Here we are, the snooker season starts again!
I will chat about the players to watch out for. Last season I mentioned a few players to watch out for. Among them, Luca Brecel, Sam Craigie, Louis Heathcote, Jamie Jones, Aaron Hill and Andrew Pagett. This had plenty of success, especially Sam Craigie and Jamie Jones. Aaron Hill caused one of the shocks of last season by defeating Ronnie O’Sullivan 5-4 in the European Masters. Unfortunately, Pagett had to postpone his return due to a horrible bout of gastrointestinal disease diverticulitis and a perforated bowel. Thankfully, he is better, fighting fit and ready to make the most of his opportunity this season!
There are many people I could talk about. I could mention Jordan Brown, Alfie Burden, Cao Yupeng, Reanne Evans, Jackson Page and Yuan Sijun. But there are others I would like to talk about!
Anyways, same as before: I will pick six players outside of the Top 32 who I think will make a grand impression this season. Let’s go!
Gary Wilson – Last Season Rank: 33
A lot of us expected Gary Wilson to get stronger and stronger since his semi-final run in the 2019 World Championships. He had bouts of good form, reaching quarter-final and two semi-finals the season after. However, Wilson had a terrible time last season. Wilson eventually opened up to confess that he was suffering from depression because of stress on and off the table. It’s disheartening and relatable to see. We all suffered a mental strain because of the pandemic and it is the case of everyone fighting a battle we don’t have a clue about.
But Wilson’s fortunes have improved since his debut at the 2021 Masters. Qualifying for the 2021 World Championship meant that Wilson’s poor season ended on a good note. He beat experienced Gerard Greene and Steven Hallworth before losing a tight match against seeded player Kyren Wilson.
The Tyneside Terror (genuinely!) faces a tough season as he defends £91,000 from the 2019/2020 season. If he fails to perform, he could plummet down the rankings. I hope he has found the help he needed and whatever problems (especially on the housing front) has finally been sorted. He is still regarded as one of the best players on the tour to not win a ranking event. This could be the perfect time to be put back on the map!
Alexander Ursenbacher – Last Season Rank: 45
Hurrah! Alexander Ursenbacher has finally settled into the Top 64! It’s a remarkable improvement from the same man who won two matches in his rookie seasons many moons ago. Ursenbacher has become more consistent over the past couple of seasons, winning his opening match in almost every tournament last season.
We also know that the Swiss is capable of a deep run into the tournament. Ursenbacher stormed to the 2017 English Open semi-finals and the 2019 Northern Ireland Open quarter-finals. He also made his Crucible debut in 2020, losing to Barry Hawkins 10-2 in the opening round. It is almost as if he is ticking the right boxes towards the ultimate goal of reaching finals, even ranking titles. This should be the 25-year-old’s next step.
Ursenbacher winning the title isn’t too strange if you think about it. Jordan Brown was No. 81 in the world when he sensationally won his first ranking trophy at the 2021 Welsh Open. This victory should motivate many players to win a ranking title. It only takes one wonderful run and Ursenbacher is a player I think could make that and go up the rankings a little bit more.
Jak Jones – Last Season Rank: 70
I am a fan of Jak Jones. This is aside from the fact that I randomly met his father at the 2020 Snooker Shoot-Out and he was lovely to chat to.
Jak Jones is one of the most improved players last season. He made his highest ranking points total in a single season of his career. Jones also made his first ranking quarter-final appearance in the English Open, beating Jack Lisowski and Matthew Stevens along the way. He finished last season at No. 70 in the world and he will start this season at No. 65, just £18,250 behind 64th seed Nigel Bond. He has a significant advantage of being on just his second year of his year card, meaning he has no points drop, unlike his higher-ranked opponents.
Jones has also beaten Liang Wenbo, Elliot Slessor, Ryan Day, Yan Bingtao and Kyren Wilson. This is a player who is steady, tactically-shrewd and difficult to score wins over. This is mainly because the game is so focused on attacking and long-potting. That’s why we love the variety of snooker so much. There is a worry that the second-season syndrome may crop up with some players, but I cannot see it happening here.
Dean Young – Last Season Rank: N/A
Snooker has been crying out for high-quality and homegrown youngsters to challenge the old guard. There haven’t been many this time around. This is because of the pandemic and the advantage towards professionals who played regularly all season to qualify at this year’s Q School. 19-year-old Dean Young is the sole flag-bearer of the rookies from Q School this season and has got a lot to live up to. He won matches against high-quality youngsters Florian Nüßle, Dylan Emery and Haydon Pinhey to win his tour card.
Young had a recent interview with the Metro, which is an intriguing read. We have a good insight into his character, which is someone who couldn’t wait to get started and hopes to put snooker on the map of Scotland again. The field has been dwindling for some time, which is shocking for a country that produced Stephen Maguire, John Higgins and Stephen Hendry. We have seen Michael Leslie, Rhys Clark and Chris Totten fail to make their mark on tour. We have also seen hot prospects Sean Maddocks and Aaron Hill finding their rookie seasons difficult last season. But I hope the 2018 Scottish Under-21 champion makes an impact here.
Wu Yize – Last Season Rank: N/A
Some people might already aware of Wu Yize. The then 15-year-old forced a decider against John Higgins in the 2019 International Championship, before losing 6-5. In the recent Six Reds World Championship in Thailand, he reached the knockout stages before being edged out against John Higgins at 6-4. Wu is rated by World Snooker Tour in its “Ones To Watch” series, where Higgins predicted him to have a great future. Wu received an invitation to participate in the 2020 World Championship qualifiers and beat professionals Ashley Hugill and Robbie Williams.
The 17-year-old is making his debut this season, having qualified via the CBSA China Tour. He clearly has the talent, but one thing we can’t anticipate is how well he will adapt from being away from home for long periods of time. Hopefully, the Chinese network of professionals will make him feel welcome on tour. It certainly worked well for last season’s Rookie of the Year Pang Junxu. But it is clear that Wu has potential alongside many other Chinese players who came from the conveyor belt of young Asian talent. Can he withstand the early pressure?
Marco Fu – Last Season Rank: N/A
This is very interesting. It is very strange to see Marco Fu not only unranked but also back on tour after what feels like an eternity.
Fu had undergone laser eye surgery to treat retinal degeneration and floaters in his dominant left eye in 2018. He played fewer tournaments as a result. His form became poorer, though he reached his first ranking quarter-final (2020 European Masters) in over two years. He returned to Hong Kong before the pandemic hit and decided to not attend the World Championships due to feeling unsafe, which was quite understandable. Fu surrendered his tour card as a result, but he was invited back with a fresh two-year tour card by WST for his outstanding achievements in snooker.
It is easy to forget that Marco Fu is a sporting icon in Hong Kong. It is also very easy to forget that Fu is a three-time ranking event winner, four-time maximum hitter, Masters finalist, UK Championship finalist and two-time Crucible semi-finalist. Wowee.
Should we expect a lot of Marco Fu or will he be the shadow of the player he once was? Goodness knows, but I can’t wait to see him back. This is a man who is hugely experienced, has a placid temperament and is a proven winner. No one will want to draw him in the first round. This is assuming he feels comfortable to travel during these torrid times.
Welcome back, Marco!
