The 2024 British Open continues this week on the Centaur in Cheltenham with the likes of Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, and Mark Selby nonetheless within the draw.
One of many charms of this event that ought to assist to distinguish it from others on the calendar is the random draw aspect for every spherical.
But snooker followers have been left questioning why the attracts up to now have been performed behind closed doorways.
The British Open is one in all solely two tournaments on the calendar that utilises the FA-Cup type random draw format, the opposite being the Snooker Shoot Out.
However not like the latter occasion the place the draw for every spherical is usually proven stay on tv, the pairings for the early levels of this yr’s British Open haven’t been aired.
The scheduling has additionally been considerably complicated, with some gamers competing as soon as in a day, others enjoying two video games, and several other contenders having a complete time off at instances.
Just like final week’s English Open in Brentwood, two best-of-seven fixtures have moreover been scheduled back-to-back for the night session that begins at 7pm native time.
Unsurprisingly, there have already been extraordinarily late finishes with the latest being Rory Thor’s success over Neil Robertson within the early hours of Thursday morning.
Thor upset the Aussie, who triumphed on the English Open on Sunday, in a 4-3 match that concluded after 1am and catered for a handful of die-hards who stayed within the enviornment along with insomniacs viewing from residence.
That is hardly a brand new difficulty, however it has at all times been a silly one and for years nothing has been executed about it.
On the attracts, it appears unusual that the World Snooker Tour and host broadcaster ITV wouldn’t need to spotlight the obvious aspect that separates the British Open from different occasions.
“To the informal viewer the British Open appears completely no totally different to the English Open,” X consumer Deco wrote.
“Having it off the again of the English [Open] is a ridiculous resolution. FA Cup type draw is its distinctive promoting level, however it’s chaotically scheduled and the draw by no means seen, so what’s the purpose?”
“It simply appears to randomly occur,” Cluster of Reds blogger stated. “No fanfare, anticipation, or pleasure in any respect. No less than with the Shoot On the market was some indication.”
Snooker journalists Phil Haigh and Nick Metcalfe, the pair behind the favored Speaking Snooker podcast, additionally expressed their mystification with how the event has been promoted.
“I can’t actually familiarize yourself with this British Open but,” Metcalfe wrote. “The clues on 3-2-1 with Ted Rogers had been simpler to observe.”
“I’m having fun with a load of snooker matches and that’s at all times nice, however I’m undecided of the sample. I appear to have missed all of the attracts. Isn’t {that a} huge promoting level?”
Speaking Snooker co-host Haigh agreed: “I’m younger sufficient to not perceive Nick’s 3-2-1 reference, but additionally discovering it tough to observe.”
“Haven’t seen any of the attracts, laborious to inform which rounds have been drawn but. Scheduling additionally bizarre. [David] Gilbert didn’t play (his) first sport till this afternoon and is again on tonight.”
As issues stand heading into Thursday’s fixtures, eight gamers have already booked their spots within the final 16.
Selby is the highest-ranked participant to have reached that time up to now, with the 2023 runner-up having come via each of his two clashes in 4-3 thrillers which have every concluded on the ultimate black.
World Championship finalist Jak Jones can also be via to the final 16 of a rating occasion for the second time this season.
Rory Thor, David Gilbert, Stephen Maguire, Lyu Haotian, Elliot Slessor, and teenager Stan Moody are the others safely into the final 16.
Among the many gamers nonetheless hoping to advance from the spherical of 32 are world primary Judd Trump, world champion Kyren Wilson, Mark Allen, John Higgins, and Luca Brecel.
By the tip of Thursday (or probably into the early hours of Friday), the scenario will not less than develop into a bit clearer with the eight quarter-finalists decided.
2024 British Open draw
Spherical of 32 (bo7)
Outcomes
Mark Selby 4-3 Yuan Sijun
Jak Jones 4-1 Iulian Boiko
Stan Moody 4-3 Zhang Anda
Lyu Haotian 4-2 Haris Tahir
Rory Thor 4-3 Neil Robertson
Stephen Maguire 4-3 Stuart Bingham
David Gilbert 4-3 Ashley Carty
Elliot Slessor 4-3 Xu Si
Thurs, 1pm UTC+1
John Higgins vs Graeme Dott
Mark Davis vs Judd Trump
Ricky Walden vs Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Oliver Traces vs Sunny Akani
Following 1pm video games
Marco Fu vs Kyren Wilson
Ben Mertens vs Mark Allen
Liam Davies vs Luca Brecel
David Grace vs Chris Wakelin
Spherical of 16 (bo7)
Thurs, 7pm UTC+1
Rory Thor vs Higgins/Dott
Lyu Haotian vs David Gilbert
Stan Moody vs Traces/Akani
Trump/Davis vs Stephen Maguire
Following 7pm video games
Allen/Mertens vs Grace/Wakelin
Brecel/Davies vs Jak Jones
Wilson/Fu vs Elliot Slessor
Mark Selby vs Walden/Un-Nooh
Click on right here to view the total up to date draw (snooker.org)
Featured photograph credit score: WST
