In the Saudi Arabian World Masters of Snooker final, Ronnie O’Sullivan defeated Luca Brecel to win a cool £250,000 in cash.
Ronnie O’Sullivan defeated world snooker champion Luca Brecel to win the first-ever World Masters of Snooker in Saudi Arabia.
The Rocket, who had defeated Judd Trump to get to the main event in Riyadh, easily defeated his Belgian opponent in the final, winning five frames to two.
He received a check for £250,000, but no player was able to win the £400,000 cash prize by potting the contentious golden ball at the conclusion of a maximum break.
It was announced after the final that there would be a doubling of the prize money, or £800,000, available for spotting the golden ball the following year.
Additionally, plans for an O’Sullivan-named snooker academy in Saudi Arabia were revealed.
Turki Alalshikh, a Saudi advisor, said: “Hello everyone. Nobody won the golden ball in this competition today. We will quadruple that amount for the upcoming competition to $1 million (£790,000).
“And now for the second item. We are honored to talk with O’Sullivan about naming a school in his honor in Saudi Arabia.”
In his semi-final match against Mark Allen, Brecel displayed some of the form that helped him win the Crucible, but on Wednesday night, he found it difficult to keep up with O’Sullivan.
The Rocket jumped off to an early lead, but Brecel rallied back with consecutive wins to pull ahead. But for the Belgian Bullet, that was as good as it would get.
O’Sullivan was tied 2-2 going into the break, but he won three frames in his typical style—including a century break—to secure the win.
“What a great site and competition it has been. The audience has been incredible,” O’Sullivan remarked. “It has been far too long—I believe it was 1994—since we last visited the Middle East.
“It’s great to have snooker back in the Middle East. This week has been amazing, and the players have had a great time.
We would be incredibly appreciative to return and perform here many more times because of the wonderful culture and kindness we have received. With luck, [I’ll be back]. These are the competitions that you truly wish to participate in.
“There was only one table, a fantastic crowd, a nice vibe, with music playing in between the shots. We felt as though we were at a rave. I felt as though I had traveled back in time twenty-five years.
It has made it a little more dynamic, though, and I believe the entire audience has loved it. It has the feel of a really pleasant festival. Saudi Arabia Sporting events this season include the F1 on Saturday and the boxing on Friday. Everyone must travel to Saudi Arabia.”
O’Sullivan promised to pot the golden ball the next year and stated that he would want to remain longer for the Saudi event.
You want to take the sport as far as you can, but it’s clear that Saudi Arabia is a major force when it comes to locations like this,” he continued. The individuals who organized this week’s competition will be the ones who bring something new to snooker.
We’ve definitely loved it, and hopefully the crowds and they have too. Thus, by tomorrow, a ten-year deal ought to be on the table!
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