14 December 2006

Snooker - UK Championship I have announced yesterday, that a great clash is going to await us Thursday at York. Sadly, the match ended in a bizarre, abrupt and totally unexpected way. O'Sullivan was trailing 4-1 when he ran out of position after potting a black in the sixth frame when leading 24-0. After failing to sink the next red, Ronnie went to his opponent, shook his hand and left the arena. Thus, Stephen Hendry progresses to the semi-finals winning the match with a default score 9-1.
Although I am a fan of both, I must disagree with Ronnie's gesture. Even if he felt he was losing the match, this is no way of showing it. It shows a lack of respect for his fans, his opponent, the spectators and organizers of the event. It also is a lack of fair-play. In this sense, his opponent gave him a true lesson of respect for this game, considered to be one for gentlemen: "Even at 4-0 I was just aiming to have a lead after the first session. It feels like a hollow victory. In a way I would rather have played really well and lost." This is the kind of attitude every sportsman should have!

Steve Davis 6 - 9 Graeme Dott

Football - UEFA Cup
Group A
Auxerre 0 - 1 Livorno
Rangers 1 - 0 Partizan Belgrade
Group B
Bayer Leverkusen 2 - 1 Besiktas
Tottenham H. 3 - 1 Dinamo Bucuresti
Group C
Braga 2 - 0 Grasshoppers
Sevilla 1 - 2 AZ Alkmaar
Group D
Parma 0 - 3 Osasuna
SC Heerenveen 1 - 0 Lens