RIYADH: The inaugural Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters on Tuesday will welcome the world’s top 16 ranked players to the Green Halls in Riyadh.
The World Snooker Tour’s new major championship is the biggest in its history — inviting 144 of the world’s best cueists to compete for the title and vital rankings points.
Following four days of action since the competition began, the tour’s top the 16 elite players will kick off their campaigns on Tuesday, having qualified for the last 32 automatically.
On Monday night, some of the new additions spoke to local and international media and expressed their excitement about the opportunity to compete in Riyadh.
Dressed in traditional Saudi attire, Ronnie O’Sullivan, the seven-time world champion widely considered the greatest player of all time, said: “Saudi Arabia has really raised the bar — this is the best event on the tour. I’ve never seen so many happy snooker players, everyone is excited to be here, we want to compete, play well and put on a really good show for the Saudi Arabian fans.
“We’ve already seen a 147, which is fantastic, and the tournament has just begun. All the top players are about to enter the event and hopefully everyone’s going to watch some of the best snooker they could possibly see. The tables, the facilities, the venue that’s been put together; this tournament deserves to watch the best snooker ever seen, it really is that good.”
Confirmed for the next decade, the Saudi Arabian Snooker Masters is part of a legacy commitment between the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Sport, the Saudi Arabian Billiards & Snooker Federation and Matchroom Sport.
Emily Frazer, CEO of Matchroom Multi Sport, said: “For us, it’s about traveling the globe, developing the sport, and creating new opportunities for international players to compete. This is why Saudi Arabia was such an outstanding candidate to host snooker’s newest major championship. We’re not here for a standalone event; we’re here to inspire the next generation of players and further develop snooker at every level — regionally, nationally and globally.”
Frazer’s sentiments were echoed by Dr. Nasser Al-Shamri, president of the Saudi Billiards and Snooker Federation. While speaking about the Saudi Arabian Snooker Masters’ significance, he highlighted the opportunities waiting for new generations of local players and fans.
“This is a milestone moment for snooker in the Kingdom and one that’s already paving the way for the bright and opportunistic future ahead,” he said. “Local fans who’ve loved snooker for many years are now guaranteed to watch the world’s best players in a world-class event for the next decade. And in turn, this will inspire new generations who’ll benefit from our local infrastructure, tournaments and player pathways.
“We have big ambitions for the future — and we’re already seeing incredible development across the ecosystem.”
The Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters runs until Sept. 7 and presents players with vital world rankings points alongside a record prize pool.
Ex-world champions John Higgins, Mark Selby, Mark Williams, Luca Brecel and Shaun Murphy are among the top 16 lining up in Tuesday’s round five matches. World No.1 and 2019 world champion Judd Trump is also in action, as are world No.2 Mark Allen and 2024 world champion Kyren Wilson.
Simon Brownwell, CEO of WST, said that the involvement of the world’s best players is an essential step toward snooker’s expansion in the Middle East.
“We are proud of the way we have developed snooker around the globe over the past 15 years, becoming an international tour of over 20 events and more than 400 million viewers,” he added.
“We see expansion into the Middle East as an exciting step in that journey. Our shared ambition with our partners in Saudi Arabia is to build long term growth. This week’s groundbreaking new event and the presence of the world’s biggest stars will inspire new fans and players.”
