The 2024 British Open continues this week on the Centaur in Cheltenham with the likes of Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, and Mark Selby nonetheless within the draw.
One of many charms of this event that ought to assist to distinguish it from others on the calendar is the random draw aspect for every spherical.
But snooker followers have been left questioning why the attracts to this point have been carried out behind closed doorways.
The British Open is one among solely two tournaments on the calendar that utilises the FA-Cup model random draw format, the opposite being the Snooker Shoot Out.
However not like the latter occasion the place the draw for every spherical is mostly proven stay on tv, the pairings for the early levels of this yr’s British Open haven’t been aired.
The scheduling has additionally been considerably complicated, with some gamers competing as soon as in a day, others enjoying two video games, and several other contenders having a complete time off at instances.
Much like final week’s English Open in Brentwood, two best-of-seven fixtures have moreover been scheduled back-to-back for the night session that begins at 7pm native time.
Unsurprisingly, there have already been extraordinarily late finishes with the latest being Rory Thor’s success over Neil Robertson within the early hours of Thursday morning.
Thor upset the Aussie, who triumphed on the English Open on Sunday, in a 4-3 match that concluded after 1am and catered for a handful of die-hards who stayed within the enviornment along with insomniacs viewing from house.
That is hardly a brand new problem, however it has all the time been a silly one and for years nothing has been finished about it.
On the attracts, it appears unusual that the World Snooker Tour and host broadcaster ITV wouldn’t wish to spotlight the obvious aspect that separates the British Open from different occasions.
“To the informal viewer the British Open appears completely no totally different to the English Open,” X consumer Deco wrote.
“Having it off the again of the English [Open] is a ridiculous choice. FA Cup model draw is its distinctive promoting level, however it’s chaotically scheduled and the draw by no means seen, so what’s the purpose?”
“It simply appears to randomly occur,” Cluster of Reds blogger stated. “No fanfare, anticipation, or pleasure in any respect. At the very least with the Shoot On the market was some indication.”
Snooker journalists Phil Haigh and Nick Metcalfe, the pair behind the favored Speaking Snooker podcast, additionally expressed their mystification with how the event has been promoted.
“I can’t actually become familiar with this British Open but,” Metcalfe wrote. “The clues on 3-2-1 with Ted Rogers have been simpler to comply with.”
“I’m having fun with a load of snooker matches and that’s all the time nice, however I’m unsure of the sample. I appear to have missed all of the attracts. Isn’t {that a} huge promoting level?”
Speaking Snooker co-host Haigh agreed: “I’m younger sufficient to not perceive Nick’s 3-2-1 reference, but additionally discovering it difficult to comply with.”
“Haven’t seen any of the attracts, arduous to inform which rounds have been drawn but. Scheduling additionally bizarre. [David] Gilbert didn’t play (his) first recreation till this afternoon and is again on tonight.”
As issues stand heading into Thursday’s fixtures, eight gamers have already booked their spots within the final 16.
Selby is the highest-ranked participant to have reached that time to this point, with the 2023 runner-up having come by each of his two clashes in 4-3 thrillers which have every concluded on the ultimate black.
World Championship finalist Jak Jones can also be by to the final 16 of a rating occasion for the second time this season.
Rory Thor, David Gilbert, Stephen Maguire, Lyu Haotian, Elliot Slessor, and teenager Stan Moody are the others safely into the final 16.
Among the many gamers nonetheless hoping to advance from the spherical of 32 are world primary Judd Trump, world champion Kyren Wilson, Mark Allen, John Higgins, and Luca Brecel.
By the tip of Thursday (or probably into the early hours of Friday), the state of affairs will no less than turn into a bit of clearer with the eight quarter-finalists decided.
2024 British Open draw
Spherical of 32 (bo7)
Outcomes
Mark Selby 4-3 Yuan Sijun
Jak Jones 4-1 Iulian Boiko
Stan Moody 4-3 Zhang Anda
Lyu Haotian 4-2 Haris Tahir
Rory Thor 4-3 Neil Robertson
Stephen Maguire 4-3 Stuart Bingham
David Gilbert 4-3 Ashley Carty
Elliot Slessor 4-3 Xu Si
Thurs, 1pm UTC+1
John Higgins vs Graeme Dott
Mark Davis vs Judd Trump
Ricky Walden vs Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Oliver Traces vs Sunny Akani
Following 1pm video games
Marco Fu vs Kyren Wilson
Ben Mertens vs Mark Allen
Liam Davies vs Luca Brecel
David Grace vs Chris Wakelin
Spherical of 16 (bo7)
Thurs, 7pm UTC+1
Rory Thor vs Higgins/Dott
Lyu Haotian vs David Gilbert
Stan Moody vs Traces/Akani
Trump/Davis vs Stephen Maguire
Following 7pm video games
Allen/Mertens vs Grace/Wakelin
Brecel/Davies vs Jak Jones
Wilson/Fu vs Elliot Slessor
Mark Selby vs Walden/Un-Nooh
Click on right here to view the complete up to date draw (snooker.org)
Featured photograph credit score: WST
