Shanghai Masters Snooker: Information and a Potted History

The Shanghai Masters was initially a ranking event open to all professional tour card holders, but in 2018 it became a 24-player invitational involving the world’s top 16 ranked players and eight Chinese invitees. 

Shanghai Masters Snooker: Most successful players, stats, stories, best finals 

Ronnie O’Sullivan is by far and away the most successful player in Shanghai Masters history with five title triumphs (2 x ranking, 3 x invitational) and a runner-up finish to his name. ‘The Rocket’ is the only player to have successfully defended the title. 

O’Sullivan has won the last four editions of the tournament and is on a winning streak of 19 matches. His last defeat came in 2016 when he lost to Michael Holt in the last 16.

On his way to glory in 2017, O’Sullivan dropped just nine frames in seven matches, rounding off with a comfortable 10-3 success against Judd Trump in the final. This seven-frame gap is the joint-largest margin of victory in a Shanghai Masters final, tied with Stuart Bingham’s likewise win over Mark Allen in 2014. 

Dominic Dale was the inaugural winner of the Shanghai Masters in 2007. In an all-Welsh final, Dale recovered from 6-2 down, stringing together eight consecutive frames to deny Ryan Day 10-6. It was Dale’s second ranking event title, nearly a decade on from his first. 

Ricky Walden (2008) and Kyren Wilson (2015) won their maiden ranking titles at the Shanghai Masters. 

Walden defeated then reigning world champion O’Sullivan 10-8 in the final, stopping his opponent from claiming three consecutive ranking event titles. In the four rounds prior to the final, Walden eliminated either a former or future world champion. 

Wilson’s unexpected victory arrived when he was ranked 54 in the world. He navigated nine rounds en route – including three qualifying matches in the UK and a wildcard round at the venue in China – culminating in a thrilling 10-9 final win over Trump. 

There have been three deciding frame finishes to the final. Probably the most remarkable Shanghai Masters title match came in 2012 featuring Trump and John Higgins. Trump established a 5-0 lead before Higgins crafted a maximum 147 break to open his account.  

Despite perfection, Higgins trailed 7-2 at the end of the first session, but on resumption the Scot battled back taking the first six frames of the evening session to lead, and later depositing the deciding frame to lift the trophy.  

In the 2011 final, Mark Selby won the final three frames from 9-7 down to get the better of Mark Williams. 

The 2013 climax between Ding Junhui and Xiao Guodong is historic, as it was the first all-Chinese ranking event final. 

Besides O’Sullivan, Ding Junhui is the only other player to have won the Shanghai Masters more than once. 

Shanghai Masters Snooker: Roll of Honour and Winner’s Prize Money

2007: Dominic Dale 10-6 Ryan Day | £48,000

2008: Ricky Walden 10-8 Ronnie O’Sullivan | £52,000

2009: Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-5 Liang Wenbo | £55,000

2010: Ali Carter 10-7 Jamie Burnett | £60,000

2011: Mark Selby 10-9 Mark Williams | £65,000

2012: John Higgins 10-9 Judd Trump | £75,000

2013: Ding Junhui 10-6 Xiao Guodong | £80,000

2014: Stuart Bingham 10-3 Mark Allen | £85,000

2015: Kyren Wilson 10-9 Judd Trump | £85,000

2016: Ding Junhui 10-6 Mark Selby | £85,000

2017: Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-3 Judd Trump | £150,000

2018: Ronnie O’Sullivan 11-9 Barry Hawkins | £200,000

2019: Ronnie O’Sullivan 11-9 Shaun Murphy | £200,000

2023: Ronnie O’Sullivan 11-9 Luca Brecel | £210,000 2007-2017: Ranking Event, 2018 to present: Invitational Event

Three maximum 147 breaks have been made at the Shanghai Masters, all of them at the main venue in China: 

2008: Jamie Cope 

2012: John Higgins 

2016: Stephen Maguire