2022 European Masters (2021–22 season)

The February 2022 European Masters (officially the 2022 BetVictor European Masters) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place from 21 to 27 February 2022 at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, England. The tournament was the 11th ranking event of the 2021–22 season and the sixth of eight tournaments in the season's European Series. The World Snooker Tour originally planned to stage the event at the Stadthalle Fürth in Fürth, Germany, but relocated it to the UK after increasing rates of COVID-19 in Bavaria led to greater restrictions around sporting events.[1][2] The tournament was broadcast by Eurosport in Europe, and by other networks worldwide.[3]

2022 BetVictor European Masters

Tournament information
Dates	21–27 February 2022 (2022-02-21 – 2022-02-27)
Venue	Marshall Arena
City	Milton Keynes
Country	England
Organisation	World Snooker Tour
Format	Ranking event
Total prize fund	£407,000
Winner's share	£80,000
Highest break	Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (THA) (144)
Final
Champion	Fan Zhengyi (CHN)
Runner-up	Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG)
Score	10–9
← 2020 (2) 2022 (2) →

Mark Selby was the defending champion, having defeated Martin Gould 9–8 in the final of the tournament's September 2020 edition.[4] However, Selby lost 3–5 to Jordan Brown in the round of 64.[5] Many other top seeds also suffered early exits, with only three top-16 players reaching the round of 16.[6] World number 80 Fan Zhengyi reached his first ranking final by defeating higher-ranked opponents Kyren Wilson, Yan Bingtao, David Gilbert, and Graeme Dott.[7] Six-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan reached the 60th ranking final of his career.[8][9]

The best-of-19-frame final between O'Sullivan and Fan was played over two sessions on 27 February. O'Sullivan fell two frames behind at 2–4, 4–6, and 6–8, but drew level each time. Fan took a 9–8 lead, but O'Sullivan again drew level to force a deciding frame. After O'Sullivan missed a long red in the decider, Fan made a 92 break to win the match 10–9 and capture his first ranking title.[10][11][7] He became the fifth Chinese player to win a ranking event, after Ding Junhui, Liang Wenbo, Yan, and Zhao Xintong, as well as the fourth player to win a maiden ranking title in the 2021–22 season, following David Gilbert, Zhao, and Hossein Vafaei.[12] His £80,000 prize money for winning the tournament took him from 80th to 31st in the world rankings.[12]

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh made the highest break of the tournament, a 144, during his qualifying match against Chen Zifan.[13] Neil Robertson compiled a record-equalling four consecutive centuries in his last-64 match against Alfie Burden, becoming the first player to accomplish this feat twice in professional competition. He previously made four consecutive centuries against Ahmed Saif at a European Tour event in 2013.[14]