The World Seniors Snooker Championship commences on Wednesday with Stephen Hendry and Jimmy White among the stars in the draw.
Taking place for the fourth year in a row at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, a total of 24 competitors from around the globe will be in action.
It has become a nice way to effectively end the snooker season and comes just days after the main tour World Championship concluded at the famous venue.
History and Format
Originally staged for one year in 1991 and subsequently revived almost 20 years later, the World Seniors Championship has been held annually since 2010.
Jimmy White is the record three-time champion having picked up the trophies in 2010, 2019, and 2020.
The Whirlwind’s streak ended in last year’s final when he was denied a hat-trick of consecutive titles by David Lilley.
Darren Morgan, Nigel Bond, and Peter Lines are three other former World Seniors Snooker Championship winners who are in the 2022 draw.
With 24 players in the field for the first time, the top eight seeds are already safely through to the second round, with the remaining 16 competitors entering in round one.
Both of the first two rounds take place over five frames, with the format increasing to best of seven for the quarter-finals and semi-finals.
The final on Sunday evening will be contested over nine frames.
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2022 World Seniors Snooker Championship Draw
There is a wide mix of players from all around the world in this year’s tournament, with former and current professionals, and amateurs over the age of 40 all involved.
As is the case with most World Seniors Tour tournaments, the qualifying criteria isn’t totally clear.
Regardless, it promises to be an interesting few days with a selection of old stars in action.
Fans will of course be there in numbers to support the likes of White, Hendry, Ken Doherty, Joe Johnson, and John Parrott.
But former world number two Tony Knowles and Canadian Bob Chaperon are among the eighties stalwarts also in the running.
Ahmed Aly will become the first American to compete at the Crucible Theatre, while there’s a spot too for women’s snooker veteran Maria Catalano.
Catalano, who will be representing Italy, is famously the cousin of Ronnie O’Sullivan – who of course won the world title for a seventh time just a couple of days ago.
Michael Holt, who at 43 is three years younger than O’Sullivan, is the pre-tournament favourite having just recently been relegated from the professional circuit.
Last 24
Bob Chaperon vs Philip Williams
May 4, 9:30pm
Darren Morgan vs Patrick Wallace
May 5, 12pm
Lee Walker vs Tony Knowles
May 4, 7pm
Ahmed Aly vs Wayne Cooper
May 5, 2:30pm
Wael Talaat vs Maria Catalano
May 5, 7:30pm
Rory McLeod vs Frank Sarsfield
May 5, 10am
Nigel Bond vs Stuart Watson
May 5, 4:30pm
Michael Judge vs Gary Filtness
May 5, 9:30pm
Last 16
David Lilley vs Chaperon/Williams
May 6, 10am
Michael Holt vs Morgan/Wallace
May 6, 4:30pm
Stephen Hendry vs Walker/Knowles
May 6, 2:30pm
Ken Doherty vs Aly/Cooper
May 6, 12pm
Jimmy White vs Talaat/Catalano
May 6, 7:30pm
Joe Johnson vs McLeod/Sarsfield
May 7, 10am
John Parrott vs Bond/Watson
May 6, 9:30pm
Peter Lines/Judge/Filtness
May 7, 12pm
The quarter-finals take place on May 7 with the semi-finals and final on May 8.
Times in BST
How to Watch the World Seniors Championship
In the UK, the event will be live on the BBC Red Button, the iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app.
Viewers in all other countries and territories will be able to follow live play via a Matchroom.Live subscription.
For more information about the draw and results, click here.
Featured photo credit: WSS
This will be John Parrott’s final competitive tournament.
I’ve tipped Holt to beat Judge in the final.