With the early rounds of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters now full, the highest 16 seeds from the world rankings can lastly enter the attract Jeddah.
The likes of reigning champion Judd Trump, world champion Zhao Xintong, and in-form Kyren Wilson have all been ready a number of days to affix the motion.
That wait is over, with the heavy hitters set to make their mark within the profitable match from Tuesday.
World primary Trump, who triumphed on the inaugural staging of this occasion final yr with a dramatic 10-9 defeat of Mark Williams, first faces good friend and fellow Englishman Oliver Traces.
Zhao and Wilson are each on the other aspect of the 2025 Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters draw.
The previous entertains Steven Hallworth, who prolonged his very good run within the competitors with a 5-3 defeat of Zhou Yuelong on Monday.
Current Shanghai Masters champion Wilson meets up-and-coming expertise Iulian Boiko.
Hallworth and Boiko are two amongst 4 unlikely contenders who’ve battled their means by means of all 4 rounds to date.
The others are Farakh Ajaib, the British-born Pakistani participant who’s doing his greatest to characterize the Center East area in its most high-profile match, and Chang Bingyu.
Ajaib will subsequent face Chris Wakelin whereas Chang seems to be losing little time in getting his profession again on monitor following the conclusion of his ban – establishing a date with Mark Allen after beating David Gilbert.
Elsewhere, Ronnie O’Sullivan faces a difficult opening problem within the type of Championship League Snooker runner-up Joe O’Connor.
Stephen Maguire, who beat O’Connor to win that season-opening rating title, appeared in effective type as he thumped Anthony McGill 5-0 to arrange a mouthwatering conflict towards Ding Junhui.
One other thrilling prospect is the showdown between Shaun Murphy and most man Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.
Un-Nooh backed up his 147 show on Sunday with one other fearsome efficiency within the spherical of 48, thrashing Jak Jones 5-1 with contributions of 110, 103, 95, 67, and 57.
Final yr’s finalist Williams, in the meantime, will play Yuan Sijun with John Higgins in motion towards Elliot Slessor.
Mark Selby and Neil Robertson are additionally thought of as attainable champions on the finish of the week with the pair first up towards Lengthy Zehuang and Ben Woollaston respectively.
There’s an all-Chinese language contest between Si Jiahui and Wu Yize, Barry Hawkins meets Martin O’Donnell, Ali Carter gamers Gary Wilson, and Zhang Anda takes on former world champion Stuart Bingham.
The attendances on the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters have been woeful to date, with the most recent version having moved to the Inexperienced Halls in Jeddah this season.
A low turnout is to be anticipated in the course of the earlier rounds of most occasions in the course of the calendar, however it’ll grow to be tougher and tougher to defend the optics the longer that continues any further.
With the marquee names now coming into the fold, it’ll be fascinating to see to what stage crowd numbers enhance, if in any respect, in what’s dubbed the game’s fourth main.
Stay protection for followers within the UK and Eire continues on TNT Sports activities and discovery+.
Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters draw
Final 32 (bo9)
Matches happen on Tuesday, August twelfth
11am UTC+1 (BST)
Judd Trump vs Oliver Traces
Ali Carter vs Gary Wilson
Neil Robertson vs Ben Woollaston
Mark Selby vs Lengthy Zehuang
John Higgins vs Elliot Slessor
Zhang Anda vs Stuart Bingham
Shaun Murphy vs Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Mark Williams vs Yuan Sijun
5:30pm UTC+1 (BST)
Kyren Wilson vs Iulian Boiko
Si Jiahui vs Wu Yize
Mark Allen vs Chang Bingyu
Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Joe O’Connor
Ding Junhui vs Stephen Maguire
Barry Hawkins vs Martin O’Donnell
Chris Wakelin vs Farakh Ajaib
Zhao Xintong vs Steven Hallworth
The complete up to date draw is offered at snooker.org
Featured photograph credit score: WST
