Wynn Resorts is gathering nine snooker players for its upcoming “Wynn Presents – 2024 Macau Snooker Masters”, which will be held at Wynn Palace from December 25 to 28 with a new playing format.
A press conference was held at Wynn Macau yesterday, where the media was briefed on the event’s details. Returning to Macau is seven-time World Snooker Championship winner, England’s Ronnie O’Sullivan, who was yesterday welcomed as the “Wynn Brand Ambassador”.
The new format will see O’Sullivan playing challenge matches against players in a best-of-seven frames format. Among the competitors are last year’s runner up Jack Lisowski from England, and 2024 World Snooker Championship Jak Jones from Wales; legendary snooker player Marco Fu Ka-chun from Hong Kong and “future snooker star”, according to the press conference, mainland Chinese professional snooker player Si Jiahui, all of whom attended the press conference.
Wynn Macau, Limited President and Vice Chairman Linda Chen Chih-ling said in a speech during the press conference that the upcoming event “not only advances Macau’s ‘Tourism+Sports’ strategy but also offers a diversified travel experience for locals and visitors, contributing to the development of Macau as a ‘City of Sports’”.
Meanwhile, in response to a question by the media during the press conference’s Q&A session on promoting snooker to the younger generation, O’Sullivan noted: “I think it’s important for all of us to show snooker in a good light. There are some fantastic snooker players here that play snooker in a very attack and aggressive way, which makes people watching it say ‘that’s what I want to do’… As professionals, we have a duty to play the game in a right spirit, the right way”
He added: “I know there’s a lot of good facilities in Hong Kong, China and now Saudi Arabia. I think the more you invest in the younger generation, the better. So yeah, we just have to do our bit, and hopefully youngsters can do theirs”.
Professional snooker players Si Jiahui (right, standing) and Jack Lisowski (left, standing) watch Ronnie O’Sullivan as he attempts a trick shot after yesterday’s press conference at Wynn Macau. – Photo: Rui Pastorin
