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China's top snooker player Ding Junhui answers reporters' questions at a press conference in Wuxi, Jiangsu province on July 2.[Photo by Han Jingjing/China Daily] |
Wuxi's future as a host city for top-level snooker tournaments may be in danger as the municipal government is still yet to agree a deal to extend its contract with the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, officials revealed on July 2.
The city in Jiangsu province has been one of the keenest promoters of the sport in China and has hosted high-level snooker events since 2008.
But with the 2017 Snooker World Cup set to begin in Wuxi on Monday, the city still has not confirmed whether it will remain the venue for the tournament.
"We have been negotiating with … [China's] General Administration of Sport and the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association to continue holding the snooker event in Wuxi," said Yang Yuhua, deputy director of the Wuxi sports bureau, at a press conference for the tournament.
"We will continue talking about this issue during the 2017 World Cup … and we'll get a definite answer soon," he added.
Wuxi has hosted the World Cup since 2015, and it has proved a hit with players, sponsors and broadcasters.
Six of the top seven players in the snooker world rankings will compete in Wuxi on July 3-9, with new sponsors Little Swan helping to boost the total prize money on offer to $800,000.
Millions are expected to watch the tournament on TV, with broadcasters including China's national network CCTV and Eurosport set to show live coverage of the action.
The head of the WPBSA, Jason Ferguson, was keen to stress the good relationship his organization has with Wuxi.
"We're delighted to be here in Wuxi because it marks really the beginning of the growth of snooker here in China," said Ferguson. "We always get a fabulous reception here … the fans are very enthusiastic."
This year's World Cup will feature 24 teams representing 23 different countries, a sign of snooker's increasing global reach.
When the sport's first World Cup was held in 1979, just six teams were involved.
China has high hopes of winning the tournament for the third consecutive time.
As hosts, it is the only nation to enter two teams. An A'team featuring world number four and Wuxi native Ding Junhui and 12th-ranked Liang Wenbo will fly the flag for China alongside the defending champions Zhou Yuelong and Yan Bingtao.
