Mark Allen earns the biggest payout of his career by winning the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship; The Northern Irishman earns £250,000 for defeating Luca Brecel in the final; Allen defeats Ronnie O'Sullivan in the semi-finals to leave the 'Rocket' still waiting for a first title in 2024/25.
Last updated: 21/12/24 00:09
Mark Allen won the seasonal snooker championship in Riyadh
Mark Allen won his first title in the 2024/25 season. by winning the season's Snooker Championship in Riyadh, defeating Ronnie O'Sullivan in the semi-finals before seeing off Luca Brecel to claim the £250,000 top prize.
Allen's best results in this campaign before his success in Saudi Arabia were reaching the semi-finals of the British Open, UK Championship, Scottish Open and Champion of Champions.
The Northern Irishman beat four-time world champion Mark Selby 4-2 in the quarter-finals in Riyadh and returned a day later to see off seven-time Crucible king O'Sullivan by the same score.
He then defeated 2023 world champion Bretzel 5-1 in the final after losing the first frame, firing two centuries and a break of 50 as he earned the biggest payout of his career.
Allen also won £250,000 after winning the UK Championship in York 2022.
The Golden Ball remains undiscovered throughout the tournament
No player at the Seasonal Snooker Championship in Riyadh managed to win the golden ball and earn $1 million for a break of 167, which is unique for the event in Saudi Arabia.
Players can only sink the golden ball after completing the Rule 147 break, but the closest to the maximum was China's Zhang Anda, who broke after 12 reds and blacks on day one.
Champion Allen will now aim to win the Masters at Alexandra Palace for the second time in January, having previously won the title in 2018, defeating Kyren Wilson in the final.
O'Sullivan is the defending Masters champion, beating Ali Carter 10-7 in 2024, but is yet to get past the semi-finals of the tournament this season.
Masters Snooker 2025 Tournament Schedule
The tournament takes place from January 12 to 19 at Alexandra Palace, London
First round (best of 11 frames)
Sunday January 12th
13:00
Ronnie O'Sullivan vs John Higgins
19:00
Shaun Murphy vs Gary Wilson
Monday, January 13
13:00
Mark Williams vs. Ding Junhui
19:00
Mark Selby vs Ali Carter
Tuesday January 14th
13:00
Judd Trump vs Barry Hawkins
19:00
Mark Allen vs Si Jiahui
Wednesday, January 15
13:00
Kyren Wilson vs Your Zhang
19:00
Luca Brecel vs Chris Wakelin
Quarter Finals (Best of 11 Frames)
O'Sullivan/Higgins vs Murphy/G Wilson
Allen/Si vs Selby/Carter
Trump/Hawkins vs Williams/Ding
Brecel/Wakelin vs K Wilson/Zhang
The big heavyweight rematch between Alexander Usyk and Tyson Fury will be live on Saturday 21 December on Sky Sports Box Office. Book Usyk v Fury 2 now!