Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters

Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters
Tournament information
VenueGreen Halls
LocationJeddah
CountrySaudi Arabia
Established2024
Organisation(s)World Snooker Tour
FormatRanking event
Total prize fund£2,302,000
Current champion Judd Trump (ENG)

The Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters is a professional snooker ranking tournament held in Green Halls, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Organised by the World Snooker Tour in collaboration with the Saudi Arabian Billiard & Snooker Federation (SABSF), the inaugural event was held for the first time in 2024 with Judd Trump as the winner. Branded as one of snooker's four major tournaments, it featured a total prize fund of £2,302,000, the second-highest after the World Championship.[1]

The tournament marks the return of ranking snooker events in the Middle East since the Bahrain Championship in 2008, and the first annual event since Dubai Classic in the 1980s.

History

[edit]

In February 2024, World Snooker Tour (WST) announced the addition of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters to the calendar, beginning from the 2024–25 season, as part of a ten-year deal. The 2024 edition was the first ranking tournament to be held in Saudi Arabia, following the non-ranking 2024 World Masters of Snooker event in March which was also held in Riyadh. It was dubbed by WST as snooker's "fourth major" alongside the Triple Crown events, the World Championship, the UK Championship and the Masters.[2] Announcement of the snooker events holding in Saudi Arabia was met with criticism from journalists accusing the country of sportswashing.[3][4] However, players welcomed the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters ranking event, lauding its "astronomical" prize fund and the opportunity to promote the sport in the Middle East.[5][6]

In May 2025, it is announced that the tournament will be moving from Riyadh to Jeddah starting from the 2025 event.[7]

Winners

[edit]
Year Winner Runner-up Final score Venue Season
2024[8]  Judd Trump (ENG)  Mark Williams (WAL) 10–9 Green Halls, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 2024/25

References

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  1. ^ "Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters: New ranking event announced!". World Snooker Tour. 13 February 2024. Archived from the original on 2 March 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  2. ^ "Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters: New tournament to offer £2m prize fund and become 'fourth major'". BBC Sport. 13 February 2024. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  3. ^ Meredith, Sam (22 January 2024). "Saudi Arabia's lavish sports push will now embrace snooker — and introduce a new golden ball". CNBC. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  4. ^ "A maximum break of 167? Saudi snooker plans unveil 20-point gold ball". The Guardian. 19 January 2024. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Players welcome Saudi announcement and 'Astronomical' prize pot". World Snooker Tour. 14 February 2024. Archived from the original on 2 March 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  6. ^ "Mark Allen: Northern Irishman 'not getting involved in politics' of Saudi tournament". BBC Sport. 28 February 2024. Archived from the original on 1 March 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  7. ^ World Snooker Tour. "Jeddah to host 2025 Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters". World Snooker Tour. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
  8. ^ "Trump crowned with classic clearance". World Snooker Tour. 7 September 2024. Archived from the original on 8 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
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