When is next snooker tournament of new season? Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O'Sullivan and Jimmy White compete at British Open
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ByEurosport
Updated 02/08/2023 at 09:21 GMT
Qualifying for the British Open is the next major snooker action of the new 2023/24 season this month ahead of the European Masters in the German city Nuremberg live on Eurosport. Stephen Hendry and Jimmy White are among the players bidding to qualify for the tournament with world No. 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan among the top 16 seeds guaranteed a spot at the finals venue in Cheltenham next month.
'Return of the king!' - Hendry opens up qualifying with fine century
There is a brief interlude in the new World Snooker Tour season before the British Open qualifiers begin at the Morningside Arena in Leicester on Monday 14 August.
Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry is due to start his campaign in round one of the tournament against Muhammad Asif after World Championship semi-finalist Si Jiahui faces Lukas Kleckers on the opening day.
The final night of qualifiers on Saturday 19 August sees six-time world finalist Jimmy White take on 2004 UK champion Stephen Magure for a last-64 spot.
White defeated Maguire 6-4 on his run to the last 32 of the UK Championship in November.
The qualifying stage will be completed ahead of the start of the season's second ranking event when the European Masters begins in the German city of Nuremberg (live on Eurosport and discovery+) on Monday 22 August.
Shaun Murphy won the season's first ranking tournament at the Championship League in July.
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The world's top 16 will play their opening matches at the finals venue of the British Open in Cheltenham between September 25 and 1 October.
In an FA Cup-style open draw, world champion Luca Brecel has landed Ding Junhui, while Mark Allen and Anthony McGill collide in another intriguing contest between two players inside the top 16.
World No. 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan – British Open champion in 1994 – was paired with former European Masters winner Jimmy Robertson.
The matches are the best of seven frames with the quarter-finals increasing to the best of nine before two best-of-11 frame semi-finals and a best-of-19 frame final.
The British Open was first staged by Derby in 1985 and won by South African Silvino Francisco, who completed a 12-9 victory over Canada's Kirk Stevens in the final.
There was a 17-year gap between John Higgins winning the event in 2004 with a 9-6 win over Maguire before its return in 2021 saw Mark Williams triumph with a 6-4 success against Gary Wilson.
Welshman Ryan Day claimed last year's title with a 10-7 final win over Allen in Milton Keynes.
BRITISH OPEN 1ST ROUND MATCHES (TOP 16 SEEDS)
- Ronnie O’Sullivan v Jimmy Robertson
- Luca Brecel v Ding Junhui
- Judd Trump v Anton Kazakov
- Mark Selby v Ben Woollaston
- Shaun Murphy v Rebecca Kenna
- Neil Robertson v Jamie Clarke
- Mark Allen v Anthony McGill
- John Higgins v Long Zehuang
- Mark Williams v Peng Yisong
- Ali Carter v Allan Taylor
- Jack Lisowski v Joe O’Connor
- Kyren Wilson v Martin O’Donnell
- Gary Wilson v Ahmed Elsayed
- Robert Milkins v Jiang Jun
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