Ken Doherty slates Welsh Open sinner for 'amateurish shots' as pundits wonder where the fun has gone
BBC pundit Ken Doherty has said Haydon Pinhey played some "amateurish shots" in his defeat to Mark Selby.
World No.106 Pinhey raced into a 2-1 lead against four time world champion Selby in Llandudno, but blew his chance of causing a major shock in the final Home Nation event of the snooker season as he lost out 4-2 after a string of frustrating mistakes. And 1997 world champ Ken Doherty, a pundit for the BBC's coverage of the event, felt that Pinhey didn't make the most of his big chance.
He said: "It's always difficult, you're playing one of the greatest player, you're on the TV. But you should look at video analysis of the match and look back at the mistakes you might've made, that's very, very important. There were some amateurish sort of shots that he played, and you can't do that against the top players. And particularly against Mark Selby.
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"When you go 2-1 up you have a really good opportunity, and you have to keep it tight and etch out your opportunities. You can't give them easy chances." Fellow pundit Darren Morgan, considered one of the best players in the amateur game, added: "The big thing for me after watching him is that you play in snooker clubs all the time as an amateur, then you go to try and get your pro ticket. When you get on and get to the arenas this is the best that the game has got to offer.
"Immaterial of whether you win or lose, when you're out there you've got to try and grasp the moment and enjoy every minute of it. From an outsider looking in, he'll be so pleased that he's played that match but there didn't look like there was too much enjoyment there. And that's what it's all about, you're playing to get there and when you get there make the most of it."
Winner Selby meanwhile revealed he had been battling illness during the match, saying: "I felt dreadful out there, I've got that man flu and it's worse than childbirth - I keep telling everyone that anyway. When you're feeling a bit unwell it just takes your focus off what you're trying to do, all you're thinking about is getting better.
"It only came on after the Championship League, it's a cold that has gone into my chest - but we're limited in what medication we can take. I feel like my game is okay but the consistency is still not there. Haydon played alright to get it to 2-1, he hits the ball lovely. There were a couple of shots he hit where it came fizzing back, I was wondering if he was using a light white at one stage."
