Crucible star Hawkins blasts Saudi snooker cancellation: "we get some silly email"

Hawkins made his feelings clear in a press conference at the Crucible Theatre on Saturday night after his 13-9 second round victory over Mark Williams.

The number 11 seed registered a brace of century breaks during the contest as he set up a meeting with Mark Allen. World Championship runner-up in 2013 to Ronnie O’Sullivan, Hawkins reaches the quarter-finals stage at the Crucible for the first time since 2018.

Earlier in the day, news broke about the immediate cancellation of all future editions of the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters following an official statement from the World Snooker Tour on its website.

Matchroom Sport announced in early 2024 that a 10-year contract had been signed with the Saudi Arabian Billiard & Snooker Federation and the Ministry of Sport for Saudi Arabia to host the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters and the World 9-Ball Pool Championship. This was part of a wider project to increase the visibility of cuesports within the country.

But after just two years of that agreement, what was snooker’s second richest ranking event with a top prize of £500,000, is no more. It is understood that the World 9-Ball Pool Championship will continue to run and have the pledged $1 million prize fund for its next edition, but held in a different country.

Won by Judd Trump in 2024 and Neil Robertson in 2025 - both in deciding frame climaxes - the loss of such a lucrative tournament on the top-flight snooker calendar is a big blow for players, although news of prize money increases at next season’s UK and World Championships, and the revival of the China Open, should plug the shortfall.

It’s not the first time that a contract for a tournament on the World Snooker Tour this decade has been cut short. A four-year deal was announced between partners for the staging of the Turkish Masters which held its inaugural edition in 2022, but it was cancelled the following year and hasn’t returned.

It is understood that the war in Ukraine was a factor for the Turkish event cancellation due to Antalya - the host city - being a popular resort for Russian tourists.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East was likely a factor in the Saudi snooker contract termination with resources being reallocated, although it does appear that funders in the Kingdom are scaling back on a lot of their sporting projects and ambitions in preparation for hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

“It’s pathetic” Hawkins questions Saudi cancellation, points to contract

Recent Welsh Open champion Hawkins is one of the most mild-mannered players on the snooker circuit, but he couldn’t hide his disappointment in the way the situation has transpired and been handled.

The 47-year-old was upset over how the information was passed to players, and perplexed as to how the £2.3 million competition can be axed with eight years remaining on its contract.

“What a disappointment, without sounding rude, I just think something’s gone wrong for us to lose that tournament. What’s happened to the 10-year contract we had? It’s just been blown out of the water” said the five-time ranking event winner.

“We don’t get no explanation, nothing, which is very, very annoying. We just get some stupid email today saying it’s been stopped. No explanation why, nothing. Very disappointing, it’s a massive tournament to lose.

“It’d be interesting to see what the reason was behind it. I’ve heard something, I don’t know how true it is, but it’s pathetic.

“So, yeah, really disappointed, because it’s a big part of the season, massive part of season. Like I say, we get some silly email, not even an explanation why we lost it. So, yeah, very disappointed.

“It was a 10-year contract. It has disappeared, so I mean…where’s it gone? If they sign a contract, why has it just disappeared like that? I don’t understand.

“Like I say, it’s so disappointing, just get an email today saying, ‘Oh, we’ve been so well supported’ and, you know, to be honest, there was no one in the crowd anyway. I’ve heard the reasons why it wasn’t promoted that well.

“I normally don’t say much, but yeah, I’m very unhappy about it, to be honest with you.”

The ranking ramifications

As well as the financial hit, the Saudi event cancellation once again shines a light on snooker’s world ranking system that works on a prize-money based format.

Many players are unhappy with this set-up, feeling it doesn’t reward consistency, and would like it to return to a points-based schedule. Speaking exclusively to Totally Snookered at the Crucible last week, former world champion Robertson said he would like to see a change to how the global standings are calculated.

Whilst the prize money increases at the next UK and World Championships, and the China Open - which could have a £300,000 top prize - will likely make up the gap overall, it won’t immediately help Trump and Robertson when they have to defend that substantial amount from their ranking totals.

The standings work on a two-year rolling list, meaning 24 months on from when you’ve won money at a ranked event, it comes off your cumulative total. Around September time, 2024 Saudi Arabia Masters champion Trump will have £500k coming off his tally, without the opportunity to put it back on in one go - unless authorities can somehow work around this.

It’s a point that former world finalist Hawkins raised: “I suppose that’s one of the downsides to having a money ranking system, because it’s so top heavy.

“Now these guys like Neil Robertson and Judd Trump, they haven’t got a chance to defend that £500,000, that’s just gonna be wiped off, and there’s no tournament to replace that.”

To view the full draw, results, schedule, and other information from the 2026 World Snooker Championship, visit our tournament information centre here.