Shaun Murphy made a superb century in the deciding frame to beat late call-up Ben Woollaston 4-3 in the first round of the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong, boosting his hopes of a place at the Crucible next month.
Woollaston only found out he had a place in this tournament early on Monday morning as he was next in line when Stephen Maguire pulled out. Setting off immediately for Heathrow, he booked a flight on his way to the airport and was on the plane east by 11am, arriving in Hong Kong on Tuesday morning. In the circumstances, with just a few hours to recover from jet lag, he put up a fine battle, but Johnstone’s Paint Masters champion Murphy showed his quality at the business end to set up a last 16 tie with Barry Hawkins or Tom Ford.
A break of 90 gave Woollaston the opening frame, then Murphy took a scrappy second before making a 97 for 2-1. Then next two were shared, then Murphy looked close to the winning post when he led 62-18 in frame six, only for Woollaston to double a red to a baulk corner to set up a tremendous 54 clearance for 3-3. Early in the decider, Woollaston potted a red then went for a risky brown to centre, but missed the target and spent the rest of the match in his seat as Murphy made 110.
Having started this week in 19th place in the Race to the Crucible, Murphy needs to win matches over the next three tournaments to climb into the top 16 and make sure of a seeded status in Sheffield next month, otherwise he’ll be heading to the World Championship qualifying rounds. So the extra £5,000 he has earned today helps his cause.
“The fact that Ben was a late call-up doesn’t change the fact that he’s an incredibly tough player to beat,” said Murphy. “No one batters him, he’s very tough. The clearance he made in the sixth frame has to be one of the best of all time. The double he played on the first red – I was sitting there thinking ‘what’s he playing?’ The next thing I knew it was 3-3.
“There were moments today where I felt really good. I probably put myself under too much pressure because I have caused myself the problem of battling for a Crucible seeding.
“Over the last few seasons, the voice in my head had been saying some very negative things to me when things weren’t going well. Since winning the Masters it has been saying much nicer things, reminding me that I can do it and I am good enough. In moments like the deciding frame today, when you get the chance to do it now, that’s when that voice makes a difference.“
Jack Lisowski scored a 4-2 win over Zhang Anda to set up a last 16 clash with Judd Trump or Gary Wilson. From 2-0 down, China’s Zhang made breaks of 112 and 69 for 2-2, and he led by 16 points in frame five with just pink and black left, but went in-off which handed Lisowski the chance to snatch that frame. The Englishman went on to take frame six with a 51 clearance and secure a result which keeps alive his hopes of climbing into the top 16 of the Johnstone’s Paint One-Year Rankings and qualifying for the Sportsbet.io Players Championship later this month.
“At 2-2 I was a bit gone but then he played a weird shot on the pink when I needed a snooker,” admitted Lisowski. “When someone does that you have to take the chance. I was lucky. I have been to Hong Kong a few times for exhibitions so I know snooker is popular here. The first time I came I was getting recognised on the street. So it’s obviously big here and it’s great to have a ranking event.
“I know I have to win at least two more matches (to qualify for Telford). I might play Judd Trump next so it won’t be easy. I’ll try my best. My attacking game is good but my safety is still questionable and that side doesn’t come easily to me, though I did play a good safety shot to get a chance in the last frame. Hopefully I can pull it all together.”
Stuart Bingham came out on top in a battle of two former Crucible kings, beating Mark Williams 4-2 with breaks of 100, 75 and 65. Bingham now meets Wu Yize or Pang Junxu.
David Gilbert enjoyed a 4-3 success against Chris Wakelin to earn a last 16 tie with Neil Robertson or Yuan Sijun. After winning the opening frame on the colours, Gilbert made a breaks of 73 for 2-0. Wakelin then fired runs of 81 and 79 in going 3-2 ahead, only for Gilbert to take the last two frames.
Both Gilbert and Bingham need to reach the final this week for a chance of qualifying for Telford – follow updates on that race here.
Judd Trump played the role of local hero to perfection in the opening round of the World Grand Prix as he thrilled his fans in Hong Kong with a 4-2 win over Gary Wilson.
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World number one Trump has been living in Hong Kong for most of the past year and considers this his home tournament as the city stages the event for the first time at the fabulous new Kai Tak Arena. And his supporters were out in force as he came from 1-0 down to score a comfortable victory, knocking in breaks of 142, 95 and 69. That sets up a blockbuster last 16 clash with his close friend Jack Lisowski on Thursday.
“I got a great reception and that gives me a buzz,” said Trump, who won this event in 2015, 2019 and 2020. “There was a bit of added pressure because I wanted to get the first round out of the way. It’s a big event with big prize money in a great arena and a great city.
“Hong Kong is an incredible place, I felt that before I even contemplated coming to live here. There is a lot of energy, so much to see and do, especially when the weather is good. Everyone who comes here loves it and I’m glad we have such a big event here now. I would rather have avoided Jack until the final, but it’s a great setting for both of us to play in. These are the kind of arenas you dream of playing in.“
Trump has enjoyed a tremendous season already, winning the Shanghai Masters, Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters and Victorian Plumbing UK Championship. He is also on track for a possible 100 centuries over the campaign, and the first player to achieve that will earn a £100,000 bonus. His ton in the second frame today was his 80th of 2024/25.
“There’s a chance, I don’t think it’s a great chance,” he admitted when asked if he feels he can win that bonus. “In the next few events I’m starting in the last 32, last 16 or last eight and it’s difficult to make centuries against the top players. It will go down to the wire, I might need an amazing run at the World Championship, maybe it will come in the final. It’s on the back burner, I’m not thinking about it much. But if it’s possible at the Crucible it will add excitement.“
John Higgins, fresh from his landmark triumph at the Weide Cup World Open last Saturday, remained on a high as he edged out Ali Carter 4-3. Higgins won his first ranking title in four years in Yushan, before making the journey to Hong Kong and meeting up with wife Denise for a short celebration before returning to the baize.
It was a crucial match for Carter as he stands in 16th place in the Johnstone’s Paint One-Year Rankings, so defeat means he could be overtaken this week and miss out on the Sportsbet.io Players Championship. Carter outscored his opponent today, making breaks of 137 and 120, but Higgins won several tight frames, including the fifth on a respotted black and the decider on the last red.
“When you win a few deciders you get a bit of confidence,” said 49-year-old Higgins, who now meets Kyren Wilson. “At 3-3 I thought I was going to win, while in recent years I was feeling the other way. That can be the difference between winning tournaments and getting knocked out early.
“It felt strange, coming here after such a high last weekend. This is a massive tournament but my mind was still in Yushan and you can’t afford to do that at this level. I had a great couple of days with Denise, that was special. But now it’s head down and focus and try for another good run. This is an unbelievable venue, I would love to play Kyren in front of a big crowd.“
World Champion Wilson came from 3-2 down to win a high quality match with Matthew Selt 4-3. Selt made breaks of 51, 69 and 118 in taking a 3-2 lead, while Wilson had fired 57, 133 and 61 at that stage. Further runs of 111 and 87 game Wilson the last two frames and kept him on track for a fourth ranking title of the season.
Wu Yize raced to a 4-0 success in a Chinese derby against Pang Junxu with top breaks of 111 and 75. Wu’s next opponent is Stuart Bingham.
In the afternoon, I watched the Bingham v Williams match. Let’s just say this: Bingham played well and Willo wasn’t at the races… Bingham will now play Wu Yize, who I watched in the evening. Wu played well but Pang looked completely out of sorts. It wasn’t particularly pretty to watch and certainly not enthralling. It was made worse by the fact that no one was watching… Here are two very young men, who spend many months away from their families aGovt ‘highly unsatisfied’ after World Grand Prix spectators forced to leave mid-matchnd their country because of the UK-centric organisation of their sport, and yesterday, as they played in their country1 for a change, nobody was watching them …
It’s only this morning that I found out that spectators had actually been asked to leave the venue because of the venue “curfew” and, it seems, an unfortunate misunderstanding …
Govt ‘highly unsatisfied’ after World Grand Prix spectators forced to leave mid-match
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui called it “highly unsatisfactory” after spectators were forced to leave the Kai Tak Arena before the conclusion of a match of the World Grand Prix snooker tournament on Tuesday night, sparking outrage among fans.
Speaking to media on Wednesday, Law attributed the incident to communication and coordination failure between the event organizer and the venue operator.
The government has instructed the organizers to ensure spectators can watch the entire matches, and, if necessary, arrange transportation for attendees after late-night games, she said.
“In fact, both organizers and the venue operator were aware beforehand that matches could extend into late hours, potentially run overtime,” Law said.
“There were concerns that spectators being stranded with fewer transportation options due to the late-night schedule.
Law said it requires time for the Kai Tak Sports Park and event organizers to adapt to each other, especially given the unpredictable nature of snooker match durations.
“This is a learning experience for all parties involved,” she said.
Gilly Wong Fung-han, chief executive of the Consumer Council, said the council has received seven complaints related to the World Grand Prix, with six about Ronnie O’Sullivan’s withdrawal due to illness, and one about spectators being forced to leave before the match ended on Tuesday night.
Wong noted that while the organizer offered compensation by allowing ticket exchanges on March 5 and 6, it did not address alternative measures if consumers cannot attend on those days.
She urged the organizer to handle the matter more flexibly.
Regarding O’Sullivan’s withdrawal, Wong said consumer dissatisfaction is understandable while emphasizing that spectators should be aware of the risks when purchasing tickets, and organizers must clearly inform the audience of these risks and prepare contingency plans in advance.
The organizing committee of the World Grand Prix snooker tournament has also apologized to affected spectators.
“We deeply regret the incident on the evening of March 4, where some spectators were asked to leave before the match ended. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and frustration caused,” the committee said in a statement.2
The incident occurred during a late-night match between Kyren Wilson and Matthew Selt on Table 1, which began after 9pm.
As the game extended past midnight, a message appeared on the venue’s screens instructing fans to leave due to venue restrictions.
Staff then urged spectators to exit, pausing the match and escorting players to a break room.
Fans argued with staff for about 20 minutes before being removed by security.
In response, the committee said it has worked with the venue to ensure spectators attending evening sessions from March 5 to 9 can stay until matches conclude.
As compensation, ticket holders for the March 4 evening session at Table 1 can exchange their ticket stubs for equal-value tickets to any available session on March 5 or 6 at the event merchandize booth near Gate G.
Feng Huanhuan, CEO of F-Sports Promotions Limited, the event organizer, explained the company was unaware of the venue’s midnight curfew.
“Having organized large snooker events in mainland China, where there are no such restrictions, we didn’t anticipate this issue,” Feng said.
“The reminder for spectators to leave was issued within an hour of us learning about the curfew.”
However, some fans remain dissatisfied. One attendee called the organizers’ actions “unacceptable” and said they might file a complaint with Hong Kong’s Consumer Council.
“Hosting a world-class event in a state-of-the-art venue should be a proud moment, but the lack of coordination is deeply disappointing,” he said.
Another VIP ticket holder criticized the organizers for treating attendees as “guinea pigs,” adding that it was still unfair for affected spectators despite the free ticket exchanges.
Kai Tak Sports Park said on Wednesday that it will ensure all ticket holders can watch matches until their conclusion.
The operator said it had coordinated with event organizer to arrange transportation from the park to nearby transit hubs in the Mong Kok, in addtion to overnight bus services along Prince Edward Road, to facilitate spectator’s depature in late night.
(Ayra Wang)
The above article focuses on the match on table one, but Pang and Wu, on table 2, finished later than that one, despite the score, because they started even later that the players on table 1.
I once witnessed spectators leave, even mid-frame, during a match between Mark Selby and Graeme Dott. The main reason for that was that the last public transports from Ally Pally to the urban parts of London around it were about to leave. Those without a car faced a walk through a park, in a snow storm and with packs of stray dogs lurking… That match TBH was a turgid affair but that wasn’t the main/sole reason why people were leaving. Dotty was aggrieved but it was nobody’s fault. This one is a different story…
I know that China is as vast as a continent, and neither Wu or Pang are from Hong Kong, but they were still supposed to play in front of Chines fans, something that, I suppose, is a bit special for them ↩︎
2 thoughts on “The 2025 World Grand Prix – Day 1 – snooker, miscommunication and discontent …”
No curfew.
I doubt it is the general restriction like concert / performances.(pop star concert audience in thousands has lots of problems)
By the way, Ronnie’s withdrawal isn’t good.
As Messi’s incident(exhibition match, he gone to the arena and not playing.) was just one year ago.
Hope this has no impact on his visa renewal
It’s bizarre. Is there a curfew that people had to leave? Otherwise I would expect people to take care of their own transport, call a cab, or leave earlier if need be, but by their own volition. That is bad organization if they were forced to leave and no wonder they were aggrieved.
Of course there are risks attached to buying tickets: players can pull out and given recent history one can only marvel at those who bought tickets expecting to see Ronnie play, although in their defense it can be said that they might have been misled by the assurances they received in Ronnie’s video.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 
No curfew.
I doubt it is the general restriction like concert / performances.(pop star concert audience in thousands has lots of problems)
By the way, Ronnie’s withdrawal isn’t good.
As Messi’s incident(exhibition match, he gone to the arena and not playing.) was just one year ago.
Hope this has no impact on his visa renewal
It’s bizarre. Is there a curfew that people had to leave? Otherwise I would expect people to take care of their own transport, call a cab, or leave earlier if need be, but by their own volition. That is bad organization if they were forced to leave and no wonder they were aggrieved.
Of course there are risks attached to buying tickets: players can pull out and given recent history one can only marvel at those who bought tickets expecting to see Ronnie play, although in their defense it can be said that they might have been misled by the assurances they received in Ronnie’s video.