The Middle East region will host a ranking event for the first time in over a decade with the inaugural Saudi Arabia Masters set to begin on Friday. The last major event in this region was the Bahrain Championship in 2008, won by Neil Robertson.

Robertson emerged victorious in the capital city of Manama 16 years ago, defeating Matthew Stevens in the final. Reflecting on his win, Robertson expressed his delight, stating, “I am absolutely over the moon.”

This new event in Riyadh offers a historic £500,000 first prize, the largest non-World Championship payout in snooker history. The runner-up will also receive a significant prize of £200,000. This substantial prize pool highlights the growth and development of snooker in the Middle East over the past decade.

The Saudi Arabia Masters is poised to become the second most prestigious tournament in snooker, after the World Championship. Players like Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, and Jimmy White will be competing, adding to the event’s prestige.

The tournament in Bahrain faced challenges with late withdrawals from top players like O’Sullivan and Steve Davis. Despite this, Marcus Campbell managed to achieve a notable feat by hitting a maximum 147 break during the competition.

The significance of this event lies not only in its lucrative prize money but also in its impact on the global snooker circuit. With top players returning to the Middle East after many years, the Saudi Arabia Masters marks a new chapter in the sport’s history.