2023 World Grand Prix

2023 Duelbits World Grand Prix
Tournament information
Dates16–22 January 2023 (2023-01-16 – 2023-01-22)
VenueThe Centaur
CityCheltenham
CountryEngland
OrganisationWorld Snooker Tour
FormatRanking event
Total prize fund£380,000
Winner's share£100,000
Highest break Mark Allen (NIR) (141)
Final
Champion Mark Allen (NIR)
Runner-up Judd Trump (ENG)
Score10–9
← 2021
2024 →

The 2023 World Grand Prix (officially the 2023 Duelbits World Grand Prix) was a professional snooker tournament that took place from 16 to 22 January 2023 at The Centaur in Cheltenham, England.[1] The eighth ranking event of the 2022–23 snooker season, it preceded the 2023 Players Championship and the 2023 Tour Championship as the first of three events in the Players Series. Sponsored for the first time by cryptocurrency casino Duelbits,[2] the tournament was broadcast by ITV domestically, by Eurosport in Europe, and by Matchroom Sport and other broadcasters internationally.[3] The winner received £100,000 from a total prize fund of £380,000.

The participants were the top 32 players on the one-year ranking list as it stood after the 2022 English Open.[4] Lu Ning was ineligible to compete after the sport's governing body suspended him amid a match-fixing investigation; his place went to David Gilbert.[5] Four-time world champion John Higgins failed to qualify after finishing at 54th place on the one-year list following the English Open.[6][7]

The defending champion was Ronnie O'Sullivan, who defeated Neil Robertson 10–8 in the previous season's final.[8] However, O'Sullivan lost 2–4 to Noppon Saengkham in the last 16.[9] Facing Judd Trump in the final, Mark Allen won five consecutive frames to lead 7–2, but Trump won six of the next seven to tie the scores at 8–8.[10][11] The match went to a deciding frame, where Allen clinched a 10–9 victory to win his ninth ranking title.[12] It was Allen's third ranking tournament win of the season, following the 2022 Northern Ireland Open and 2022 UK Championship, and took him to a career-high of number three in the world rankings.[13] Allen made the tournament's highest break of 141 in the 12th frame of the final.[14]

  1. ^ "World Grand Prix". wst.tv. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Duelbits Joins Forces With WST". World Snooker. 16 January 2023. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  3. ^ Ivan (15 January 2023). "How To Watch The World Grand Prix". World Snooker. Archived from the original on 14 January 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  4. ^ Huart, Matt (17 December 2022). "Race to the World Grand Prix 2023: English Open Updates". WPBSA. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  5. ^ Caulfield, David (17 December 2022). "World Grand Prix snooker lineup confirmed". SnookerHQ. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Higgins Steps Up World Grand Prix Bid". World Snooker. 13 December 2022. Archived from the original on 21 December 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  7. ^ "1 Year List after 2022 BetVictor English Open". livescores.worldsnookerdata.com. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  8. ^ "O'Sullivan Ends Title Drought". wst.tv. 19 December 2021. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  9. ^ "Superb Saengkham Downs Rocket". World Snooker. 18 January 2023. Archived from the original on 19 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  10. ^ "Allen holds off Trump in dramatic Grand Prix final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  11. ^ "Mark Allen survives stunning Judd Trump comeback to win World Grand Prix". Eurosport. 22 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Allen Edges Trump In Epic". World Snooker. 22 January 2023. Archived from the original on 23 January 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  13. ^ "Mark Allen turns the air blue after winning UK Grand Prix in dramatic final frame decider". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  14. ^ "Snooker scores: Mark Allen beats Judd Trump 10-9 in World Grand Prix final". www.sportinglife.com. Retrieved 22 January 2023.