Over 140 snooker players contend for a US$2 million prize fund in the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters tournament
The World Snooker Tour (WST) has announced the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, the first ranking tournament to be held in Saudi Arabia. This exciting event will take place from August 30 to September 7 in Riyadh, marking a significant milestone for the sport in the region.
The tournament will follow a tiered system similar to the World and UK Championships, involving 144 players, including 16 regional wildcards from the Middle East. The format ensures that lower-ranked players and wildcards have the opportunity to compete against increasingly higher-ranked opponents, culminating in the top 16 seeds joining in the fifth round.
The qualification for the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters will take place in Saudi Arabia, unlike the norm where it takes place in the UK. Players seeded 81 to 144 will start in the first round, with winners from round one facing players seeded 49 to 80 in round two. Round three introduces players seeded 17 to 48, and round four features the 16 qualifiers from round three playing against the top 16 seeds.
The tournament then proceeds through the last 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final. The match lengths vary by rounds, with rounds 1 to 3 being best of 7 frames, rounds 4 and 5 (last 32 and last 16) being best of 9 frames, quarter-finals and semi-finals being best of 11 frames, and the final being best of 19 frames, played over two sessions.
A unique feature of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters is a bonus of 1 million USD for potting the golden ball, which was not present in the Riyadh Season World Masters. No player succeeded in potting the golden ball during the Riyadh Season World Masters in March.
The Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters will also mark a historic moment as the first ranking tournament to feature a large field of all 125 professional players on the WST. The event has garnered optimism from the Saudi Arabian Minister of Sport, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, who expressed his enthusiasm about future snooker competitions in Saudi Arabia.
The infrastructure on site during the Riyadh Season Masters met the demands of the players and fans, unlike some European venues. The players and attendees found the hotels, catering, and people in Riyadh comfortable and friendly during the event.
The tournament will also include several women players, including the current women's world champion, 20-year-old Bai Yulu, and 12-time champion Reanne Evans, 38. Despite initial criticism about the venue of Saudi Arabia, the strong infrastructure and positive experiences of the Riyadh Season Masters have helped alleviate concerns.
The Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters will be a significant event for the sport of snooker, providing a platform for both established and emerging players to showcase their skills on a global stage. With a total prize money of approximately 2 million USD (1.87 million EUR), it promises to be an exciting and competitive tournament.
What tournament in Saudi Arabia will feature a large field of all 125 professional players on the World Snooker Tour and offer a bonus of 1 million USD for potting the golden ball?This tournament, the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, will also include several women players, such as Bai Yulu and Reanne Evans.
