Three Players to Watch at The 2025 Masters

One of snooker’s greatest tournaments is quickly upon us with the arrival of the 2025 Masters. 

The Masters has long been a title that everybody playing the game has wanted to win and it is one leg of Snooker’s famed Triple Crown. 

A great way to start 2025, the buildup to the tournament has been rocked by the omission of eight time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan withdrawing from the tournament late on medical grounds, however even without the Rocket in the field there are plenty of players to keep an eye on. 

With some players looking to cement and build on their legacies, young players looking to make their mark and older players still hoping for more glory days, here are three names who will be hoping to have a big week.

Kyren Wilson

Kyren Wilson enjoyed a tremendous 2024. Always billed as a player capable of scaling the heights and reaching the very top of the game, Wilson confirmed all of his talents when winning the 2024 World Championship.

Now ranked second in the world, he showed that his win at the Crucible was certainly no fluke as he stormed his way to victory in Belfast at the 2024 Northern Irish Open.

Although he trails world number one Judd Trump by some distance when it comes to the overall world rankings, Wilson will want to cement his spot in the game as being the best of the rest and he will want to lay down a serious marker ahead of defending his World Championship starting in the next few months.

Yet to win a Masters title, he knows what it takes to play well at the Alexandra Palace and is a former finalist and he will have serious hopes of going one better this time around. He will open his campaign up against world number ten Anda Zhang, before a potential quarterfinal matchup against either Luca Brecel or Chris Wakelin.

If Wilson can bring in the sort of game that saw him win his first World Championship, he will have high hopes of reaching at least the semifinals where he may have to square off against Trump. Wilson has already shown he knows how to win the biggest titles in the game and he will be hopeful of adding another one this week. 

Si Jiahui

At just 22, China’s Si Jiahui is one of the youngest players in the Masters field and he will turn up to Alexandra Palace as one of the form men in the game. 

Having started his 2025 campaign by playing in last week’s Championship League, Si lost his first match to Ali Carter before then embarking on a run that saw him win his next seven matches. 

Despite China having a whole host of players that look set to lead the game over the next few decades, the jewel in the crown is Si and many believe that he could be the man to be crowned as China’s first ever World Champion.

Although he is yet to win a ranking title, he came majorly close at the 2024 Wuhan Open before he narrowly fell to compatriot Guodong Xiao. With many believing that his first ranking title will arrive this year, he will need to be at his very best if he is to make a push at the Masters. 

Handed a really tricky opening round draw against former Masters Champion and world number four Mark Allen, Si will go into that match as the heavy underdog but with the shorter format of the opening round if Si can start strongly he could well pull off the major upset. 

If he can advance past Allen, nobody will want to face him as the tournament progresses. 

John Higgins

John Higgins is already a lock for the Snooker Hall of Fame and has enjoyed a career that very few will ever go onto emulate. A four time World Champion, he has won the Masters twice and when at his best he can still be a match for anybody in the game.

Now ranked 14 in the world, it’s no secret that Higgins is starting to reach the twilight of his career and he will be nervously looking over his shoulder at those trying to muscle their way into the top 16.

With the cut off for this year’s World Championship due to take place in March, Higgins has work to do if he is to avoid having to qualify for the game’s biggest prize. 

Heading into this year’s Masters, there was huge excitement as Higgins was drawn against longtime rival Ronnie O’Sullivan but the late withdrawal of the eight time World Champion has ensured that he will now face off against another former World Champion in the shape of Neil Robertson. 

In an opening match that is tough to call, Higgins will be confident of advancing. If he can oust the Australian he will then square off against either Shaun Murphy or Gary Wilson. 

Although perhaps not the force he once was, if Higgins can get on a roll he has shown time and time again that he can win titles like these. 

Andrew Blakely

At 35, Andrew Blakely stands as a seasoned expert in both snooker and its betting intricacies. A dedicated player and analyst, he offers keen insights derived from years in the field. Through his writings, Andrew aspires to guide enthusiasts navigating the captivating world of snooker betting.