Saudi Arabia Masters sees elite snooker hit golden jackpot in Heart East after 16-year absence

Australia’s Neil Robertson was once the winner in capital town Manama as he finished a 9-7 ultimate win over two-time Crucible finalist Matthew Stevens two years earlier than he advanced to say his solitary global name in Sheffield.

The match was once blighted by means of a number of past due call-offs because of scientific causes with Ronnie O’Sullivan and Steve Davis each chickening out, however the tournament did witness a 147 with Marcus Campbell of Scotland – a participant as soon as dubbed the ‘Dumbarton Destroyer’ – generating a 147 spoil, the 66th aggressive most of 202 compiled in skilled snooker since Davis recorded the landmark first in 1982.

Robertson accumulated a £48,000 winner’s cheque for his victory in Bahrain with Stevens incomes £22,500 for his run to the general.

“I’m completely over the moon,” mentioned the 26-year-old Robertson, who abruptly considered an international of probabilities.

“When it will get to the general, nice champions upward thrust to the instance. You notice it with other folks like Roger Federer and Michael Jordan. I have received 3 out of 3 finals now, and I do not need to know what it is love to lose one.

“I’ve in point of fact loved coming to Bahrain, and to win the primary match here’s a actual privilege. Confidently, this may also be the beginning of one thing to construct on.”

It has taken 16 years for snooker to mend the rules within the area, however it’s honest to mention it is going to be somewhat other in Saudi Arabia over the following 9 days with the champion incomes a whopping £500,000 first prize – the most important quantity within the trendy historical past of the game past the Global Championship – and the runner-up an infinite £200,000.

With the battle for right kind investment for lots of tournaments, specifically when Robertson received in Bahrain and there have been handiest 8 rating occasions at the calendar, the rewards on be offering for avid gamers who struggled for years to make a tight residing on excursion, this golden pageant has been neatly over a decade within the making.

Abruptly, like footballers, golfers and boxers, recreation in Saudi Arabia is rewarding snooker avid gamers handsomely for remarkable luck at the baize. Alternative knocks when the balls get started rolling in Saudi.

The United Arab Emirates had prior to now hosted a rating tournament within the type of the Dubai Vintage for 6 years with Neal Foulds successful the primary non-ranking version of the development with a 5-4 win over Davis in 1988 earlier than Stephen Hendry triumphed 3 times in 1989, 1990 and 1993, together with two ultimate wins over Davis.

Alan McManus was once the closing participant to raise the name in Dubai courtesy of a 9-6 victory over Peter Ebdon that noticed the Scotsman earn £40,000 in 1994.

From the 32 avid gamers that contested the Dubai pageant 30 years in the past, snooker thoroughbreds O’Sullivan, John Higgins, Dominic Dale, Ken Doherty, Jimmy White and Graeme Dott will all go back to compete in Riyadh.

It was once a match that still witnessed an early assembly between ‘Magnificence of ’92’ teenage duo O’Sullivan and Higgins in the second one spherical with O’Sullivan successful 5-1 earlier than he misplaced 6-4 to Ebdon within the semi-finals.

But a jackpot victory in Riyadh for any of the opposite 143 avid gamers at the beginning grid is not going to handiest be important. It’ll even be life-changing.

• 1. Judd Trump (Eng) 974,000
• 2. Mark Allen (NI) 974,000
• 3. Kyren Wilson (Eng) 948,500
• 4. Ronnie O’Sullivan (Eng) 689,500
• 5. Mark Selby (Eng) 660,500
• 6. Luca Brecel (Bel) 654,500
• 7. Shaun Murphy (Eng) 498,900
• 8. Ding Junhui (Chn) 466,500
• 9. Mark Williams (Wal) 458,000
• 10. Ali Carter (Eng) 439,500
• 11. Gary Wilson (Eng) 426,400
• 12. Zhang Anda (Chn) 407,350
• 13. Tom Ford (Eng) 343,850
• 14. Jak Jones (Wal) 332,500
• 15. John Higgins (Sco) 309,850
• 16. Barry Hawkins (Eng) 297,850