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Metro
a day ago
- Sport
- Metro
The 'world beater' tipped to dethrone Judd Trump at Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters
After Shanghai Masters glory, 'world beater' Kyren Wilson has been tipped to go back-to-back and land the Saudi Arabia Masters title as well. The world number two was excellent in Shanghai, beating Si Jiahui, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Zhao Xintong and then Ali Carter in the final. The Warrior brushed off the disappointment of losing in the first round at the Crucible in April, which ended his world title defence on the opening day in Sheffield. Clearly that one loss to Lei Peifan has not diminished his confidence and former world champion Ken Doherty rates him as highly as any player right now. 'He's a world beater,' Doherty told Metro of Wilson. 'He's got a lot of consistency in his all round game. 'His scoring power now is probably at the best it has ever been, which he's really improved on and that has made a big difference. 'He's always been a good long potter, he's got great bottle, great temperament. But his scoring power, he's competing with the likes of Trump and Ronnie and Higgins and all the top break-builders. So that makes him a very, very tough player to play.' Current world number 113 and both a pundit and commentator, Steven Hallworth, sees no reason that Wilson cannot follow up his brilliant Shanghai win by landing the £500,000 top prize in Jeddah on Saturday. 'In terms of how he played, I was so impressed with Kyren,' Hallworth said on WST's Snooker Club podcast. 'His whole outlook on the game, how positive he was staying, his tempo around the table and he was super aggressive when he was in. 'It was a real statement, for me. Obviously Judd Trump is still number one, but he had to come through against Ronnie O'Sullivan and the world champion Zhao Xintong and I think he did that really nicely. 'He's laid down a marker, he's not world number one but for me he probably is the best player in the world right now. 'Saudi's going to be interesting, there's a lot of big hitters heading out there and it's going to be really interesting to see how that one unfolds. 'I think Kyren's going to be the man to beat off the back of Shanghai, full of confidence, starting his season with a big win. I think Kyren's going to be the one to beat.' The top 16 in the world join the fray in Jeddah on Tuesday, with Wilson yet to learn his opponent in the tiered draw format. The 2024 world champ will face one of Iulian Boiko, Jackson Page, Louis Heathcote or the man who downed him at the Crucible this year, Lei Peifan. Having won the first edition of the tournament last year, Trump is looking to continue an unbeaten record in the event when he joins the action on Tuesday. The world number one was beaten in the Shanghai quarter-finals by Mark Selby and hopes to bounce back by defending his title in Jeddah and landing the £500,000 again. Trump will begin his campaign against Noppon Saengkham, Gong Chenzhi, Matt Selt or Oliver Lines. MORE: Joe O'Connor makes silverware prediction after best ever start to season MORE: Zak Surety still battling imposter syndrome despite dramatic career turnaround MORE: Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters 2025 draw, schedule, TV channel, prize money and odds
The Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters chaos with ALL matches postponed after ‘technical issues'
THE Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters was hit by a major 'technical issue' that saw EVERY match postponed. A problem with the scoring system on Friday night forced a halt to the action. 1 World Snooker Tour said: "During the evening session of Friday August 8th at the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, we have experienced technical issues. "We have therefore postponed all matches in this session which were yet to start until Saturday morning. "These matches will commence at 10am on Saturday and play to a finish in an untelevised session. "We are now working on resolving the technical issues before play resumes. "We would like to thank all of the players involved for their understanding." Play resumed on Saturday after the issue was resolved. A broken scoreboard brought the semi-final between Kyren Wilson and Zhao Xintong to a stop and saw both players forced to walk off. Wilson complained to the referee that he could not see the score. The 2024 world champion, 33, called out: 'Zhao, can we wait? Can we wait, yeah?' When the referee came over, the Warrior said: 'It's no good. 'I would rather wait for the scoring (to return). It's not good for the fans because the fans can't see the score.' Shall we say how long it takes?' Wilson went on to win the match and beat Ali Carter in the final.
Leaders
4 days ago
- Sport
- Leaders
Snooker Elite Head to Jeddah as Masters Tournament Begins
The Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters will kick off tomorrow in Jeddah, marking the beginning of one of the four major global tournaments in the sport, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Set to take place from August 8 to 16 at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City, the event will bring together elite snooker players from around the world. Organized by the Saudi Billiard and Snooker Federation in strategic partnership with Matchroom, the tournament will witness the participation of 144 players, competing for the tournament title. In cooperation with the World Snooker Tour (WST) and under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Sport, the event features a total prize pool exceeding £2 million. Thus, it becomes the second-highest-paying event on the 2025 WST calendar. Crucially, 16 players participating through an invitation card will have the opportunity to compete in the tournament, including 10 Saudi players. The tournament will feature eight tables in use over the first five days, providing fans and snooker enthusiasts with the opportunity to enjoy the highest number of matches and see top players. The quarterfinals are scheduled for August 14, followed by the semifinals on August 15, with the final match and the crowning of the champion taking place on Saturday, August 16. This tournament represents one of several major international sporting events hosted by Saudi Arabia, further bolstering its status as a prestigious global hub for sports and elite athletes. Related Topics: Al Sheikh Crowns O'Sullivan at World Snooker Championship World Pool Championship 2025: Elite Stars Compete in Jeddah Courchevel Zone: Mountains of Europe Have Come to Riyadh Short link : Post Views: 3
Arab News
4 days ago
- Sport
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters set to begin in Jeddah
JEDDAH: The 2025 Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters begins on Aug. 8 at the Green Halls in Jeddah and boasts the participation of 128 World Snooker Tour players. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Joined by 16 wild cards from Saudi Arabia, the international field will be competing for a prize fund in excess of £2 million, making it the second-richest tournament on the 2025 WST. It concludes on Aug. 16. Steve Dawson, WST's chairman, said: 'We are excited to stage the event in Jeddah for the first time and to bring the all-time greatest players to new fans. 'Our expansion into Saudi Arabia is a huge step forward for snooker and a key element in our strategy to develop our sport globally. We are working closely with our partners in the region on the ambition to develop our sport at all levels, from the elite major events to grassroots participation. In years to come we would love to see professional players and even tournament winners from Saudi Arabia.' Judd Trump won the first edition of the event last year in Riyadh, beating Mark Williams 10-9 in the final.
Daily Record
30-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
John Higgins in the frame as Ronnie O'Sullivan's manager makes bold 'Class of 92' prediction
The iconic trio of Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark Williams and John Higgins, along with players inside the world's top 64, can now play in certain events on a rival tour Ronnie O'Sullivan's manager believes at least one member of snooker's iconic 'Class of 92' will feature in the 2026 World Seniors Championship at the Crucible following a relaxation of eligibility rules. The illustrious trio of O'Sullivan, Mark Williams and Scottish legend John Higgins, along with players ranked within the world's top 64, were formerly prohibited from participating in World Seniors Snooker (WSS) tournaments due to an accord with the World Snooker Tour (WST). Jason Francis, who as well as managing the Rocket is chairman of WSS, had been campaigning for the WST to allow all players aged 45 and above to compete in their events. When negotiations failed to yield a satisfactory agreement, WSS terminated its agreement with WST after May's World Seniors Championship in Sheffield. Now, any competitor who meets the age criteria, regardless of their ranking status, is permitted to participate in WSS tournaments, provided they don't conflict with WST events. The development has conjecture about whether O'Sullivan, 49, Williams, 50, and Higgins, 50, who collectively hold 14 world titles, might compete in two separate World Championships at the Crucible next spring. The participation of any 'Class of 92' member would represent a significant coup for WSS. Francis told the Mirror:"They're available to me right now. If the commercial terms are right, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark Williams, John Higgins can all play World Seniors Snooker UK broadcast events. "A lot of players have expressed an interest in supporting the World Seniors and would like the chance to play in what they like. I would be staggered this season if you didn't see at least one of the Class of 92 in World Seniors events, maybe more." Regarding seven-time world champion O'Sullivan's potential involvement, Francis added: "The interest will be, 'Will Ronnie O'Sullivan play at the Crucible at the World Seniors Championship?' I don't know at this point but he can, that's the point." Matthew Stevens, a former UK Championship runner-up and currently ranked 52nd in the world, has already seized the opportunity presented by the lifting of restrictions. The 47-year-old will be part of the field at the British Seniors Open in Derby, which will be broadcast on Channel 5 between Boxing Day and December 28. Francis said: "While the headline will always be that (the Class of 92), let's look at the other players who now become eligible for another earning opportunity. "People like Matthew Stevens are looking at this rule change and thinking, 'Hang on a second, I get the chance to play at the Crucible again.' If we get the bigger names in, we should get prize money up, then these things start snowballing. "Now that we've broken away from that restrictive contract, we're able to compete, albeit we have an age group in the seniors. We're not in a position where we can broadcast Judd Trump and Zhao Xintong yet. But there are no (other) restrictions as long as we put our events on when World Snooker don't have an event on." Earlier this year, NST Worldwide, of which Francis is a director, launched a £10.2m lawsuit in the Competition Appeal Tribunal against WST and snooker's governing body, the WPBSA. NST claims that "unlawful and anti-competitive practices" have been used to prevent snooker players "playing in tournaments, events, or matches organised by competitor promoters." Victory for NST would potentially lift playing restrictions further. WST, which is owned by Barry Hearn's Matchroom operation, has said it "rejects" and "will defend" the claims against it.
