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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

2020 Gibraltar Open

The 2020 Gibraltar Open (officially the 2020 BetVictor Gibraltar Open) was a professional snooker tournament that took place from 13 to 15 March 2020 at the Europa Point Sports Complex in Gibraltar with qualifying rounds occurring on 11 and 12 March 2020. It was the fifteenth ranking event of the 2019–20 snooker season, and the final tournament in the European Series, following the German Masters, European Masters and Snooker Shoot Out. The event was the fifth Gibraltar Open tournament, first held in 2015. The event was organized by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association and sponsored by BetVictor.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, matches were originally limited to a maximum audience of 100. After the first day, all matches were played without any spectators. A number of professional players withdrew from the event, alongside 54 amateur players and a series of referees; in some cases matches were played between players without referees.

The defending champion was Stuart Bingham who defeated Ryan Day 4–1 in the 2019 final. Bingham lost 0–4 to Ben Woollaston in the third round of the event. Judd Trump won the championship – his 17th career and sixth ranking title of the season – after a 4–3 defeat of Kyren Wilson in the final. Winning six events became the record for the most ranking titles in a season with the victory. The tournament featured a total of £251,000 with the winner receiving £50,000. In addition to the winners purse, Trump also secured £150,000 for scoring the most ranking points across the European Series. There was a total of 63 century breaks made during the event, the highest of which a 144 made by Trump in frame three of the final against Wilson.

Tournament format

The event was the fifth iteration of the Gibraltar Open, having been first held in 2015. It took place from 13 to 15 March 2020 at the Europa Point Sports Complex in Gibraltar. The event was the 15th ranking tournament of the 2019–20 snooker season after the Players Championship, and preceding the Tour Championship. The defending champion was Stuart Bingham who had defeated Ryan Day 4–1 in the 2019 final. The Gibraltar Open was the final event of the 2020 BetVictor European Series, following the 2020 European Masters, 2020 German Masters and 2020 Snooker Shoot Out. The tournament was organised by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association and sponsored by BetVictor. Qualifying for the event was held from 11 to 12 March 2020 also at the Europa Point Sports Complex. Qualifying was played as best-of-5 frame matches, with the main stage of the event played as best-of-7 frames.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, matches were originally limited to a maximum audience of 100. After the first day, this restriction was tightened and matches were played without crowds. As a number of tour referees were unable to travel to the venue as a result of the pandemic, some matches were played without referees, with players respotting balls for their opponents. The event was broadcast by Eurosport across Europe.

Prize fund

The event featured a total prize fund of £251,000 with the winner receiving £50,000. This was an increase of £74,000 and £25,000 respectively from the 2019 event. As part of the BetVictor European Series the player with the highest amount of prize money received from the four events won an additional £150,000. Prior to the event, only Neil Robertson and Judd Trump were in contention for the prize.

The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below:

  • Winner: £50,000
  • Runner-up: £20,000
  • Semi-final: £6,000
  • Quarter-final: £5,000
  • Last 16: £4,000
  • Last 32: £3,000
  • Last 64: £2,000
  • Highest break: £5,000
  • Total: £251,000

Summary

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic several players withdrew from the event; Neil Robertson, John Higgins, Mark Allen, David Gilbert, Stephen Maguire, Ali Carter, Graeme Dott, Noppon Saengkham, Kurt Maflin, Anthony Hamilton, Mike Dunn, Fraser Patrick and Jimmy White, with some being replaced in the draw by amateur players.

Picture of Judd Trump
Judd Trump won the event, his sixth title of the season

The first three rounds of the event were played on 13 and 14 March 2020. Ben Woollaston defeated reigning Masters champion Stuart Bingham at the last 32 stage. Woollaston made breaks of 79 and 74 and eventually whitewashed Bingham 4–0. Thepchaiya Un-Nooh won his last 32 stage match 4–0 over Harvey Chandler in just 43 minutes. Three-time world champion Mark Williams defeated Martin Gould, but Mark Selby was defeated by Lyu Haotian. Kyren Wilson made breaks of 76, 90 and 107 to defeat Luca Brecel 4–0. Reigning world champion Judd Trump defeated native Gibraltan Lee Prickman, Brazil's Igor Figueiredo and Englishman Martin O'Donnell to reach the quarter-finals. Joe Perry was defeated by Jimmy Robertson in the last 32, meaning he did not have enough ranking points to qualify for the following event, the 2020 Tour Championship. Amine Amiri won the only main stage match of his two-year tour card, winning 4–3 over Adam Ashley.

The final four rounds, from the last 16 onwards, were all played on 15 March. Wilson defeated Fergal O'Brien on a deciding frame before winning over both Un-Nooh in the quarter-finals and Mark Williams in the semi-finals 4–0 each to reach the final. Trump defeated three Chinese players, Li Hang, Liang Wenbo and Xiao Guodong to meet Wilson in the final. The first frame of the best-of-seven frame final was won by Trump, who made a break of 125, with Wilson winning the second frame with a break of 115. Trump made a total clearance in his break of 144, before Wilson tied the score at 2–2. Wilson won frame five, before Trump made his third century break of the final, a 123 to force a deciding frame. Trump lead 52–0 but missed a black ball from its spot, but Wilson was unable to capitalise, allowing Trump to take the title with a break of 63 and win 4–3. In winning the event, Trump gained enough prize money to win the BetVictor European Series, earning a bonus of £150,000. This was also Trump's sixth ranking event win of the season, the most in a single season of any player. Trump commented: "To win six ranking titles in a season, something which no one else has ever done, is an amazing achievement for me... I wasn't thinking about that tonight until it got to 3–3."

Main draw

Below is the full draw for the event. Players in bold denote match winners.

Top half

Section 1

 
Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
 
              
 
 
 
 
 Stuart Bingham (ENG) (1)4
 
 
 
 Gerard Greene (NIR)1
 
England Stuart Bingham (1)4
 
 
 
England Barry Pinches0
 
 Nigel Bond (ENG)3
 
 
 
 Barry Pinches (ENG)4
 
England Stuart Bingham (1)0
 
 
 
England Ben Woollaston4
 
 Anthony Hamilton (ENG)w/d
 
 
 
 Ben Woollaston (ENG)w/o
 
England Ben Woollaston4
 
 
 
England Rod Lawler3
 
 Rod Lawler (ENG)4
 
 
 
 Dylan Craig (SCO)1
 
England Ben Woollaston0
 
 
 
Thailand Thepchaiya Un-Nooh4
 
 Gary Wilson (ENG) (16)2
 
 
 
 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (THA)4
 
Thailand Thepchaiya Un-Nooh4
 
 
 
China Mei Xiwen1
 
 Mitchell Mann (ENG)1
 
 
 
 Mei Xiwen (CHN)4
 
Thailand Thepchaiya Un-Nooh4
 
 
 
England Harvey Chandler0
 
 Harvey Chandler (ENG)4
 
 
 
 Riley Parsons (ENG)0
 
England Harvey Chandler4
 
 
 
Scotland Anthony McGill3
 
 Fraser Patrick (SCO)w/d
 
 
 Anthony McGill (SCO)w/o
 

Section 2

 
Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
 
              
 
 
 
 
 Bai Langning (CHN)2
 
 
 
 Fergal O'Brien (IRL)4
 
Republic of Ireland Fergal O'Brien4
 
 
 
England Allan Taylor2
 
 Joe O'Connor (ENG)2
 
 
 
 Allan Taylor (ENG)4
 
Republic of Ireland Fergal O'Brien4
 
 
 
China Chen Zifan2
 
 Chen Zifan (CHN)4
 
 
 
 Zhang Jiankang (CHN)0
 
China Chen Zifan4
 
 
 
Wales Andrew Pagett3
 
 David Gilbert (ENG) (9)w/d
 
 
 
 Andrew Pagett (WAL)w/o
 
Republic of Ireland Fergal O'Brien3
 
 
 
England Kyren Wilson (8)4
 
 Chris Wakelin (ENG)w/o
 
 
 
 Jimmy White (ENG)w/d
 
England Chris Wakelin1
 
 
 
Belgium Luca Brecel4
 
 Luca Brecel (BEL)4
 
 
 
 Ken Doherty (IRL)3
 
Belgium Luca Brecel0
 
 
 
England Kyren Wilson (8)4
 
 David Lilley (ENG)4
 
 
 
 Ameur Riad (MAR)1
 
England David Lilley0
 
 
 
England Kyren Wilson (8)4
 
 Kyren Wilson (ENG) (8)4
 
 
 Si Jiahui (CHN)1
 

Section 3

 
Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
 
              
 
 
 
 
 Mark Selby (ENG) (5)w/o
 
 
 
 Noppon Saengkham (THA)w/d
 
England Mark Selby (5)4
 
 
 
Wales Lee Walker1
 
 Fan Zhengyi (CHN)1
 
 
 
 Lee Walker (WAL)4
 
England Mark Selby (5)1
 
 
 
China Lyu Haotian4
 
 Lyu Haotian (CHN)4
 
 
 
 Kristján Helgason (ISL)3
 
China Lyu Haotian4
 
 
 
China Chang Bingyu2
 
 Thor Chuan Leong (MYS)2
 
 
 
 Chang Bingyu (CHN)4
 
China Lyu Haotian1
 
 
 
England David Grace4
 
 Stephen Maguire (SCO) (12)w/d
 
 
 
 Duane Jones (WAL)w/o
 
Wales Duane Jones1
 
 
 
England Oliver Lines4
 
 Oliver Lines (ENG)4
 
 
 
 Robbie Williams (ENG)2
 
England Oliver Lines1
 
 
 
England David Grace4
 
 Liam Highfield (ENG)0
 
 
 
 David Grace (ENG)4
 
England David Grace4
 
 
 
China Zhang Anda1
 
 Sam Baird (ENG)0
 
 
 Zhang Anda (CHN)4
 

Section 4

 
Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
 
              
 
 
 
 
 Jak Jones (WAL)1
 
 
 
 Mark King (ENG)4
 
England Mark King1
 
 
 
Scotland Scott Donaldson4
 
 Scott Donaldson (SCO)4
 
 
 
 Brandon Sargeant (ENG)2
 
Scotland Scott Donaldson2
 
 
 
China Tian Pengfei4
 
 Ashley Carty (ENG)0
 
 
 
 Soheil Vahedi (IRN)4
 
Iran Soheil Vahedi0
 
 
 
China Tian Pengfei4
 
 Yan Bingtao (CHN) (13)0
 
 
 
 Tian Pengfei (CHN)4
 
China Tian Pengfei3
 
 
 
Wales Mark Williams (4)4
 
 Amine Amiri (MAR)4
 
 
 
 Adam Ashley (ENG)3
 
Morocco Amine Amiri0
 
 
 
England Martin Gould4
 
 Martin Gould (ENG)4
 
 
 
 Mark Davis (ENG)2
 
England Martin Gould1
 
 
 
Wales Mark Williams (4)4
 
 Kishan Hirani (WAL)0
 
 
 
 Zhou Yuelong (CHN)4
 
China Zhou Yuelong2
 
 
 
Wales Mark Williams (4)4
 
 Mark Williams (WAL) (4)4
 
 
 Kacper Filipiak (POL)3
 

Bottom half

Section 5

 
Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
 
              
 
 
 
 
 Neil Robertson (AUS) (3)w/d
 
 
 
 Rory McLeod (ENG)w/o
 
England Rory McLeod4
 
 
 
England Louis Heathcote2
 
 Louis Heathcote (ENG)4
 
 
 
 John Astley (ENG)1
 
England Rory McLeod4
 
 
 
England Elliot Slessor1
 
 Peter Lines (ENG)2
 
 
 
 Andrew Higginson (ENG)4
 
England Andrew Higginson3
 
 
 
England Elliot Slessor4
 
 Simon Lichtenberg (GER)0
 
 
 
 Elliot Slessor (ENG)4
 
England Rory McLeod1
 
 
 
England Jimmy Robertson4
 
 Joe Perry (ENG) (14)4
 
 
 
 Gareth Lopez (GIB)0
 
England Joe Perry (14)4
 
 
 
China Lei Peifan1
 
 Lei Peifan (CHN)4
 
 
 
 Peter Devlin (ENG)1
 
England Joe Perry (14)3
 
 
 
England Jimmy Robertson4
 
 Jimmy Robertson (ENG)4
 
 
 
 Ricky Walden (ENG)0
 
England Jimmy Robertson4
 
 
 
England Craig Steadman2
 
 Craig Steadman (ENG)4
 
 
 Michael White (WAL)2
 

Section 6

 
Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
 
              
 
 
 
 
 Michael Georgiou (CYP)1
 
 
 
 Tom Ford (ENG)4
 
England Tom Ford4
 
 
 
England Alfie Burden2
 
 Ian Burns (ENG)3
 
 
 
 Alfie Burden (ENG)4
 
England Tom Ford4
 
 
 
England Jack Lisowski (11)2
 
 Kurt Maflin (NOR)w/d
 
 
 
 Hossein Vafaei (IRN)w/o
 
Iran Hossein Vafaei0
 
 
 
England Jack Lisowski (11)4
 
 Jack Lisowski (ENG) (11)4
 
 
 
 Jordan Brown (NIR)2
 
England Tom Ford2
 
 
 
China Xiao Guodong4
 
 Xiao Guodong (CHN)4
 
 
 
 Robert Milkins (ENG)0
 
China Xiao Guodong4
 
 
 
China Yuan Sijun 1
 
 Mike Dunn (ENG)w/d
 
 
 
 Yuan Sijun (CHN)w/o
 
China Xiao Guodong4
 
 
 
China Lu Ning1
 
 Ryan Day (WAL)4
 
 
 
 Luo Honghao (CHN)1
 
Wales Ryan Day3
 
 
 
China Lu Ning4
 
 John Higgins (SCO) (6)w/d
 
 
 Lu Ning (CHN)w/o
 

Section 7

 
Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
 
              
 
 
 
 
 Mark Allen (NIR) (7)w/d
 
 
 
 Michael Holt (ENG)w/o
 
England Michael Holt4
 
 
 
Wales Jackson Page0
 
 Dominic Dale (WAL)1
 
 
 
 Jackson Page (WAL)4
 
England Michael Holt1
 
 
 
England Ashley Hugill4
 
 Billy Joe Castle (ENG)1
 
 
 
 Sam Craigie (ENG)4
 
England Sam Craigie0
 
 
 
England Ashley Hugill4
 
 Andy Hicks (ENG)2
 
 
 
 Ashley Hugill (ENG)4
 
England Ashley Hugill2
 
 
 
China Liang Wenbo4
 
 Barry Hawkins (ENG) (10)4
 
 
 
 Sybren Sokolowski (BEL)0
 
England Barry Hawkins (10)3
 
 
 
China Liang Wenbo4
 
 Liang Wenbo (CHN)4
 
 
 
 James Cahill (ENG)3
 
China Liang Wenbo4
 
 
 
China Zhao Xintong1
 
 Andy Lee (HKG)1
 
 
 
 Zhao Xintong (CHN)4
 
China Zhao Xintong4
 
 
 
Wales Jamie Clarke0
 
 Jamie Clarke (WAL)4
 
 
 Chen Feilong (CHN)1
 

Section 8

 
Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
 
              
 
 
 
 
 Mark Joyce (ENG)4
 
 
 
 Adam Stefanow (POL)2
 
England Mark Joyce4
 
 
 
China Xu Si3
 
 Hammad Miah (ENG)3
 
 
 
 Xu Si (CHN)4
 
England Mark Joyce3
 
 
 
China Li Hang4
 
 Li Hang (CHN)4
 
 
 
 Alex Borg (MLT)1
 
China Li Hang4
 
 
 
England Jamie O'Neill1
 
 Ali Carter (ENG) (15)w/d
 
 
 
 Jamie O'Neill (ENG)w/o
 
China Li Hang1
 
 
 
England Judd Trump (2)4
 
 Daniel Wells (WAL)w/o
 
 
 
 Graeme Dott (SCO)w/d
 
Wales Daniel Wells3
 
 
 
England Martin O'Donnell4
 
 Martin O'Donnell (ENG)4
 
 
 
 Eden Sharav (ISR)1
 
England Martin O'Donnell1
 
 
 
England Judd Trump (2)4
 
 Igor Figueiredo (BRA)4
 
 
 
 Matthew Selt (ENG)1
 
Brazil Igor Figueiredo2
 
 
 
England Judd Trump (2)4
 
 Judd Trump (ENG) (2)4
 
 
 Lee Prickman (GIB)0
 

Finals

 
Quarter-finals
Best of 7 frames
Semi-finals
Best of 7 frames
Final
Best of 7 frames
 
          
 
 
 
 
Thailand Thepchaiya Un-Nooh0
 
 
 
England Kyren Wilson (8)4
 
England Kyren Wilson (8)4
 
 
 
Wales Mark Williams (4)0
 
England David Grace1
 
 
 
Wales Mark Williams (4)4
 
England Kyren Wilson (8)3
 
 
 
England Judd Trump (2)4
 
England Jimmy Robertson3
 
 
 
China Xiao Guodong4
 
China Xiao Guodong3
 
 
 
England Judd Trump (2)4
 
China Liang Wenbo1
 
 
England Judd Trump (2)4
 

Final

Final: Best of 7 frames. Referee: Monika Sułkowska
Europa Point Sports Complex, Gibraltar, 15 March 2020
Kyren Wilson (8)
 England
3–4 Judd Trump (2)
 England
Frames: 1–125 (125), 115–17 (115), 0–144 (144),
76–57, 75–61, 0–123 (123), 1–115
115 Highest break 144
1 Century breaks 3

Qualifying

Qualifying for the event featuring amateur players took place in Gibraltar on 11 and 12 March 2020. There were a total of four rounds with all matches being played as the best-of-5 frames.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Century breaks

Main stage centuries

A total of 63 century breaks were made during the tournament. Judd Trump made the highest break of the event, a 144, in frame three of the final against Kyren Wilson.


References

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