European Masters 2020

European Masters 2020

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The 2020 European Masters was a professional ranking snooker tournament which took place from 21 to 27 September 2020 at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, England. Organised by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, it was the first completed ranking event of the 2020–21 season. The competition was the 22nd edition of the European Masters, first held in 1989 and the second held in 2020 after the January 2020 European Masters. The event featured 128 participants with five withdrawing from the event due to COVID-19 and another (Mark Davis) because of his snooker cue being stolen. The winner of the event won £80,000 from a total prize fund of £407,000. The event was sponsored by betting company BetVictor.

Neil Robertson was the defending champion, having defeated Zhou Yuelong in a 9–0 whitewash in the previous season's final. However, Robertson was defeated 4–5 by Shaun Murphy in the quarter-finals. Mark Selby won the event after he defeated Martin Gould on a deciding frame 9–8. There were 98 century breaks made during the tournament, the highest of which was a 145 made by Mark Allen. He also equalled the most consecutive century breaks, scoring four in succession in his 5–0 second round win over Ken Doherty.

Den bedste snooker vender tilbage til Milton Keynes i januar, når Coral European Masters 2020 køres fra 20. til 26. januar i Marshall Arena.

Efter en succesfuld debut i 2019, hvor Mark Selby vandt titlen, vil en stærk stjernebesætning, der ledes af verdensmesteren Judd Trump, og syvdobbelt verdensmester Stephen Hendry, der deltager som wildcard, konkurrere om Europas mest prestigefyldte snookertitel, der ikke er ranglistet.

Trump vandt en rekord fem ranglistetitler i sidste sæson, inklusive to Triple Crown-turneringer, og håber at starte den nye sæson i stil med en sejr på et sted, hvor han blev den yngste nogensinde European Open-mester i 2009. Han møder Andrew Higginson i første runde, mens Selby indleder sin jagt på en anden titel mod Lyu Haotian.

Hendry vandt European Open ved tre lejligheder, men det var tilbage i sin storhedstid, og han håber at vise, at han stadig kan forstyrre de bedste i en alder af 51. Den skotske legende møder Steven Hallworth i første runde.

Ronnie O'Sullivan er også en tidligere vinder af turneringen og sejrede i 2003, da den fandt sted i Valletta, Malta. Verdensmester fra 2010, Neil Robertson, er også blandt de deltagere, der konkurrerer om den £80.000 førstepræmie.

Billetpriser starter fra £15, og billetter til Coral European Masters 2020 kan købes via World Snookers billetsalg.