Rocket to thwart Thunder and regain Welsh Open crown
Published:
Jamie Clark, Sports Editor | February 20, 2016
2016 Welsh Open final
- Sunday, February 21st
- Best of 17 frames
- Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
- Break-offs: 13:00 GMT and 19:00 GMT
- Live on BBC Two Wales
Neil Robertson v Ronnie O’Sullivan
It is one win apiece between world number three Neil Robertson and green baize genius Ronnie O’Sullivan from previous Welsh Open encounters, but the overall head-to-head reads 10-6 in the Rocket’s favour.
Punters that regularly keep up to date with snooker will not be surprised to learn Coral make O’Sullivan odds-on 2/5 favourite to scoop a fourth success in the final of this event.
Australian export Robertson is also a former Welsh Open winner, but is a 2/1 outsider for another title nine years after first scooping this prize.
Routes to final
Rocket Ronnie has inevitably dominated headlines in Cardiff with his deliberate 146 clearance controversy after discovering what he considered to be a paltry prize for a maximum break.
That was one of nine century breaks made at the Welsh Open by O’Sullivan so far, and he dropped just three frames in his first five matches before a straightforward 6-3 semi success over Joe Perry.
Robertson, nicknamed the Thunder from Down Under, had to rally from 2-0 down in his final four fixture against Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen to eventually run out a 6-4 victor and has dropped a total of 14 frames in the tournament.
Rocket should fire again
O’Sullivan is clearly in the better form, and you can boldly back him in the handicap market at an attractive 27/20 price here. It is set at three frames, so the Rocket must win 9-6 and that exact result is a 13/2 chance.
We could instead be in for a classic, though, and odds of 9/2 say this best of 17 affair will go the distance to a deciding frame.
O’Sullivan tends to make strong starts and, given Robertson’s laxity against Allen, taking 19/10 for a 3-1 scoreline in favour of the Rocket after four frames may appeal.
Related
Coral’s top tip: O’Sullivan is a nifty 19/10 to be leading 3-1 after four frames of the 2016 Welsh Open final.
