FFor snooker purists, it’s a sight no one wants to see just days after the end of the most prestigious tournament on the sport’s calendar. Debate has raged for years over whether the world championship must finally leave the crucible of its spiritual home, but this week there was a monumental moment in the build-up to the 2024 World Cup.
The world championships will be held in Sheffield until at least 2027, but Barry Hearn and Eddie Hearn, accompanied by seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, traveled to Saudi Arabia to announce state-funded sports and entertainment projects in Riyadh The cancellation of the season would certainly send shivers down the spine of those who love the Crucible if they were to become an official partner of the World Cup. O’Sullivan, never one to shy away from expressing his opinion, took it a step further. “I think Saudi Arabia can take this tournament, grab it by the scruff of the neck, turn it into Wimbledon, the French Open or the U.S. Open and really make it a super event,” he said.
This feels like the biggest existential threat to the Crucible’s long-term survival in the competition. There have been rumors that he might leave, but Saudi Arabia’s strong involvement feels very real, especially given O’Sullivan’s victory at the inaugural World Masters there last month.
Emotions aside, concerns about the Crucible are understandable. The venue has only 980 seats, and the world’s top players often lament the quality of the backstage facilities. However, when the World Championship begins and switches to a single table setting late in the event, there’s really nothing like it and history seeps out of the walls.
But while talk of change is back on the agenda for the tournament, there’s a familiar feel to the lineup. Only one of this year’s 32 players is making his debut: Joe O’Connor, who faced off against Matthew Selt in a nerve-wracking qualifying match late this week. Finally secured his seat.
All contestants are ranked within the world’s top 45, and the usual suspects are once again headlining the bill, with O’Sullivan at the top of the list. On Wednesday, he begins his bid for a record eighth world title with Wales’ Jackson Page as the Rocket bids to become just the fourth man in history to win snooker’s Triple Crown in the same season. Masters and World Championship) players.
At 48 years old, he is still in his prime and once again a favorite. However, things look very different for the defending champions. Luca Bressel’s victory in last year’s final drew immediate comparisons to O’Sullivan’s breakthrough in the 1990s, but the Belgian has found himself in a tough spot over the past 12 months.
He was ranked 37th on the one-year ranking list and had a tough draw with world number 31 David Gilbert in his first match. In keeping with world championship tradition, Bressel will open the race when the action begins on Saturday morning.
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Among the other contenders, Judd Trump has emerged as one of the two best players in the world this season along with O’Sullivan, Mark Williams remains a real threat in the long term and Mark Selby and Sean Murphy are also hoping to win another world title.
With the sport heading en masse to South Yorkshire over the next two weeks, now is the right time to take a step back and enjoy the history and drama the Crucible has to offer. The threat of relocation halfway around the world has never been more real. With O’Sullivan’s rise, things may remain the same, but massive changes could happen soon.
