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Tom Bell

Global snooker chiefs have hailed Hong Kong’s credentials as an events host after confirming details of the first major tournament to be held in the city in 35 years.
Hong Kong’s attractiveness as a “prominent global city” with a “world-class” facility was cited by World Snooker Tour (WST), operator of the sport’s professional circuit, as it unveiled details of the World Grand Prix, to take place from March 4 to 9 next year.
As reported previously by the Post, it will be staged at the newly built Kai Tak Sports Park and will bring the season’s leading 32 players to town.
WST indicated on Friday that it would be targeting a world-record attendance for a ranking event when the sport’s finest appear at Kai Tak’s indoor arena, which for the six days will have a capacity of at least 4,000.

The tour’s CEO Simon Brownell also highlighted the appeal of Hong Kong as a new destination for the circuit.
“We are hugely excited to be taking such a massive event to Hong Kong,” Brownell said. “This is a move which is in line with our strategy to have a greater distribution of snooker’s biggest tournaments around the world and further globalise the sport.
“Hong Kong is a territory and market of particular significance for us, and we are delighted to be utilising this new world-class venue.
“Having a long-term ranking event in such a prominent global city is fantastic news for the tour. We were impressed by the levels of support at the Hong Kong Masters in 2022. The 9,000 fans in attendance for the final created a magical atmosphere.”
Brownell’s comments came two days after John Lee Ka-chiu, Hong Kong’s leader, announced ambitions to develop a host city economy in the sports industry in his annual Policy Address.
That bumper crowd at Hong Kong Coliseum two years ago for the city’s Masters final was the world’s largest ever for snooker, albeit that it occurred in an invitation event rather than one in which world ranking points were at stake.
Seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan defeated Hong Kong’s Marco Fu Ka-chun 6-4 in what was a dream final for the organisers, pairing the tournament’s two most popular players. Fu had sent his hometown crowd into a frenzy by recording a 147 maximum break in his semi-final.
WST will be hoping to tap into some of the same fervour as the World Grand Prix leaves its traditional home in the UK for the first time.
Prize money for the tournament will almost double to £700,000 (HK$7.08 million) from last year’s £380,000, with the winner’s cheque to swell from £100,000 to £180,000.
The arena at Kai Tak can hold up to 10,000. Local organisers have yet to finalise the venue design, and the tournament’s provisional 4,000-seat capacity has been set conservatively, with a likelihood of being increased, according to Vincent Law Wing-chung, chairman of the Hong Kong Billiard Sports Control Council.
Law stopped short of predicting whether the capacity could be raised to allow attendance to match or surpass that of the 2022 Masters.

There is expected to be a two-table set-up initially, changing to one table from the semi-finals onwards, with ticket information to be announced soon.
One of the 20 tournaments on elite snooker’s 2024-25 calendar, the World Grand Prix will be the opening event in the Players Series, featuring the season’s top 32 performers.
The only previous ranking event held in the city was back in 1989, when Mike Hallett defeated Dene O’Kane 9-8 in the final of the Hong Kong Open.


Ronnie O’Sullivan continues Chinese love affair, calls country ‘greatest place on Earth’

Macau Snooker Masters: region the best hosts, says new Hong Kong resident Ronnie O’Sullivan

Snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan says Hong Kong ‘a great place to live’ after taking up residency

Hong Kong’s appeal as ‘prominent global city’ woos snooker chiefs as event is confirmed

World Snooker

Kai Tak Sports Park’s indoor arena will provide the venue for the World Grand Prix snooker event. Photo: Sam Tsang

Ronnie O’Sullivan is greeted by a 9,000-plus crowd at 2022’s Masters at Hong Kong Coliseum. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Ronnie O’Sullivan and Marco Fu were the finalists at the Hong Kong Masters in 2022. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

China’s Zhao Xintong set for snooker comeback after serving 20-month match-fixing ban

Zhao Xintong is back from his suspension and will take part in the WPBSA Q Tour event in Bulgaria. Photo: Xinhua

Yan Bingtao was banned from snooker for five years and his suspension runs until December 2027. Photo: Xinhua

Should Hong Kong pay athletes more – or less? Snooker, which faces cuts, makes its case

Ng On-yee has argued strongly against slashing snooker’s funding. Photo: Dickson Lee

Ng On-yee (left) and Marco Fu have access to facilities at the Hong Kong Sports Institute. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Marco Fu wins Asian Games gold in 2010. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

The 2022 Hong Kong Masters drew a record crowd as Ronnie O’Sullivan beat Marco Fu in the final. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Do Chinese parents push children too hard? Snooker star Ding Junhui suggests how to avoid repeat of match-fixing scandal

Ding Junhui wants to see a better balance between snooker practice and education. Photo: Xinhua

Yan Bingtao was last year banned for his part in the snooker match-fixing scandal. Photo: Xinhua

Zhao Xintong was another to be suspended following the investigation by snooker authorities. Photo: Xinhua

Ronnie O’Sullivan says ‘good event’ in Hong Kong despite ticket fiasco – and China’s Ding Junhui wants to play snooker in city

O’Sullivan says the players had no issues with the Hong Kong Snooker All-Star Challenge, where they could take risks they normally would not take. Photo: Sam Tsang

The Hong Kong Snooker All-Star Challenge at Queen Elizabeth Stadium was marred by chaos. Photo: Elson Li

China’s Ding Junhui has rarely played in Hong Kong in his two decades as a professional. Photo: Xinhua

Sport

Hong Kong

Other Sport

Sport’s rulers officially release details of World Grand Prix, to be staged in March in ‘world-class’ arena at new Kai Tak Sports Park


Sport’s rulers officially release details of World Grand Prix, to be staged in March in ‘world-class’ arena at new Kai Tak Sports Park.


Hong Kong sports