The 2026 Grand Prix will start tomorrow in Hong Kong, in the very early hours of the morning for most of us. As usual in China, on the eve of the tournament the Chines social media shared a few images from the players involved in the tournament.
I’m not sure where the players were taken but obviously to some mountainous place dominating the city of Hong Kong, likely at “the Peak”.
Ronnie O’Sullivan to make rare Hong Kong appearance, but plans little snooker in 2026
by Mike Chan
Ronnie O’Sullivan will make a rare competitive appearance in Hong Kong this week at the World Grand Prix, but how much more snooker he plays this season entirely depends on whether he feels like it.
The Englishman is well-known for his mercurial approach to the game, and having skipped last year’s tournament at Kai Tak Arena, this will be his first official outing in the city since taking up Hong Kong residency in 2024.
Fans might even consider themselves lucky, with the seven-time world champion saying he only had one of two more events in his diary for the rest of the year.
“I’ll maybe play in Yushan, China [for the World Open], and then maybe just the World Championships,” said O’Sullivan, who lost in the first round of the German Masters last week. “But nothing is for sure, you never know.”
The 50-year-old has only played sparingly this season, competing in just five ranking events, and lost in the first round of the UK Championship, while having more luck in Asia.
“I don’t have a problem with the UK, I don’t have a problem with anywhere,” he said. “It’s just if I feel like playing, I’ll play.
“If I don’t feel like playing, then I won’t. You know, there’s no plan or no reason, you just decide near the time if it’s something you want to do.”
On Monday, O’Sullivan was among a host of high-profile players, including Kyren Wilson, Mark Allen, reigning world champion Zhao Xintong, and Ding Junhui, who appeared at a press event at The Peak ahead of the World Grand Prix.
Zhao, whose only win this season was at the non-ranking Riyadh Season Championship, said he was still adjusting to life as a world champion.
“There was indeed some pressure slowly surfacing this season, which wasn’t something I’d thought about before,” said the world No 8. “But I actually feel that this season is a transitional period, or a learning phase, for me. I also believe that I will perform better later on.”
It will be the first time the 28-year-old from Shenzhen has played competitively in Hong Kong, and he said he was looking forward to the occasion.
“I hope I can leave behind some great memories but I won’t be aiming too high,” he said. “It’s all about enjoying the competition and giving the spectators a great experience and impression.
“I think playing here is going to feel like playing at home because of the proximity, and I have a lot of relatives and friends here. I am sure the atmosphere will be great.”
Judd Trump’s victory over Shaun Murphy in the final of the German Masters has forced organisers into a change of schedule for this week’s tournament, which begins on Tuesday.
The pair, plus beaten semi-finalists Ali Carter and defending Hong Kong champion Neal Robertson, have had to delay their arrivals.
Organisers said spectators who had hoped to see them in action could still use their tickets to attend the rescheduled match, and be able to redeem one complimentary ticket of the same value at the arena for any session between February 3 and 5.
There is nothing really new in this situation. For many years Ronnie has been picking and choosing, and has. to a lage extend played on his own terms and only when he felt ready.
Judd Trump beat Shaun Murphy by 10-4 yesterday evening to win the German Masters for the fourth time. Judd has really been the prince of the Tempodrom in this decade, emerging the champion in Berlin 4 times over the last 7 years.
Congratulations Judd Trump
Shaun must be very disappointed: he certainly wanted to win this event to honour the memory of his late friend and mentor Brandon Parker, and, maybe, he put a bit too much pressure on himself because of that. Yesterday, he never found the form that had he had shown all week and earned him his place in the Final.
But if Brandon is somewhere “up” looking down on the snooker, he is surely proud and happy to see how his “tounament-child” has grown and developed into one of the best events in the snooker calendar. When it comes to the atmosphere on the final week-end, it’s second only to the Crucible one-table setup time.
Judd Trump ended a 14-month title drought by beating Shaun Murphy 10-4 in the final of the Machineseeker German Masters at Berlin’s iconic Tempodrom.
It’s a record-extending fourth win in the event for Trump, following previous wins in 2020, 2021 and 2024. He beat Neil Robertson, Jack Lisowski and Si Jiahui in the respective title matches.
The Bristolian last captured silverware at the 2024 UK Championship and went without a title in the calendar year of 2025. He lost his last three ranking final appearances at the 2025 Players Championship, 2025 Northern Ireland Open and the 2025 UK Championship.
Trump has now won 31 ranking events in total and he’s fourth in the all-time list. Only John Higgins (33), Stephen Hendry (36) and Ronnie O’Sullivan (41) have won more in the history of snooker.
2019 World Champion Trump remains at the top of the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings, after capturing the £100,000 top prize, having now occupied the summit for 75 weeks. Murphy also remains unmoved in seventh position.
The Magician will be disappointed not to have taken his form from previous rounds into the final. He powered past Mark Allen, Kyren Wilson and Neil Robertson by a collective scoreline of 16-2 in his previous three matches.
43-year-old Murphy would dearly have loved to win the event in tribute to his late manager and close friend Brandon Parker, who the trophy is named after. Parker was instrumental in taking the German Masters to Berlin and promoting it.
The pair emerged to a rapturous reception in a packed Tempodrom this evening, with over 2,400 expectant fans in attendance. It was Trump who held a 5-3 cushion when play got underway for the final session.
Murphy looked in a strong position to take the opening frame of the evening when he led 60-0. However, a misjudged shot by Trump fortuitiously left Murphy angled in the jaws of the green pocket. His response let Trump back in the frame and he eventually stole on the black to make it 6-3.
The tenth frame was also stolen on the black by the Ace in the Pack and a break of 68 compounded Murphy’s woes and moved Trump 8-3 up. The last frame before the mid-session also came down to the wire, with Trump taking it on the pink to get within a frame of the title.
Trump squandered his first chance to seize the trophy and it was the turn of Murphy to win on the black and stay alive at 9-4. The crowd were hungry for more snooker and roared with delight after Murphy deposited the final ball. However, it was to be a short-lived reprieve with Trump controlling a scrappy 14th to get over the line and emerge a 10-4 victor.
Shaun Murphy continued his mission to win the Brandon Parker Trophy with a 6-1 defeat of Neil Robertson to make the final of the Machineseeker German Masters in Berlin.
The Magician has only appeared in the title match at the iconic Tempodrom once previously, back in 2015 when he lost out 9-7 to Mark Selby.
Murphy is aiming to honour his close friend and former manager Parker by lifting the trophy named after him. Parker was instrumental in taking the German Masters to Berlin and promoting it, but he sadly passed away in 2020.
It has been a rapid turnaround in form for 43-year-old Murphy, who admitted he was disconsolate after suffering a 6-2 defeat at the hands of Wu Yize at the Masters, where he was defending champion. The last three rounds have seen him overcome Robertson, Kyren Wilson and Mark Allen by a collective 16-2 scoreline. Murphy will now play either Judd Trump or Ali Carter tomorrow for the £100,000 top prize.
Robertson’s hunt for a maiden German Masters triumph goes on. The Australian was runner-up to Trump in the 2020 final, but was comprehensively denied a return to the title match on this occasion.
Both players were greeted by a rapturous reception in front of over 2,400 fans as they walked out this afternoon. However, Murphy was ruthless on his charge to victory. A 122 break gave him the opener, before Robertson temporarily restored parity. Further century contributions of 102 and 106 had 2005 World Champion Murphy 3-1 up at the mid-session.
When play resumed, a further three on the bounce – including breaks of 51 and 66 – saw Murphy get himself over the line and into the final.
Murphy said: “I think whenever you go up against one of the game’s legends, which for me Neil is one of, it makes things very straightforward. You know you need to play your best. For a lot of that match I was close to my best. I had a bit of luck at the right moments and that always helps. I’m delighted to have won.
“The crowd have been so warm to me. The fans here are exceptional and they make the event. The one table set up here gives you such an ovation. It was good to play so well after all that. It is about taking the trophy home tomorrow now though.
“I get emotional thinking about Brandon all the time so the fact I’m out there playing won’t change anything. It might give me a bit of escapism actually. I’ll just concentrate on the snooker. It would be wonderful to take the Brandon Parker Trophy home. It would mean so much and possibly more to me than any other player on the tour. In Ali or Judd I have two great players stood in my way.“
World number one Judd Trump scored a comprehensive 6-2 win over Ali Carter to make the final of the Machineseeker German Masters, where he will face Shaun Murphy.
It’s a fifth final in this event for Trump, who has lifted the title a record three times in 2020, 2021 and 2024. He and Murphy will go toe to toe over the best of 19 frames tomorrow, with the Brandon Parker Trophy and a top prize of £100,000 on the line.
The Ace in the Pack is seeking to end a title drought which extends back to the 2024 UK Championship. Having failed to secure silverware in 2025, he has an early opportunity to put that right in 2026.
Trump has dominated Murphy in recent times, having won eight of their previous nine meetings. However, Murphy was victorious when they last clashed at this season’s British Open, an event the Magician went on to win.
Defeat for Carter means he falls short of another final at the iconic Tempodrom. The Captain took home the trophy in 2013 and 2023, but Trump proved to be a step too far this year.
The start of the match proved to be pivotal this evening, with 36-year-old Trump steaming out of the blocks. He pounced on some uncharacteristic Carter mistakes to make contributions of 52, 67 and 87 and lead 4-0 at the interval.
After play resumed Carter battled back into contention, with two on the bounce to cut his arrears in half and trail 4-2. Trump crucially stopped the fightback by claiming a tight seventh to lead 5-2 and got over the line to reach the 52nd ranking final of his career.
“Ali missed a couple early on and I think in the end missed one too many and I was able to punish him and put him under pressure. He always puts up a fight and tries to the very end. He made it difficult at 4-2, but I managed to nick the last two,” said 30-time ranking event winner Trump.
“It is an incredible arena so whenever you play in a semi-final or a final here it is a real privilege to be out there. It is always nice to perform well in that environment.
“Shaun has been brilliant throughout. He has won a lot of comfortable games and he has scored very heavily. I will have to perform like I have so far and my safety will need to be good. It should be an incredible final.
“Any tournament you can win multiple times, you have a different feeling when you turn up. This is one that is positioned just after the Masters and I always look forward to it. This tournament brings the best out of me and is why I have such a good record here.“
It is indeed an incredible arena when we are down to one table and the German fans are enthusiast but respectful of the players. They appreciate what they get to see.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 