Hong Kong new boy Neil Robertson backs city to host World Snooker Championship
Australian would be ‘right behind’ sport’s marquee event coming to Hong Kong as part of rotating-host arrangement
Neil Robertson raised the possibility of moving lock, stock and barrel to Hong Kong, and said he would be “right behind” the idea of the city hosting the World Snooker Championship.
As the reigning World Grand Prix champion and winner of the 2017 Hong Kong Masters, Robertson welcomed the thought of snooker’s marquee event coming to the city.
The Crucible Theatre’s contract to host the World Championship expires in 2027 – 50 years on from when the tournament was first held at the 980-seat Sheffield venue.
“I’d love to see it move around; it shouldn’t stay in one place,” Robertson said. “Fans in Asia have every right to support a World Championship, so I would be right behind it [coming to Hong Kong], for sure.”
Robertson also mooted mainland China as a potential destination for the 17-day competition after Zhao Xintong became the country’s first winner this year.
World No 1 and fellow Hong Kong resident Judd Trump similarly said there was “much more chance than ever” of China landing the tournament following Zhao’s breakthrough triumph.