Amongst the various events taking place next week is the 2024 Women Snooker World Championship and, this year, it will be held in China, in Bai Yulu’s club.
WORLD WOMEN’S SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIP 2024 | TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
The 2024 World Women’s Snooker Championship will begin next Monday (11 March) as the biggest tournament in women’s snooker heads to a new venue at the Changping Gymnasium, Dongguan, China.
To be held from 11-17 March, the prestigious tournament represents the jewel in the crown of the World Women’s Snooker (WWS) Tour and will once again be a World Snooker Tour qualifying event, with this year’s winner set to earn a two-year professional card from the start of the 2024/25 season.
The tournament will be held in China for the first time, with Thailand’s Siripaporn Nuanthakhamjan set to defend the title that she so memorably won for the first time 12 months ago in Bangkok.
She is joined by a stellar line-up which includes her compatriot and 2022 world champion Mink Nutcharut, record 12-time world champion Reanne Evans of England and Hong Kong China’s Ng On Yee, winner of the event on three occasions to date.
Among the players hoping to claim the title for the first time will be the likes of current professional Rebecca Kenna, reigning Eden Masters champion Mary Talbot and three-time UK Championship winner Tessa Davidson. There will also be a strong threat from Asia with World Cup holders Amee Kamani and Anupama Ramachandran looking to go deep, as well as the talented Narantuya Bayarsaikhan, one of a record eight players from Mongolia set to compete in the event.
The main competition will see all 45 players divided into nine groups of five players, with the group winners to progress straight to the last 16 and a further 14 to face off in a preliminary knockout round. Two players have been seeded per group, in accordance with the latest world ranking list.
GROUP A
Reigning world champion Siripaporn Nuanthakhamjan will begin her title defence in Group A and will once again be hoping for a strong run at a tournament at which she has always reached at least the quarter-final stage since her debut in 2017.
It has so far been a stop-start season as world champion for the Thai player who reached the semi-finals of the UK Championship last September, but has yet to add to her maiden ranking title that she won so dramatically a year ago.
Awaiting her will be Miina Tani of Japan, who makes her fourth consecutive World Championship appearance and will be hoping to match her last 16 run in 2022.
The two seeded players will be joined by a trio of Tour debutants in Wing Man Shiu of Hong Kong China, Han Fang of China and Mongolia’s Zolboo Unurbayar.
GROUP B
World number four Rebecca Kenna begins her seventh tilt at the title in Group B and will be looking to further improve upon her strong record in the event which has seen her reach no fewer than four semi-finals since 2016.
The English player has established herself as one of the most consistent players on the circuit over the past decade, but will have to be on her game from the start in Changping as part of an interesting group section.
She will be joined by Mongolia’s Narantuya Bayarsaikhan as the second seeded player, who notably stunned three-time world champion Ng On Yee at the last 16 stage of the event last year on her tournament debut and has since gone on to break into the world’s top 30 for the first time. Intriguingly the pair were also drawn together at the recent Belgian Women’s Open, at which Bayarsaikhan claimed a 2-0 win.
Also in the group will be Yee Ting Cheung of Hong Kong China, who reached the knockout rounds in both 2018 and 2019, as well as two Chinese debutants in the form of Li Bi Han and Xia Yu Ying.
GROUP C
Home favourite and 2023 runner-up Bai Yulu will begin her second quest to claim the World Women’s Snooker Championship title in Group C as she looks to earn a place on the professional tour for the first time.
The 20-year-old Dongguan resident made an immediate impact on her Tour debut a year ago as she crafted a stunning break of 127 – the highest ever recorded at the World Women’s Snooker Championship – in her opening match, before ultimately losing out in the title match.
A ranking event winner at last year’s British Open, Bai will begin her tournament in a group which features world number 12 Diana Schuler of Germany, who has twice reached the last 16 stage of the flagship event in 2016 and 2017.
The pair will be joined by the experienced Pui Ying Chu of Hong Kong China, who reached the last 16 stage on her debut in 2017. Compatriot Chan Wai Lam makes her first appearance on the Tour this week, as will Urantuul Tsolmon of Mongolia.
GROUP D
Record twelve-time world champion Reanne Evans returns to the competition looking to lift the Mandy Fisher Trophy for the first time since 2019 and will begin this year’s tournament in Group D.
Victory for the 38-year-old would see her become the oldest winner of the tournament in over 40 years, but for many the English player remains the woman to beat having established herself as the most successful player of all-time on the WWS Tour.
Her round robin group will see her take on So Man Yan of Hong Kong China, a two-time ranking event finalist most recently in 2017, who will be making her tenth appearance in the competition, reaching the quarter-finals on three occasions.
Also present will be Thailand’s Narucha Phoemphul, who narrowly missed out on qualification for the knockout rounds a year ago, as well as debut pair Erdenetugs Dash of Mongolia and Deng Xin Shun of China.
GROUP E
Three-time winner Ng On Yee returns to the World Women’s Snooker Championship as one of the most in-form players having won two of her previous three ranking tournaments, while reaching a further two finals since last August.
Having recently defeated the likes of Reanne Evans, Rebecca Kenna and Mink Nutcharut to triumph in Albania last month, Ng will be hoping to improve upon a recent World Championship record which has seen her fail to return to the semi-final stage since her third title win – without the loss of a frame – in 2018.
India’s Natasha Chethan will be among those hoping to stop her in the round robin stage, with the talented 15-year-old set to make her second appearance in the tournament following her debut a year ago, and looking to continue her ascent up the world rankings which has taken her to 32nd position so far.
Completing the group are home player Lynn Shi, who has competed regularly on the circuit from 2021-2023 prior to relocating back to China, as well as Mongolia’s Byambasuren Sergelenbaatar who made her debut last year in Thailand and second Chinese player Bai Ya Ru.
GROUP F
World number one Mink Nutcharut will begin her bid for a second world title in Group F and will head to the tournament feeling confident following victories in the US and Belgium already so far this season.
The 24-year-old has established herself as the number one ranked player for much of the past 12 months, but with maximum points to be defended at this event following her success in 2022, could be overtaken this week by Ng On Yee should results go against her.
Among those in her opening group will be experienced Hong Kong China duo Jaique Ip Wan In– a semi-finalist back in 2015 – and Mei Mei Fong, who has twice reached the last 16 stage at the event.
The group is made up by debutants Liu Wei Yi Lu of China and Mongolia’s Jambaa Sosorbaram.
GROUP G
England’s Tessa Davidson prepares to make her 12th appearance in the Tour’s premier event, having twice reached the semi-finals back in 1991 and 1994.
The 54-year-old returned to the Tour following a 23-year absence in 2022 and has demonstrated that she has lost none of her ability, re-establishing herself as a consistent performer and reclaiming a place back inside of the world’s top 10.
Having reached the last 16 during each of the past two years, Davidson will be hoping to go further still and will be joined by Yee Ki Ho of Hong Kong China in an interesting group draw, with Ki also having progressed to the last 16 stage in 2023.
India’s Mohitha R T. is set to make her second appearance in the competition having made her bow in Thailand last year, while China’s Yang Meng and Otgonbayar Jigden of Mongolia will play in the event for the first time.
GROUP H
Former world under-21 champion Emma Parker is set to head up the penultimate group as she makes just her fourth appearance in the competition since her Tour debut back in 2015.
The 24-year-old reached the quarter-finals for the first time in 2022 and will therefore be targeting a strong performance to successfully defend those ranking points and climb back up the rankings having dropped to ninth position in recent months.
Set to challenge her in Group H will be India’s Amee Kamani, who notably reached her first world ranking event final last October at the Australian Women’s Open and will be hoping to reach the knockout rounds for the first time at her third attempt.
Elsewhere in the group, Hong Kong China’s Katrina Wan makes her return to the competition for the first time since she reached back-to-back quarter-finals in 2016 and 2017, with Chinese duo Liu Zi Ling and He Dan Ni set to make their debuts.
GROUP I
Reigning Eden Masters champion Mary Talbot leads the final round robin group as she looks to continue a memorable season which has seen her achieve a career-high world ranking of number six in recent months.
The 43-year-old previously reached the quarter-finals stage of the World Championship in 1997 and more recently has earned consecutive last 16 places since her Tour return in September 2021.
She faces a tricky group, however, which will see her joined by 21-year-old rising star Anupama Ramachandran of India, who recently defeated Talbot 3-1 at the last 16 stage of the Albanian Women’s Open only last month.
Also present will be Yuk Fan Lau of Hong Kong China, who made her WWS debut at the Australian Women’s Open earlier this season, reaching the quarter-finals, as well as Altangerel Bolortuya of Mongolia and China’s Mo Tian Tian.
SIDE-TOURNAMENTS
Alongside the main competition, there will also be side-tournaments staged for the Under-21 and Seniors players during the week, with the majority of matches planned to be completed on Monday 11 March (subject to change).
A new champion is guaranteed in the Under-21 competition with last year’s winner Anupama Ramachandran having since turned overage, while previous two Seniors winners Mary Talbot and Tessa Davidson are on course to meet in this year’s over-40s final should each progress.
The action gets underway on Monday from 10:00am CST with the latest match results and standings available via WPBSA SnookerScores.
Matt is already in Dongguan and shared these pictures yesterday evening
This is the kind of welcome players get in China, women players who are despised by so many in the UK. They are made to feel not only welcome but valued. No wonder players love to go there.
It will be an interesting championship. I can’t remember when – if ever – the Women World Championship featured 10 groups. The Asian players, for once, will not be the ones impacted by jet lag and I’m expecting some surprises. I don’t want to say upsets because I believe that the level of the Asian women is better in general than the level of the european ones, jusy because more of them actually play the game.
We have a few days without major snooker action before an extremely busy next week. But, of course, there is news…
One of the events taking place next week is the 2024 Q-Tour Global Playoffs. The draw is out:
Q Tour Global Play-Off | Draw & Preview
The draw has been made for the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) Q Tour Global Play-Off, where 24 players will compete for three two-year World Snooker Tour cards.
The prestigious event will be held alongside the EBSA European Championships in Bosnia & Herzegovina from 13-15 March 2024.
The 2023/24 WPBSA Q Tour season saw the tour go global for the first time by incorporating series’ in the Middle East, Americas and Asia-Pacific region alongside the UK/Europe series which has been held since 2021/22. Cueists from across the globe have been competing all year to earn a coveted spot in the Global Play-Off.
View the full qualification criteria. (Please note that due to the Asia-Pacific qualifiers being unable to attend the event for personal reasons, these places have been awarded to the next highest-ranked from the UK/Europe series).
The 24 players have been split into three sections of eight and the player coming through each section successfully will earn their place on the World Snooker Tour from the 2024/25 season.
Play-Off 1
Quarter-Finals (Best of 9 Frames)
Liam Davies (Wales) vs. Peter Devlin (England)
Hamim Hussain (England) vs. Rory McLeod (Jamaica)
Duane Jones (Wales) vs. Vito Puopolo (Canada)
Florian Nuessle (Austria) vs. Craig Steadman (England)
Semi-Finals (Best of 11 Frames)
L Davies/Devlin vs. Hussain/McLeod
Jones/Puopolo vs. Nuessle/Steadman
Final (Best of 19 Frames)
Winner of Semi-Final 1 vs. Winner of Semi-Final 2
Liam Davies, the top ranked player in the play-off from the UK/Europe series, is the top seed in the first section as he kicks off his event his with a difficult encounter against former professional Peter Devlin, who secured his place in the play-off as a benefactor of withdrawals from the Asia-Pacific series.
Veteran former professionals Rory McLeod and Craig Steadman are among the other big names to feature in a high-quality section.
McLeod, who famously defeated Judd Trump at the Crucible Theatre in 2017, faces 22-year-old Hamim Hussain the first round while Steadman meets Austrian national champion Florian Nuessle in the opening best-of-nine frame contest.
The line up is completed by Welsh former professional Duane Jones, who begins his campaign against Americas event one winner Vito Puopolo, who has previously competed in the 2023 World Seniors Championship at the Crucible Theatre.
Play-Off 2
Quarter-Finals (Best of 9 Frames)
Peter Lines (England) vs. Tyler Rees (Wales)
Chris Totten (Scotland) vs. Iulian Boiko (Ukraine)
Barry Pinches (England) vs. Steven Hallworth (England)
Amir Sarkhosh (Iran) vs. Harvey Chandler (England)
Semi-Finals (Best of 11 Frames)
Lines/Rees vs. Totten/Boiko
Pinches/Hallworth vs. Sarkhosh/Chandler
Final (Best of 19 Frames)
Winner of Semi-Final 1 vs. Winner of Semi-Final 2
The second section of the draw sees six former professionals aiming to regain their main tour status in Bosnia & Herzegovina.
There are two first round meetings between cueists who have previous plied their trade on the main tour, with Scotland’s Chris Totten and Ukraine’s Iulian Boiko facing off while the veteran Barry Pinches kicks off his campaign against the recent English Amateur champion Steven Hallworth
Elsewhere, the recent UK/Europe event seven winner Peter Lines takes on 25-year old Welshman Tyler Rees and double Middle East event champion Amir Sarkhosh faces Harvey Chandler as the Iranian looks to secure professional status for the first time in his career.
Play-Off 3
Quarter-Finals (Best of 9 Frames)
Umut Dikme (Germany) vs. Ryan Davies (England)
Mohamed Shehab (United Arab Emirates) vs. Daniel Womersley (England)
Alfie Davies (Wales) vs. Yu Kiu Chang (Hong Kong China)
Hasanain Khalid Alsultani (USA) vs. Antoni Kowalski (Poland)
Semi-Finals (Best of 11 Frames)
Dikme/R Davies vs. Shehab/Womersley
A Davies/Yu vs. Alsultani/Kowalski
Final (Best of 19 Frames)
Winner of Semi-Final 1 vs. Winner of Semi-Final 2
Four Q Tour event winners from across the globe battle it out in the third section of the play-off draw.
There is a meeting of champions in the opening round as Americas event two winner Hasanain Khalid Alsultani and UK/Europe event four winner Antoni Kowalski meet in a best-of-nine frame contest.
Mohamed Shehab, winner of the third event in the Middle East, will face recent WSF Championship semi-finalist Daniel Womersley in an intriguing opening round tie while Alfie Davies, the son of former professional Anthony Davies, kicks off his event against Hong Kong China’s Yu Kiu Chang as he aims to follow in his father’s footsteps and earn professional status.
Another fascinating opening round contest sees German Umut Dikme, the UK/Europe event three winner, face English Under-21 champion Ryan Davies.
WPBSA Qualifiers Announced for 2024 Cazoo World Championship
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) and World Snooker Tour are pleased to confirm the qualification criteria for the 16 amateur players who have secured their places at the 2024 Cazoo World Snooker Championship in Sheffield in April.
The qualifying rounds will take place at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield from 8-17 April to determine who will join the world’s elite top 16 ranked players at the Crucible Theatre.
Joining all professionals ranked outside the top 16, following the 2024 Johnstone’s Paint Tour Championship, and top-ups from the 2023 Q School Order of Merit will be 16 leading amateur players who have earned their place at the event courtesy of their achievements at recognised international events across the season.
These include our recent champions at the World Snooker Federation Championship in Albania, the winner of the upcoming World Women’s Snooker Championship to be staged in China next week, and the WPBSA Q Tour Global, expanded for this season.
Jason Ferguson, WPBSA Chairman said: “We are excited to be able to announce another formidable line-up of WPBSA qualifiers who will join the field for this year’s professional World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.”
“Last year we saw fantastic wins for our qualifiers including Liam Davies, Stan Moody, Iulian Boiko and many more, and I have no doubt that this year’s players will also make their mark on our most recognisable tournament.”
“Amateur snooker continues to go from strength to strength as our recognised WPBSA Group pathways around the world continue to mature and deliver elite talent to the World Snooker Tour. Only last month we witnessed fantastic performances from Hong Kong China’s Ka Wai Cheung and Hungary’s Bulcsú Révész at the WSF Championship in Albania to earn their Tour places for the first time, while Michael Holt has also secured his return after two years away after winning the UK/Europe WPBSA Q Tour.”
“The WPBSA’s vision, is to inspire and reward. Through the development of global pathways, snooker is now a sport where an athlete can go from amateur status to world champion and global sports star in a matter of months. The opportunities are there, the only criteria are achievement.”
“I would like to wish our 16 players every success in Sheffield as they stand just four wins away from a place at the iconic Crucible Theatre in April!”
Oliver Sykes – 2024 WSF Junior Championship Semi-Finalist
Hamza Ilyas – 2024 WSF Junior Championship Semi-Finalist
TBC – 2024 EBSA Under-18 European Championship Winner
TBC – 2024 EBSA Under-21 European Championship Winner
TBC – Q Tour UK/Europe Ranking List (subject to Playoff Result)
All players selected will appear subject to acceptance of their place and any travel restrictions in place. Any replacement players for these 16 places will be selected from a reserve list to include performances at World Snooker Federation, Q Tour and recognised regional events.
Any current professional players who do not enter the tournament will be replaced from the 2023 Q School Order of Merit.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has ‘arm twisted’ to play Tour Championship as he sets out Crucible preparation
Phil Haigh
Ronnie O’Sullivan says his sponsors have twisted his arm to play in the Tour Championship next month, meaning he has two more tournaments to play before the World Championship gets underway in April.
The Rocket won the first ever World Masters of Snooker in Riyadh on Wednesday night, beating Luca Brecel 5-2 in the final and claiming the huge £250,000 first prize.
It was the fifth title of an incredible season for the 48-year-old who will be going into the World Championship this season as the favourite to lift the trophy for a record eighth time.
The world number one is not slowing down, though, heading to Yushan, China next week for the World Open, starting on 18 March then is back in the UK for the Tour Championship, getting underway on 1 April in Manchester.
O’Sullivan suggested he would have happily skipped the Tour Championship, though, but his sponsors convinced him to play the 12-man event in Manchester.
‘I’m going to keep playing, keep enjoying it,’ O’Sullivan told WST in Riyadh. ‘I go to China next week which I’m looking forward to.
‘It’s a tournament that I’m geared up to do well in, with this and China, then obviously the one in Manchester because my sponsors have twisted my arm to say, look we want you to do well in it, it would mean a lot to us.
Ronnie O’Sullivan beat John Higgins, Judd Trump and Luca Brecel in Riyadh (Picture: Zhai Zheng @zhaizhengqd)
‘So for the next four tournaments [including the Saudi event] I’m really going to give it 100 per cent because sponsors and all the backing that they’ve put in for these events.’
Snooker’s first ever pro tournament in Saudi Arabia was fittingly won by the sport’s all-time greatest player as Ronnie O’Sullivan beat Luca Brecel 5-2 in the final of the inaugural Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker.
The event was a landmark for the sport as the best players on the planet competed in the Kingdom for the first time. It is hoped that they will inspire a wave of interest in snooker throughout the Middle East, and O’Sullivan lived up to his role as flag-bearer by going all the way to the title, winning a final clash between the world number one and World Champion.
The event included the innovation of a golden ball, giving players the chance to make a unique break of 167 and earn a bonus of $500,000. The ‘super-maximum’ was not achieved, but HE Advisor Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), announced that in the next staging of the event, the bonus will be doubled to $1,000,000. He also raised the idea of a Ronnie O’Sullivan academy in Saudi Arabia.
O’Sullivan said: “It has been a fantastic tournament, a brilliant venue, the crowd have been amazing. All the players have enjoyed the culture and hospitality. These are the tournaments I really want to play in, with a great atmosphere. It feels like a really nice festival. Riyadh Season has a lot of the best sport – everyone needs to get to Saudi! You want to try to make the sport as big as you can and Saudi is a powerhouse.”
Victory builds on what could end up a career-best season for O’Sullivan, who retains the Midas touch at the age of 48 and has now won five titles in 2023/24. The £250,000 top prize takes his tally for the season to £1,141,500, beating Judd Trump’s record of £1,093,900 for the most earned in a single campaign. And that’s with three huge tournaments still to come, including the Cazoo World Championship where he will be gunning for an eighth crown.
Brecel had hoped to win his first title since conquering the Crucible last May, but a crucial error in frame four – when he had the momentum – proved decisive. The Belgian, who banks £125,000, can take consolation in the knowledge that his game is improving as he looks towards his title defence in Sheffield.
O’Sullivan took the opening frame with a break of 96, then Brecel dominated the second before going ahead with a run of 81. In frame four, Brecel led 29-0 when he missed the black off its spot, and his opponent punished him with a 94 clearance.
Brecel failed to score a point after the interval as O’Sullivan reeled off three rapid frames with top breaks of 121 and 124 to win the 79th professional title of his career.
O’Sullivan added: “I wanted to do well in this event, just to be a part of it was great. I started really well against John Higgins, that was one of my best performances. I struggled in the semi-finals against Judd Trump but then played better in the final. I felt very relaxed and laid back here because they take life at a leisurely pace. It was great to hear the fans chanting my name at the end and I can’t wait to come back.
“They love the game here, are talking about an academy and getting some good coaches. If there are youngsters playing the game then we could have a Saudi World Champion in 20 years. It’s good for snooker.”
Brecel said: “It has been a fantastic few days, the crowd were great. Everyone was excited to come here and we hope the event will be here for a long time.”
Pictures by Zhai Zheng (@zhaizhengqd)
Some personal thoughts about the event… First of all, the local’s the interest in snooker seems to be genuine and bigger than I thought. The crowds over the week-end were indeed excellent. The fact that Eddie Hearn made the trip is a clear sign that Matchroom is interested in organising more events there as it is indeed a powerhouse in sports, wether we like it or not. How much snooker is actually appreciated will be clear when next year ranking event is held in Riyadh. WST also shared some images of the players mixing with the fans in the fanzone.
There were a few women in the crowd, not many though. Some were probably tourists, or resident “westerners” and were dressed casually but decently. Being respectful of the locals is only normal and correct. There were very few local women in sight. They were in traditional attires, wearing scarfs and long dresses that covered them entirely (hijab). I didn’t see any woman in niqab though, and the some of young women I spotted in the crowd, had hair showing under their veil and were wearing make-up. As much as I disapprove of the Saudi regime, I want to hope that hosting big sporting events, attracting dozens of thousands of sports-loving tourists of both genders may eventually force a change in mentality – and laws – be it about women’s social status and role or about homosexuality. Even if it’s driven by lust for money, that would be something positive …
And some videos shared by Eurosport on their Youtube channel…
We are delighted to announce the latest provisional calendar for the 2024/2025 World Snooker Tour season, with a packed schedule around the globe, including the brand new Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters.
The schedule is still to be finalised, with a number of further dates for 2025 to be confirmed when available. The calendar will be updated in due course.
MAY 20th to June 2nd – Q School – Morningside Arena, Leicester 20th to June 2nd – Asia/Oceania Q School
JUNE 10th to 15th – Championship League Snooker 1 17th to 22nd – Championship League Snooker 224th to 29th- Championship League Snooker 3
JULY Dates TBC – Shanghai Masters – Shanghai, China 1st to 3rd – Championship League Snooker 4 25th to August 3rd – Qualifiers: Xian Grand Prix, English Open, Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters – Morningside Arena, Leicester
AUGUST 19th to 25th – Xi’an Grand Prix – Xi’an, China 26th to 29th – Qualifiers: Wuhan Open, British Open – Morningside Arena, Leicester 31st to September 7th – Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
SEPTEMBER 16th to 22nd – English Open – Brentwood Centre, Brentwood 23rd to 29th – British Open – The Centaur, Cheltenham 28th to 30th – Qualifiers: Northern Ireland Open – Ponds Forge, Sheffield
OCTOBER 1st to 4th – Qualifiers: International Championship – Ponds Forge, Sheffield 7th to 13th – Wuhan Open – Wuhan, China 20th to 27th – Northern Ireland Open – Waterfront Hall, Belfast 28th to 31st – Qualifiers: Scottish Open – Cannon Medical Arena, Sheffield
NOVEMBER 3rd to 10th – International Championship – Tianjin, China 11th to 17th – Champion of Champions 16th to 21st – Qualifiers: UK Championship – Morningside Arena, Leicester 23rd to December 1st – UK Championship – York Barbican, York
DECEMBER 4th to 7th – Shoot Out – Morningside Arena, Leicester 9th to 15th – Scottish Open – Meadowbank Sports Centre, Edinburgh 16th to 22nd – Qualifiers: German Masters and World Open – Cannon Medical Arena, Leicester
JANUARY 12th to 19th – Masters – Alexandra Palace, London 27th to February 2nd – German Masters – Tempodrom, Berlin
MARCH 3rd to 9th – World Open – China 17th to 23rd – Players Championship – Telford, England
APRIL 19th to May 5th – Cazoo World Championship – Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
One thing that hasn’t changed unfortunately is the “all qualifiers played in the UK system”. That HAS to change. Qualifiers MUST be scrapped or played near the event venue, right before the event. You don’t have qualifiers for Roland Garros or Wimbledon played played weeks or even months before the events and in a different country do you? (and, yes there ARE qualifiers for the tennis majors, three rounds of them, played just days before the events and near or at the main venue location).
Ronnie O’Sullivan rattled in three centuries as he thumped old rival John Higgins 4-0 at the inaugural Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker, a result which sets up an epic concluding day with the top four players on the planet into the semi-finals.
The first ever WST event in Saudi Arabia will be played to a finish on Wednesday, with O’Sullivan taking on Judd Trump and Mark Allen facing Luca Brecel in the semi-finals, followed by the final in the evening.
O’Sullivan, still ranked world number one at the age of 48, has already won the Shanghai Masters, UK Championship, the Masters and World Grand Prix this season, and if he reaches the final tomorrow his prize money for the season will go into seven figures.
Despite the match starting at 1.48am, O’Sullivan looked wide awake as he made breaks of 135, 129 and 102 to lead 3-0. He had the chance to make four consecutive centuries for the first time in his career, but broke down on 82 in the fourth. A bamboozled Higgins failed to pot a ball in the four frames – his only points coming from a foul at the start of the third.
Trump edged out Shaun Murphy 4-3 in a superb contest, which Murphy looked likely to win until a crucial error in frame six. Trump has won four ranking events this season and will relish the chance to capture the £250,000 top prize.
Murphy made a sizzling start with breaks of 126 and 121 to lead 2-0, before Trump won a battle on the last red on the third, then made a 75 in the next for 2-2. World number six Murphy made an 82 to regain the lead, then he was on 58 in the sixth when his attempted pot on a short range red clipped another red and missed the target. Trump’s excellent 58-clearance made it 3-3.
In the decider, Trump made 41 before missing a red with the rest, then Murphy replied with 22. Bristol’s Trump got the better of a safety exchange and added 28 which proved enough.
“Shaun played so well, it’s a great win for me,“ said world number two Trump. “It looked all over until he missed that red at 3-2. It was a great atmosphere out there, especially when I walked in, I felt happy out there and it brought best out of both of us. I’m excited about tomorrow, it feels like a free shot.”
Allen edged out Mark Selby 4-3 in a strong contender for the most dramatic finish to a match this season. Northern Ireland’s Allen has bagged three titles already in 2023/24 and has arguably eclipsed Selby as the sport’s toughest match-player.
Selby went 2-0 up with a top break of 84, then Allen pulled one back with a 73, and led 62-0 in frame four, only for his opponent to pinch it with a 63 clearance for 3-1. Selby had clear match winning chances in the next two frames but twice missed the black off its spot, and was punished as Allen took one with a 65 clearance the other by potting the last blue and pink.
In the decider, Selby led by 45 points with two reds left, but couldn’t get past the post and it came down to the last pink and black. Allen was trapped behind the black, with the pink over a top corner, and played the cue ball off the baulk cushion to drop in the pink, then converted a tremendous double on the black to a centre pocket.
“The match had everything, it was destined to go to the last black,” said world number three Allen. “I had no choice on the final pink but to go for it. Then on the black I was always going to go out swinging and go for the double. To see it go in was a big relief.
“If you are going to learn from anyone then Mark is one of the best. If I can take parts of Mark’s game and bring them into my own then I am doing something right.
“The fans here deserved a match like that and they really got involved. The crowd has grown as the day has gone on and hopefully it will be packed tomorrow.“
World Champion Brecel looks to be coming into form as he builds towards his Crucible defence, and the Belgian looked sharp in a 4-1 win over Ali Carter.
Pictures by Zhai Zheng (@zhaizhengqd)
Ronnie really went on the rampage there … it was a complete demolition job. John’s only 4 points came from a foul…
Eurosport shared a few videos on their Youtube channel:
Just one note from me here. Ronnie says in one of those pieces that he likes the culture. I’m lucky to know Ronnie personally and I want to make it clear that he doesn’t at all condone women’s oppression, nor violence against them. He’s not that sort of man and he has the most genuine admiration for women who juggle between caring for their family and kids and having a job and who still find time for others as well… like his own mother. I once heard him say this to a fellow snooker player who went about “male superiority”: “Mate, the women… they so much better than us, so much stronger than us … they’re unbelievable, mate.”
No … what he likes is that in those countries, is that there is still a sense of community: people chatting on the streets while all the kids play around, huge family meals, neighbours gathering for a chat … AND the “non-drinking” culture.
John Higgins came within seven pots of becoming the first player to make a break of 167, during a 4-2 win over Mark Williams on the opening day of the new Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker.
This event is a landmark in snooker history, the first professional tournament staged in Saudi Arabia. It includes the innovation of a golden ball, known as the Riyadh Season ball, and the first player to pot it after making a maximum 147 will win a huge $500,000 bonus.
Higgins got pulses racing in the opening frame against Williams when he potted all 15 reds with blacks. But his attempted position on the yellow rolled a few inches too far, and he failed to convert a near-impossible ultra thin cut to a baulk corner.
The next two frames were shared, then Williams had a chance to level at 2-2 but missed a tricky red on 32, and his opponent punished him with an excellent 77. Welshman Williams kept his hopes alive with a classy 122, and had first chance in frame six but could only make 16, and Higgins sealed the result with a break of 64, setting up a massive clash with Ronnie O’Sullivan on Tuesday night.
Asked about the 167 attempt, world number ten Higgins replied: “It was an incredible feeling, I couldn’t feel my arms or legs. I gave it a good go, but it was disappointing in the end. I’m delighted to win two matches today though and get through to play Ronnie. That’s always special, and it will be great to play him here in Saudi.”
There was double delight for Ali Carter as he was reunited with his cue, then beat Ding Junhui 4-3 in a dramatic finish to reach the quarter-finals.
Carter arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday only to find that – for the first time in his 28-year career – his cue had gone missing in transit. After an anxious wait, he got the call to confirm that the cue was safe, and it was back in his hands in time for today’s battle with Ding at the Global Theatre in Riyadh’s spectacular Boulevard City.
China’s Ding took the opening frame with a 138 total clearance, then Carter hit back to take the next three with a top break of 94. In the fifth, the Englishman led 37-0 when he missed a routine black, and that looked like a turning point as Ding made 75 and 120 for 3-3.
Carter looked in control of the decider when he led 60-0 with three reds left, but Ding got the snookers he needed on the last red, and had a chance to clear the colours. He potted a difficult thin cut on the green, only for the cue ball to flick off the blue and drop into a centre pocket. Carter potted green and brown to seal it.
The Captain is now guaranteed £50,000 and will face World Champion Luca Brecel on Tuesday.
“It was an unbelievable match to be involved in, great that it was so close and great for me to be the one to get through,” said world number eight Carter. “After I missed the black at 3-1 I thought I was going to lose, but I convinced myself to keep going for shots.
“When my cue went missing yesterday, the promoter and everyone were doing their best to get it back. I was in the hotel and got some sleep, thinking there was nothing more I could do. Then I got a call in the evening to say I had it back.
“I’m really looking forward to the match tomorrow. Luca is coming back to somewhere near his best. He has probably enjoyed being World Champion more than anyone, but now he has realised he has got to get back to business.“
Earlier, in the preliminary round, Higgins and Ding both enjoyed comfortable 4-0 victories over the local wild cards. Ding beat eight-time Saudi Arbian national champion Omar Alajlani with a top run of 66, while Higgins got the better of Qatar’s top player Ali Alobaidli with top breaks of 53, 117 and 80.
And a few personal thoughts…
Ok the arena is big but there are A LOT of empty seats. Who claimed it was sold out?
When the first noises came out about a tournament in Saudi, Barry Hearn was quick to say that female referees would be welcome and wear their usual attire. Ok, Tatiana wasn’t wearing a scarf, unlike the women in the crowd,, but she was still wearing a very “loose” outfit that didn’t reveal much about her feminine shape as well as a t-shirt under her shirt, completely covering even a hint of her cleavage.
Jack Lisowski’s “Sheik” outfit is ridiculous.
Other than Higgins none of the players appeared to really try hard for the 167. Their priority was clearly to win their match. Well done to them.
The two wildcard played better than I expected. OK, they didn’t win a frame, but they played some good stuff, Ali Alobaidli in particular.
The golden ball brings nothing to the match, it’s just a bait … an incentive to get the players try for a 147 in every frame. Although, the big prize money is only for the first who makes the 167. So, maybe, if someone does it, we will be rid of this gimmick…
And here is a question for Matt Huart, Dave Hendon and WPBSA: should a player make a 147, and then miss the golden ball, would it still count as an official 147?
… with John Higgins and Ding Junhui added to the draw last minute. They will play the wildcards tomorrow afternoon and who plays who will be drawn there and then… No explanation or reason have been offered by WST for these last minute additions. If I have to have a guess I would say that the first evening session wasn’t selling. Already Saudi Arabia isn’t the biggest snooker nation, but the prospect of watching two completely one sided matches probably didn’t attract a big crowd… It will likely be the same in the afternoon, unless they bring some school kids in to fill the seats…
SAUDI ARABIA SET TO WELCOME FIRST PRO SNOOKER EVENT WITH GROUND BREAKING 167 PRIZE
Saudi Arabia set to welcome first pro snooker event with ground-breaking new 167 maximum golden ball prize
Riyadh Season will next week be the host for Saudi Arabia’s first-ever professional snooker event which will include the innovation of a Golden ball, giving the sport’s elite players the chance to score a unique 167 maximum and a substantial cash prize.
The Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker, which will be broadcast live globally on Eurosport and DAZN, will run from 4-6 March in Boulevard City, Riyadh, featuring the world’s top ten players – Luca Brecel, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, Mark Allen, Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy, Mark Williams, Ali Carter, John Higgins and Ding Junhui – who will contest the trophy, alongside wild cards Omar Alajlani and Ali Alobaidli and all will be chasing snooker history.
A 23rd ball, which will be gold and known as the Riyadh Season ball, will be worth 20 points and can only be potted at the end of a 147 maximum. The first player to make the 167 will be awarded a $500,000 (£395,000) bonus by HE Advisor Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA).
The rules of the Golden Ball:
• At the start of each frame, the Golden Ball will be placed on the table, in the centre of the baulk cushion.
• If a 147 is possible in the frame, the Golden Ball will remain on the table. If a player completes a 147 maximum, he will then have the chance to pot the Golden Ball to complete the 167.
• Once a 147 is no longer possible, the Golden Ball will be removed from the table, until the start of the next frame.
• Any foul or infringement involving the Golden Ball incurs a penalty of 4 points or the value of the ball ‘on’, whichever is greater.
“The new Golden Ball is a fascinating idea and something we have never seen in 150 years since snooker was invented! The players are excited about the opportunity to become the first to make a 167 ‘super maximum’ and earn the incredible bonus prize offered by HE Advisor Turki Alalshikh. We are thrilled to be heading to Saudi for our first ever tournament in the Kingdom, working alongside our friends at the General Entertainment Authority, and looking forward to meeting the fans and enjoying the atmosphere at Riyadh Season.”
Steve Dawson
Chairman of WST
EVENT PRIZE MONEY
ROUND-BY-ROUND BREAKDOWN
Winner £250,000 Runner-up £125,000 Semi-finals £75,000 Quarter-finals £50,000 Round one £25,000 Preliminary round £5,000 Total £785,000
About Riyadh Season Saudi Arabia’s capital embraces one of the world’s biggest entertainment events every year during winter. Since the launch of the Riyadh Season in 2019, the festival has welcomed visitors from all over the world to experience thousands of concerts, sporting activities, and other unique cultural events.
For me this golden ball is just a gimmick… a very lucrative one for whoever making the “first 167”. I read that they will get 500,000 dollars for it. That’s quite simply indecent, shameful. I just hope that whoever picks it – if anyone – will at least give the best part of it, if not the whole sum, to a deserving charity.
The snooker.org team discussed wether we want to cover this event or not. We will but without enthusiasm. Here is what Hermund – our boss – shared on Twitter.
I’ll do the same here. I will report, but not share anything on social media, other than this one.
As always, some came on social media, arguing that we condemn Saudi Arabia, but seem to accept China. To which Hermund replied this:
I totally share his views on the issue. There is no condoning China’s treatment of some ethnic minorities, but at least their interest in snooker is genuine and they have millions playing it.
Joe O’Connor stormed his way to the winners’ group of Championship League Snooker, beating Jak Jones 3-0 in the group seven final at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester.
O’Connor opened his day with a solid 3-2 win over Pang Junxu. The world number 30 then came up against Jones in a match that also went all the way. It was Welshman Jones who won the decider with a break of 52 to emerge with a 3-2 victory.
Leicester’s home star O’Connor took on Elliot Slessor in their final group match, creating his own bit of snooker history with the 200th professional maximum break ever recorded, coming in the third frame of a 3-2 win.
The pair faced each other again in the group semi-finals and once more it was O’Connor who came through, beating Slessor 3-1 with breaks of 41 and 65.
That set up a group final against the unbeaten Jones, who had only dropped five frames across the entire group. However, it was O’Connor who dominated proceedings. He won 3-0 with breaks of 43 and 95.
Speaking afterwards O’Connor said: “These last two days have been unbelievable, first time playing Ronnie, I know he pulled out but it was nice to get a win over him.
“To get my first maximum break today, I think that’s the first time I’ve been past 70 or 80 this season, I’m so pleased. I was really nervous especially after getting perfect on the blue. I wanted to play it confidentially and I ended up hitting it like a fairy and didn’t land on the pink. Somehow I managed to get on the black and knock it in.
“Against Jak, who had won 7 matches in a row, it was probably exhausting for him, it just looked like he run out of steam and luckily I was able to get over the line.
“I’m over the moon to reach the winners’ group in my debut, I’m really looking forward to it.”
BetVictor Championship League Snooker returns for the winners’ group on March 12th, made up by John Higgins, Mark Selby, Kyren Wilson, Stuart Bingham, Neil Robertson, Chris Wakelin, and O’Connor.
Joe O’Connor made the 200th official 147 in snooker history – and first of his career – during his BetVictor Championship League match against Elliot Slessor on Thursday.
O’Connor’s perfect break came in the third frame of his group match against Slessor in Leicester, putting him 2-1 ahead. He went on to win the mach 3-2, making further breaks of 132, 72 and 85.
147 Milestones First: Steve Davis, 1982 Lada Classic 50th: David Gray, 2004 UK Championship 100th: Mark Selby, 2013 UK Championship 150th: Zhou Yuelong, 2019 Indian Open 200th: Joe O’Connor, 2024 Championship League
It’s the 11th maximum of the 2023/24 season, and a new landmark for world number 30 O’Connor, whose previous top break was 143.
