World Snooker Tips: Best Bets from Second Round onwards

Gary Moss
20 April 2022
5:00 min read

A strong start for the title favourite Neil Robertson

Join

View market

Twitter

Facebook

The line-up for the second round at the Crucible is almost complete. Our snooker writer Gary Moss takes a look at the key things we've learned so far and advises on some tips for the second round...

"O'Sullivan being in this mood makes him extremely dangerous. Not only is he up for the fight but armed with a philosophy and perspective of it only being a game of snooker."

Back Ronnie O'Sullivan to win with a handicap of -4.5 frames @ against Mark Allen @ 2.3811/8

Snooker's 17-day World Championship marathon is bubbling along nicely as we step towards the last 16 - a round which notoriously starts to throw up the epic baize battles this tournament is renowned for.

Most of the key contenders for the title have found their early flow and the fight to become this year's world champion looks as though it's going to be as fierce as was predicted.

Now that we've had a chance to cast our eyes over a lot of the stars, here's an early look into round two with some of the things that have stood out so far.

Cracking the Crucible formula

The only thing stopping tournament-favourite Neil Robertson lifting his second world title within the next fortnight is his inability to reproduce his best form at the Crucible.

It has been an unhappy hunting ground by and large for him since winning the World Championship over a decade ago. In his three most recent visits he has lost in the quarter-finals to be agonisingly denied a place at the one-table setup.

Despite an early wobble, Robertson controlled his first-round contest against Ashley Hugill and with four centuries proved why he's the favourite to go all the way this time.

There's no doubt tougher tests lie ahead for the standout star of the season but this was a case of negotiating the first hurdle unscathed, which he did with flying colours. Robertson also tells us he's been working on ways to feel more at home at the Crucible in the opening three rounds when the tables are tightly packed onto the theatre floor.

If he can get beyond the quarter-finals which has proved so tricky for him in recent years, he really will take some stopping.

You can back Robertson to win the world title @ 4.57/2.

Rocket on form... on and off the table

Ronnie O'Sullivan produced spells of magnificence to recover from 3-0 down to beat David Gilbert 10-5 - with not only bouts of great scoring but a mental resilience which shows he's in the right frame of mind for a tilt at the title.

Ronnie pic.jpg

His good form continued after the match too. He was in jovial spirits in the post-match interviews showing off his new pair of specs, waxing lyrical about his great life off the table and admitting he'd like to leave his good friend Stephen Hendry with his record of seven world titles intact if he doesn't go all the way.

O'Sullivan being in this mood makes him extremely dangerous. Not only is he up for the fight but armed with a philosophy and perspective of it only being a game of snooker.

Zhao could be the real deal

If Zhao Xintong arrived at this year's World Championship with the pressure of being China's highest ranked player, he certainly didn't show it.

This may have been Zhao's first ever win at the Crucible but in dispatching of Jamie Clarke 10-2 he looked like a season campaigner completely at ease with his game.

A lot can change in a year, as this young sensation has proved. At last year's World Championship, the Cyclone wasn't even in the field and has since gone on to win his first two ranking events including the highly prestigious UK Championship - and after his opening-round win is being touted as not only a future world champion but a future multiple world champion.

This is high praise indeed and while it's important not to get carried away, the snooker Zhao is playing gives massive cause for excitement.

We are witnessing a star emerging and who's to say how far he can go as he climbs his way towards the top of the sport.

You can back Zhao to win with a handicap of -3.5 frames @ 11/10 against Stephen Maguire.

Dream debut for Page

While we're on the topic of exciting young talents, Jackson Page must get a mention.

The 20-year old Welshman took to his Crucible debut like a duck to water to inflict the experienced Barry Hawkins' first opening round defeat since 2010.

After looking completely unfazed and establishing a 6-3 lead in the first session, Hawkins threatened to fightback before Jackson rattled in two classy centuries in the final two frames to close out the match 10-7. This was as impressive as debuts come.

But next up is his practice partner and mentor Mark Williams who also had his scoring boots on in a comfortable win over Michael White.

When we say these two are close, we're not exaggerating. Williams said Page is more like his fourth son than his friend so their second-round clash promises to be one to savour.

Logic says Jackson will take it in his stride such is his familiarity with his opponent who just so happens to be a three-time world champion too. This might be closer than many expect.

You can back Page to win with a handicap of +4.5 frames @ 10/11

Selby doing what he does best

For all Mark Selby's mental health struggles away from snooker, it was fantastic to see him back doing what he does best - winning matches at the World Championship.

Selby pic.jpg

The defending champion was far from his best in beating Jamie Jones 10-7 but you don't want to peak too early in this marathon of an event.

The important thing here was for Selby to get up and running with a win after taking a short lay off from playing and he certainly did that. He'll need to significantly improve in the last 16 to beat Yan Bingtao who produced an excellent break-building performance to storm past Chris Wakelin.

Selby, though, knows how to win matches here, lifting the title four times in the past eight years and you'd expect him to grow into this event just when he needs to.