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Mike Chan

Snooker in Hong Kong will have a home at Kai Tak Arena for the next four years, organisers of the World Grand Prix said on Friday, although whether Ronnie O’Sullivan makes an appearance is still in doubt.
The mercurial Englishman skipped last year’s tournament in the city, and although he is on the list of the top 32 players expected to compete at Hong Kong’s newest venue, he has withdrawn from this week’s Masters on medical grounds.
Still, the likes of defending champion Neil Robertson, reigning world champion Zhao Xintong, Judd Trump, Mark Selby and 10 Chinese professionals will make the trip, giving local fans something to get excited about.
The organisers also revealed some changes to the set-up and that they wanted to align future ticket sales of the event with the usual practice of advanced sales adopted by the other World Snooker Tour events in the United Kingdom.
“We redesigned the venue and doubled the number of tables in the earlier rounds, and the process, including any discussions [with relevant parties], was lengthy,” Lakita Feng Huanhuan, CEO of organisers F-Sports, said.

“I’d rather not go through it from scratch again, but of course, there could be some fine-tuning and it depends on the viewing experience of the spectators.
“If the new settings were good, we could also follow the UK practice to advance the ticket sales for the next year, immediately after the preceding event.
“Our target is to implement this for the 2028 and 2029 events because there have been voices in the UK asking about the feasibility of such advanced sale … the World Grand Prix is not an event just for the local fans but every snooker fanatic from around the world.”
Among the 10 Chinese players competing in the city next month was Zhou Yuelong, who will be playing in Hong Kong for the first time.
“I had played professionally for many years, but I had never played here, so I hope to perform well here,” he said. “I’ll do the best I can and try to achieve the best results.
“With the format now changed to the best-of-nine frames, I think this could be a change that benefits those players who didn’t start the match well. As for the spectators, they could also watch their favourite players longer, so I believe this is going to be good.”
Zhou also said the large number of Chinese players at the World Grand Prix, which runs from February 3 to 8, marked the growth of the sport in China, and he hoped to see himself, or a compatriot, triumphing in Hong Kong next month.
Local snooker star Marco Fu Ka-chun, the former world No 5 and a winner of three ranking events, was set to feature in two exhibition matches against seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry.
“I had practised with him for a long period at the start of my career, which laid a good foundation for me in terms of both my skills and mindset,” the 48-year-old said. “So being able to play against Stephen at this stage of my career was meaningful.
“It’s like paying a tribute to my idol on home soil; I am honoured and will be looking forward to it.”
Currently ranked No 75 in the world, Fu said that he was approaching the end of his professional career and admitted “it’s going to be very difficult for me to return to my previous peak. This is the reality for any athlete, not just me”.


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World Snooker Grand Prix will have Kai Tak home until 2029, but will O’Sullivan ever come?

Defending champion Neil Robertson will return to Hong Kong for the World Grand Prix. Photo: Dickson Lee

Marco Fu will play two exhibition matches against seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry. Photo: Handout

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Wong Chun-ting (left) and Baldwin Chan Ho-wah are the world’s top men’s doubles pairing. Photo: WTT

Baldwin Chan Ho-wah (left) and Wong Chun-ting enjoyed a strong 2025. Photo: handout

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Hong Kong fencers (from left) Wong Pak-yiu, Vivienne Lee, Ivana Lee and Anthony Ho pose with their medals after the FIE Junior and Cadet Epee World Cup in Bahrain. Photo: Hong Kong Fencing Association

Sport

Hong Kong

Other Sport

Mercurial Englishman is on the list of top 32 players expected to compete, while Robertson, Trump, Selby and Zhao will play in Hong Kong


Mercurial Englishman is on the list of top 32 players expected to compete, while Robertson, Trump, Selby and Zhao will play in Hong Kong.


Marco Fu

Judd Trump

Ronnie O'Sullivan

Neil Robertson

World Snooker Grand Prix will have Kai Tak home until 2029, but will O’Sullivan ever come?

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Mercurial Englishman is on the list of top 32 players expected to compete, while Robertson, Trump, Selby and Zhao will play in Hong Kong

Mercurial Englishman is on the list of top 32 players expected to compete, while Robertson, Trump, Selby and Zhao will play in Hong Kong