Champion of Champions Snooker Starts Monday

The Champion of Champions snooker tournament begins Monday at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, England, bringing together 16 recent title winners in a high-stakes invitational event running through November 16. Defending champion Mark Williams leads a field featuring world number one Judd Trump, world champion Zhao Xintong, and other top players vying for the £150,000 top prize and a share of the £440,000 total purse.

The event marks the first time the prestigious tournament, which returned to the calendar in 2013, will be held in Leicester. It invites players who have claimed ranking or significant invitational titles over the past 12 months, creating a showcase of current form. Williams secured his first Champion of Champions crown last year with a 10-6 victory over Xiao Guodong in the final. This season has already seen nine different winners across tournaments, highlighting the depth of competition on the tour.

Action opens with Group 2 matches on November 10 at 1 p.m. UK time, pitting Trump against women's world champion Bai Yulu, followed by Shaun Murphy facing Scottish Open winner Lei Peifan. The winners advance to a best-of-11 group final that evening at 7 p.m. The...