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India will be hosting its first ever world ranking snooker championship this October.
World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn said in an interview : “This is a momentous announcement for snooker as we stage a world ranking event in India for the very first time. “If we can replicate the phenomenal success we have had in China then India will be a very exciting prospect.”
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association chairman Jason Ferguson added: “I have been in Delhi to finalise the agreement and have witnessed first-hand the enthusiasm for snooker in India.
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“We now have two Indian players on the professional tour; Aditya Mehta who reached the last 16 of the International Championship last season and Pankaj Advani who got to the semi-finals of the Paul Hunter Classic and the quarter-finals of the Welsh Open.
“The people in India really love our game and I’ve no doubt this event will be a great success and provide a basis for snooker’s growth there.”
The Indian Open will be held in Delhi from 14 to 18 October, featuring 64 of the world’s top players and will offer a prize money of £300,000, with £50,000 going to the winner. A qualifying round will be held at at the Doncaster Dome, in August with players needing to win one match to gain a spot at the tournament
