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Rocket to thwart Thunder and regain Welsh Open crown

| 21.02.2016
SPORTSBOOK ODDS

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

Dafabet Masters 2016 - Day Six - Alexandra Palace

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

Dafabet Masters 2016 - Day Five - Alexandra Palace

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

Dafabet Masters 2016 - Day Eight - Alexandra Palace

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

Check out our snooker section for more green baize sport.

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.

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Author

Jamie Clark

Athletics aficionado, die-hard snooker fan and Crystal Palace supporter Jamie has written for Coral since February 2014 after spells with Soccerlens and the Press Association as a digital journalist and copywriter. A former East Midlands sports correspondent and Bwin tipster, he is a graduate of both the University of York and University of Sheffield, with a Masters in web journalism from the latter.