As usual in China players were made to feel very welcome in Nanjing on the day before the tournament proper starts. As usual too, Kalacs has gathered an impressive collection of pictures and short videos. It’s all in the comments section.
I had done some gathering myself, by no way as extensive as Kalacs’ one mind …
Anyway…
Here is a selection of pictures found on Weibo and Twitter
The 2024 International Championship starts tomorrow in the very early days of the morning… but if you suffer badly from snooker deprivation, this might interest you…
The draw for the 2024 Champion of Champions is now complete, with defending champion Mark Allen set to open his title defence against World Seniors Champion Igor Figueiredo in Group One.
Taking place from November 11-17 at Bolton’s Toughsheet Community Stadium, the 11th edition of the Champion of Champions will bring together snooker’s biggest stars for a thrilling week, broadcast live on ITV and networks worldwide.
In the second Group One match, Welsh Open and Scottish Open champion Gary Wilson will face World Championship runner-up Jak Jones, as both players aim to advance in this prestigious event.
World number one Judd Trump leads Group Two, where he will face either the International Championship winner or, if already qualified, the next highest-ranked player on the World Snooker two-year ranking list. Championship League Snooker Ranking winner Ali Carter is set to challenge two-time Champion of Champions titleholder Neil Robertson in the second match of Group Two.
Group Three promises a clash of World Champions, as reigning World Champion Kyren Wilson takes on 2023 World Champion Luca Brecel. The second match will see Tour Championship winner and Welsh Potting Machine Mark Williams pitted against Women’s World Champion Bai Yulu.
Ronnie O’Sullivan begins his pursuit of a record-breaking fifth Champion of Champions title in Group Four, where he will meet Wuhan Open champion Xiao Guodong. Meanwhile, British Open and Championship League Snooker invitational winner Mark Selby faces off against former Champion of Champions winner Shaun Murphy, each eyeing their next title.
The top four seeds—defending champion Mark Allen, World Champion Kyren Wilson, World No. 1 Judd Trump, and British Open champion Mark Selby—were each allocated to a separate group. The next four seeds were then assigned to groups according to their ranking, with Seed 1 paired with Seed 8, Seed 2 with Seed 7, and so on.
The remainder of the field was drawn randomly to complete the 2024 Champion of Champions draw.
Tournament Schedule Group stage dates are subject to change pending the results of the International Championship. The group stage will take place from Monday, 11 November, through Thursday, 14 November, with each session starting at 1pm in a best-of-seven format. The group finals will follow each evening at 7pm, with matches played over a best-of-eleven frames.
Semi-finals are scheduled for Friday, 15 November, and Saturday, 16 November, both at 7pm, and will be played as best-of-eleven contests. On Friday, the Group Two winner will face the Group Three winner, while Saturday will see the Group One and Group Four winners go head-to-head.
The 2024 Champion of Champions final will take place on Sunday, 17 November, starting with an afternoon session at 1pm and culminating in an evening session at 7pm. The final showdown will be a best-of-19 frames, crowning this year’s Champion of Champions.
Tickets start from £15 a session, with fans also offered the opportunity to experience one of snooker’s finest spectacles in VIP from £110. VIP includes front two-row seats, a premium two course meal, free programme on arrival, drinks voucher, access to the practice table viewing area, and much more. Secure your tickets here.
Group One Mark Allen vs Igor Figueiredo Gary Wilson vs Jak Jones
Group Two Judd Trump vs International Champion Ali Carter vs Neil Robertson
Group Three Kyren Wilson vs Luca Brecel Mark Williams vs Bai Yulu
Group Four Mark Selby vs Shaun Murphy Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Xiao Guodong
The least that can be said is that Ronnie is in a though group!
In other news and thoughts …
Jak Jones has beaten Ronnie by 3-1 in their exhibition yesterday.
As always, I want to thank Kalacs who hunted a lot of videos and images for us all to enjoy. Make sure to check the comments section.
Regarding Ronnie’s move towards Hong Kong … he candidly admitted that the tax system is one of the reasons behind his decision. Indeed the taxes on people’s professional incomes are extremely low in Hong Kong as compared to what we face in Europe in general. I have no doubts that there will be people to who will criticise him for this move. This however is no different from a lot of top sports persons, notably tennis stars and Formula One drivers being Monaco residents.
There will be snooker played over Christmas in Macau again… this time with Ronnie, Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, Jak Jones, Ding Junhui, Marco Fu , Stuart Bingham and Si Jiahui.
I have the feeling that Ronnie is slowly but definitely preparing for his “after pro career”. His contract with the Saudi probably prevents him to “professionally” hang his cue before three years from now, but he will be nearly 52 by then. If he’s no more on tour, he will be free to play on the Seniors tour as well, something he has also hinted at in recent months.
“Wynn Presents – 2024 Macau Snooker Masters” returns in December with world-class talent
October 31, 2024
The exhibition tournament “Wynn Presents – 2024 Macau Snooker Masters” will return to the city on 25-28 December with a star-studded line-up of nine of the world’s top snooker players, aiming to further enrich Macau’s sports tourism offerings and enhance its international appeal.
Organised by the integrated resort operator Wynn Resorts (Macau) S.A., the tournament will unfold at the Wynn Palace from 25 to 28 December. The event is supported by the Macau Government Tourism Office and the Sports Bureau and co-organised by Sailing Up Sports.
The nine players set to showcase their skills in Macau in December include Ronnie O’Sullivan, a seven-time World Snooker Championship winner regarded as one of the greatest players in the sport of all time. The current world number one player, Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, the current world number two and the incumbent World Snooker Championship winner, and Jak Jones, the first runner-up of the 2024 World Snooker Championship, will also join O’Sullivan.
Ding Jun Hui, the Chinese snooker player regarded as one of the most successful Asian players in the sport, and Hong Kong legend Marco Fu, will also be featured. In addition, Jack Lisowski, the first runner-up of the “Wynn Presents – 2023 Macau Snooker Masters,” will return to the city again.
“Wynn is committed to hosting premier international sporting events, establishing a diverse global perspective for Macau,” said Linda Chen, President and Vice Chairman of Wynn Macau, Limited.
“‘Wynn Presents – 2024 Macau Snooker Masters’ not only advances Macau’s ‘tourism + sports’ strategy but also offers a diversified travel experience for locals and visitors, contributing to the development of Macau as a ‘City of Sports’,” she added.
A press conference was held on Thursday (31 October) unveiling the details of the 2024 edition of the tournament, where some of the players also attended to talk about their preparation. Meanwhile, O’Sullivan was officially named the “Wynn Brand Ambassador” at the press conference.
“As the Wynn Brand Ambassador, I am very honoured to be working alongside Wynn in promoting and increasing the popularity of snooker around the world,” O’Sullivan stated. The two parties will also work on enhancing Macau’s appeal to international visitors and bolstering the city’s global recognition.
“I can’t wait to have fantastic games with all these outstanding players in Macau by the end of this year, while celebrating the festive season with our fans,” he added.
Passion for Macau
A new playing format will be implemented for this year’s exhibition tournament, where O’Sullivan will compete in best-of-7 frames matches against other players. Seven matches are scheduled between 25-28 December, with O’Sullivan featured in all except for a match on 26 December between Judd Trump and Ding Jun Hui.
“I love coming to Macau,” remarked O’Sullivan, expressing his excitement about playing in the city. “I really love the old town of Macau. [There’s] so much to do—walk around [with] nice scenery, lovely food, and the weather is great.”
Ms. Linda Chen, President and Vice Chairman of the Board of Wynn Macau, Limited, received souvenirs from Mr. Ronnie O’Sullivan
“Everyone looks after me so well. It’s such a nice place for me to be—I can do my work and I can practice, which is important.”
This sentiment is also shared by Fu. “I’ve been visiting Macau since I was young, and every visit brings me joy,” remarked the Hong Kong player. “I have also made many friends in Macau.”
“Macau feels like half of my home court, as many fans and friends from Hong Kong come to watch and support me here,” he added. “With many top players participating in this tournament… I aim to give my best performance for everyone to enjoy.”
In addition to these players, the line-up for the “Wynn Presents – 2024 Macau Snooker Masters” includes Stuart Bingham, a former World Snooker Championship winner, and Chinese rising star Si Jia Hui.
*This article is part of the MNA Wynn Macau Tourism Plus Partnership Series
Also … relating to yesterday’s announcement about Ronnie’s Hong Kong residency … I would not be surprised if Ronnie joined the Hong Kong academy in order to help snooker to keep its elite sport status, actually I expect him to do that. It’s an excellent place to practice, probably the best in the area. But I wonder if, joining this academy combined with his newly acquired resident status would allow him to compete under Hong Kong flag because if he can, and does, that would definitively help the image and status of snooker in Hong Kong.
