There are always the best World Championship matches. Some of you lovely lot can easily name the best Masters matches you have ever watched. A lot of these matches have been referred as ‘classics,’ which as known as masterpieces and the best matches ever played. One can debate their reasoning by breathtaking break-building, safety play, personalities, drama and/or the twists and turns. Most of these ‘classic’ matches are mainly long matches, especially ones greater than BO11s. But can you have ‘classic’ BO7s? Surely, in the past number of seasons, since the PTCs and APTCs were introduced and now we have the Home Nations, do we have a good idea of what a ‘classic BO7 match is?
It’s quite difficult for these short formats to be described as such since these matches are so short that it is very difficult to conjure an exciting story behind it. The short matches don’t give players enough time to flex their muscles and making a few breaks there aren’t that impressive when you can do more in a BO19. It is not like a best-of-19 match where there are many permutations dictated by the snooker gods such as a slight kiss, a particular miss or the run of the ball that can change the entire course of the match. Weirdly, if a BO7 goes on for too long due to great levels of safety play for example, you would probably hear criticisms of slow and demands for a shot clock to be in place, which is a rather silly idea. Therefore, a huge majority of these matches tend to be quite forgettable, some say a BO7 classic doesn’t even exist.
Therein lies the problem, Snooker at its best when drama given time to unfold.Everything just seems rushed in flat 128 bo7's.
— TheGreenBaize (@TheGreenBaize) October 20, 2017
Here are a few suggestions that could be known as ‘classics’ in many different ways. Maybe there’s a story behind it, some fantastic breaks, a maximum, a rivalry – the works. It will be interesting to find what if you lovely lot consider any to be memorable and more importantly, what makes them memorable too!
5. 2014 Ruhr Open: Murphy vs. Milkins (4-0)
Getting a 147 is memorable in any final. Well, this is exactly what happened to Shaun Murphy in Ruhr. Having missed two opportunities to make a maximum in the same tournament as well as rallying from 3-0 down against Judd Trump, Murphy went on to make it third time lucky in the second frame of the final to send the crowd into raptures or so I bloody well hope so too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XoPAj5GkFw
4. 2017 Riga Masters: Ursenbacher vs. Slessor (4-0)
Maybe a BO7 ‘classic’ isn’t always a hard-fought, “to the wire” deciders. What about dominant performances that make these matches memorable? For example, Swiss ace Alexander Ursenbacher played Elliot Slessor in the first round in the Riga Masters. Just see for yourself how incredible this match was:
What was worse for Slessor was that he didn’t pot a single ball. The four points Slessor scored was because Ursenbacher fouled and therefore, conceded four points. Sure, these players aren’t as well known as the O’Sullivans, the Hendrys or the Selbys but anyone would be proud of a 139, 88, 78 and 76 in any match, let alone a Best-of-7!
3. 2015 Paul Hunter Classic: Carter vs. Murphy (4-3)
Simply playing in front of an enthusiastic German crowd in Fürth makes finals special enough. The added story of Ali Carter searching for his first win since suffering from lung cancer the year before. But let’s talk about how the gameplay was special rather than the backstory! As World Snooker on 30th August 2015 reported:
“Carter built a 3-1 lead in the final with top breaks of 61 and 54, Murphy’s only response coming with a run of 72 in the second frame. Masters champion Murphy took the fifth with an 83 then came from 56-7 down to nick the next, sealing it with a green-to-black clearance. But two-time World finalist Carter was not to be denied as he won the deciding frame with a superb break of 95 to win his first pro title since the 2013 German Masters.”
It is rather poignant since Carter, who beat cancer twice, managed to win a tournament named after the snooker legend who unfortunately passed away due to cancer. Stories can turn a match from a decent game to the absolute zenith. Since we are onto the subject on Paul, one of the main reasons why Paul Hunter’s comeback to win the 2004 Masters from 7-2 down against Ronnie O’Sullivan was one of the greatest matches of the Masters was due to ‘Plan B’ with his fiancée! Why shouldn’t the same apply to the BO7s?
2. 2015 Players Championship Grand Final: Perry vs. Williams (4-3)
On the other hand, you need a BO7 with a story and with such a comeback that it could be put in an American feel-good film. Joe Perry was searching for his first ranking tournament win, especially after the heartbreak of losing 10-9 to Neil Robertson in the Wuxi Classic during that very season. This seemed likely in Thailand when Mark Williams raced to 3-0 ahead with top breaks of 64, 57 and 103 but Perry responded by taking a few scrappy frames. In the decider, Perry got in with a brilliant long red and managed to make a +50 break, as well as holding off William for the £100,000 cheque.
One wonderful story is that Perry won his first ranking title of his then 24-year-old career and the wonderful land of Thailand. Also, there is always the excitement of someone coming back from 3-0 down. You’d think the opponent would be out of it but it’s amazing how many times someone storms from behind from 3-0 down to win.
1. 2011 Antwerp Open: Trump vs. O’Sullivan (4-3)
You can get the gist already that the best BO7 matches seem to be the ones that go to the decider. This is mainly because there is a proper story to tell in such little time.
These formats can be very drawn out and tedious but it only took the famous pair ONE HOUR to get to 3-3 (which is a very short space of time). The pairing between The Master and The Apprentice is mouth-watering as it is but this was at the time two of the most in-form players were going blade to blade a lot of the time. Back to the match, Judd made three +60 breaks and Ronnie a +50 break and two centuries and it only took one unfortunate fluke from Judd in the middle of his contribution in the final frame to take the title. Ronnie had only dropped five frames in his six matches to get to the final. The atmosphere was so electric that Judd even compared it to the World Championship final and said that he hoped he would see a full ranking event in Belgium. Six years later, it arrived in Lommel! Watch the entire match here!
