Simon Dalton presents his bet on match of the China Grand Prix Snooker 2024.
Tom Ford had a poor first match at the Shanghai Masters, losing 6-3 to Si Jiahui. We can assume that Ford is not in the best mental shape. Tom withdrew from the Championship League before the tournament in Shanghai. Now Ford needs to play two qualifying matches for the next tournaments in China, and today we will find out what condition Ford is in. Tom needs to win to stay in the top 16 and confirm his status as one of the best 16 players in the world, otherwise he will quickly lose his positions. Perhaps this creates additional pressure on him.
Stan Moody is only 17 years old, and he has already appeared several times on the TV-table against strong opponents. Moody got on the tour as a World Junior Champion, and in his first season he only beat Zhou Yuelong, Gary Wilson and Jordan Brown. At the same time, Moody held up well in matches against strong opponents and took a hit. This is Stan's hallmark - he plays very well in scrappy frames, constantly making pressure on his opponent. To have such a good character and mental strength at 17 years is a massive advantage for a snooker player, so we see great prospects for Stan, even if he leaves the main tour after this season.
That’s why we see his chance against Ford. Ford doesn't need long tactical frames, but if they do, Moody will have a good chance of taking them. Ford needs to win frames in one visit to build his confidence. We assume that the match might be long, and even if Stan Moody doesn’t win, he will take at least three frames.
