Mumbai: The world’s leading exponents of snooker will assemble in the commercial capital of India, Mumbai, to participate in the second edition of the 300,000 pounds prize money Indian Open Snooker World Ranking Tournament – 2015, which will be organised by the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI) at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Kalina from March 10 to 14, 2015.
BSFI President, Capt. P.V.K. Mohan, made this announcement at a press conference held at the Grand Hyatt on Saturday. Also present on the occasion was Tournament Director, Mike Ganley from England, S. Balasubramaniam, Secretary General, BSFI and Devendra Joshi, a former Asian billiards champion, world billiards runner-up and Arjuna Awardee.
Speaking on the occasion, Capt. Mohan said: "We are indeed very happy and thrilled to be here in Mumbai for the second edition of the Indian Open Snooker World Ranking Tournament. The first event held in New Delhi in October 2013 was a stupendous success and we hope that this event will be even better. We chose Mumbai as the host city, because this sport is very popular in the city of Mumbai and in the state of Maharashtra."
Capt. Mohan also mentioned that the event will be hosted by different cities across the country. "The BSFI feels that this tournament has to move around the country. The Indian Open is an annual affair and it will be hosted by different cities in India. Next year we will take the event to Chennai and later to other parts of the country," stated Capt. Mohan, who is also the President of the International Billiards and Snooker Federation.
The BSFI was also happy that many of last year’s sponsors are once again backing the tournament. "With the kind of support we had received last year from the sponsors and the kind of performance that the federation has been able to dish out we have got several repeat sponsors which I feel is is a testimony of our commitment to the game. Once we show this kind of commitment I feel that this sport can only grow from here," said the President.
The top 64 players in the world have qualified for this tournament having participated in the qualifiers in Barnsley Metrodome, Barnsley, England last month. Last year’s winner Ding Junhui of China, who is currently the world number one will be here to defend his title. Last year’s runner-up Aditya Mehta of India, has also qualified for the main draw. The 27-year-old Chinese defeated England’s Barry Pinches 4-1 and the 29-year-old Mumbai cueist Mehta, the only Indian who has a Tour Card, blanked Hammad Miah also of England 4-0 to secure their places in the tournament proper.
India's most celebrated cueist, Pankaj Advani, a multiple world champion in both snooker and billiards, along with five other Indians will participate in the pre-tournament wild card qualifying round. Besides Advani, Neeraj Kumar, Brijesh Damani, Dharmendra Lilly, Sumit Talwar and Faisal Khan, all having won wild cards during the Indian qualifying legs, will pit their skill against six other players from England, Scotland, China and Thailand. The winners will earn berths in the 64-player main draw.
Some of the big guns who will work their magic on the green baize during the tournament, include John Higgins of Scotland, Mark Williams from Wales, Ken Doherty from Ireland and Englishmen Judd Trump and Peter Ebdon, to name a few.
This year the field has a strong Asian challenge with 11 players from the continent, including Ding and Aditya, having qualified for the main draw.
Englishman Mike Ganley has been appointed as the Tournament Director and he will be assisted by 14 official referees, 10 of which are from India.
The initial round matches will be played simultaneously on four tables.
The Indian Open Snooker will be officially inaugurated by the Honourable Governor of Maharashtra, Ch Vidyasagar Rao on Monday, March 9. Guest of Honour, Shri S.S. Mundra, Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India, will also grace the occasion during the opening ceremony.
Format: The tournament will be played on a knockout basis and all matches up to and including semi-finals will be of best-of-7 frames (no intervals) and the final will be played over best-of-9 frames.
From Tuesday, March 10 to Saturday March 14, matches will be played on a roll on roll with the exception of the TV table which will not start before the time indicated on the format. Table numbers will be determined the day before and published by the TD. The TD reserves the right to reschedule any match.
Prize money break-up:
Winner: 50,000 pounds.
Runner-up: 25,000 pounds.
Losing semi-finalists (x2): 13,500 pounds each.
Losing quarter-finalists (x4): 9,000 pounds each.
