HONG KONG, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- The World Snooker Tour (WST) has announced the sport's 2025 World Grand Prix will be held in Hong Kong from March 4 to 9.
WST said the World Grand Prix, the first ranking event to take place in Hong Kong in 35 years, will be staged at the brand-new Kai Tak Sports Park, a state-of-the-art facility set to open next year.
The Grand Hall at Kai Tak Arena, which will stage the World Grand Prix, will have a capacity of over 4,000, with the ambition to play host to snooker's biggest ever live audience for a ranking tournament.
The World Grand Prix is the opening event in the Players Series, where only the season's top 32 players will earn a place.
Prize money for the tournament will be boosted by 84 percent compared to last year's total fund, rising from 380,000 pounds sterling (495,700 U.S. dollars) to 700,000 pounds. The top prize jumps from 100,000 to 180,000 pounds.
The only previous ranking event staged in the city was back in 1989, when Mike Hallett defeated Dene O'Kane 9-8 in the final of the Hong Kong Open. ■
