O’Sullivan Excited to Experience Local Customs and Strong Billiards Atmosphere in Yushan
China News Service, Beijing – November 3, 2023. It was announced in a press conference held in Beijing on November 1 that the 2023 6th Chinese Billiards World Championship and the 2024 Snooker World Open will officially return to Yushan County, Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province. The tournaments are scheduled to be held from December 2 to 16, 2023, and March 11 to 17, 2024, respectively.
The Chinese Billiards World Championship, established in 2015, represents the highest level of Chinese billiards. In an exciting development for the 2023 edition, the total prize money has been increased to 10.43 million yuan, with the men’s champion receiving 3 million yuan, and the women’s champion receiving 1 million yuan. Additionally, the event will continue to implement the Guaranteed Standards of Performance (GSP) for bonuses, ensuring that the top 128 players in the men’s group and the top 32 players in the women’s group are guaranteed a bonus of 10,000 yuan.
The organizers highlighted that the prize money and number of winners for this edition of the Chinese Billiards World Championship have reached new heights in global Chinese billiards events. This increase is expected to encourage more domestic and foreign athletes to participate, playing a significant role in the global promotion of Chinese billiards.
The Snooker World Open, a tournament with a rich history, first came to Yushan in 2016 and has been held consecutively for four years since then. As part of the upcoming 2024 edition, the total prize money will be increased to 815,000 pounds, with the champion receiving 170,000 pounds. Steve Dawson, Chairman of the World Snooker Tour, expressed his excitement about the upcoming event, stating that it will be an important moment for snooker, bringing the world‘s best players to Yushan.
Seven-time Snooker World Championship winner Ronnie O’Sullivan also appeared at the press conference. O’Sullivan expressed his determination to give a magnificent performance to all the fans of snooker. Moreover, he expressed his eagerness to explore Yushan and experience the local customs and the strong billiards atmosphere.
The event organizers shared that Yushan aims to establish itself as “the capital of Chinese billiards and the world‘s famous billiards city.” Over the years, Yushan has successfully hosted multiple Chinese Billiards World Championships and Snooker World Opens. Furthermore, the city has seen the completion of the Yushan Sports Center, the International Billiards Academy, the World Billiards Museum, and the International Convention and Exhibition Center. The Xingpai Billiards Industrial Park has also been completed and put into operation. This has led to the development of a billiards-based industrial ecosystem in Yushan.
Wang Tao, Chairman of the Chinese Billiards Association, expressed his anticipation for further development and a brighter future for billiards in Yushan, China, and worldwide, stating, “We look forward to utilizing these two events as catalysts for broader development and a brighter future for billiards in Yushan, in China, and around the world.”