After reading the article in the Hong Kong press about the possibility for the World Grand Prix to move to Hong Kong this season, Michael Day wrote to World Snooker, seeking more information … and he got an answer!
Here is Michael’s piece, reflecting on WST answer and the possible move. I have highlighted some parts in bold as they answer questions that have been raised here and on social media in general.
World Grand Prix snooker likely to be heading to Hong Kong
Credit: AFP via Getty Images/Peter Parks | AFP via Getty Images/Peter Parks
The 2025 World Grand Prix is on course to be held in Hong Kong according to a spokesperson from the World Snooker Tour (WST).
There has been activity on social media over the last few days about the future location of the prestigious ranking event following published articles online from both Hong Kong Billiards Sports and the South China Morning Post.
Totally Snookered reached out to the WST, who have confirmed they are in advanced discussions with partners in Hong Kong to hold the tournament this season, and are hoping to officially announce details in the coming weeks.
Due to laws on hosting sports events in the country, organisers in Hong Kong are obliged to publicly announce intentions through an invitation to tender, hence why there has already been communication online about a potential new home for the World Grand Prix.
It is suggested the event will be held at the Kai Tak Sports Park – a new 10,000-seat venue – in the first quarter of 2025, depending on its availability.
There has been some confusion online whether this would be a new event, but the WST spokesperson confirmed it is the existing World Grand Prix which remains as the opening leg of the three-pronged Players Series alongside the Players Championship and Tour Championship.
Both the 2025 Players Championship (Telford, 17-23 March) and 2025 Tour Championship (Manchester, 31 March-6 April) are already scheduled on this season’s calendar, but the dates and location for the World Grand Prix – which would need to be played before the Players Championship – have yet to be mentioned.
Despite the potential move to the Far East there are no plans to change the format of the competition with only the top 32 players from the one-year ranking list invited to compete. However, as is often the case with Asian events, local wildcards may also take part.
Since the creation of the very popular Players Series several years ago, all events have been held in the United Kingdom with host broadcaster ITV continuing to support the Series with live televised and online coverage throughout the three events from start to finish. WST are keen for this event to remain on ITV and talks are ongoing.
Hong Kong has a rich snooker history having initially hosted professional invitational events from the 1980s. The Hong Kong Masters returned in 2017 and 2022; at the latter installment, Ronnie O’Sullivan defeated home hero Marco Fu in the final in front of 9,000 spectators at the Hong Kong Coliseum – a record for a live snooker audience at a venue.
In 1989, the country hosted its one and only ranking event to date – the Hong Kong Open – when Mike Hallett ousted Dene O’Kane 9-8 in the final. This was the first professional ranking event ever to be held in Asia.
As well as three-time ranking event winner Fu, Hong Kong has had several professional players down the years, including three-time world women’s champion Ng On Yee. This season, Cheung Ka Wai plays his maiden professional campaign having won the World Snooker Federation Championship earlier in the year and Wang Yuchen returns to the tour after graduating from the UK Q School.
Elsewhere in cuesports, Hong Kong’s Robbie Capito recently won the UK Open 9-Ball Pool Championship – a big event on the World Nineball Tour.
These are exciting times for the sport as the World Snooker Tour continues to expand globally. This season there is another new ranking event in China (Xi’an Grand Prix) as well as the inaugural edition of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters which is set to hold a prize fund in excess of £2 million.
There are also rumours of further events to be held in the Middle East, including in Qatar.
After a four years hiatus the Pink Ribbon is back!
I couldn’t be there this year unfortunately due to family circumstances but I’m over the moon that this wonderful event is alive again thanks to the efforts of a group of great people who want to support a great cause whilst doing what they love best … play snooker.
The answer form the snooker community has been tremendous. The tournament has got some 320 entries including the reigning World Champion!
Other notable pros are in the draw as well. Stuart Bingham is the defending champion and the only player to have won this event twice (or more).
The young guns are well represented!
The WDBS players are there too. These guys have been at most of the past Pink Ribbon events and they are a great laugh. They are deaf but somehow always find a way
Reanne Evans and Rebecca Kenna are playing as well with Reanne promoring the event on social media
The club looks absolutely fantastic. Some of those images were shared by Aaron Canavan, the former Seniors Snooker World Champion:
OF course Clive brown is the Tournament director … how he copes with so many matches I will never truly understand! And the brand new pink polo shirt looks fantastic.
Today is the day where the pros enter the (friendly) fray.
And finally, here are is the amateurs rounds draw:
I know that it may not be that easy to read but it can’t be helped! With a bit of patience, and, maybe, a magnifier, you will recognise quite a number of top amateurs and ex-pros in that list.
As a woman, I want to thank all the players who support this great cause, the club, the organisers, the supporting team and the heroic TD! I hope that everyone has a great time. Play well, enjoy and good luck!
A couple of days ago I was wondering about the fate of this season World Grand Prix because the event doesn’t currently feature in the season’s calendar. Yesterday I found this in the Hong Kong press:
Introduction
Invitation to Tender
World Grand Prix Hong Kong 2025 A World Snooker Tour Ranking Tournament
Billiard Sports Council of Hong Kong China Limited (“HKBSCC“) has been engaged by F- Sports Promotions Limited as its exclusive contractor to promote and implement the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong (the “Event“).
The Event is a professional snooker ranking tournament sanctioned by World Snooker Tour. The dates for the Event will be in the first quarter of 2025 which is expected to last 5 to 7 days. The intended venue is the Kai Tak Arena.
HKBSCC hereby invites tender for the work of marketing and managing the Event as sub- contractor of HKBSCC.
Eligibility
The tenderer must have a track-record in planning, promoting, marketing and managing similar major sport events.
Scope of Work
Engagement of Players and Professional Body The top 32 highest ranked professional snooker players are eligible to participate in the Event. There may also be a small number of wild-card players and other players who are not in the top 32. The tenderer is required to:
➢ liaise with World Snooker Tour which is the sanctioning body of the Event.
➢ liaise with the players, their managers and/or management companies.
➢ assist in applying for applicable working visas for the players to participate in the Event.
Event Management The tenderer is required to arrange for and co-ordinate: At the venue
HKBSCC Tender Invitation
Page 1 of 3
➢ venue set up including but not limited to setting up equipment, lighting, spectator stands and venue decoration, etc.
➢ broadcasting set up including but not limited to setting up cameras, commentators’ box, etc.
➢ security of the venue, the players and other personnel.
➢ opening and closing ceremonies.
➢ masters of ceremonies.
➢ programme for the Event.
➢ players’ lounge and practice area, etc.
➢ media center including but not limited to interview area and media facilities.
➢ bilingual press release and results for media distribution.
➢ players’ autograph sessions.
➢ catering services.
➢ lucky draw and other promotional events.
➢ contingency plans in emergency situations. Outside the venue
➢ air ticketing and hotel accommodation for the players and other personnel.
➢ reception of the players and other personnel at the airport and related transportation.
➢ ground transportation for the players and other personnel during the Event.
➢ applications for all necessary and applicable licenses for the Event.
➢ other activities as described in section 3 below.
PR & Promotions The tenderer is required to plan, manage and co-ordinate public relation and promotional activities which include but are not limited to:
➢ press conference
➢ press release
➢ advertisements
➢ interviews and featured articles
➢ website and pages on social media
➢ production of booklets, souvenirs and other promotional items
➢ welcome reception
➢ closing dinner or banquet
➢ other public relations and promotional activities as decided by HKBSCC or the organizer
TV Broadcast The tenderer is required to liaise and co-ordinate with broadcasters on TV production and broadcasting.
HKBSCC Tender Invitation
Page 2 of 3
Sponsorship, Sales and Liaison The tenderer is required to:
➢ Liaise with various stakeholders including but not limited to the Government, venue operator, players, sponsors and media.
➢ arrange for and co-coordinate ticket sales.
➢ invite and liaise with government officials and other officiating guests.
Miscellaneous
➢ The successful tenderer will meet with officials of HKBSCC regularly to take instructions and report on progress, and is required to submit a final written report to the HKBSCC after completion of the Event.
Confidentiality and No Assignment
The tenderer must keep the terms of the agreement with HKBSCC and other commercial terms and information concerning the Event which are not available to the public in strict confidence. The tenderer may not assign or sub-contract any of its rights or obligations under the agreement without the prior written consent of HKBSCC.
Tender Requirements
The tenderer shall submit its tender by e-mail setting out its background, relevant experience and fee proposal under subject “Tender for World Grand Prix 2025”.
➢ Tender closing date: 19 July 2024 (Fri), 17:00 hours
➢ Tender should be sent by e-mail to the following address: info@hkbilliardsports.org.hk Billiard Sports Council of Hong Kong China Limited 5 July 2024
HKBSCC Tender Invitation
The green/bold highlight was added by me.
So, what is this? It’s a call for tender inviting potential promoters/event organisers to submit their proposal for the organisation of the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong during the first quarter of 2025.
If WST intentions are to move the event outside the UK, you have to wonder wether ITV will still be the broadcaster. That looks unlikely to me but you never know. If they don’t, as a person living outside the UK without access to ITV, I won’t be particularly sorry. As good as ITV coverage might be, it wasn’t available to me 1.
But it IS an interesting move by WST. So far all the big invitational or “on merit events”2, other than the Shanghai Masters, were always held in the UK (or Ireland in the past). Is that about to change? Could we see some of those big “restricted field” events starting to travel around the World? Like the Football World Cup, or the NITO ATP Finals in tennis, or many other prestige events in other sports do? I hope it happens. It should really.
By that I mean events not open to the the full tour, but only to players who have “earned” their spot through ranking (be it the one year list, or two years list) or because they won something over the course of the last year. ↩︎
Michael Day is a massive snooker fan and is very active on social media. He has been talking to Jason Francis about all things snooker, notably about what it’s like to manage Ronnie, how the Snooker Legends started, the success of the 900 and his plans for the Seniors Tour.
Ali Carter got his 2024/25 campaign off to the perfect start by beating Jackson Page 3-1 in the final of the season-opening the BetVictor Championship League in Leicester.
Carter, age 44, has shown excellent form over the past two seasons, winning the 2023 German Masters as well as reaching two other finals, and now takes his career tally of ranking titles to six, level with Ken Doherty, Stephen Maguire, Stuart Bingham and Kyren Wilson on the all-time list.
World number ten Carter banks £33,000 and earns a place in the Champion of Champions in November. It’s a fitting victory for the Essex cueman as he is the only player to have competed in all 23 editions of the Championship League since it was first staged in 2008, and he now holds the trophy for the first time.
Welshman Page was playing in his first final and the 22-year-old missed the chance to become the youngest ranking event winner since a 21-year-old Fan Zhengyi took the European Masters in 2022.
Page had first chance in the opening frame but made just 11 before missing a red to a top corner and Carter punished him with a break of 116. Back came Page with an 83 to level at 1-1, but Carter enjoyed a fluked red at the start of frame three to initiate a run of 96, and he then dominated frame four with a top break of 50 to seal the title.
Carter said: “I’m delighted, it’s a great start to the season. I felt very comfortable in the final and played well with a lot at stake. I have been working hard and I feel I am playing the best stuff of my career. I am trying to control my temperament, and getting better at it. Jackson is one of the young guns and has loads of potential.“
Carter dedicated his win to Mike Diggins, his friend and flying instructor who has had serious health problems.
Earlier in the group stage, Page opened with a 3-0 win over David Lilley, then drew 2-2 with Long Zehuang. In the last game of the group, he needed to avoid defeat against David Gilbert, and battled to a 2-2 draw to top the table.
In the other group, Carter came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Martin O’Donnell in his opening tie, making a break of 118 in the last frame, before beating Scott Donaldson 3-0. He still needed to beat Mark Williams in his last match, and fell 1-0 down but battled back for a 3-1 victory.
Ali Carter is not my favourite player to watch, nor is he someone I particularly like as a person. But you certainly can’t fault him for lack of courage or determination. He has both in spades and that something to be admired unreservedly. This is not an easy event to win. It’s a lot of matches to play, over a long period of time in an empty arena. Keeping focus and motivation under such conditions isn’t easy at all. The 33000￡and ranking points are not that much considering the efforts needed to win this thing but there are spin-offs. Ali will be in the 2024 Champion of Champions, with some more money guaranteed. Also, the 33000 ranking points may not be enough to qualify for this season World Grand Prix – IF there is one because it’s not currently scheduled in the WST calendar1. IF … then that’s more money and, probably, ranking points guaranteed as well.
The calendar is already quite packed. Could it be that we only get 2 ↩︎
Welshman Jackson Page is through to the final day of the BetVictor Championship League, after topping Group G in Leicester.
Page progresses and will compete for a maiden ranking crown in tomorrow’s finale. The 22-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough run to the semi-finals of the World Open last season, until which point his place on tour was under threat. He now has another chance to shoot for a first piece of silverware.
His day began with a 2-2 draw against Robbie McGuigan, who proved to be Page’s main rival to win the group. However, Page followed that up with two impressive victories. First he beat Swiss number one Alexander Ursenbacher 3-1 and then confirmed his slot in the next round by scoring a 3-0 whitewash win over compatriot Michael White.
Group G saw former World Seniors Champion David Lilley come through with a dramatic ending to seal his slot in the final day. After Lilley beat Joe O’Connor 3-0 in his final game, it meant that Gary Wilson needed to beat Ryan Day to progress. Wilson fell short with a 2-2 draw. Lilley now has the opportunity to become the oldest winner of a maiden ranking title, aged 48.
Joining Page and Lilley in tomorrow’s final eight are: Mark Williams, Martin O’Donnell, David Gilbert, Long Zehuang, Ali Carter and Scott Donaldson.
The one who impressed me the most yesterday was Robbie McGuigan. He’s a rookie, this is his first ever tournament as a pro and he very nearly managed to reach the final day!
Anyway here are the two groups in action today:
I must admit that I didn’t watch much of the action during the afternoon. I watched Djokovic first match at Wimbledon… as did someone else 😊, only he was there, sat in Djokovic box with is daughter, I was watching on my computer on a Greek island.
Ronnie can’t certainly deny he fathered Lilly … nor would he want to. He’s very proud of his kids.
So far, most groups in stage 2 at the 2024 Ranking CLS were tightly contested. This isn’t particularly surprising given that the players involved all won their group in stage one and are sharp. Yesterday was no different and here is the report by WST:
WILLIAMS THROUGH WITH LATE WIN
Mark Williams scored a vital 3-0 victory over Si Jiahui in the last match of Group D at the BetVictor Championship League to earn a place in the final phase.
The three-time Crucible king will be back in action on Wednesday in Leicester alongside Long Zehuang, David Gilbert, Ali Carter, Scott Donaldson, Martin O’Donnell and two more players. The winners of the last two groups will contest the final on Wednesday night.
Remarkably, the first eight matches played on Monday finished in 2-2 draws, leaving Groups D and H finely poised heading into the last set of fixtures. Williams, seeking a 27th career ranking title, compiled breaks of 90 and 87 in drawing 2-2 with Stuart Carrington, then made a 130 in taking a 2-0 lead over Ben Woollaston, only for his opponent to fight back to level.
Woollaston then beat Carrington 3-1, which meant Williams had to win his closing tie to top the table. And the Welshman comfortably saw off Si with a top run of 96.
In Group H, O’Donnell let slip a 2-0 lead in his first match against Matthew Stevens, finishing 2-2. He then fell 1-0 behind against Jak Jones but hit back with superb breaks of 138 and 133 to lead 2-1, before losing the last frame. In his last match, Welsh Open finalist O’Donnell made a crucial colours clearance in the final frame to beat Ma Hailong 3-1.
Jones and Stevens still had the chance to top the group by winning their contest, but they finished 2-2 to leave O’Donnell on top.
Both Si and Ma looked tired in their last match. These are long days at the CLS. You may expect that the young ones will star fresher and be be more “resilient” to fatigue than the older ones but actually that’s not the case, and it is the same in more physical sports as well. Very rarely will you see a young athlete win a marathon. Most top marathon runners are in their thirties and there is no other physical “endurance” sport that is more demanding physically. Maybe in snooker it’s more a case of “managing” your blood sugar levels and stay fresh in your mind and keep your focus but all the same, there is a “learning curve”.
Willo really is one of a kind. No matter what is at stakes, matching him play you’d think he’s knocking a few balls in a friendly down the club.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 