John Higgins scored one of the most satisfying victories of his career and ended a sequence of four years without a ranking title by beating Joe O’Connor 10-6 in the final of the Weide Cup World Open in Yushan, China.
One of snooker’s all-time greats, Higgins feared that his days of lifting trophies were over, particularly after a series of a narrow defeats in crucial matches, most painfully a 10-9 reverse from 9-4 ahead in the 2022 Tour Championship final against Neil Robertson.
Wishaw’s 49-year-old Higgins has, at last, buried those demons by capturing his first ranking title since the 2021 Players Championship. And it’s a huge event – with a top prize of £175,000 which lifts him to eighth in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings and up to third in the Johnstone’s Paint One-Year list. He now has 32 ranking titles, behind only Ronnie O’Sullivan (40) and Stephen Hendry (36).
Set to turn 50 in May, the Scot becomes the second oldest ranking event winner in snooker history, after Ray Reardon who was just the other side of his 50th birthday when he won the 1982 Professional Players Tournament. Higgins also sets a new record for the longest gap between first and most recent ranking titles, 30 years and 129 days after his maiden success at the 1994 Grand Prix.
Fellow ‘Class of 92’ members O’Sullivan and Mark Williams have had moments in the limelight in recent seasons, which may have stung for Higgins as his standard was still high but he struggled to handle nerves in big moments, describing it himself as “mental fragility.” He has never lost the hunger to win more titles and has experimented extensively with different cues as well as techniques to keep his emotions under control. This week he has found a formula that works, and the four-time Crucible king will hope that lasts as he looks to extend his astonishing longevity.
O’Connor had played perhaps the best snooker of his life in reaching the final, knocking out the likes of Judd Trump, Shaun Murphy and Ali Carter. The 29-year-old from Leicester started slowly today and left himself too big a deficit to claw back, and is still waiting for his first pro title, having lost his only previous final 9-2 against Gary Wilson at the 2022 Scottish Open. Still, the £75,000 pay day is a career best and lifts him eight places to world number 31.
Leading 6-2 after the first session, Higgins soon extended that advantage as a break of 68 helped him take the opening frame of the evening session. Runs of 71 and 70 got O’Connor back to 7-4, only for Higgins to respond with 57 and 94 to go 9-4 ahead.
In frame 14, Higgins had a chance for victory from 45-1 down, but made just 24 before missing a risky plant to a centre pocket, handing his opponent the chance to pull one back. Higgins established a 43-8 lead in the 15th before O’Connor got the better of a safety exchange and, with the balls in unpromising positions, made a marvellous 67 clearance including a double on the final green to a centre pocket.
At 9-6, Higgins may have feared a late collapse, but he composed himself and finished in superb style with a break of 100, his fifth century of the tournament.
Update …
WST has now added John Higgins quotes: “I’m just delighted. I am drained, there has been a lot of nervous energy in the last couple of days. I am dead proud to win another big event at this age,” said Higgins, who has now won four ranking titles in China. “I didn’t know if I was going to win another event because I have taken so many devastating losses over the last three or four years. To come back and win this is a proud moment.”Joe didn’t play his best today, having been unbelievable all week. He didn’t have the same game he had against Shaun, Judd and Ali. The first frame was massive because he had a chance to win it on the last black and if he had gone 1-0 up he would have taken confidence. I kept him under pressure, my safety was pretty good all day. He’s a great all-round player but just didn’t turn up today, he’ll come again I’m sure.”It should give me belief and confidence. I hope I can win more but it’s still the toughest it has ever been at the top. I’ll try and do well in the World Grand Prix and then take some decent presents back to the kids.”
People who read this blog know how much I struggle to appreciate Higgins after what happened in 20101 but there is no doubt that he’s a great player, one of the greatest, and that his dedication to his sport is to be admired.
I still feel that he has got away with what he did very, very lightly at the time. He only missed some minor events early in the season. The fact that he was set up is nor here or there because he didn’t know that he was set up. That said, he wasn’t the main culprit, nor was he the main target. He may just have been collateral damage. His manager Pat Mooney had much more responsibility in this than John himself if only because he was a member of the board, in charge of developing the game in Eastern Europe. As a result, Pat was banned from all things snooker. Rightly so. To John’s credit, on his return, he worked very hard to redeem himself. What I REALLY wish to know one day is what was the TRUE purpose of this setup and who was behind it. I doubt that the NOTW just wanted a big scoop … Surely there was something deeper and more sinister behind it all. Maybe the real target was Hearn, who had just taken control of the sport and wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. By discrediting his “board”, someone may have tried to discredit Hearn himself. ↩︎
Ronnie O’Sullivan has pulled out of next week’s World Grand Prix in Hong Kong for medical reasons.
O’Sullivan was due to face Si Jiahui in the opening round on Wednesday. Instead he will be replaced by the next player in line, Hossein Vafaei who is 33rd in the Johnstone’s Paint One-Year Rankings. Vafaei will replace O’Sullivan directly in the draw and will play Si.
The tournament features the leading 32 players of the season so far and will run from March 4th to 9th, staged in Hong Kong for the first time.
Despite promising in a video on the event site, to make his come back at 2025 World Grand Prix, Ronnie has again withdrawn for medical reasons… and, I must admit that this time, it gets me seriously worried. For the first time, I consider the real possibility that he may not play at the Crucible and that he may put an end to his career altogether. It would be sad if it all ended this way. 😥
World number 89 Zak Surety said he feels as if he’s “playing PlayStation” as he continued his amazing run at the Weide Cup World Open by beating Tom Ford 5-3 to reach the semi-finals, where he will meet John Higgins.
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Essex cueman Surety first turned pro in 2014 and had never previously gone beyond the last 16 of a ranking event. But in this tournament the 33-year-old has knocked out Si Jiahui, Jordan Brown, Duane Jones, Liu Hongyu and Ford, setting up a clash with all-time great Higgins on Friday.
Surety, who has made six centuries and ten more breaks over 50 in this event, is already guranteed £33,000, by far his biggest career pay day and virtually doubling his season’s earnings having previously banked £33,750.
He is certain to leap up the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings and could even earn a place in the Sportsbet.io Players Championship in Telford next month if he can go all the way to the £175,000 top prize in Yushan.
Breaks of 133 and 103 put Surety 2-1 up today. World number 20 Ford levelled before Surety took the next two frames with runs of 88 and 73 for 4-2. Ford pulled one back but an excellent 70 clearance in frame eight secured the result for Surety.
“I am in unknown territory now,” said Surety, who was relegated from the tour in 2022 but regained his place via Q School. “I am enjoying it, although I’m also waiting to go home. I want to have a cup of tea, go running in the woods, play with my dogs and see my mum. Maybe that’s relaxing me. But when I’m in the arena, I’m desperate to win. I want to be a top snooker player and there are big ranking points on offer. So I’m fighting myself.
“I was very nervous today, although I felt better after the interval and I can’t work out why, because it’s the biggest match I have ever played in. I have had a twitch-up a few times and lost my way. But when I’m in the balls, I feel good, as if I am playing PlayStation. I’ve got to enjoy it, let’s see what happens tomorrow. I have played John before in China (losing 5-3 at the 2024 Wuhan Open) and it was a close game, though that was on an outside table. It will be different in a semi-final on the TV table. John is one of the best ever, I still pinch myself just being around him. But I need to believe in myself.“
Higgins eased to a 5-0 win over Pang Junxu to reach the 86th ranking event semi-final of his stellar career. If he beats Surety, the 49-year-old will become the oldest ranking event finalist since 1986 when a 53-year-old Rex Williams lost to Jimmy White. The Scot is aiming for his 32nd ranking title and first since the 2021 Players Championship; tomorrow’s match will be the four-year anniversary of that triumph.
The four-time World Champion fired breaks of 125, 87, 96 and 81 in a superb display against China’s Pang. “I feel better today,” said Higgins who was suffering from a stomach upset yesterday. “Pang had a bad fever, I could see in the practice room he wasn’t feeling well. He missed a few today which he would usually never miss and I took advantage. I played better today than yesterday.
“If you ever lose the hunger to win, you may as well not bother. For me that has never been in question, but sometimes it’s the mental fragility or the pressure. I have been doing something different for the last couple of months, you try little things.
“I played Zak in Wuhan and we had a good game. He’s really improved this week. He’s very relaxed and really enjoying it. He’s had a great win against Tom today. He’s such a dangerous player so I’ll have to try to play my best.“
It’s always very unfortunate when a player suffers from ill health and can’t perform to their best. Get well soon Pang!
Joe O’Connor fired three centuries as he added Shaun Murphy to his list of big-name scalps, storming to a 5-1 victory to reach the semi-finals of the Weide Cup World Open in Yushan.
O’Connor knocked out world number one Judd Trump earlier in the week, and also beat World Champion Kyren Wilson at the recent BetVictor Welsh Open. Today’s the world number 39 thrashed Johnstone’s Paint Masters champion Murphy to reach his fourth ranking event semi-final. He will meet Ali Carter on Friday and victory would earn him a second ranking final appearance, having finished runner-up at the 2022 BetVictor Scottish Open.
If O’Connor can go all the way to the £175,000 top prize in China, he could leap into the top 16 of the Johnstone’s Paint One-Year rankings and earn a place at next month’s Sportsbet.io Players Championship in Telford. Murphy, meanwhile, has made up ground this week in the Race to the Crucible but remains outside the top 16 of that list and will need wins over the trio of upcoming Players Series events to ensure a seeded status for the World Championship.
In a high quality contest, O’Connor opened with breaks of 135 and 100 to lead 2-0, before Murphy responded with a 128. Runs of 66 and 132 put Leicester’s 29-year-old O’Connor 4-1 ahead, and a break of 68 in frame six helped him seal an emphatic win.
“I played really well and didn’t give Shaun many chances,” said O’Connor. “When the long pots are going in you have to punish the top players, that’s what I did today and I’m proud of it. It’s cementing confidence I have had for many years. This week it has all come together and hopefully I can win the trophy. If I play like that it will take a lot to stop me. I have been consistent for a while now and when my game clicks I feel I can beat anyone.
“I changed my cue before the Shoot Out, it’s a new one from Maximus and I loved it as soon as I picked it up, I think I’ll be sticking with this one. Matt Selt arranged it for me so I have to say thanks to him. I have gone to a titanium ferrule as well. I took the plunge and thankfully it has worked.“
Carter came from 3-1 and 4-3 down to beat Barry Hawkins 5-4 and reach his 33rd ranking event semi-final, and second in a row having appeared in the last four of the BetVictor Welsh Open. The 45-year-old started the season in perfect fashion by winning the BetVictor Championship League, then lost form for a few months but is now at the top of his game. This week’s run has already boosted Carter from 18th to 16th on the one-year list and he’s now on track to qualify for Telford, and is also into the top 16 in the Race to the Crucible.
Hawkins made breaks of 89, 66 and 91 to lead 3-1 before Carter recovered to 3-3. A run of 85 saw Hawkins regain the lead but he scored just 8 points in the last two frames as Carter compiled runs of 60 and 59 on his way to the winning post.
“I lost to Stephen Maguire in the semis of the Welsh, I felt I was hot favourite but I got myself at it, stopped myself from playing well and sort of threw it away,” admitted Carter, who has won two of his six ranking titles in China. “I learned my lesson from that and I was determined not to do that again and lose due to my own temperament and stupidity. In this game you have to stick at it and be resilient. The older you get, the harder it is to do that. Today was a big win in terms of the Players Championship and Crucible seeding as the difference in prize money today was massive.
“Joe bossed the game against Shaun, every time I looked at the scoreboard it looked like he wasn’t missing a ball. It will be an intriguing match and I’m looking forward to it.“
On a different topic, the first Disability Snooker World Championship is underway in Thailand.
Don’t expect big breaks but, please, go and watch with an open mind. What those players do to overcome the limitations created by their disabilities is remarkable and they deserve our full support. For some of them, who are very isolated socially, the snooker community is the closest thing they have to a family and a circle of friends. I know that for certain as for years, before covid, I often traveled to their events.
John Higgins overcame an upset stomach to beat Zhou Yuelong 5-4 at the Weide Cup World Open and equal Ronnie O’Sullivan’s record for the most ranking event quarter-final appearances.
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From 4-2 down, Higgins won the last three frames to reach the last eight in Yushan, where he will face Pang Junxu on Thursday. It will be his 146th ranking quarter-final appearance over a 33-year career, bringing him level with O’Sullivan, who also turned pro in 1992. Wishaw’s Higgins, who turns 50 in May, is chasing a 32nd ranking title and first since the 2021 Players Championship.
China’s Zhou built a 4-2 lead with top breaks of 87, 50, 57 and 56. Higgins admitted he was preoccupied with stomach ache at that point, but he managed breaks of 60 and 74 to recover to 4-4. Zhou had early chances in the decider but mustered just 11 points, and then made a safety error, leaving a red close to a top corner. Four-time World Champion Higgins slotted in the red from distance to initiate a match-winning 72.
“I have been on the wrong end of a lot of deciders lately, so I’m delighted, it’s a great win for me” said the Scot. “Zhou was looking really strong at 4-2. I love him as a boy and as a player. His game is so good, it’s just a matter of time before he gets into the winner’s enclosure.
“I haven’t been feeling great all day, my stomach has been very bad. From 4-2 it probably helped me because it relaxed my mind. I wasn’t thinking about the match, I was thinking about not running to the toilet. I wasn’t thinking about the pressure of the game, just the pressure somewhere else!“
Asked about equalling O’Sullivan’s record, Higgins added: “One more quarter-final for 147 would be nice. I’ve had a long career and maybe that’s why I’ve managed to rack up some of those numbers. I’m proud to still be going. I still love competing out there and I’d dearly love to win a big event. That’s what I’m trying my hardest to do.“
In contrast to Higgins, Zak Surety has now reached just one ranking event quarter-final, and the Essex cueman achieved that breakthrough with a 5-2 win over Liu Hongyu. Breaks of 97, 126, 86 and 65 helped world number 89 Surety to a fine win and set up a match with Tom Ford.
“I was trying not to get ahead of myself because this is a big tournament with big money,” said Surety, who is guaranteed a career-high pay day of £22,000. “I played well until 3-2 up, then in the sixth frame I was trying to keep the same momentum and same rhythm but I started panicking and waiting for things to go wrong. I still managed to go 4-2 up, then in the last frame I was struggling to even count let alone pot the balls. I still can’t feel my legs. I’m playing well, but in the crucial parts of frames and matches I am letting the occasion get to me.”
World number eight Shaun Murphy beat number nine Ding Junhui 5-2 in a clash between the two highest ranked players left in the event. Murphy, who has had an outstanding start to 2025 having won the Johnstone’s Paint Masters last month, rattled in runs of 80, 72 and 93 as he set up a quarter-final with Joe O’Connor, a 5-3 winner over Michael Holt.
Barry Hawkins, runner-up at the Victorian Plumbing UK Championship and the Machineseeker German Masters in recent months, reached his fifth ranking quarter-final of the season with a 5-3 win over Ryan Day.
“I feel fortunate because my game hasn’t be there this week,” said Hawkins, whose top break today was 81 as he earned a tie with Ali Carter. “I am riding my luck, battling hard and nicking frames. I’m still here and I can always improve in the next round. It has been a good season for me, I have been at the business end of a lot of tournaments, although I would have liked to win a final. I am in all of the big tournaments coming up so I can enjoy the rest of the season.“
Carter enjoyed a 5-1 success to end the run of David Lilley, who had knocked out Mark Allen and Wu Yize. That’s a vital result for Carter as he moves up to 16th place in the Johnstone’s Paint One-Year Rankings and is now on track to qualify for the Sportsbet.io Players Championship.
“That’s probably the best I’ve played in the last few events,” said Carter, who made breaks of 68, 100, 51 and 90. Looking back on yesterday’s 5-4 win over Jack Lisowski, he added: “I really enjoy playing Jack because he’s the closest thing we’ve got to Ronnie O’Sullivan. When you play him, you have a tiger by the tail the whole time, he’s so inspirational. For me to grind out a victory was very pleasing.“
Carter won this event in 2016, the first tournament staged in Yushan. He recalls: “All week I ate plain boiled rice, streamed broccoli and no alcohol, which is unheard of for me. I lost about half a stone, felt really good and had a proper detox. I’m doing exactly the same this week. I feel I am coming good in the later part of the season.”
Pang won an all-Chinese battle against Xu Si by a 5-2 scoreline, firing breaks of 71, 62, 64 and 125. Ford, who won his first ranking title this season at the 9Club Shoot Out, came from 2-0 down to beat Jimmy Robertson 5-3 with breaks of 105, 60, 123, 67 and 79.
Shaun Murphy is playing really well this week and, based on what he showed so far this week, I have to make him favourite for the title. Ding wasn’t at his best but didn’t appear to give up, something that, alas, has happened on a more than a few occasions in the past. Of course, he was playing in his own country, in front of his adoring fans as opposed to playing in a foreign country with most of the public supporting his opponent. Psychologically it has to make a difference.
I didn’t watch the Higgins match but Zhou Yuelong lead by 4-2 … Zhou is a very good player but not the most solid under pressure. He has history of losing important matches, he has been in four finals and lost all of them and in the two “proper” full ranking events where he finished runner-up, the score in the final was severe. Maybe he needs some help with the psychological aspect of the game in pressure circumstances but, of course, this help has to come from someone who is a native Chinese speaker because proper and accurate communication is essential for any “therapy” to succeed.
Zak Surety is having the best week of his career so far surely? I remember watching him play in PTCs and wondering how/why he wasn’t more successful. Consistency, or rather lack of it, is maybe the answer. He looks pretty solid so far this week though.
Carter comparing Jack to Ronnie “the closest thing to … ” He has to be joking surely. Ronnie masters all aspects of the game. His safety is first class when he applies himself and, when he’s mentally fit, his temperament is rock solid. Jack? Hum… I like Jack, as a person and as a player, I really do, but … no.
Day 3 in Yushan saw the round of 32 played to a conclusion and delivered two major upsets as both the reigning World Champion and the World Number One exited the tournament.
Judd Trump suffered his first defeat in the Weide Cup World Open for seven years as he lost 5-2 to Joe O’Connor in the last 32 in Yushan.
World number one Trump lifted the trophy in the last two stagings of this event, in 2019 and 2024, so his last defeat was against Gary Wilson at the last 32 stage in 2018. He was favourite for the £175,000 top prize this week but instead it’s an early exit for the player who has already landed three titles this season. O’Connor, ranked 39th, proved the stronger player in the closing stages as he set up a last 16 tie with Michael Holt.
Breaks of 64 and 89 gave Leicester’s O’Connor the first two frames before Trump fought back to 2-2. In the crucial fifth frame, Trump had first chance but could only make 56 and O’Connor capitalised from 56-8 down with an excellent 51 clearance. He went on to take the next two frames with runs of 69 and 113.
“Judd had the momentum at 2-2, I didn’t expect to get a chance in that frame, but when it came I took it,” said O’Connor, who beat Kyren Wilson on his way to the quarter-finals of the recent BetVictor Welsh Open. “I enjoyed being out there against the best player in the world. Luckily for me it was my day. There’s no reason why I can’t go on to win it.“
O’Connor usually flies economy to events in China but decided this time to fly business as it helps him be ready for the early rounds. “Logically it makes sense,” added the 29-year-old. “Good preparation can lead to a good tournament and it has worked so far.“
World Champion Wilson also fell at the last 32 stage, beaten 5-4 by Zhou Yuelong. That result means that none of the top seven in the Johnstone’s Paint World Rankings have made it into the last 16. China’s Zhou, ranked 31st, built a 4-0 lead with top breaks of 120 and 109, before Wilson hit back to 4-4, compiling runs of 118 and 100. However Zhou got the better of the decider thanks to a crucial 71 to set up a tie with John Higgins.
“At 4-0 I felt comfortable but then at 4-3 I felt pressure,” said Zhou. “I told myself to forget about the score and I made a good break. John Higgins is my idol, I will enjoy playing him, it will be an honour.”
Ding Junhui delighted his fans with a 5-3 win over Hossein Vafaei, top scoring with 119, to set up a match with Shaun Murphy.
World number eight Murphy followed up Monday’s tremendous 5-0 win over Zhou Jinhao, which included a 147, by whitewashing Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 5-0 with breaks of 83, 94, 94, 85 and 138. A deep run this week will improve Murphy’s hopes of being a top 16 seed for the World Championship as he started this week in 20th place in the Race to the Crucible.
“I’m really pleased as Thepchaiya is very dangerous, I had to keep him at bay and take my chances,” said Johnstone’s Paint Masters champion Murphy, who now meets Ding. “The tables are playing well, they are what we call scoring tables and I enjoy these conditions. I am trying to make sure I am a seed for the World Championship, that’s my main goal.”
David Lilley followed up yesterday’s 5-4 win over Mark Allen with another superb result, beating Wu Yize 5-4 with top breaks of 105, 100 and a vital 86 in the decider. China’s Liu Hongyu, who knocked out Mark Selby on Sunday, came from 4-1 down to beat Elliot Slessor 5-4, taking the last frame by potting the final pink and black. Jimmy Robertson recovered a 2-0 deficit to beat Aaron Hill 5-4 with top runs of 101 and 132. Ali Carter edged out Jack Lisowski 5-4 with a 62 in the decider.
I watched the Trump v O’Connor match and was well impressed with Joe. He’s been around for a while now, he’s 29. Right from the start he was seen as a promising prospect and it has probably taken him more time than most expected to reach his full potential, but he’s come to age now. He’s not flashy but he’s very, very good and very solid under pressure.
David Lilley who knocked Mark Allen out yesterday and Wu Yize today is one of a kind. You will find more about him on Wikipedia. He had a brilliant career as an amateur, but only turned pro for the first time, via the Q-School in 2019, at the age of 42. He became World Seniors Snooker Champion in 2021, beating Jimmy White in the final at the age of 44, a first defeat for Jimmy in the Seniors World Championship at the Crucible, and finally managed to break into the top 64 as a pro – just – last season at the age of 48! The way he plays feels quite “old school” at times but he’s efficient. He’s an excellent break builder when on his game. I’m not overly surprised that very young players often struggle against him. That said, David played fast and fluently today.
David Lilley scored what he described as the best win of his career as he edged out Mark Allen 5-4 in the last 64 of the Weide Cup World Open, a result which boosts his hopes of avoiding relegation at the end of this season.
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It’s a surprise early exit from the £825,000 event in Yushan for world number seven Allen and he remains without a ranking title since the 2024 Players Championship a year ago, though he did win the invitational Riyadh Season Snooker Championship before Christmas.
Veteran Lilley, age 49, started this event in 63rd place in the projected end of season rankings, and could lose his tour card if he is out of the top 64 at the end of the 2024/25 campaign. But having beaten wild card Cao Jin 5-4 (from 4-2 down) on Sunday and then Allen today, he adds vital points to his tally.
Allen made breaks of 142 and 103 in leading 3-2, before Lilley compiled runs of 66 and 64 to go 4-3 ahead. In frame eight, Tynesider Lilley missed the final green when he had a chance to clear for victory, but he made amends in the decider with an excellent 77.
“Mark is one of the elite. It’s a huge feather in my cap, my best win ever,” said Lilley, who meets Wu Yize next. “My heart was pumping in the last frame, it’s just about slowing down now! I’m fighting for tour survival so that makes a big difference. I’m trying not to look at it too much, I don’t know exactly what I need to do. I am around the 60 mark and every win counts. It always comes down to the World Championship qualifiers. All I can do this week is try to win my next match.“
Shaun Murphy made his tenth official 147, and the 12th maximum so far this season, during a 5-0 win over Zhou Jinhao. Johnstone’s Paint Masters champion Murphy also fired runs of 127 and 119, taking his career total of centuries past the 700 milestone.
Judd Trump has won the last two stagings of this event and made it 16 consecutive match victories with a 5-1 defeat of Long Zehuang. He rifled breaks of 108 and 101 to take his tally of centuries for the season to 78, closing in on a possible £100,000 bonus for the first player to make 100 tons during the 2024/25 campaign.
“I have scored heavily in my first two matches here and could have had more centuries,” said the world number one. “Looking back I probably should have entered a few more tournaments because I didn’t think I would get close to the bonus. But I have had some time off and maybe that’s why I’m more relaxed. It would be nice to ruin the (WST) Christmas party by taking that £100,000! The conditions are always good here in Yushan, the humidity is low. I like these kind of conditions, I find it easier to score and it helps my game.”
Fight-back of the day came from Duane Jones who recovered 4-0 deficit to beat Xiao Guodong 5-4. Only Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson have earned more ranking points than Xiao this season, but the Chinese cueman couldn’t get over the winning line today. Welshman Jones fired breaks of 68, 90, 68 to make it 4-4 then took the decider from 54-1 down with a 56 clearance.
“Xiao barely missed a ball in the first four frames,” said world number 90 Jones. “At the interval, I thought to myself that it’s a long to come to give up so I have to keep trying. At first I was trying to make the score respectable, but then from 4-2 I wasn’t far behind. Xiao has won a lot of matches this year and looked very strong, but as I came back I could see him shaking his head a bit. From 4-0 down, 99 times out of 100 you lose, but you just ever know. I played well and rode my luck.”
World Champion Wilson enjoyed a 5-1 win over Lei Peifan with top breaks of 138, 111 and 90. “It looks like a comfortable win but there were a couple of very close frames early on,” he said. “It was a big frame to go 2-1 up after a long safety battle. From 3-1 I felt I had the match by the scruff of the neck and after that I finished off with two good breaks.”
Stan Moody followed up yesterday’s victory over Zhang Anda by beating Graeme Dott 5-2 with a top break of 123, while Barry Hawkins enjoyed a 5-2 success against Jamie Jones. Home favourite Ding Junhui scored breaks of 123 and 138 in a 5-2 win over Joe Perry.
Shaun Murphy fired in his second 147 break of the season, during a whitewash win over Zhou Jinhao at the Weide Cup World Open in Yushan.
The Magician had already crafted a perfect break on his run to winning the Johnstone’s Paint Masters in January, today’s maximum came in the last frame of a 5-0 victory.
The 147 puts Murphy in line for the £5,000 high break prize. It’s the 214th official maximum in snooker history and the 12th of the season.
Murphy’s tenth career maximum break moves him ahead of Stuart Bingham to fourth on the all-time list. Only Ronnie O’Sullivan (15), John Higgins (13) and Stephen Hendry (11) have made more.
Murphy said: “I did a show in Ormskirk a couple of weeks ago. When I arrived, the promotor was keen to tell me that the last player they’d had there made a 147 in the first frame. I did one there as well! I don’t know if there is something in the water, but I’m delighted.
“You just get used to patterns. It was very similar to the 147 I made in the Shoot Out, where the blue moved off the break. I just thought that the black was available, lets see how far I can get. I was trying to get it from the first shot. I didn’t think I would actually do it. I can’t believe it.”
Murphy Magic
I have something to confess … I didn’t watch any snooker at all today. I followed the scores, but didn’t watch so obviously I can’t comment on any of the action. There is one surprising result that isn’t mentioned in the above report though: in the last match to finish today Daniel Wells beat Gary Wilson by 5-4 from 2-4 down.
I’m a bit fed up with the constant focus on centuries and the various “bonuses”. Sure, a nice, well constructed break is something to savour, but I have seen some 30 something breaks that were more skillful than most centuries and a tense safety battle is often more gripping than a big break.
Ronnie is due to play in the 2025 World Grand Prix
Two days ago, WST organised a big press conference in Hong Kong to promote the 2025 World Grand Prix. The event was attended by Judd Trump, the current World Number One, who, like Ronnie, has taken residency in Hong Kong.
Schedule For World Grand Prix Announced At Press Conference
Organised by World Snooker Tour (WST) and F-Sports Promotions Limited, and supported by the Billiard Sports Council of Hong Kong China Limited, the 2025 World Snooker Grand Prix will be held in Hong Kong for the first time, taking place from March 4th to 9th at Kai Tak Arena, Kai Tak Sports Park. The top 32 snooker players of the season will compete for the championship.
Tournament organisers held a pre-event press conference today, attended by world number one Judd Trump and the match schedule was announced. A star studded day one lineup sees the likes of Trump, World Champion Kyren Wilson, Masters champion Shaun Murphy and four-time Crucible king John Higgins in action.
The World Grand Prix is proud of being designated as an “M” Mark event, that helps enhance the image of Hong Kong as an international sports event capital. The “M” Mark is awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee, for signature events in the territory sports calendar.
An excited Trump remarked: “I really do enjoy every occasion I get to compete in Hong Kong. I love everything about Hong Kong and being able to play here for the first time as a Hong Kong resident is definitely a particularly meaningful event in my career. I can’t wait to experience the vibrant atmosphere, with 5,000 fans cheering at the amazing new Kai Tak Arena.”
Ms. Feng Huanhuan, CEO, F-Sports Promotions Limited said, ” We wish to thank the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Major Sports Events Committee, and all the supporting organisations for their strong support. The new world-class Kai Tak Arena offers an outstanding venue for hosting this event and will undoubtedly provide audiences with an exceptional viewing experience. With Judd Trump and Ronnie O’Sullivan both gracing the stage in their ‘new home,’ we are proud to promote Hong Kong on the world stage. Our goal is to bring top-tier snooker events that reflect the community’s passion for the sport, while leveraging Hong Kong’s position as the premier hub for Mega Events. We are committed to advancing the development of sports within the community, supporting elite sports, enhancing sports professionalism and developing sport as a thriving industry while promoting the city as a world-renowned centre for major international sports events.“
The World Grand Prix has been held since 2015 and is one of the premier events on the World Snooker Tour. This year marks the first time the tournament will be hosted outside of the UK, with a record breaking venue size and prize money on offer.
The huge arena capacity means 5,000 spectators will be able to experience this premier snooker event live at the brand-new Kai Tak Arena, making it the most attended ranking event on the World Snooker Tour to date. The total prize money has increased from £380,000 last year to £700,000 this year, with the champion’s prize rising from £100,000 to £180,000.
This will be the first ranking tournament held in Hong Kong since 1989. Notably, Trump and defending champion Ronnie O’Sullivan will be competing at home after becoming residents of Hong Kong.
On March 8th and 9th, exhibition matches will take place at 11 am. On Saturday, the men’s exhibition match will feature Hong Kong’s top player Marco Fu going up against Jimmy White. On Sunday, the women’s exhibition match will showcase Hong Kong number one and world number two Ng On Yee competing against world number one Mink Nutcharut. Tickets for the exhibition matches will be distributed for free, with further details to be announced later.
The Hong Kong Billiards Sports Academy, a collaboration between F-Sports Promotions Limited and the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, located at Kai Tak Mall, will officially open during the tournament.
Public tickets are available through HK Ticketing and Damai, ranging from HK$80 to HK$2,580. There is a special ‘roll-on roll-off’ format for this event, with two consecutive matches in both the afternoon and evening sessions, which means that fans buying a ticket for just one session can watch two matches.
Now, if you follow the link at the end of the article, you will open a page that features a video featuring Ronnie explaining that he took a break bit now feels ready to play in this event and I think he will. Why? Because it’s in Hong Kong, where he’s now a resident and it’s a place he loves. It’s a huge arena and you can be certain that the players will be treated extremely well. How well will Ronnie perform? I don’t really know as he’s facing a daunting task. His first opponent will be Si Jiahui who has beaten him earlier this season. Indeed, Si beat Ronnie by 6-4 in the QFs in Saudi Arabia, in an event where Ronnie certainly wanted to do well. I strongly believe that Ronnie will give it his best in this event, but will it be enough after sitting out so many events? I’m really, really not sure…
The first Disability Snooker World Championship will be held in Thailand next week and it has attracted huge interest
I have been told by one of the participants that some matches will be streamed, likely on Facebook.
Incredible Entry for Inaugural World Disability Snooker Championship!
It has today1 been announced that the first-ever staging of the World Disability Snooker Championship will see an impressive 69 players from 17 countries contest six main titles in Thailand.
Organised by World Disability Billiards and Snooker (WDBS) and the Sports Association for the Disabled of Thailand under the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King (SPADT), the landmark event will run from 23 February – 2 March 2025 in Nonthaburi, Thailand.
The opening two days (23-24 February) will incorporate classification sessions for players who have not played at a WDBS event before and optional practice for players ahead of the start of the competition.
The first competitive matches are set to be played on 25 February with the start of the group stages, during which there will also be a spectacular opening ceremony staged to open the Championship.
The Groups
The event will see six tournaments staged, with separate competitions held for players from Groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Due to entry numbers received, Groups 6A, 6B, 7 and 8 will be merged to play a single tournament with 12 players. This is subject to change should entry numbers change prior to the start of the event.
Appropriate points starts will be applied within this group in the interest of fair competition and will be confirmed prior to the start of the event.
Following the conclusion of the group stages, there will also be a Challenge Cup tournament held for players who do not qualify for the knockout stages.
Please note that the draws for the tournament will not be released until 24 February following the completion of new player classifications.
“A fantastic response”
Nigel Mawer QPM, WDBS Chairman said: “We are today delighted to announce such a strong line-up for the first-ever staging of the World Disability Snooker Championship in Thailand.
“To have players from 17 individual countries is a fantastic response and marks a truly international event for disability snooker. It is especially exciting to welcome players from Iceland, Indonesia, Libya, Pakistan and the United States to the Tour for the very first time.
“I look forward to meeting all of the players and officials in Thailand for what promises to be a week to remember.”
The World Disability Snooker Championship runs from 23 February – 2 March 2025 with tournament information to be available via WPBSA SnookerScores.
To be held in Srisaman, Nonthaburi, the landmark event will be organised in conjunction with the Sports Association for the Disabled of Thailand under the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King (SPADT) and snooker’s world governing body the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.
The first staging of a World Championship comes 10 years on from the foundation of WDBS and represents the latest major milestone in the continued growth of disability snooker worldwide, following snooker’s inclusion at last year’s World Abilitysport Games and the first-ever European Disability Snooker Championship in October.
Format
The event will run across nine days in total from 23 February – 3 March 2025, with the opening two days to include classification and practice days ahead of the start of the first matches on 25 February.
All players must attend from 25 February to be eligible to compete in the tournament.
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“An Historic Event”
WDBS Chairman Nigel Mawer QPM said: “We are today hugely excited to be able to announce the first staging of the World Disability Snooker Championship in Thailand next year.
“The event will be the biggest ever disability snooker event held and represents a proud moment for all of us who have been associated with WDBS over the past decade.
“Our inclusion at last year’s World Abilitysport Games in Thailand was a week that I will never forget, and it is only fitting that the first ever World Championship will see us return to this amazing country once again.
“I would like to thank the SPADT and the WPBSA for their support of the event, and mostly importantly our players from around the world, without the support of whom the staging of this event would not be possible.
“Our long-term goal remains to secure the return of snooker to the Paralympic Games and this prestigious new event represents another huge step towards achieving that ambition.”
A spokesperson from SPADT said: “We are honoured to host this Championship. We sincerely thank WDBS for trusting Thailand as the host nation.
“We would also like to express our gratitude to the Billiard Sports Association of Thailand for their invaluable support and collaboration, which has been key to ensuring the success of this event.
“Drawing from our experience in organising international sports events for disabled athletes, SPADT is committed to delivering a smooth and memorable tournament. We warmly invite players from across the globe to join us in Thailand for this incredible Championship.
“We hope this competition will be a truly enjoyable and unforgettable experience for everyone involved. May all participants leave with great memories and the famous ‘Thai smile’ that will stay with you forever.”.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 