Snooker News

Australi-Na?

There was a discussion on social networking site Twitter yesterday surrounding whether or not all the qualifiers for the upcoming Australian Open would make the trip or not.

With the large flight expenses, staying in a hotel and general living expenses for the period that you are there, a significant chunk will be taken out of the player’s earnings for making it to the event proper.

However, while some were tipping that a few will definitely pull out, I would have to disagree.

The prize money for everyone who has made it as far as the last 32 is $7,500 – roughly equating to £5,000.

There is absolutely no excuse for any player to think that they will spend more than that and come out with a loss when their winnings are weighed up against their expenses while Down Under.

Yes, it is possible that if, say, David Gilbert, goes out in the first round he will feel aggrieved at how much work he has achieved with little gain.

This is especially the case as he is ranked outside the Top 64 so opportunities to earn this amount of money is limited.

However, there is a wider picture at hand here.

This is the first time a ranking event will be held in Australia and its success relies on everything running smoothly.

If players withdraw and there is a case of a few first round byes for the Top 16, the early impressions of the inaugural tournament will border on farcical levels.

I am sure that there is an expansive marketing plan in effect at the moment in Bendigo, Victoria with 2010 world champion Neil Robertson at the forefront of proceedings in enticing fans to arrive in their droves.

Fans and tournament organisers will particularly become apprehensive if, on the first day, a match is cancelled and these efforts could be damaged.

At any rate, if a player does pull out he would basically be sending out a message to all his opponents that he doesn’t think he is good enough to progress further in a ranking event and make more money.

No, expect all 32 players to be in Australia on the 18th July.

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