888sport Sponsor World Seniors Snooker #WinningStillMatters

This weekend’s World Seniors Championship, featuring many of snooker’s great names, will be sponsored by 888sport for the first time.

The 888sport World Seniors Championship runs on Saturday January 30 and Sunday January 31 at the Guild Hall in Preston, televised live on Sky Sports.

Mark Williams won the title on his debut in the event last year and will be defending the crown against the likes of Jimmy White, John Parrott, Ken Doherty and Joe Johnson. In all there are 16 players, aged 40 and over, chasing the £18,000 top prize.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “We are delighted to welcome 888sport on board for what is a wonderful celebration of snooker. 888sport has sponsored a variety of our events in the past so they are fully aware of how popular snooker is on a global scale.

“The World Seniors is a fabulous event which brings together legends of the past three decades. It’s a lot of fun for the players, but once the first ball is struck it is serious business. The Guild Hall is a historic snooker venue and any fans lucky enough to have a ticket are ready for a weekend of marvellous entertainment.”

Itai Pazner, SVP B2C 888.com, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be sponsoring the World Seniors Snooker Championship. With once the world’s best players vying against each other like old times, this promises to be the biggest and most competitive tournament yet. May the best man win!”

Tickets for the tournament are still available and start at just £10, but fans must book fast because they are selling out. For details visit http://www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

The full draw and format is:

January 30th
From 1pm

Peter Ebdon v Nigel Bond

Mark Williams v Anthony Hamilton

Tony Drago v Robert Milkins

Joe Johnson v Darren Morgan

From 7pm

Ken Doherty v Mark Davis

John Parrott v Dominic Dale

Rory McLeod v Fergal O’Brien

Jimmy White v Gary Lees

January 31st
From 1pm

Quarter-finals

From 7pm

Semi-finals

Final

World Snooker Seniors Championship: Doherty Expects Tough Guild Hall Test

Former World Snooker Champion Ken Doherty believes that the standard of play with be higher than ever at this year’s World Seniors Championship in Preston.

The tournament at the Guild Hall runs on the weekend of January 30-31 and will feature many of the sport’s great names including Jimmy White, John Parrott and defending champion Mark Williams.

Last year the age limit was lowered from 45 to 40 and Doherty believes that has led to a far tougher field. Six of the world’s top 40 players will be among the 16-man line-up in Preston.

“It has got so much more competitive over the last couple of years because of the change in age limit,” said 46-year-old Doherty, who won the World Championship in 1997. “There are a lot of very good players in it this time. Mark Davis is an extremely tough first round draw, he’s ranked 23rd in the world and we’ve had a lot of battles over the years.

“It’s good prize money and for the winner it’s great to be a world champion at any level. Everyone there is in it to win, and not just to have fun. It’s a great event and I love playing in it every year.”

Returning to the Guild Hall will bring back plenty of memories for Irishman Doherty as he played several times at the Preston venue earlier in his career.

“The Guild Hall is where it all started for me,” he said. “That’s where I went to try and qualify as a professional in 1988, back in the pro-ticket days. I failed to qualify but I won the world amateur title the next year to get my pro card.

“My best memory of playing in Preston was the 1994 UK Championship. I played out of my skin that week and beat the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan and James Wattana to reach the final. Then I was involved in a brilliant match against Stephen Hendry, he made seven centuries and beat me 10-5. I couldn’t hold on to him, he was just too good. It’s a great venue, particularly when there’s a big crowd in.”

Doherty has had an inconsistent season so far and dropped to 47th in the world rankings, but he showed signs of his best form in December when he won two qualifying matches to reach the final stages of February’s German Masters.

“I had a couple of good wins before Christmas and hopefully that’s a sign of things to come for the next few months,” he added. “I hope 2016 will be a good year for me on the table. The game doesn’t get any easier as you get older but I still love playing.”

Televised by Sky Sports, the World Seniors Championship brings together stars of the modern game and past eras.

Tickets are ON SALE NOW and start at just £10, but fans must book fast because they are selling out. For details visit http://www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

World Snooker Seniors Championship: Doherty Expects Tough Guild Hall Test

The full draw and format is:

January 30th
From 1pm

Peter Ebdon v Nigel Bond
Mark Williams v Anthony Hamilton
Tony Drago v Robert Milkins
Joe Johnson v Darren Morgan

From 7pm
Ken Doherty v Mark Davis
John Parrott v Dominic Dale
Rory McLeod v Fergal O’Brien
Jimmy White v Gary Lees

January 31st

From 1pm
Quarter-finals

From 7pm

Semi-finals

Final

Line Up Confirmed For World Seniors Snooker

The draw for snooker’s World Seniors Championship in Preston has taken place, with legends including Jimmy White, John Parrott, Ken Doherty and Mark Williams among the line-up.

The popular tournament runs on the weekend of January 30-31 and will be staged at the iconic Guild Hall in Preston for the first time.

The Sky-Sports televised event will see Welshman Williams defending the title against 15 other players aged 40 or over, having captured the title and £18,000 top prize on his debut last year.

Williams faces qualifier Anthony Hamilton in a tough first round draw, while crowd favourite Whirlwind White will meet Gary Lees. The full draw and schedule is below.

Tickets are ON SALE NOW and are selling rapidly so fans are urged to book quickly. Tickets make a brilliant Christmas gift for anyone who enjoys live sport!

For details visit http://www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

Jimmy White

January 30th
From 1pm

Peter Ebdon v Nigel Bond
Mark Williams v Anthony Hamilton
Tony Drago v Robert Milkins
Joe Johnson v Darren Morgan

From 7pm

Ken Doherty v Mark Davis
John Parrott v Dominic Dale
Rory McLeod v Fergal O’Brien
Jimmy White v Gary Lees

January 31st

From 1pm

Quarter-finals

From 7pm

Semi-finals

Final

All matches are best of three frames.

Snooker’s World Seniors Line-Up Announced

Jimmy White, John Parrott and defending champion Mark Williams will be among the snooker favourites competing in the World Seniors Championship at the Guild Hall in Preston in January.

The Sky Sports-televised tournament runs on the weekend of January 30-31 and brings together green baize kings of the past three decades, together with current players, aged 40 or over.

Eight players have already been awarded places in the popular tournament:

Mark Williams – two time World Champion who won the Seniors crown on his debut in the event last year
Jimmy ‘Whirlwind’ White – crowd favourite and winner of ten ranking events
John Parrott – 1991 World Champion
Ken Doherty – 1997 World Champion
Joe Johnson – 1986 World Champion
Peter Ebdon – 2002 World Champion
Nigel Bond – 2012 World Seniors Champion
Darren Morgan – 2011 World Seniors Champion

The field will be made up by eight more players who come through qualifying rounds to be staged in Wigan from December 21 and 22.

Mark Williams

Welshman Williams, who beat Fergal O’Brien in the final last season, said: “I really enjoyed the World Seniors, especially lifting the trophy. It’s a lot of fun for the players and fans. I’ve had some special moments at the Guild Hall, it’s a fantastic venue and I’m looking forward to being back there.”

Tickets start at just £10 and fans are advised to BOOK FAST to see this celebration of snooker, as seats are selling rapidly. For details visit http://www.worldsnooker.com.tickets

Tickets for the qualifying rounds at Robin Park in Wigan are free, with fans encouraged to come and watch.

Date: Friday December 4, 2015