The World Open returns to the World Snooker Tour calendar this season, with four events now being held in China as the country bounces back after the pandemic-enforced hiatus.
The ranking event will run from 11-17 March in Yushan, where the previous four editions of the tournament were held from 2016-19.
The WST annoucement confirms that ‘full details on the tournament will be announced in due course’ which will include when qualifiers will be played to make it to Yushan and the prize money involved.
Judd Trump won the last World Open when he beat Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in November 2019 and claimed £150,000 for his troubles, with the Thai runner-up picking up £75,000, so it is a major event that is returning to the calendar.
The invitational Shanhai Masters and two ranking tournaments – the Wuhan Open and International Championship – have already been announced for this season as Chinese competitions return to the professional circuit for the first time since 2019.
Steve Dawson, the WST chairman, said: ‘We are delighted to join forces with Star Xingpai, Yushan Municipal Government and CBSA to stage the World Open in Yushan in 2024.
‘Having been unable to stage tournaments in mainland China between 2019 and 2023 due to travel restrictions, we have made an emphatic return this season. To have four major Chinese events in our first full season back in the Far East underlines the huge appetite for snooker in China and the fact that we have built lasting relationships with our key partners.
‘Snooker’s future in China is bright and this is just the beginning. The World Open is a fantastic tournament in an outstanding location which has particular significance for snooker as it is the home of Star Xing Pai and the world’s first Billiard Sports City.
‘This title was won by four greats of our sport – Ali Carter, Ding Junhui, Mark Williams and Judd Trump – between 2016 and 2019. I have no doubt that all of the biggest stars will keenly anticipate the chance to return to Yushan in 2024.’
It had been a tough time for the tour during the height of the pandemic and there was significant unrest among players last season due to the lack of events, but the return of China has been a huge boost.
Speaking this week, world number 47 Robbie Williams told Metro.co.uk: ‘I think China was a big thing, getting that back on, just to settle a few grievances. The mood on tour seems to be fine now, with people I’ve spoken to.’
World number one Ronnie O’Sullivan will also be delighted with the news as he spoke of his desire to compete in more Asian events than UK tournaments, if possible, this season.
‘I’ve gone the other way now, I’m going to travel and play all the overseas tournaments and miss all the UK tournaments,’ O’Sullivan told TalkSport.
‘I can’t do it all. Before I used to say, ‘I won’t travel, I’ll stay in the UK’, which was sweet, but now I think at this stage of my career, obviously Asia’s a big place to play, bigger tournaments, so I’ll do them and miss the UK ones.
‘If I don’t do well in the Asian ones then I’ll get home early and then I don’t mind hopping on a plane and going to Scotland or Belfast but, if I do well, I want to have a week at home, chill out with the dogs and then get back on a plane and go back to India or wherever.’
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