Die Vienna Snooker Open 2016 werden ab kommenden Sonntag (15. 5.) bei ORF Sport+ zu sehen sein. Der ORF hat während des von den 15 Reds veranstalteten Pro-am-Turniers im Köö 7 Matches gefilmt und Interviews geführt, und daraus einen zweistündigen (!) Beitrag geschnitten. Dieser wird erstmals am Sonntagabend um 21.45 Uhr ausgestrahlt, und in den drei darauffolgenden Tagen jeweils wiederholt.

Der Sendeplan für den VSO-2016-Bericht auf ORF Sport+ sieht wie folgt aus:

• Sonntag, 15. 5. > 21.45 bis 23.45 Uhr
• Montag, 16. 5. > 23.00 bis 01.00 Uhr
• Dienstag, 17. 5. > 11.00 bis 13.00 Uhr
• Mittwoch, 18. 5. > 15.00 bis 17.00 Uhr

So bald die Sendung in der ORF TVthek zur Verfügung steht, werden wir den entsprechenden Link auf 15reds.at posten.

Mit Mark Davis gegen Peter Ebdon bekamen die 6. VIENNA SNOOKER OPEN Sonntag (8. 5.) das Traumfinale zwischen dem 1. und 2. der Setzliste. Das Ergebnis kennen wir (5:1 für Ebdon), Zeit also um mit den beiden Hauptakteuren auf die VSO 2016 zurück zu blicken.

Im ersten Interview: MARK DAVIS.

Congratulations on your second place. When you’re in the final you obviously want to win it but those first two frames put Peter in the driving seat.

"Yeah, I think so. It was a good weekend for me but when you get to the final you want to win it, you really do. But to be honest, I was never involved in the final. Peter had a great start. I had half a chance in the second frame to clear up from 60-something behind but I didn’t take it, I missed the first red. He really outplayed me, scored heavy, and I was on the baulk cushion a lot as well which some of his openings came from. Sometimes you just get outplayed in a match. He really played great, didn’t miss much. I got no complaints. He was by far the better player in the final obviously."

Did the semi-final (beating Gary Wilson 4:3 from 0:3 down) take a lot of energy?

"No, I wasn’t tired. I’ve done a half-marathon couple of months ago so I am reasonably fit. It’s only a best of seven. I could have easily lost that match, especially the way Gary played. To win that was a sort of boost for the final – but I just never got involved. It’s a simple as that."

...Die Finalisten der diesjährigen VIENNA SNOOKER OPEN: Mark Davis und Peter Ebdon...

Being on the Main Tour for 20+ seasons, what feeling do you have coming to tournaments like the VIENNA SNOOKER OPEN?

"It’s good money to start with, and it’s good match practice as you’re playing good players. I would start playing for the upcoming season now anyway as we’ve got some matches at the end of the month. It’s better practice to come here and play this tournament than stay in your club. It’s a brilliantly run tournament, makes you feel very welcome. The players appreciate that, they really do."

What about the playing conditions? The tables are different from those on the Main Tour.

"The pockets are a lot bigger than what we play on but the cloths are nice, they play nice. I’ve played in tournaments held in clubs where the tables were shocking. But these are quite nice. The cloths run really well and balls come off the cushion like they should do."

Do these bigger pockets tempt you to go for the big breaks? To take on shots you normally wouldn’t?

"Exactly, that’s the thing. You take some shots on you might not normally do. But you know it’s being like that when you come to a club to play a tournament. But the actual cloths were lovely, played really well, quite fast. No complaints at all. It’s quite good conditions here."

You reached the quarterfinals at the Shanghai Masters and won the world seniors title. How do you look back on last season, and what’s your goal for the next?

"Not great. I think the world seniors saved me a little bit. I didn’t start too bad really with the quarters in Shanghai early in the season. But it was not great. I had too many mistakes throughout the season, I lost a lot of games I should have won. I had some good seasons up to now. You learn from your mistakes. Obviously you want to get back to the top 16 and want to win a tournament, but usually I don’t set goals for a new season. It’s not something I normally do, no, but maybe I will start doing that now."

- Eric Willemsen