2021 English Open (snooker)

2021 BetVictor English Open
Tournament information
Dates1–7 November 2021 (2021-11-01 – 2021-11-07)
VenueMarshall Arena
CityMilton Keynes
CountryEngland
OrganisationWorld Snooker Tour
FormatRanking event
Total prize fund£405,000
Winner's share£70,000
Highest break Barry Hawkins (ENG) (146)
Final
Champion Neil Robertson (AUS)
Runner-up John Higgins (SCO)
Score9–8
2020
2022

The 2021 English Open (officially the 2021 BetVictor English Open) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place from 1–7 November 2021 at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, England.[1][2] It was the fourth ranking event of the 2021–22 season, and the second event in both the Home Nations Series and the European Series. Qualifying for the tournament took place from 17 to 22 September 2021 at the Metrodome in Barnsley, England,[3] although matches involving the top 16 players, and two other matches involving English wildcards, were held over and played at the Marshall Arena.[4] The event was broadcast on Eurosport across the United Kingdom and Europe.

Judd Trump was the defending champion, having defeated Neil Robertson 9–8 in the previous year's final.[5] Trump lost 3–5 to Mark King in the quarter-finals.[6] Robertson faced John Higgins in the final. Although Robertson led 5–3 after the afternoon session, Higgins won the first four frames of the evening session to lead 7–5, and then moved within one frame of victory at 8–6. However, Robertson won the last three frames to defeat Higgins 9–8 and claim the 21st ranking title of his professional career. He became the third player, after Trump and Mark Selby, to win three Home Nations titles, and the first player to win three different tournaments in the series, having previously won the Scottish Open and the Welsh Open.[7][8]

Higgins sustained his second successive defeat from 8–6 ahead in a best-of-17 ranking final. He had lost the 2021 Northern Ireland Open final to Mark Allen under similar circumstances the previous month.[9]

  1. ^ "BetVictor extends involvement with WST". wst.tv. 2021-06-28.
  2. ^ "Tickets for UK events on sale". wst.tv. 2021-05-28.
  3. ^ "Updated 2021/22 Calendar" wst.tv. 2021-08-18
  4. ^ "BetVictor English Open Draw". wst.tv. 2021-08-25
  5. ^ "Trump beats Robertson in fantastic final". wst.tv. 2010-10-18.
  6. ^ "King Stuns World Number One Trump". World Snooker Tour. 5 November 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-11-05.
  7. ^ "Robertson Downs Higgins In Classic Clash". World Snooker Tour. 8 November 2021. Archived from the original on November 8, 2021.
  8. ^ Davies, Jonathan (17 October 2022). ""Extra incentive" as Neil Robertson eyes Home Nations grand slam". livesnooker.com.
  9. ^ "Neil Robertson rallies against John Higgins to win English Open". RTE. 8 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.