IT'S been a terrific Pokerstars.com Masters thus far and the final between Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Selby, a repeat of last year's showpiece, should be an absolute belter. But who will come out on top?
Well, O'Sullivan has been firmly in the driving seat as far as the betting is concerned, starting the week around about the 11-4 mark and he is now as low as 2-5 to lift the trophy for a fifth time, but he will have to be on top of his game if he is to see off the 'Jester from Leicester'.
Selby came into this event scratching around for form and coming off the back of an awful performance against O'Sullivan at the UK Championship where he succumbed to a 9-3 mauling. But the surroundings of Wembley Arena seem to bring him alive and his defeat against 'Rocket' Ronnie in last year's final is his only loss in 10 matches in this event and he follows in Stephen Hendry footsteps by becoming only the second player to appear in three successive Masters finals after reaching the pinnacle on debut.
He started the event with a brilliant display against Ding Junhui, before digging deep to see off feisty Northern Irishman Mark Allen and then moved into overdrive against Stephen Maguire, winning three frames in a row from 3-3 to secure a place against O'Sullivan.
Selby has got better and better as the tournament has progressed and looks a decent price at a general 7-4, but is an event better shout on the handicap where totesport offer 5-6 at +2.5. Nine of the last 13 thirteen finals have been won by just two or less frames, including the 2009 renewal when Selby went down 10-8. Forget his performance in Telford (and the fact he's 6-2 down to O'Sullivan in his career), this has been a different Selby on show this week and he could give O'Sullivan plenty to think about on Sunday.
O'Sullivan hasn't been happy with his game despite beating Neil Robertson, Peter Ebdon and surprise package Mark Williams, but then again when is he ever happy? His semi-final encounter with the Welshman was magnificent entertainment and Williams could count himself very unlucky not to have won after knocking in two century breaks plus one of 96.
It could be argued that O'Sullivan got lucky on Saturday and a scrap that went right down to the wire may well have affected him in way that could see him slow out of the blocks against Selby. The Leicester cueman needs a good start to stand the best chance of victory and the 2-1 (Blue Square, 888) about Selby leading after the first session could reward punters.
And those chancing their arm on a correct score may well indulge in totesport's 10-1 about Selby winning 10-8.
Verdict: Selby can upstage the Rocket
