Wuxi Classic

Wuxi Classic
Tournament information
Venue Wuxi City Sports Park Stadium
Location Wuxi
Country China
Established 2008
Organisation(s) World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association
Format Ranking event
Total prize fund £478,000[1]
Current champion(s) Australia Neil Robertson

The Wuxi Classic was a professional snooker tournament held from 2008 to 2014. It was a ranking event from 2012 through 2014. For the 2015/16 season, World Snooker reduced the number of ranking events held in China, which saw the tournament replaced by the snooker World Cup, also held in the city of Wuxi.[2] The last champion was Neil Robertson, who won the event in 2013 and retained his title in 2014.

History

The event was introduced in 2008 as the Jiangsu Classic and was the third Main Tour event held in China. The tournament was played on a round-robin basis, with semi-finals and a final. The event's name was changed to Wuxi Classic in 2010,[3][4] and the round-robin stage was abandoned.[5][6][7]

In 2012 the tournament became a ranking event,[8] and the Chinese organisers signed a five-year contract with prize money starting at £400,000 and increasing to £450,000 by 2014.[9] In 2013 the tournament became the first to use a new format, where every player started in the first round.[10] It was staged at the Wuxi City Sports Park Stadium, Wuxi, China.

There were three maximum breaks in the history of the tournament. The first was compiled by Mark Selby against Joe Perry in the group stage of the 2009 event.[3] In 2012 Stuart Bingham became the third player to compile a 147 break in a ranking final.[11] In the qualifying stage of the 2013 event Neil Robertson made the third maximum break against Mohamed Khairy.[12]

Winners

Year Winner Runner-up Final score Season
Jiangsu Classic (non–ranking)[3]
2008 China Ding Junhui England Mark Selby 6–5 2008/09
2009 Northern Ireland Mark Allen China Ding Junhui 6–0 2009/10
Wuxi Classic (non–ranking)[3][13]
2010 England Shaun Murphy China Ding Junhui 9–8 2010/11
2011 England Mark Selby England Ali Carter 9–7 2011/12
Wuxi Classic (ranking)[13]
2012[14] England Ricky Walden England Stuart Bingham 10–4 2012/13
2013[15] Australia Neil Robertson Scotland John Higgins 10–7 2013/14
2014[16] Australia Neil Robertson England Joe Perry 10–9 2014/15

References

  1. ↑ Kalb, Rolf (16 June 2014). "Wuxi Classic – Turnier-Infos" (in German). Eurosport Deutschland. Archived from the original on 30 June 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  2. ↑ "Snooker looks to cue up more big breaks in China". BBC News. 24 April 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Turner, Chris. "China International, China Open, Shanghai Masters, Jiangsu/Wuxi Classic". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  4. ↑ "Title Defence Is New Experience For Allen". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  5. ↑ "2010 Wuxi Classic". Global Snooker. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
  6. ↑ "2010 Wuxi Classic Results". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
  7. ↑ "Rundili Wuxi Classic (2010)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  8. ↑ Everton, Clive (2012). Snooker Scene (January 2012): 3. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ↑ "Wuxi Classic Becomes World Ranking Event". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  10. ↑ "New Season Starts In Gloucester". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  11. ↑ "Wuxi Classic: Ricky Walden defeats Stuart Bingham in final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  12. ↑ "Robertson Fires 147". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  13. 1 2 "Hall of Fame". Snooker.org. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  14. ↑ "Wuxi Classic (2012)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  15. ↑ "Sports Lottery Cup Wuxi Classic (2013)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  16. ↑ "Sports Lottery Cup Wuxi Classic (2014)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
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