(Image by: kyrenwilson147)
The 2024 Northern Ireland Open will start from the 20th October and all of the best players in the world will descend on Belfast in the hope that they will be the last man standing and claim the £100,000 first place prize.
World number one Judd Trump will start as the man to beat and the man from Bristol will have high hopes that he will be able to defend the title he won last year and win his third title of 2024.
With plenty on the line when it comes to prize money and the race to finish the year inside the top 16, the action this week could be of the very highest order. Ahead of the action starting, here are all of the main talking points to keep an eye on.
Judd Trump will look to extend his lead over Kyren Wilson at the top of the world standings even further
Ever since breaking through the professional ranks when aged just 16, there have always been high hopes that Judd Trump would turn into a major force of the game.
A world champion, it’s fair to say that Trump has certainly lived up to the hype, but this year the Englishman has taken his game to an entirely new level. Having already won the Shanghai and Saudi Arabia Masters, Trump has also reached the latter stages of the English Open and Wuhan Open and is easily playing the most consistent snooker of his career.
Enjoying a comfortable lead at the top of the world standings with 2024 World Champion Kyren Wilson trailing behind in second, Trump will want to stretch his lead even further and will have high hopes that this week he can land the 30th title of his career.
Bracing himself for yet another deep run this week, the world number one will kick off his tournament against Ishpreet Chadha from India and should progress comfortably to the second round.
If both men progress, a mouthwatering encounter against Ronnie O’Sullivan awaits and every fan of the game will hope that is a match they will be able to see.
(Image by: juddtrump)
Ronnie O’Sullivan returns to action after small break
It’s been a concerning few weeks for fans of Ronnie O’Sullivan.
For years, O’Sullivan has been an outspoken critic of how the World Snooker Tour is structured and he has made his position clear that rather than chase world ranking points he still only plays the game for money.
Seemingly happy to operate on auto-pilot through much of the season, O’Sullivan hasn’t been in action since his shock early exit in the first round of the English Open.
With the prize for winning this week set to be at £100,000, O’Sullivan should be ready to play his best and with the tournament not taking place too far from his London base, O’Sullivan should arrive fresh and ready to play.
Despite his appearances of late being few and far between, there is no doubt that O’Sulllivan is still the game’s biggest draw. Snooker is better with O’Sullivan in it and fans of the game will hope that the seven time world champion is back to his best.
Mark Selby will aim to build on recent good form
For years Mark Selby has had to content himself with flying into tournaments like the Northern Irish Open firmly under the radar. One of the game's great players, it’s sometimes easy to forget that Selby is a four time World Champion.
Although few could label Selby’s style of play as boring, he doesn’t contain the same potting prowess or style as either Trump or O’Sullivan which can often mean his chances get overlooked.
A winning machine when at his best, Selby heads into this week currently in the midst of a eight match winning streak thanks to his victory at the British Open just a few weeks ago. In fact, Selby has lost just one of his last twelve matches and there is no man who can boast such strong form as the ‘Jester’.
Now ranked four in the world, Selby seems back to his very best and will have his eyes back on winning and landing some of the game’s biggest prizes. Seemingly right at the top of his game, he could be a major contender this week.
(Image by: markselby_7)
All eyes on the race to finish in the top 16
Being ranked in the top 16 is essential in snooker. Not only does it gain those inside direct entry into the World Championships and Masters, it also ensures seeding in events like this.
Currently holding the final spot in the rankings is Neil Robertson. Having spent a few years in the snooker wilderness Robertson sailed up the rankings thanks to his win at the English Open.
Since that victory the Aussie has struggled a little, losing early in both the British and Wuhan Opens. Having worked so hard to regain his status as one of the very best players in the world, he will hope to recapture some of that winning form this week.
John Higgins has been a fixture inside the top 16 for decades, but now approaching the twilight of his career, the four time World Champion is looking nervously over his shoulder and has plenty of work to do to ensure he doesn’t slip out of the games elite.
Falling to Judd Trump in the third round of the Wuhan Open is certainly nothing to be ashamed of but before that he produced a good run to the semi finals of the British Open.
Still a classy operator, Higgins can beat anybody on his day and will hope for a deep run this week.
Looking to barge their way into the top 16 conversation are Tom Ford, Barry Hawkins and Jack Lisowski. Ranked 17, 19 and 20 in the world respectively, all need to try and produce some good performances this week and all three look to have been handed decent draws to advance into the second round.
One man who everybody should be keeping an eye on is Xiao Guodong. Finally able to win the first professional title of his career when winning the Wuhan Open, Xiao is now ranked 18th in the world. Riding high, he will have big hopes for his chances this week and will hope for another successful week.
Jonathan Ashby
Jonathan Ashby, at 35, boasts a deep well of knowledge about the world of snooker. A specialist with a passion for the game's history, techniques, and players, he provides invaluable insights to both novices and seasoned enthusiasts. Through his articles, Jonathan aims to share the rich tapestry and nuances of this beloved cue sport.
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