At the end of this year and decade, we have perhaps seen a glimpse of what is yet to come going forward on the snooker scene. Many speculate who is going to be the next person to dominate the game, but I think there are a few players that we should keep our eyes on going forward. Surprisingly, this list won’t just be filled with younger talent.
Judd Trump
Finally forming into the complete player and performing in a manner which many had hoped he would, Trump has excelled in the past year and a half in a way which many reckon put him up with the greatest. The question is whether he can continue this going forward and claim this next decade as his own?
Mark Selby
Probably my player of the decade – despite having a spotty couple of years, Selby has ushered in and contested a new wave of competition at the very top while being one of the most successful players this decade. Ending the year and decade strongly, will the next few years prove to challenge the 3-time champ? I think the first half of the decade will be an interesting watch.
Class of ‘92
It is likely that 2/3 or even all of the alumni of 1992 will retire during this decade which is why we should make the most of them while they appear. Even though they have resided comfortably in the Top 8 for quite some time, it is common conception that Williams, Higgins and O’Sullivan have a few years left in them.
Yan Bingtao
At the infancy of his career, Bingtao has claimed his first ranking title last July at the Riga Masters. He is 19 years old and already has experience performing on the Triple Crown stage – including a respectable semi-final run at the UK this year. Many professionals predict substantial success for this young prospect and at such a young age, he, along with other young Chinese talents (such as Yuelong/Xintong) have the time to mature into future champions.
Jack Lisowski/David Gilbert/Gary Wilson
Three players yet to secure a maiden ranking title, Lisowski, Gilbert and Wilson are competitors that were able to end their decades on the ascension. With just a few areas to work on and through gaining more exposure in ranking finals, they could prove to become very successful winners as they venture into the coming years.
Of course, there are many other players that deserve to be included but I think that this should highlight the competitiveness of the snooker environment. Barry Hawkins said after Trump’s WSC win that there may not be another player that dominates the game (in a way comparable to Hendry and Davis) due to the level of competition that exists.
I think this is pretty fair given how many tournaments there are and it’s a more realistic prediction to suggest that snooker at the very top will follow a more oligopolistic approach. Contextually speaking, this means that few players will win a few events per season as opposed to one person winning everything. This seems to have been the pattern the past couple of seasons; that is, until Trump emerged.
So, what do you think? Which players are you looking forward to watching in the coming decade? Do you think there’s a particular player that could reign at the top? What else do you expect to happen in the coming decade to the snooker environment? Perhaps more international coverage? Feel free to let me know!