Aha! Our Partridge of the baize and MK mob help beat blues
IF ANYONE asks you where Milton Keynes is, tell them it’s in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Belgium and, as of next week, Germany.
Next door to Stadium MK, the Marshall Arena has been commandeered by Barry Hearn and World Snooker. It has been the only venue for the entire 2020/21 season, meaning everything from the European Masters to the World Grand Prix have all been held in the very same room.
While there has been some respite between the odd tournament, more often than not they run into each other, with qualifying filling any misleading gaps. In fact, from November 2 to December 20, there was snooker every day bar one.
The more successful you are, the more time you spend marooned on the third floor of an adjoining hotel. Judd Trump, world No.1, had won three of the eight tournaments heading into this week’s Masters, and reached two other finals. His prize? Well, he’s snooker’s equivalent of Alan Partridge. He is already booked in for Valentine’s Day with a mystery lady called Jill. He’s got a 12-inch plate. Rumour has it he recently dismantled his Corby trouser press.
Don’t think for one minute that I’m building up snooker players or sports stars as frontline heroes of the pandemic, but having live sport is a comfort to millions during lockdown.
Personally, the football, snooker, darts and now the NFL playoffs have helped to soften a few of my darker nights.
Within snooker, regulations were tight before full lockdown and, by and large, direct contact with family during tournaments is either non-existent or kept to an absolute minimum.
Stephen Maguire, a top professional for more than two decades, cracked at the ‘Scottish’ Open, smashing the reds all over the table from the break. In normal times, the tournament would have been held within walking distance of his house. Quickly defeated, he drove straight home.
He told me: ‘I lost the plot before Christmas. I’d just had enough and I don’t hold that in very well. I was glad to get away.’
Yes, they are lucky to have a good job to go to and, yes, they
aren’t digging holes for a living, but that’s not how mental health works. It affects us all based on the simple fact that we are all human beings, and being isolated is tough.
Over the years, I’ve gotten to know quite a few of the players and many have openly acknowledged the highs and lows of the current predicament.
Jimmy White, either through playing or punditry, has spent as many days alone in room 3025 of late as he has at home. He said: ‘Keeping the season going has been amazing. A great job done by all, but working from home, with family around, is certainly easier. I think anyone in any walk of life who has to spend even 50 nights out of 100 alone in a hotel room would go a little stir crazy. I’m very grateful, but it can be tough.’
There’s also the inevitable failed tests, and of the 128 players on the tour, the total who have had coronavirus is comfortably in double figures.
On the eve of the Masters, 2019 winner Trump himself withdrew, as did the in-form Jack Liskowski. Judd had to cancel his trip to the owl sanctuary.
But the show goes on, and if you are feeling the lockdown blues this weekend then you could do a lot worse than tucking up on your sofa for the conclusion of the Masters.
A Friday night in the company of Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins is not too shabby and, of course, I’d suggest you join me on Eurosport.
Sure, it’s not the Ally Pally with tiers full with fans, but the table size has not changed, the prize money remains the same, and the pressures that come with winning a triple-crown title never wane.
Whoever lifts the coveted Paul Hunter trophy this Sunday evening will be entitled to order anything they want from the room-service menu.
They aren’t digging holes but that’s not how mental health works