The Malta Cup has not been included by the World Snooker Association among the list of ranking tournaments which are being held in the forthcoming season.
However, Richard Balani of Snooker Promotions, while confirming that the local event is still out of the WSA’s calendar for the new season, said that there were still hopes of the event being eventually played here.
Balani said discussions with the world body and the local authorities are still ongoing and he was hopeful that some form of agreement would be reached soon enough for them to be able to host the event.
Balani said they had so far successfully organised eight ranking tournaments here since the first was held in 1996 with substantial government sponsorship. “It would be a blow for us and the country not to stage the event, which is definitely the most sought after by the world’s top players. The tournament, held at the Portomaso Hilton earlier this year, also attracted a good number of foreign visitors, despite being held in mid-winter. Many of them said they would be back for the next tournament in Malta, but they will be disappointed if ever this season’s tournament had to be scratched completely from the list of ranking tournaments,” he said.
The Snooker Promotions official promised that they will be doing everything within their possibilities to get the Malta Cup event included in this year’s calendar.
Provisional calendar
6-12 August: Shanghai Masters in Shanghai, China
7-11 September: SAGA Insurance Masters Qualifying in Sheffield, England
17-23 September: Royal London Watches Grand Prix qualifiers in Pontin’s Prestatyn
From 6 October: Pot Black Cup at the Sheffield City Hall
13 to 21 October: Royal London Watches Grand Prix in Aberdeen, Scotland
23-25 October: Northern Ireland Trophy Qualifying in Pontin’s Prestatyn
4-11 November: N. Ireland Trophy at The Waterfront Hall, Belfast, N. Ireland
25-30 November: Maplin UK Championship Qualifying
3-16 December: Maplin UK Championship in Telford, England
4-11 January 2008, 888.com World Snooker Championship Qualifying at Pontin’s Prestatyn
13-20 January: SAGA Insurance Masters at Wembley Arena, London.
22-25 January 2008: China Open Qualifying at Pontin’s Prestatyn
5-7 February 2008: Welsh Open Qualifying at Pontin’s Prestatyn
11-17 February 2008: Welsh Open (venue still to be confirmed)
7-10 March 2008: 888.com World Snooker Championship Qualifying
23-30 March 2008: China Open, in Beijing, China
19 April-5 May 2008: 888.com World Snooker Championship at The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England