knockout stage was thus Yu Delu with relatively unspectacular victories over Steve Davis and Jimmy Robertson.
In the quarterfinals, the tournament surprise Passakorn Suwannawat subject but clearly the Australian Neil Robertson with 1:4, surprisingly clear Mark Davis sat down against Fergal O'Brien 4-0 by. Without the big breaks, but with great game reliability, particularly in the long initial balls, the Englishman then continued through to Robertson, who made too many mistakes, and reached his first PTC finals. In the other half of the tournament tree Selby was against Stephen Lee while his first frame off, but otherwise had little problems. O'Sullivan, however, for the first time showed weakness and Yu Delu forced the decision frame, the Englishman but won convincingly. So it was then at the early final of the previously best player of the tournament. In addition, O'Sullivan led in the scoring of the PTC tournaments this season, Selby had provisionally world rankings on the way to number one. In the high level match " Ronnie " was already leading 2-0 and 3-1, but known for his strong nerves fighter Selby could still turn the game to 4:3.
Thus, two Marks were in the final, but that evolved into one of the shortest finals of the tournament's history. After a quick guide Selby pulled off his compatriot in the second frame the tooth, as he could turn into a 73:70 win its 70:0 lead. Over the next two frames he used unsparingly from the errors and inaccuracies of Davis and won 4-0 smooth. With the 2000 world ranking points for the tournament victory Selby moved up to No. 2 ( 1 ) of the provisional standings, defeated Mark Davis brought the extra 1600 points on place 15 ( 4 ) forward.
Round 1 to knockout round
Quarter-finals to finals
Final
Source Schedule: