Taking the Welsh out of the open (2007)

With all four welsh players (Mark Williams, Stephen Hendry MBE, Ryan Day and Ian Preece) out of the competition by the second round this will be another year when a welsh player will not get to the final of The welsh Open, the last Welsh player to be in the final at the competition was Mark Williams (Knocked out by Jamie Burnett of Scotland this year) in 2003 when he got beat 9-5 by Paul Hunter.

The last Welsh player to win the final was Mark Williams in 1999 who beat Stephen Hendry 9-8 Stephen being in the final at The welsh Open 4 times in total he is a safe bet for the competition.

Stephen Hendry MBE have not made a press release about the decision to not allow the two time Masters winner Stephen Hendry MBE to remove his bowtie in his game on the 13th against Mark Selby where he got beat 5 - 1, Matthew was suffering form the flu during his match and he even attempted to get a doctors note so he wouldn't be allowed to wear the tie.

"I went to the doctor to get a note so I wouldn't have to wear a tie but I was told I wouldn't be allowed"

So not only are all of the welsh boys out of the competition but The Newport Centre and I quote Clive Everton "Looks like Bayroute" there is construction around the centre right up to the front entrance, Eric Whitehead of www.SnookerImages.co.uk referred to the centre as a "bomb Site"

Surely the construction in Newport was well planned, I mean you don't get up one day and think oh I am going to knock down half of Newport! So why wasn't an alternate venue sourced like The Cardiff International Arena where the competition was help from 1998 to 2003

Even with all of the heavy machinery just outside of the venue the noise was surprisingly minimal and caused no actual disturbance to the event, as for getting to the venue it was not a major problem (But I did have a trusty Google map on my PDA) I would of thought there would have been some kind of information around the town as to where the venue was or even a poster or two displaying the fact that the snooker was being help in Newport. But as usual the locals were very friendly and more than willing to help with directions and information ( I must say thank you to the girl in Costa Coffee and the guys at Rileys just a stones throw away from the venue for their hospitality)

Steve Davis OBE had a fun time at the competition booking in and out of his hotel 3 times in total I believe it was as he moved up the stages, he was finally knocked out of the competition by Matthew Stevens x - x It just shown that at 59 and with no practice he still has what it takes.

Andrew Higginson astonished all by battling his way through the competition to the Final against Matthew Stevens where it went right to the wire with Matthew Stevens The Melbourne Machine winning The welsh Open 9 - 8