Riyadh: Saudi Arabia is set to make snooker history as it hosts its first-ever event on the World Snooker Tour, with eight of the globe's top players converging on the capital city for the Riyadh Season World Masters. The tournament begins today, March 4, marking the latest addition to this season's tour, with its confirmation coming just a month ago. Despite its recent announcement, the ten contenders are gearing up to crown the $1 million prize pool.
Among the competitors, top seed Luca Brecel and reigning World Masters champion Ronnie O'Sullivan are touted as heavy favourites. However, wildcard entries and unique rules promise to inject an element of unpredictability into the competition, adding an exciting twist to the packed snooker calendar.
As the inaugural WST event is hosted in Saudi Arabia, expectations run high for the calibre of players gracing the tables in Riyadh. This also marks the introduction of a potentially game-changing golden ball rule heightening anticipation for what promises to be a captivating tournament.
Luca Brecel, hailing from Belgium, arrives as the current World Champion and holds the distinction of being the first player from mainland Europe to clinch the prestigious title. O'Sullivan, often hailed as snooker's greatest player, boasts an impressive record of seven World Championship titles and currently reigns as the world number one.
England's Judd Trump, occupying the world number two spot, carries the weight of his 2019 World Championship victory and four titles secured this season. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland's Mark Allen, ranked third globally, has been a dominant force, clinching three titles this season and earning the title of players' player in 2022/23.
Mark Selby, another English contender, ranks fifth globally and has secured the World Championship in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021. Shaun Murphy, also from England, sits at the sixth spot globally and boasts the 2005 World Champion title, joining an elite group of only 11 players to complete the Triple Crown.
Wales' Mark Williams, currently placed seventh worldwide, brings his experience as a three-time World Champion and the recent victory in this season's British Open to the table. Finally, Ali Carter, rounding off the list of contenders from England, holds the eighth spot globally and brings a collection of five ranking titles, including the 2023 German Masters.
With such a stellar lineup, the Riyadh Season World Masters holds the promise of becoming a fixture on the global snooker calendar for years to come. Tickets for the Snooker tournament are sold out.