Hong Kong Masters Draw Sees Ronnie O’Sullivan Face Ng On Yee

Next on the snooker calendar is the Hong Kong Masters, an event that will see six of the world’s best players and two local wildcards go head to head. And, as always, it’s set to be a tournament that fails to disappoint, with the draw one that certainly captures the imagination.

The draw sees Ronnie O’Sullivan, one of the greatest players of all time, facing off against Ng On Yee, the three times women’s world champion. And fans are also going to see a repeat of two World Championship finals as Judd Trump and John Higgins go head to head. Elsewhere, Mark Selby takes on the second wildcard entry Marcu Fu, while Masters champion Neil Robertson meets UK champion Zhao Xintong.

The action takes place between the 6th and 9th of October at the Hong Kong Coliseum, with the winner of O’Sullivan and On Yee going on to face the winner of Robertson or Zhao. The second semi-final will see either Trump or Higgings take on the winner of Selby and Fu. According to local reports, there is expected to be a capacity crowd of around 8,000 in attendance, and many more will tune in to watch on TV and online.

According to Hong Kong Billiard Sports Control Council Chairman Vincent Law Wing-Chung, preparations are already in place ahead of the event, which begins in around a month, with players expected to join a closed bubble. It’s a similar system to the one used during the Winter Olympics, and it will allow all competitors to move freely within the bubble while taking part in the event.

“Players will not be allowed to go out freely – they will be protected inside the bubble,” he said. “One of the conditions that the World Snooker Tour imposed on us to host this event was that if there was quarantine, they would not allow their players to come here.

“When the rest of the world is back to normal, it is hard for the overseas players to see why Hong Kong’s pandemic restrictions are so behind. A bubble is the only way for them to come.

“Of course, it is better if there are no bubbles, and the world’s top players can have some contact with the city’s snooker fans, but we still hope that spectators can get close to the star players.

“We’ve been spending time on persuading top players to come. They know that even with pandemic restrictions, they still expect a good show in Hong Kong.”

The tournament is expected to be highly competitive, especially with a £100,000 prize up for grabs for the winner. And the Hong Kong Masters also marks the first return to Asia for the World Snooker Tour, which is another reason why sales out crowds are expected. The event will also be broadcast live around the world, with UK viewers able to tune in and watch the action unfold on Eurosport.