The Shanghai Masters is again on Monday after a four-year absence with Ronnie O’Sullivan among the many stars within the draw.
As soon as a everlasting fixture of the annual calendar, the event hasn’t been staged since 2019 due to the pandemic.
However with China opening itself up once more to worldwide guests, the favored non-ranking occasion has been welcomed again to the schedule.
Prize, historical past, and format
The Shanghai Masters was launched in 2007, and for the primary decade it boasted rating occasion standing.
Dominic Dale was a shock inaugural champion, however the roll of honour thereafter included among the greatest names within the sport.
The likes of Mark Selby, John Higgins, Ding Junhui, Stuart Bingham, and Kyren Wilson every acquired their palms on the trophy between 2011 and 2016.
Sandwiching these triumphs had been successes in 2009 and 2017 for Ronnie O’Sullivan.
When the Shanghai Masters transitioned to a prestigious invitational event in 2018, the Rocket added one other brace of titles.
Shanghai Masters Roll of Honour
Rating Occasion
2007: Dominic Dale
2008: Ricky Walden
2009: Ronnie O’Sullivan
2010: Ali Carter
2011: Mark Selby
2012 John Higgins
2013: Ding Junhui
2014: Stuart Bingham
2015: Kyren Wilson
2016: Ding Junhui
2017: Ronnie O’Sullivan
Invitational Occasion
2018: Ronnie O’Sullivan
2019: Ronnie O’Sullivan
O’Sullivan will lastly then get a chance to defend the crown he final received in 2019.
The world primary is the bookies favorite at 4/1 to triumph once more in China, with these dwell betting websites providing deposit bonuses and free bets.
Judd Trump, who misplaced deciding-frame finals in 2012 and 2015, has odds of 6/1 with world champion Luca Brecel on 12/1.
With a complete prize pot value £825,000 and a whopping £210,000 being awarded to the champion, it’s unlikely that O’Sullivan will withdraw from this occasion like he has completed the opening two of the 2023/24 marketing campaign.
There are 24 gamers in whole within the 2023 Shanghai Masters draw, with matches within the first three rounds lasting 11 frames.
Multi-session encounters will subsequently be required within the semi-finals (bo19) and the ultimate (bo21).
2023 Shanghai Masters draw
Ronnie O’Sullivan is one among eight seeds who will obtain byes by means of to the final 16 of the competitors.
The others are world champion Luca Brecel, former winners Mark Selby and Kyren Wilson, and fellow top-eight ranked opponents Mark Allen, Judd Trump, Neil Robertson, and Shaun Murphy.
The opposite eight members from the highest 16 on the earth rankings (backdated) have been drawn to face 4 top-ranked Chinese language cueists and 4 wildcards within the spherical of 24.
The wildcards are often called Deng Haohui, Dong Zihao, Gong Chenzhi, and rising ladies’s star Bai Yulu, however for some cause there was no affirmation but as to their precise place within the draw.
The event runs from September eleventh to September seventeenth on the Shanghai Grand Stage.
Final 24
Ali Carter (11) vs Wildcard
(Mon, 12:30pm)
John Higgins (10) vs Wildcard
(Mon, 2:30am)
Hossein Vafaei (16) vs Wildcard
(Mon, 7:30am)
Jack Lisowski (13) vs Zhou Yuelong
(Mon, 7:30am)
Gary Wilson (14) vs Fan Zhengyi
(Mon, 2:30am)
Ding Junhui (15) vs Si Jiahui
(Mon, 12:30pm)
Robert Milkins (12) vs Wildcard
(Tues, 2:30am)
Mark Williams (9) vs Pang Junxu
(Tues, 2:30am)
Final 16
Ronnie O’Sullivan (1) vs Carter/Wildcard
(Tues, 12:30pm)
Kyren Wilson (8) vs Higgins/Wildcard
(Tues, 7:30am)
Mark Selby (5) vs Vafaei/Wildcard
(Tues, 12:30pm)
Judd Trump (4) vs Lisowski/Zhou
(Tues, 7:30am)
Mark Allen (3) vs G.Wilson/Fan
(Wed, 7am)
Neil Robertson (6) vs Ding/Si
(Wed, 12:30pm)
Shaun Murphy (7) vs Milkins/Wildcard
(Wed, 12:30pm)
Luca Brecel (2) vs Williams/Pang
(Wed, 7pm)
watch the 2023 Shanghai Masters
Stay protection will likely be accessible throughout Europe on discovery+ and Eurosport.
Viewers in most different territories can watch the motion through a subscription on Matchroom.Stay.
Nonetheless, there’s extra info accessible on the World Snooker Tour web site on the way to watch the Shanghai Masters this week from all over the world.
Featured picture credit score: WST
