This season there will no longer be a bonus available for players making two maximum breaks during the Triple Crown events. There will also be no bonus for making 100 centuries in a season.
These bonuses were designed to find innovative ways to reward incredible achievements which have now become a regular feature of WST events. The standard of play continues to rise, with a record 24 maximum breaks made last season.
Our congratulations go to Jackson Page, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Chang Bingyu who each earned £147,000 for winning the maximum break bonus and to Judd Trump who earned £100,000 for making over 100 centuries in 2024/25.
The high break prizes for each tournament will continue.
OK, understandable. Now, let’s see what happens… The fans love to watch a 147 but making one often involves taking more risky shots at some point when the frame is not yet won. Will the players still be willing to take those risks? Will we see some “protest 146” next season?
Ken Doherty has decided to put an end to his professional career. At 56, he feels that he isn’t good enough anymore to play at the standard he wants to play at. He is, to this day, the greatest player the Republic of Ireland has produced and the only player in snooker history to have won the world under-21, world amateur and world professional champion.
Off the table, Ken is a likeable character, who, like most Irish guys I met, is easy to talk to, amiable and … loves his Guinness.
I’m wishing Ken the very best for the future, and success in whatever he wants to do from here. He has nothing to prove.
1997 World Champion Ken Doherty has announced his retirement from professional snooker, bringing the curtain down on a magnificent 36-year career.
After dropping off the circuit at the conclusion of last season, the 56-year-old has decided to call time on a professional journey which saw him amass six ranking titles. He remains the Republic of Ireland’s only World Champion and was his country’s first ranking event winner.
In the wake of hanging up his cue, Doherty admits that although it was a difficult decision he feels it was the correct one.
Doherty said: “It was sad initially when I made the decision, but I’m happy with it now. I wasn’t going anywhere and even if I played for another couple of years, I’d come to the realisation I wasn’t going to get any better. I wasn’t going to compete like I used to.
“I probably should have done it a few years ago, but I love the game. I love competing and I love playing. I was hoping something would change but it didn’t. I’ve had a great time playing and have some wonderful memories. I’m going to miss it for sure, but it has come as a relief.“
The Dubliner moved to London in the late 80s to pursue a snooker career and after winning both the World Under-21 Championship and the World Amateur Championship in 1989, he turned professional in 1990. Doherty reflects on this period as a crucial moment in his development and an exciting stage in his career.
“I came over with a cue, my bag and £500 in my pocket. That was all I had. I was seeking my dreams and didn’t know what to expect. A man called Curly Mick paid for me to play that World Under-21 Championship in Iceland, he said he thought I could win it.
“I beat Jason Ferguson in the final and gave the Curly Mick the trophy to take back to his mates for a few pictures. I never saw him again! They were exciting times. I played with the guys I watched on television like Steve Davis and Jimmy White. It was magnificent.“
Doherty’s first ranking title came in 1993, when he defeated Alan McManus 9-7 in the Welsh Open final. This allowed the Irishman to break into the world’s top 16 for the first time, a run which would be unbroken for 15 years. During this time he enjoyed his finest hour.
The 1997 World Championship saw Doherty defeat Mark Davis, Steve Davis and John Higgins to make the semis, before a 17-7 demolition of Canadian Alain Robidoux took him to his first Crucible final.
Doherty was pitted against the imperious Stephen Hendry, who was on a five-year win streak at the Theatre of Dreams. He achieved what, at the time, seemed impossible and beat Hendry 18-12 to lift the sport’s biggest prize. It was a win which transfixed a nation and it was reported that there were no arrests on the streets of Dublin during the final session.
“When I first picked up a cue as a kid, winning the World Championship was my dream. After Alex Higgins winning it in 1982 and Dennis Taylor in 1985, these were inspirational moments for me. To emulate what they achieved and lift that cup up was a real honour and a sense of pride. To do that with a £2 cue and beating Stephen Hendry in the final was just amazing,” recalled Doherty.
“It was daunting playing him. He’d won 29 matches in a row at the Crucible and was going for number 30. I was a huge underdog, but I had a belief that I could do it. I went there, relaxed and played some of the best snooker of my life. To beat him in the final, when he looked almost unbeatable, makes the win even sweeter. To beat the best on the greatest stage, it doesn’t get better than that. I then came home and took the trophy on top of a bus in front of 250,000 people in the city centre. You couldn’t dream it up. For that to be afforded to a snooker player says a lot about our country.
“When I’m at the Crucible now commentating, or filming a piece on the floor, I look at the chair and I think of the young kid that won the World Championship. I was only 27 back then. I remember it fondly and those memories will never leave me. I won’t forget those great times. You can’t put a price on something like that.“
He mounted a valiant attempt to break the Crucible Curse 12 months later, reaching the final before an 18-12 reverse at the hands of Higgins. Doherty’s last appearance in a world final came in 2003. He battled back from 15-9 down to beat Paul Hunter 17-16 in the semis, but lost 18-16 to Mark Williams in the title match.
Doherty is a two-time Masters finalist, losing to Higgins in 1999 and Matthew Stevens in 2000. Famously, Doherty spurned the final black for a 147 maximum break against Stevens. He was also runner-up at the UK Championship in 2001 and 2002.
The last of Doherty’s six ranking titles came at the 2006 Malta Cup, where he defeated Higgins 9-8 to clinch silverware one more time. Doherty’s final match on tour was a 10-5 defeat against Patrick Whelan at this year’s World Championship.
He leaves a legacy as the Republic of Ireland’s greatest ever player and one of the sport’s finest ambassadors. Doherty is now a top pundit and commentator and is a member of the WPBSA Players Board.
WST CEO Simon Brownell said: “My best wishes go to Ken in his retirement. I want to thank him for everything he has done for our wonderful sport. Ken’s exploits on the baize have made him a hero to fans around the world. He will go down as one of the Republic of Ireland’s greatest sportspeople and his win at the 1997 World Championship is etched in the history of snooker. I know Ken will continue to represent snooker amazingly well as one of our top broadcasters.”
WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson said: “I want to thank Ken for being such a tremendous flagbearer for our sport. He hangs up his cue as a trailblazer for Irish snooker. Ken’s conduct on the tour as a competitor, as a broadcaster and a member of the WPBSA Players Board have seen him become a global ambassador who is adored by millions. I am proud to have shared the table with Ken and I look forward to continuing to work with him away from the match arena.”
Ronnie beat Joe O’Connor by 5-3 today to book his place in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Grand Prix. It wasn’t straightforward and, TBH, it wasn’t a high quality match. For some reason both players appeared to struggle with the conditions and were far from their break-building best. Ronnie in particular struggled badly early in the match. There was not one century in the match which is rather unusual nowadays.
Ronnie will now face Xiaoguodong in the round of 16.
As alwatys, all the detailed results are available on snooker.org.
Here are the scores for that match:
And here is the report shared by WST:
World Grand Prix 2026 Day Two Round-Up
Nine Chinese players have reached the last 16 of the World Grand Prix – a record for any ranking event – and among them is Crucible king Zhao Xintong who scored a superb 5-3 win over John Higgins on day two in Hong Kong.
Alongside Zhao in Thursday’s last-16 line up are Zhou Yuelong, Yuan Sijun, Wu Yize, Chang Bingyu, Zhang Anda, Pang Junxu, Si Jiahui and Xiao Guodong, underlining the increasing strength of Chinese players at snooker’s elite level.
It has been a mixed season for Zhao so far – he won the invitational Riyadh Season Snooker Championship in November but in ranking events he has reached just one semi-final and is in danger of missing out on this month’s Sportsbest.io Players Championship, for the top 16 on the one-year list. But from 2-1 down today against Higgins, he stepped up to the challenge and took four of the last five frames with top breaks of 60, 121, 73. Frame eight came down to a respotted black, and a rare weak safety from Higgins gifted his opponent the chance to pot the black to a baulk corner for victory.
“Towards the end, John gave me a few relatively easier chances and I managed to take them, so I think I was quite fortunate today,” said Zhao, who now meets Mark Selby. “I just tried to play in the way I normally do and stick to the style I believe in. I have confidence in my own game, and I feel that if I can perform to my normal level and show my form, then I can beat anyone. This is my first time playing in Hong Kong, so close to home, and to be able to compete in such a big event here means a lot to me.“
Ronnie O’Sullivan moved a step closer to a first ranking title in over two years as he beat Joe O’Connor 5-3, coming from 2-0 down to win five of the next six frames with top breaks of 65, 72 and 72.
“I don’t think a lack of sharpness is my problem because I have always played less tournaments than other players,” said O’Sullivan, who will face Xiao Guodong next. “I think my bad game is a lot worse than it used to be, and my good is not as good. That’s the reason I am not winning as much. I am probably not a very good player any more and I have to accept that. I am trying to find a way to keep playing without it driving me crazy. I posted about Novak Djokovic the other day, he is the best in any sport at managing emotions and we all try to be like him, but it’s not easy.“
Defending champion Neil Robertson was thrashed 5-1 by Jak Jones, who has only recently returned to action after being forced to take several weeks out with a broken right hand. “That’s a really big win for me,” said 2024 Crucible finalist Jones, whose top break today was 80. “The hand is still painful but it is healing well. I broke two of the bones and that’s not an injury you want as a snooker player.”
World number one Judd Trump saw his hopes of winning back-to-back ranking titles ended by a surprise 5-2 reverse against Yuan. Trump won the German Masters in Berlin on Sunday and after flying to Hong Kong – where he lives for much of the year – he hoped to continue his hot streak, but was outplayed by world number 31 Yuan whose top break was 103.
Yuan, who also has cause for celebration away from the table as he recently got married, said: “I was a bit nervous at the start, but once I made a century in the opening frame, I felt much more settled. I had never beaten him before, so the closer I got to winning, the stronger that desire to finally win became. Hong Kong is one of the most important events for us Chinese players, so I really hope I can keep winning.”
Si top scored with 102 in a 5-2 win over Gary Wilson while Scottish Open champion Chris Wakelin enjoyed a 5-0 whitewash of Thepchaiya Un-Nooh with a top run of 96. Ali Carter, a semi-finalist in Berlin last week, recovered a 3-1 deficit to edge out Mark Allen 5-4 win a top break of 86. Pang impressed in a 5-1 win over Shaun Murphy, firing runs of 73, 134 and 130.
Ronnie head a great friendship with John Virgo and shared this on X:
My thoughts are with John’s family and friends in these difficult moments. I had the privilege to meet John a few times at exhibition events. He knew a lot about his sport that he loved deeply, he was friendly and very funny and he still could play a bit despite various physical issues.
I wonder if the Angels welcomed John in Paradise with his favourite question: “Where is the cue ball going?” 1… that would be fitting and I’m sure he’d love that.
Michal Szubarczyk is still only fourteen, the youngest ever professional snooker player. He has, so far, found the life on the main tour rather hard, but that was to be expected. His talent and love for the game are evident though and he proved it again earlier this week in Doha where he won the 2025 IBSF World Men’s Snooker Champion.
Michal Szubarczyk Creates History as 14-Year-Old World Champion
Michal Szubarczyk Creates History as 14-Year-Old World Champion Took the title to Europe after 16 years
Poland’s Michal Szubarczyk has etched his name into snooker history, becoming the IBSF World Men’s Snooker Champion 2025 after a commanding 5-2 victory over Qatar’s former world champion Ali Alobaidli in today’s final. At just 14 years old, Michal joins elite company, becoming only the second player of his age to win the world title, the first being China’s Yan Bingtao in 2014 in India.
This landmark triumph also ends Europe’s 16-year wait for the men’s world crown. The last world champion from Europe, Alfie Burden (UK), lifted the trophy in 2009 in India, making Michal’s achievement all the more significant for the continent.
The final began in favour of the home favourite, Ali Alobaidli, who used his experience to secure the opening frame. But once Michal settled his nerves, the match took a dramatic turn. The young Polish prodigy unleashed three consecutive breaks of 71, 51, and 53, stunning the local crowd and storming ahead 3-1.
Ali attempted to claw his way back in the fifth frame, but unforced errors and a few missed pots proved costly, allowing Michal to extend his lead to 4-1.
The sixth frame briefly revived Ali’s hopes. Michal looked set to close out the match, but an unexpected black-ball miss opened the door. Ali capitalized with precision, reducing the deficit to 2-4 and drawing a roar from the home supporters.
But champions are defined by how they respond, and Michal showed maturity well beyond his years. In the seventh frame, he adopted a measured, disciplined approach “shot by shot, ball by ball”. That focus culminated in a brilliant break of 76, sealing the frame and the championship, and crowning him World Champion at 14.
The men’s event concluded with Harvey Chandler of England and Nicolas Mortreux of France earning joint bronze as semi-finalists, capping off a fiercely competitive tournament.
For Michal Szubarczyk, this victory is not just a world title, it is the birth of a new era, and the arrival of snooker’s next global superstar.
The last time a player from mainland Europe won this title was Kurt Maflin in 2006, the last time an European player won it was Alfie Burden in 2009.
The 2025 Champion of Champions starts today, without Ronnie who declined the invitation. As a result, Alfie Burden is in the draw, which is only right as Alfie is the reigning World Seniors Champion whilst Ronnie has not won any event since the last edition of this competition. Wu Yize, of course, just won the 2025 International Championship, but that event will count for next season. A very last minute change of the draw and schedule would have been unmanageable.
SCHEDULE CONFIRMED FOR THE 2025 SPORTSBET.IO CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS, 10–16 NOVEMBER
The schedule is now confirmed for the 2025 Sportsbet.io Champion of Champions, where snooker’s biggest stars will battle it out at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena for the first time in the event’s history.
Taking place from 10th to 16th November, the event will be broadcast live from 12:45 pm (UK time) on Monday, with coverage on ITV4 in the UK, Rigour in China, and through global broadcast partners, bringing the action to fans across the world.
Match Schedule Group Stages (Best-of-Seven)
Monday 10th November – Group Two Judd Trump (England) Shaun Murphy (England) Lei Peifan (China) Bai Yulu (China)
The 2025 Sportsbet.io Champion of Champions opens with Group Two, headlined by World No. 1 Judd Trump, who faces Masters Champion Shaun Murphy and Chinese stars Lei Peifan and Bai Yulu – the reigning Women’s World Champion making her second appearance in the tournament.
Tuesday 11th November – Group Three Kyren Wilson (England) Mark Allen (Northern Ireland) Zhao Xintong (China) Jack Lisowski (England)
Group Three features a star-studded line-up including World Champion Zhao Xintong, Kyren Wilson, Mark Allen, and Jack Lisowski. This group promises fast-paced and entertaining snooker from start to finish.
Wednesday 12th November – Group One Mark Williams (Wales) Mark Selby (England) Stephen Maguire (Scotland) Alfie Burden (England)
Group One sees Mark Williams begin his title defence campaign, joined by Leicester’s own Mark Selby, Stephen Maguire, and World Seniors Champion Alfie Burden. With three former World Champions in the mix, expect a fiercely contested day of classic match-ups.
Thursday 13th November – Group Four Neil Robertson (Australia) John Higgins (Scotland) Xiao Guodong (China) Tom Ford (England)
Concluding the group stages, Group Four brings together two former Champion of Champions winners in Neil Robertson and John Higgins, alongside Xiao Guodong and local favourite Tom Ford.many of them probably have day jobs.
Next week comes the 2025 Riyadh Season Championship, this time with Ronnie in the draw, but it’s not a particularly favorable draw…
Ronnie O’Sullivan handed nightmare draw in quest to hit £1m golden jackpot in Riyadh with Zhao Xintong and Judd Trump chasing snooker’s richest prize
By Desmond Kane
The winner of the third Riyadh Season Snooker Championship in Saudi Arabia could earn a whopping £1m for three days work if they claim the title and produce the sport’s first 167 break. The richest prize in the sport is available with the champion earning £250,000 and a further $1m (£751,000) on the line for the first player to sink a Golden Ball after making a 147 maximum break.
Ronnie O’Sullivan will have to do it the hard way if he is to claim a second title in three seasons at the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship in Saudi Arabia next month.
The seven-time world champion won the inaugural staging of the event last year, but has been handed a potential minefield when the invitational event is staged between November 19-21 at Boulevard City, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
O’Sullivan will open his campaign on the first day of the competition against Masters champion Shaun Murphy or local player Ziyad Al–Qabbani, with the winner of that contest facing world champion Zhao Xintong the following night in the quarter-finals.
It does not get easier for the snooker GOAT, with world No. 1 Judd Trump or new Xi’an Grand Prix winner Mark Williams next up in the semi-finals on the final day.
The event, made up of the top nine players in the world and the Crucible winner Zhao, has become famous for offering a $1m prize (£751,000) if any player can produce the first 167 in snooker history – a traditional 147 followed by potting a ‘golden ball’ worth 20 points after sinking the final black.
The golden ball has been perched in the middle of the baulk cushion for the first two editions of the event, but there has been speculation it might be moved to a more favourable location this year.
The golden ball is traditionally removed from the table by the referee when a 147 is no longer possible in a frame.
“The first one is going to be special,” said O’Sullivan, who is based in Dubai and has a snooker academy in Riyadh.
“You can’t take anything away from someone who does it down the line, but that first one is always going to be remembered.
“It will be some history and create some serious headlines.
“Big prize. $1m. No one’s ever won a prize like that in snooker ever before.”
Four-time world champion John Higgins was on course for the 167 in the maiden staging of the event, but ran out of position on 120 in trying to land on the yellow off a tricky black before missing the yellow.
“Our dream is to see the gold ball potted at the end of a maximum break to complete the world’s first ever 167!” said Naif Al-Jaweini, the general manager of Riyadh Season Snooker.
“I am sure every player in the field shares this dream as this achievement would help bring our sport to a new level on a global scale.”
On paper at least, the top half of the draw looks slightly more favourable in the chase for the lucrative £250,000 first prize.
Defending champion Mark Allen is in line to take on Higgins or Ding Junhui – who opens against home hope Ayman Alamri on Wednesday, November 19 – in the last eight as world No. 2 Kyren Wilson meets Neil Robertson, who returns to the country after his £500,000 victory at the Saudi Arabia Masters in August.
All matches are the best of seven frames with the best-of-nine frame final due to take place on Friday, November 21 at 19:00 UK time.
O’Sullivan defeated Luca Brecel 5-2 in the first final in March 2024, with Allen running out a 5-1 winner over Brecel before Christmas last year.
You will find the draw and schedule for this event here on snooker.org.
The way Ronnie’s matches are scheduled fans in the UK and western mainland Europe will have to stay up very late to watch them live, but, of course, those hours are the ones most suitable for the Saudi Arabian fans, as many of them have day jobs
Ronnie O’Sullivan revealed he is unlikely to play in the Masters at Alexandra Palace in January – live on TNT Sports and discovery+ – citing the amount of travel involved from Dubai. But the 49-year-old does have other targets. O’Sullivan recently withdrew from the British Open due to medical reasons, and the seven-time world snooker champion admits he is cutting back on his schedule.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has revealed he is unlikely to feature at next year’s Masters as he looks to scale back on his schedule.
The announcement comes after the seven-time world champion pulled out of last week’s British Open due to medical reasons.
O’Sullivan was in line to face Sanderson Lam, but was replaced in the event by Daniel Womersley.
Fresh questions have now been raised over his future participation at major events.
O’Sullivan, who turns 50 in December, has not played since the Saudi Arabia Masters in August, and he is already looking ahead to life after his playing days, acknowledging that he’s coming to the end of his career.
Speaking to talkSPORT on Tuesday, the “Rocket” revealed he is unlikely to have a presence at January’s showpiece Masters tournament at Alexandra Palace, which will be live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
“I probably won’t play the Masters this year,” O’Sullivan said.
“I moved to Dubai, a lot of my work is in China and the Middle East so it made sense to be near. The jet lag was crucifying. It’s not that easy to just get on a plane and come back to the UK.
“I think I’m just going to play the UK Championship, hopefully the Tour Championship if I’ve done enough, which I think I have because I did well in Saudi.
“Then the World Championship. It would be nice to win that one more time before I snap another cue.”
O’Sullivan’s withdrawal from the British Open means that he didn’t take home a share of the £502,000 prize pot, but he has reached a point in his career where listening to his body must come first.
O’Sullivan is the youngest and oldest winner of the Masters, the sport’s oldest invitational event, but was unhappy with the conditions at the Alexandra Palace in London during his run to the 2024 final and a bad-natured 10-7 win over fellow Essex player Ali Carter that saw him land a record-extending eighth title since 1995.
The world No. 4 also opted out of the Masters last season after smashing his cue at the Championship League in January, days before he was due to meet fellow ‘Class of ’92’ icon John Higgins in the tournament opener.
O’Sullivan made history when he last won the World Championship in 2022, becoming the oldest champion of the global crown.
Zhao Xintong’s triumph this year, to some, felt like the changing of the guard with the 28-year-old beating O’Sullivan in the semi-finals before seeing off Mark Williams in the final.
O’Sullivan has previously admitted he thought he would retire at 35, but while he is not done yet, the snooker icon accepts he will have to be at his very best at the Crucible in order to secure the crown for an eighth time.
“I’ve never been driven by titles,” he claimed before adding: “Listen, I’ll take one.
“That makes sense to make that [the World Championship] the main focus. Which I probably will. In the back of my mind, I’m like, ‘OK, let’s just get ready for Sheffield for the next three years‘.
“Whatever happens in between, it’s not really that important other than to just enjoy it, try and nick a couple of tournaments if I can.
“But obviously Sheffield is a different beast. It’s not an easy place to play. Longer frames, it suits my style of play.
“I sort of plod along, which you need to at Sheffield. There’s no point being great one minute and then terrible the next.
“I’m pretty good at plodding along and that usually gets the job done at the World Championship.”
Not what many fans want to read but I’m not surprised. What is unclear to me is what he intends to do about the Chinese events. The way this piece reads you’d expect him to give them a miss as well but on the other hand he mentions “a lot of work in China”. I suppose we just have to wait and see, that’s all we can do anyway…
Igor Figueriedo Does the Double at 2025 Pan American Snooker Championships
Igor Figueiredo defeated Fabio Anderson Luerson 5-2 to win the 2025 Pan American Open Snooker Championship and earn a two-year World Snooker Tour (WST) tour card.
The continental success means the Brazilian will be nominated for a fourth spell among the professional ranks having first joined the Tour in 2010.
Figueiredo was the dominant force at the Aryan Snooker Club in Sacramento, California as he won both the Open and Seniors Championship titles to earn a two-year WST tour card and qualification for the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship – a title he won at the iconic Crucible Theatre last year.
The 47-year-old began the event, which is organised by the Pan American Billiards & Snooker Association (PABSA), with a clean sweep of whitewash victories over fellow countryman Ricardo Bouwman Filho and American cueists Sam McGrath and Pravin Patel.
He dropped just two further frames en route to the semi-finals as he overcame Saif Ibrahim (3-0), Zia Sheik (4-1) and Jason Williams (4-1).
It was an impressive week for Brazilian snooker as the semi-final line-ups for both the Seniors and Open Championships featured all four players from the South American nation.
Three of these – Figueiredo, Luersen and Nelson Rodrigues Morreira – competed in the semi-finals of both events while they were joined by former WST professional Victor Sarkis in the Open competition.
It was Sarkis that faced Figueiredo in the last four but it was the senior man that was in dominant form as he completed yet another whitewash win to move within one victory of the title.
Luersen was his opponent in the title match after he completed a 4-2 defeat of Morreira as he looked to add to the Pan American Seniors Snooker Championship title that he had won 12 months ago.
Figueiredo proved to be too strong once again, however, as he rounded off an unforgettable week by completing a 5-2 victory to secure the title and a WST tour card.
Wether Igor will actually take his tour card remains to be seen though. He didn’t “finish” his last spell on tour and went back to Brazil before his tour card “expired”, explaining that this life abroad was too hard for him and his family. This is understandable. Brazil is too far away for making it possible for Brazilian players to return home just to spend a week-end or indeed any short period of time with their loved ones. The trip is costly and very tiring because the huge time difference. He might however decide to play in the World and Seniors World Championships, as these are “one-offs” in the season and, of course, very special.
I really do hope that he will be able to play in a few events though as he’s very entertaining and (almost) always smiling.
