'Rocket' Ronnie back to defend his title
Ding Junhui and Ronnie O'Sullivan (center) will serve as "star tutors" for Chinese amateur players in the interactive session of the Shanghai Masters.
The 2019 Shanghai Masters will be held from September 9 to 15 at the Regal International East Asia Hotel, organizers announced yesterday.
The annual snooker tournament has been turned into an invitational event rather than a ranking tournament, featuring a smaller but stronger squad.
This year’s event will feature the world’s top 16 players, four top-ranked Chinese players, four Chinese amateur players, two to be recommended by the Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association and the two best finishers at this week’s China Amateur Masters.
Ronnie “The Rocket” O’Sullivan is looking for a third Shanghai crown. O’Sullivan defeated countryman Barry Hawkins 11-9 in last year’s final to defend his title. Hawkins edged local favorite Ding Junhui 10-9 in the semifinal.
The China Amateur Masters starts tomorrow. The preliminary round will be held in China’s eight cities. The top three players of each city will play in the September finals, while the winner and runner-up get the chance to compete against the world’s best players.
Tickets for the event are available at www.jusstickets.com.
