Ali Carter claims English Open snooker title on home soil

Playing in his home county of Essex, Carter overcame a first session deficit to defeat Mark Williams, 9-6, in Sunday’s final at the Brentwood Centre to lift The Steve Davis Trophy for the first time.

The 47-year-old also pocketed a purse of £100,000, an amount that pushes him back into the world's elite top 16 rankings.

Despite his class and longevity in the sport over so many years, there wasn’t much to suggest that the title was on the cards for Carter this week having had an uneventful few months on the World Snooker Tour, but he has ended up enjoying one of the best weeks of his career and ending a two-year wait for a top-flight trophy.

'The Captain' dropped just three frames across his opening three matches in Brentwood before producing a brilliant comeback win over last year's runner-up Zhou Yuelong in the quarter-finals where he recovered from two down with three to play.

In his semi-final encounter with Ding Junhui, Carter proved that his ‘A Game’ can still mix it with the best as he went on a five-frame winning streak that featured a spell of 400 unanswered points.

The story of the 2026 English Open final

In the final, Carter faced the evergreen Williams, who at 51 years and 176 days was the oldest player to reach a ranking event final since a 53-year-old Rex Williams did so at the 1986 Grand Prix.

Williams - who conjured up a remarkable comeback against Shaun Murphy in the semi-finals - already held the title as the oldest-ever ranking event champion, but was looking to better his triumph from last October’s Xi’an Grand Prix by another 11 months.

And it was the three-time World Champion who began his 45th ranking event final in style with a break of 136, before further efforts of 61 and 132 later in the opening mini-session helped him establish a 3-1 lead at the interval.

Carter - who crafted a 54 in the second frame on his way to levelling - then got in on the centuries act with a 103 before restoring parity at three apiece.

However, Williams ousted close finishes in frames seven and eight to finish the afternoon’s play 5-3 up.

When the players returned a few hours later, Carter turned the tables with a three-frame sequence - assisted by runs of 64 and 57 - to go ahead for the first time at 6-5, although Williams squared up proceedings after a 60 in the twelfth.

With the tie now essentially a best of five affair after their final mid-session interval, Williams’ challenge faded as Carter nudged in front at 7-6, and then moved to the cusp of glory by securing a tense frame 14 on the colours.

And it wasn’t long until Carter was clenching his fist in celebration, as a break of 54 in the 15th got him across the line. From 5-3 behind, he had collected six of the next seven frames en route to the first Home Nations Series crown of the season.

Twice a World Championship finalist in the past, this accolade will surely rank as one of Carter’s greatest achievements being so close to home.

The six-figure first prize elevates him nine places to 16th in the updated global standings, which could mean automatic qualification for the UK Championship in a few months’ time, and an invite to the Masters in the new year.

The Englishman also takes an early lead at the top of the Home Nations Series order of merit; the player who earns the most cumulative prize money across all four events this term - English, Northern Ireland, Scottish, and Welsh Opens - will earn a £150,000 bonus prize.

To view the full draw, results, schedule, and other information from the 2026 English Open snooker, visit our tournament information centre here.