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
Dates21–27 February 2022 (2022-02-21 2022-02-27)
VenueMarshall Arena
CityMilton Keynes
CountryEngland
OrganisationWorld Snooker Tour
FormatRanking 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)
Score10–9

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]

Prize fund

The breakdown of prize money for this event is shown below:

  • Winner: £80,000
  • Runner-up: £35,000
  • Semi-final: £17,500
  • Quarter-final: £11,000
  • Last 16: £6,000
  • Last 32: £4,000
  • Last 64: £3,000
  • Highest break: £5,000
  • Total: £407,000

Main draw

Top half

 
Last 64
Best of 9 frames
Last 32
Best of 9 frames
Last 16
Best of 9 frames
Quarter-finals
Best of 9 frames
Semi-finals
Best of 11 frames
 
                  
 
 
 
 
England Mark Selby (1)3
 
 
 
Northern Ireland Jordan Brown5
 
Northern Ireland Jordan Brown5
 
 
 
China Xiao Guodong (32)0
 
China Xiao Guodong (32)5
 
 
 
England Andy Hicks2
 
Northern Ireland Jordan Brown2
 
 
 
Scotland Graeme Dott (17)5
 
China Zhou Yuelong (16)5
 
 
 
China Gao Yang1
 
China Zhou Yuelong (16)4
 
 
 
Scotland Graeme Dott (17)5
 
Scotland Graeme Dott (17)5
 
 
 
England Mark Davis4
 
Scotland Graeme Dott (17)5
 
 
 
Wales Ryan Day (25)4
 
Belgium Luca Brecel5
 
 
 
England Gary Wilson (24)3
 
Belgium Luca Brecel4
 
 
 
Thailand Sunny Akani5
 
Wales Jackson Page3
 
 
 
Thailand Sunny Akani5
 
Thailand Sunny Akani2
 
 
 
Wales Ryan Day (25)5
 
England Jamie O'Neill1
 
 
 
Wales Ryan Day (25)5
 
Wales Ryan Day (25)5
 
 
 
England Ashley Carty4
 
Iran Soheil Vahedi2
 
 
 
England Ashley Carty5
 
Scotland Graeme Dott (17)4
 
 
 
China Fan Zhengyi6
 
England Kyren Wilson (5)5
 
 
 
Wales Jamie Jones2
 
England Kyren Wilson (5)4
 
 
 
China Fan Zhengyi5
 
Republic of Ireland Aaron Hill3
 
 
 
China Fan Zhengyi5
 
China Fan Zhengyi5
 
 
 
China Yan Bingtao (12)3
 
China Yan Bingtao (12)5
 
 
 
China Li Hang1
 
China Yan Bingtao (12)5
 
 
 
England Joe Perry (21)2
 
England Joe Perry (21)5
 
 
 
China Cao Yupeng2
 
China Fan Zhengyi5
 
 
 
England David Gilbert (20)3
 
England Liam Highfield4
 
 
 
England David Gilbert (20)5
 
England David Gilbert (20)5
 
 
 
England Barry Hawkins (13)4
 
England Anthony Hamilton3
 
 
 
England Barry Hawkins (13)5
 
England David Gilbert (20)5
 
 
 
China Pang Junxu3
 
China Xu Si4
 
 
 
China Pang Junxu5
 
China Pang Junxu5
 
 
 
Australia Neil Robertson (4)4
 
England Alfie Burden0
 
 
Australia Neil Robertson (4)5
 

Bottom half

 
Last 64
Best of 9 frames
Last 32
Best of 9 frames
Last 16
Best of 9 frames
Quarter-finals
Best of 9 frames
Semi-finals
Best of 11 frames
 
                  
 
 
 
 
England Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)5
 
 
 
China Zhang Anda4
 
England Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)5
 
 
 
China Wu Yize1
 
China Wu Yize5
 
 
 
Republic of Ireland Fergal O'Brien3
 
England Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)5
 
 
 
England Ashley Hugill2
 
England Jack Lisowski (14)3
 
 
 
England Ashley Hugill5
 
England Ashley Hugill5
 
 
 
England Ali Carter (19)1
 
England Ali Carter (19)5
 
 
 
England Sean Maddocks1
 
England Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)5
 
 
 
England Tom Ford (27)1
 
England Louis Heathcote3
 
 
 
England Martin Gould (22)5
 
England Martin Gould (22)4
 
 
 
Scotland Fraser Patrick5
 
China Zhang Jiankang3
 
 
 
Scotland Fraser Patrick5
 
Scotland Fraser Patrick3
 
 
 
England Tom Ford (27)5
 
England Ian Burns3
 
 
 
England Tom Ford (27)5
 
England Tom Ford (27)5
 
 
 
Scotland John Higgins (6)0
 
Wales Jamie Clarke1
 
 
 
Scotland John Higgins (6)5
 
England Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)6
 
 
 
China Liang Wenbo (26)2
 
England Shaun Murphy (7)3
 
 
 
Thailand Noppon Saengkham5
 
Thailand Noppon Saengkham0
 
 
 
China Liang Wenbo (26)5
 
China Liang Wenbo (26)5
 
 
 
Wales Duane Jones4
 
China Liang Wenbo (26)5
 
 
 
China Yuan Sijun2
 
China Yuan Sijun5
 
 
 
England Stuart Carrington4
 
China Yuan Sijun5
 
 
 
England Ricky Walden (23)2
 
England Ricky Walden (23)5
 
 
 
Wales Matthew Stevens1
 
China Liang Wenbo (26)5
 
 
 
Scotland Anthony McGill (15)4
 
England Mitchell Mann5
 
 
 
Thailand Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (18)0
 
England Mitchell Mann1
 
 
 
Scotland Anthony McGill (15)5
 
Iran Hossein Vafaei0
 
 
 
Scotland Anthony McGill (15)5
 
Scotland Anthony McGill (15)5
 
 
 
Norway Kurt Maflin (31)3
 
England Andrew Higginson4
 
 
 
Norway Kurt Maflin (31)5
 
Norway Kurt Maflin (31)5
 
 
 
England Judd Trump (2)3
 
Wales Jak Jones4
 
 
England Judd Trump (2)5
 

Final

Final: Best of 19 frames. Referee: Leo Scullion
Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes, England, 27 February 2022
Fan Zhengyi
 China
10–9 Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)
 England
Afternoon: 6–66, 68–1, 77–46 (57), 1–66, 81–0 (63), 78–28 (78), 38–72, 0–83 (83)
Evening: 135–0 (135), 110–21 (110), 14–88, 36–69, 65–51, 74–31, 0–107 (107), 37–80, 82–0 (82), 23–90, 92–0 (92)
135 Highest break 107
2 Century breaks 1
7 50+ breaks 2

Qualifying

Qualifying for the event took place between 27 and 31 October 2021 at the Chase Leisure Centre in Cannock, England. Qualifying matches involving the top four ranked players were held over to be played at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes.[15]

Mark Williams was due to take part in qualifying, but withdrew from the event due to a positive COVID-19 test and was replaced by Mark Lloyd.[16] Sam Craigie withdrew due to injury, and his place in the draw was taken by James Cahill. However, Cahill immediately had to withdraw after producing a positive COVID-19 test. As no other players were available to be entered at short notice, Soheil Vahedi received a bye.[17] Michael White also withdrew and was replaced by Simon Blackwell.

Century breaks

Main stage centuries

A total of 60 century breaks were made during the main event.[18]

Qualifying stage centuries

A total of 40 century breaks were made during the qualifying stage of the tournament.[18][19]

Notes

  1. Match held over and played in Milton Keynes.

References

  1. "Snooker's BetVictor European Masters To Be Staged In Milton Keynes". World Snooker Tour. 23 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-12-23.
  2. "BetVictor European Masters". World Snooker. Retrieved 2022-02-21.
  3. "How To Watch The BetVictor European Masters". World Snooker. 2022-02-17. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  4. "Mark Selby holds off Martin Gould fightback to win European Masters". Eurosport UK. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  5. "European Masters 2022: Mark Selby crashes out to Jordan Brown, Ronnie O'Sullivan holds off Zhang to reach next round". Eurosport UK. 2022-02-22. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  6. "Robertson Stopped By Sharp Pang". World Snooker. 2022-02-24. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  7. "Fan beats O'Sullivan 10-9 in final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  8. "Fab Fan Downs Dott To Reach Final". World Snooker. 2022-02-26. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
  9. "O'Sullivan Reaches 60th Ranking Final". World Snooker. 2022-02-26. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
  10. "European Masters snooker 2022 - Fan Zhengyi holds nerve to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan in decider". Eurosport. 2022-02-27. Retrieved 2022-02-27.
  11. "Snooker results: Fan Zhengyi beats Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-9 in the European Masters final". www.sportinglife.com. Retrieved 2022-02-27.
  12. "China's Fan Stuns O'Sullivan In Dramatic Final". World Snooker. 2022-02-27. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  13. "Where the money went". Snooker Scene. No. April 2022. p. 11.
  14. "Robertson Narrowly Misses Snooker History". World Snooker. 2022-02-22. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
  15. "BetVictor European Masters Qualifiers Draw". World Snooker Tour. 20 October 2021.
  16. "Williams Withdraws From European Masters And English Open". World Snooker Tour. 27 October 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-10-27.
  17. "Craigie Withdraws From BetVictor European Masters Qualifying". World Snooker Tour. 27 October 2021.
  18. "BetVictor European Masters 2022 | Centuries". World Snooker Tour. 21–27 February 2022.
  19. "BetVictor European Masters 2022 Qualifiers | Centuries". World Snooker Tour. 27–31 October 2021.
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