Hong Kong Masters: Ronnie O'Sullivan could return to defend title at sport's biggest venue with snooker chiefs in talks

The elite Hong Kong Masters could return to the snooker calendar for the 2023/24 campaign after Ronnie O'Sullivan's momentous victory before a world-record crowd in October. The seven-time world champion claimed the £100,000 first prize with a narrow 6-4 win over home favourite Marco Fu as over 9,000 fans watched the action at the vast Hong Kong Coliseum.

Ad The top six players in the world alongside Fu and compatriot Ng On Yee – the three-time women's world champion – competed in last season's invitational event, the first snooker tournament held outside of Europe and the first major sporting event staged by Hong Kong since the global Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. SnookerWhen does snooker return for new season as Brecel begins reign as world champion?9 HOURS AGO There are 16 ranking events pencilled in for the provisional 2023/24 calendar and six non-ranking tournaments, including the Champion of Champions, Masters and Six-Red World Championship.

World Snooker Tour are in talks with the Hong Kong Billiard Sports Control Council as part of plans to add further tournaments to the new campaign which will see three major events – the Shanghai Masters, Wuhan Open and International Championship worth over £2m in prize money – return to mainland China for the first time since 2019. «Talks are ongoing with several locations worldwide as WST’s aim is always to expand the calendar and provide opportunities for the players,» a spokesperson told Eurosport.

O'Sullivan described the Hong Kong tournament as the greatest experience of his 31-year professional career after it was moved from the Queen Elizabeth Stadium to allow more fans access to the action. «First of all, I want to say, this is the best tournament I have probably ever