Snooker. Summary of the 24/25 Season.
The snooker players have gone on vacation. All tournaments have been played, and the prize money has been distributed. We witnessed many interesting matches full of intrigue, victories, and disappointments. While you eagerly await June and the start of new tournaments, the Scores24 editorial team invites you to recall the exciting moments of the 24/25 season and focus on certain individuals who either delighted or, conversely, disappointed. Let's go!
Read the latest snooker predictions in the special section of our website.
Tournaments
The World Snooker Tour in the past season included 18 ranking tournaments. New marks appeared on the map: after 30 years, the World Grand Prix returned to Hong Kong. Saudi Arabia was not left out either, as Riyadh hosted a prestigious ranking event for the first time.
There are also those competitions that have left the calendar forever. The European Masters will no longer be held in the world tour. The reason is quite simple – a reduction in sponsor support.
Champions Among Champions
The snooker season is quite long, yet often dominated by the same individuals. Some players demonstrated impressive and, most importantly, consistent play, winning several titles. You are well acquainted with these names. Let's talk a little about each.
Judd Trump
The world ranking leader had two different halves of the season. The Englishman started strong, winning the July Masters in Shanghai. In late August, Judd continued to maintain excellent form, securing victory at that very tournament in Saudi Arabia. The final match against Mark Williams can deservedly be considered one of the best of the year. The title's fate was decided in the final frame, where luck was on the side of the English player.
The last major title of the year was the UK Championship. No one could have thought that the victory over Barry Hawkins would be Judd's final win in the finals of this season. By the way, there could have been more titles, but Trump lost three finals. And all to the same person. Let's talk about him next.
Kyren Wilson
Trump's closest competitor surpassed him in titles. Kyren has four trophies: each final of a major tournament was filled with competition. Except perhaps in Belfast, where we saw a one-sided game – maybe Judd Trump just didn't get enough sleep. Wilson claimed ranking events in Northern Ireland, China, Germany, and England.
As you have already understood, Kyren feels great in matches against the world snooker leader. And how could it be otherwise? After all, he is one himself. The rivalry between Trump and Wilson remains one of the brightest in the world tour. And the end of this battle has not yet been reached. We advise you to follow the 25/26 season.
Finishing with the Top Players
It would be wrong to stop only at the world ranking leaders. There are people who occupy a place in the top ten and also regularly remind us of themselves. Let's highlight John Higgins, who claimed two titles this year. The Scotsman is distinguished by quality: his play is consistent, and opponents almost never get an easy victory. John knows how to approach each match and excels with intellectual snooker, not so often scoring long series of points. We are confident that there will be a place for the player's victory in the next season as well.
Of course, let's not forget about Neil Robertson. The Australian has added to his trophy collection, which has increased by two this year. Arguably, Neil is the only player in the top ten who often plays with the emotions of the fans. He is undoubtedly good, but you can't be sure that the Australian will win the next match. His game sometimes resembles a roller coaster, but if Robertson is on fire, the opponent might as well not get up during the match.
Discoveries
We know who you were expecting to see in this paragraph, but bear with us, it's just a little longer. Let's not be straightforward, as there are other representatives from the Middle Kingdom who have surprised us. China once again proves itself as a sporting power, as even in snooker, the country has plenty of bright players. Xiao Guodong and Ding Junhui have long been at a good level, and there are players lower in the rankings, but this is not about them right now.
Wu Yize
In October, the Chinese player will turn just 22 years old. He became a finalist in two events last season. He has no titles yet, but what happened in the decisive match of the English Open deserves respect. The same Neil Robertson was ready to celebrate victory, leading 7-1, but the Chinese player managed the almost impossible. The snooker player reduced the gap to a minimum, but the Australian shifted into high gear and took the title.
Wu Yize is incredibly talented. The most interesting thing is that he is unfamiliar with negative emotions; mistakes are more likely due to a lack of experience. The snooker player has rattled the nerves of many well-known players, and if he continues in the right direction, he will definitely earn the long-awaited title.
"Crucible"
The moment you've probably been waiting for the most. The World Championship concluded the season and gave us an incredible spectacle. The favorites performed miracles, but more on the negative side. The match of Kyren Wilson in the first round, or more precisely, his second day, is still fresh in memory. "Crucible Curse," you say, gentlemen journalists? But fate is determined by people, not superstitions. By the way, Neil Robertson also exited the tournament early.
Do we need to mention Trump again? It depends on which one. If we're talking about Judd, he failed to have a quality World Championship. The Englishman's game was far from ideal, and he reached the semifinals largely due to the draw. Mark Williams ended the first seed's run. Incidentally, the Welshman became the oldest finalist in Crucible history, earning a decent prize. And the money won't hurt Mark, as he is due for eye surgery.
While the top players in Sheffield were sorting out who deserved the title more, Zhao Xintong was advancing through the draw. And this expression is not the most accurate, as the Chinese player was literally flying, kicking the door open in each round. He didn't notice the qualification and defeated everyone in his path, regardless of the opponent's status. The talented snooker player returned to the tour only this season, easily gaining professional status, but no one could have imagined it would turn out like this.
Yes, there was a disqualification. But we won't let that overshadow Zhao's performance. We just hope that the Chinese player has learned the right lessons from that incident, and it seems he has. Without encountering any issues in the draw, Xintong reached the final of the World Championship. Do you believe Trump could have beaten him? Again, which Trump are we talking about? Donald probably doesn't play snooker.
The bookmakers still didn't believe in Zhao in the final, but to the average viewer, everything seemed clear. Xintong finished the first session with a significant lead over Mark Williams. Intrigue? Such things don't work with Xintong. Sheffield witnessed the first world champion from China. The favorites have big problems because next season Zhao Xintong returns to the tour as a professional. He's already 11th in the rankings, so watch out, gentlemen.
P.S
What do you think about Ronnie O'Sullivan? It doesn't really matter because he doesn't think about you. A talented player, an emotional person, and a good businessman, he has long proven everything to everyone. For him, the past season was a bit disjointed, but perhaps the obstacles will only make the legend stronger. It was Ronnie who played against Zhao in the World Championship semifinals, serving as the last test for the Chinese player on his way to the title, and it was he who, despite nerves and lackluster matches, returned a few months later, delivering a great tournament at the Crucible Theatre. Expect nothing from anyone, create your own path, and enjoy watching the legends play. Keep an eye on snooker. See you on Scores24 in the 25/26 season! Until then!
