January 6th 2024.
The Masters is one of the most anticipated tournaments in the world of snooker. Every year, the top 16 players in the world get together at Alexandra Palace to compete in a series of high-stakes matches that can bring about some of the most unexpected results imaginable.
Take last year, for example. Mark Williams picked up a rare win over Ronnie O'Sullivan in the quarter-finals, after not having beaten the Rocket in a long format match for nine years. Meanwhile, Shaun Murphy had brilliantly beaten defending champion Neil Robertson in the first round, only to be whitewashed 6-0 by Stuart Bingham in the quarter-finals.
In the end, the 2020 final was an unlikely clash between Bingham and Ali Carter, who had replaced O'Sullivan in the draw. And in 2021, it was debutant Yan Bingtao who emerged victorious. Even Judd Trump's win in 2019 was a surprise, after he walloped O'Sullivan 10-4 in the showpiece.
This unpredictability is what makes the Masters so exciting. Even when there is a clear favourite, no one should be certain of the outcome. This year, Mark Selby will go into his clash with Rob Milkins as clear favourite, and few will be tipping Kyren Wilson to beat man of the season Trump. O'Sullivan will be widely fancied to oust Ding Junhui, but those underdogs are all ready, willing and able to have their day at Ally Pally.
The same goes for some of the other tough matchups, such as Mark Allen vs John Higgins, Luca Brecel vs Jack Lisowski and Neil Robertson vs Barry Hawkins.
What's more, the Masters often doesn't fit into a player's form for the rest of the season. Trump is very accustomed to winning multiple titles in a season, but the Masters was the only trophy he lifted over the last campaign. Yan's win in 2021 is his only title since 2019, and Bingham has won one title since 2019, and it was the Masters. Even Judd Trump winning in 2023 was not expected given his form at the time.
Whoever emerges victorious at Alexandra Palace will be quickly tipped as a leading contender to win the World Championship in May, but it's not always that easy. Only once in 20 years has someone won the Masters and left the Crucible with the trophy in the same season - Trump in 2019. O'Sullivan seems a good bet for Ally Pally glory after winning the UK Championship just last month, but again, only once in 20 years has anyone claimed the UK and then the Masters in the same campaign - Selby in 2012/13.
So, as the Masters gets underway on Sunday 7 January at Alexandra Palace, don't be surprised by anything that happens. The greatest and most anticipated sporting contests are as close to 50-50 affairs as possible, and at Ally Pally we have no idea at all.
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