Five outsiders to watch out for at the UK Championship 2014
Crunch Sports Staff
in Snooker 26 Nov 2020
Oliver Lines (credit: Thomas Brünner/Getty Images)
The 2014 UK Championship takes place this week and Bettingpro.com tipster Jamie Shaw gives Crunchsports.com his five players who could fall under the radar in York…
1. Shaun Murphy (18/1)
Murphy has been in scintillating form in 2014, and what better way to cap it all off by claiming his second UK Championship crown?
The world number seven has claimed the World Open title and three European Tour triumphs in 2014, including last weekend’s Ruhr Open, and heads to York full of confidence and cueing beautifully.
Champion here in 2008 and runner-up in 2012, Murphy looks to transfer his red hot form over short formats into the sport’s second most prestigious event and knows he must hold his nerve against a wealth of top stars.
A sublime 147 break in Sunday’s Ruhr Open final emphasised his emphatic break-building ability, which combined with a model temperament on the baize, could be the recipe for success over the next fortnight.
Shaun Murphy (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
2. Ricky Walden (40/1)
Walden has enjoyed a fine vein of form at the York Barbican in recent years, reaching the Semi-Finals both in 2011 and 2013, but will believe he has the form to go one step further this time around.
The Cheshire ace continued his blistering form on Chinese soil by clinching the International Championship crown last month and looks to secure a memorable double.
The world number eight is well-fancied to tear up the fairy-tale script by defeating legend Steve Davis in round one, and could use that display as the foundations to embark on another strong run.
A heavy-scorer and astute tactician, Walden offers solid each-way value providing he can maintain the consistency he has demonstrated across all formats in recent months.
Ricky Walden (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
3. Michael White (150/1)
Less than halfway through the season and White has already enjoyed his most successful stint as a professional – with two ranking event Quarter-Finals to his name this term.
The 23-year-old burst onto the scene during the 2013 World Championship – where he also reached the last eight – and has since gone a long way to ensuring that run is to be no flash in the pan.
The Welsh wonder-kid emphasised his tenacity and ability by forcing Mark Selby into a last-frame decider at the Crucible in April, and although he was edged out – he provided Selby’s toughest test en route to the title.
Now firmly ranked inside the world’s top 32 (25th), White will be looking to kick on towards the top 16 with a memorable run in York, and cannot be ignored at such attractive odds.
Michael White (Michael Regan/Getty Images)
3. Alan McManus (300/1)
The evergreen McManus has rolled back the years in recent seasons to return to the top echelons of the sport – 18 years after the last of his third Semi-Final appearances in this event.
The world number 24 reached the last eight at the Crucible earlier this year and defeated Ronnie O’Sullivan en route to the Quarter-Finals of September’s Shanghai Masters.
The Scotsman has both the experience and all-round game capable of causing anyone problems here.
Nicknamed ‘Angles’ – the 1994 Masters champion remains one of the most tenacious safety players and will battle for every point on offer, making him a fearsome opponent.
Alan McManus (Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
5. Oliver Lines (500/1)
One of the most exciting talents to have progressed through the ranks over the past six months, 19-year-old Lines will appear in this year’s UK Championship alongside his father – Peter.
The 19-year-old Leeds cueist has proved a breath of fresh air on the circuit so far this season and has notched up some impressive results which suggest he could be a dangerous force here.
Lines recovered from 4-0 down to defeat World Champion Mark Selby 6-4 in International Championship qualifying, and also finished runner-up to Stuart Bingham in the Haining Open APTC.
The young debutant is unlikely to be phased by the big arena and for any snooker romantics – his outright odds of 500/1 are surely worth a small flutter.
