Saudi Snooker Masters' fear as Ronnie O’Sullivan sparks huge worry at lucrative tournament

Ronnie O'Sullivan
-Credit: (Image: (Image: Getty))


Saudi Snooker Masters organisers are concerned about low attendance for the remaining matches after Ronnie O'Sullivan's elimination.

Despite being touted as the unofficial fourth major, the inaugural tournament has struggled to attract crowds throughout its run. With a massive £500,000 prize for the winner and a £2.3million total purse - the second largest in snooker - the Saudi Masters generated plenty of excitement among players leading up to the event.

However, the effort to promote the sport in the Gulf nation has fallen short, as low attendance has remained a persistent issue. Empty seats have been a major talking point in Riyadh, as crowds have been almost non-existent aside from during O'Sullivan's matches, with viral images of the sparsely filled stands likely causing significant embarrassment for the organisers.

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O'Sullivan's quarter-final exit, following a 6-4 defeat to Si Jiahui on Thursday, was a major blow for the tournament. After falling behind 2-0, O'Sullivan rallied to 5-4 before ultimately being knocked out.

The semi-finals will see Jiahui face Welshman Mark Williams, while Judd Trump takes on Shaun Murphy. With O'Sullivan gone, organisers are bracing for even lower attendance at both semi-finals and Saturday's final.

World No. 1 Trump has also added to the controversy, criticising the tournament and suggesting its large prize pool could unfairly distort the rankings.

It comes amid talk of potentially relocating the World Championship from its hallowed home at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre. And controversially, Saudi Arabia has not been ruled out as the new home.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn said: "We can't overlook the history and the legacy of the sport there [in England], but we're under pressure, as always, to provide opportunity for our members and the players, and if there is a chance to change their lives by record prize money it's something we have to look at as well."

Hearn continued, emphasising the situation's fluidity: "At the moment, there are no discussions, no plans, to move the World Championship, but in three years' time the landscape might have changed."