The 2024 Champion of Champions commences on Monday with 16 gamers within the draw on the Toughsheet Neighborhood Stadium in Bolton.
The sphere contains winners from the World Snooker Tour during the last 12-month interval, the ladies’s world champion, the world seniors champion, and top-ups from the world rankings.
Staged in its present kind since 2013, the Champion of Champions has turn into some of the prestigious invitational tournaments on the calendar.
Who’s within the 2024 Champion of Champions draw?
Mark Allen returns this yr because the event’s defending champion having etched his title onto the trophy for the second time 12 months in the past.
The Northern Irishman contests Group 1 on day one and can face Igor Figeuiredo in his opening fixture, the favored Brazilian gaining an invite on the again of his triumph on the World Seniors Championship.
Every of the primary 4 days are marketed as separate “teams” that can decide every of the 4 semi-finalists.
However the format is successfully the identical as regular with last-16 and quarter-final ties slightly than any round-robin play.
Allen is the favorite to progress to the final 4 from his part with Gary Wilson – the Scottish Open and Welsh Open winner – and World Championship finalist Jak Jones in the identical quarter of the draw.
Tuesday will see a battle between the 2 most up-to-date world champions, with the in-form Kyren Wilson paired with the out-of-form Luca Brecel within the opening spherical.
Brecel’s excessive, and misrepresentative, world rating is what has earned him a spot among the many lineup however he has demonstrated little or no just lately to counsel he’ll problem for glory this week.
Tour Championship winner Mark Williams will probably await the winner within the Group 3 last with the Welshman a heavy favorite to see off the problem of ladies’s world champion Bai Yulu.
Group 2 is on Wednesday the place world primary Judd Trump enters the fray alongside English Open champion Neil Robertson, Championship League Snooker winner Ali Carter, and a still-to-be-decided sixteenth participant within the competitors.
Trump awaits to see who emerges with this weekend’s Worldwide Championship crown, with finalist Chris Wakelin and semi-finalists Ding Junhui and Xu Si in competition for the remaining spot within the 2024 Champion of Champions draw.
On Thursday, Ronnie O’Sullivan is about to be concerned with the file four-time champion scheduled to face Wuhan Open champion Xiao Guodong in spherical one.
O’Sullivan, who’s but to get his palms on silverware this time period after buying 5 over the past marketing campaign, withdrew on the final minute a yr in the past so his participation can’t be completely assured.
Group 4, although, is arguably the hardest of the 4 sections on paper with British Open winner Mark Selby and Shaun Murphy – invited by means of his world rating – vying to succeed in the latter phases as effectively.
The Champion of Champions semi-finals happen on Friday night and Saturday night earlier than Sunday’s last will see the winner awarded the £150,000 prime prize.
2024 Champion of Champions
Monday (Group 1)
1pm UTC
Mark Allen vs Igor Figueiredo
Following 1pm sport
Gary Wilson vs Jak Jones
Group 1 Last
7pm UTC
Allen/Figueiredo vs G.Wilson/Jones
Tuesday (Group 3)
1pm UTC
Kyren Wilson vs Luca Brecel
Following 1pm sport
Mark Williams vs Bai Yulu
Group 3 Last
7pm UTC
Ok.Wilson/Brecel vs Williams/Bai
Wednesday (Group 2)
1pm UTC
Judd Trump vs Worldwide Championship winner
Following 1pm sport
Ali Carter vs Neil Robertson
Group 2 Last
7pm UTC
Trump/TBC vs Carter/Robertson
Thursday (Group 4)
1pm UTC
Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Xiao Guodong
Following 1pm sport
Mark Selby vs Shaun Murphy
Group 4 Last
7pm UTC
O’Sullivan/Xiao vs Selby/Murphy
Semi-Finals
Friday at 7pm and Saturday at 7pm UTC
Last
Sunday at 1pm and 7pm UTC
Click on right here to view the complete up to date draw
(snooker.org)
The best way to watch the event
There are numerous choices accessible to observe the 2024 Champion of Champions, and here’s a full checklist of official broadcasters as printed by promoter Matchroom Sport:
ITV – UK and Eire
Rigour – China
Sport 1 – Israel
Sport 2 – Hungary
DAZN – Germany
Fox Sports activities – Australia
Mola TV – Indonesia
Nova – Czech Republic & Slovakia
Sky Community – New Zealand
StarHub – Singapore
Sportklub – Croatia & Ex-Yugo
HLN – Belgium
Viaplay – Baltics, Iceland, Netherlands, & Poland
Viasat – Scandinavia
Remainder of the World – Matchroom.Reside
Featured picture credit score: Taka G Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport
