English Open

History of the English Open Snooker

The English Open was announced by World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn on 29 April 2015 as part of plans to introduce a new Home Nations Series. The series was designed to bring together four national tournaments: the existing Welsh Open and Scottish Open, the Northern Ireland Open and the new English Open. The inaugural English Open was held in 2016, creating another opportunity for professional players to compete for ranking points and a major title on British soil.

The tournament’s arrival reflected a broader effort to strengthen the professional calendar and provide more high-profile events for players and spectators. Rather than relying solely on long-established competitions, the Home Nations Series gave each of the four nations a prominent tournament within a connected group. The English Open quickly became an important part of that structure, attracting leading professionals and offering a new title for players to target during the season.

2016: Liang Wenbo wins the inaugural title

The first English Open took place in Manchester in 2016, with EventCity serving as the venue. China’s Liang Wenbo became the tournament’s inaugural champion, defeating Judd Trump 9–6 in the final. The victory was particularly significant for Liang because it marked his first ranking title. Trump, already an established force in professional snooker, was unable to stop Liang from completing a successful week and entering the tournament’s record books as its first winner.

The inaugural champion established an international theme that would continue throughout the English Open’s history. Although it is staged in England, the event has never been exclusively a contest between English players. Its champions and finalists have come from different countries, reflecting the increasingly global nature of professional snooker. Liang’s victory also demonstrated the importance of the new event: a ranking title was available to players prepared to navigate a demanding draw and perform under pressure.

2017: Ronnie O’Sullivan lifts the Steve Davis Trophy

The 2017 edition was held at the Barnsley Metrodome in South Yorkshire. Ronnie O’Sullivan won the title by defeating Kyren Wilson 9–2 in the final. O’Sullivan’s victory was a commanding one, underlining the scoring power and natural fluency that have made him one of snooker’s most celebrated players. His name added immediate prestige to the tournament’s roll of honour and gave the English Open an early connection to one of the sport’s defining modern champions.

The trophy was named in honour of Steve Davis, the six-time world champion who dominated much of the 1980s. Davis helped turn snooker into a major television sport during that period, and the trophy’s name connects the relatively new English Open with an important part of the game’s history. O’Sullivan’s triumph in 2017 also showed how quickly the tournament could attract the sport’s biggest stars and produce a champion with a substantial international following.

2018: Stuart Bingham wins in Crawley

For the 2018 tournament, the action moved to K2 in Crawley, West Sussex. Stuart Bingham won the championship by beating Mark Davis 9–7 in the final. The contest was closer than the previous year’s final, with Bingham having to maintain his composure across a longer match. His success added another established English professional to the winners’ list and reinforced the event’s reputation as a tournament capable of producing competitive finals.

Bingham had already reached the highest level of the sport, having won the World Championship in 2015. His English Open title therefore added another significant ranking success to his career. The 2018 final also illustrated a recurring feature of snooker: matches can be decided by small changes in momentum. Even when one player appears to have control, a few successful frames can alter the atmosphere and put renewed pressure on the opponent.

2019: Mark Selby claims the title

The 2019 English Open returned to Crawley, where Mark Selby defeated David Gilbert 9–1 in the final. Selby’s victory was emphatic, with the Leicester-born player demonstrating the tactical control and match management that became central to his reputation. Known for his ability to make opponents work for every opportunity, Selby added the English Open to a career already filled with major titles.

The final score reflected Selby’s control of the contest, but the wider significance was his place among the tournament’s champions. By this stage, the English Open had already been won by Liang Wenbo, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stuart Bingham. Selby’s victory added another world-class name to the list and helped establish the competition as a meaningful target for players with ambitions beyond a single good week.

2020: Judd Trump wins a deciding-frame final

The 2020 edition was staged at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, a venue that hosted a number of professional snooker events during the period affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Judd Trump won the English Open after defeating Neil Robertson 9–8 in the final. The deciding-frame result made it one of the tournament’s most memorable conclusions, with neither player able to settle the contest before the final frame.

Trump’s victory gave him his second English Open title, following his runner-up finish in the inaugural edition. The result also demonstrated how quickly a snooker final can become a test of nerve. Across a match of that length, players must maintain concentration, recover from setbacks and continue making good decisions even when fatigue and pressure begin to matter. At 8–8, there is no hiding place: one frame decides the title, and every shot carries extra weight.

2021: Neil Robertson responds

Neil Robertson won the 2021 English Open, defeating John Higgins 9–8 in another final that went the distance. The Australian’s victory was a notable response after losing the previous year’s final to Trump by the same scoreline. This time, Robertson emerged victorious, adding the English Open to his list of ranking titles and demonstrating his ability to deliver under intense pressure.

Robertson’s success was especially fitting given his standing as one of the most accomplished players of his generation. Renowned for his long potting and break-building, he has repeatedly shown that attacking quality must be matched by patience and control to win tournaments. The 2021 final reinforced the English Open’s reputation for close finishes and established a pattern of champions having to withstand pressure rather than simply dominate from start to finish.

2022: Mark Selby wins in Brentwood

The English Open moved to the Brentwood Centre in Essex in 2022, beginning a new chapter at a venue that would feature in subsequent editions. Mark Selby won the tournament by beating Luca Brecel 9–6 in the final. The victory made Selby a two-time English Open champion, following his success in 2019, and added another ranking title to his collection.

Brentwood’s place on the tournament calendar helped give the event a more consistent home after its earlier appearances in Manchester, Barnsley, Crawley and Milton Keynes. Venue changes had been a defining feature of the English Open’s early years, but the Essex setting provided a base for future editions. Selby’s 2022 triumph also continued the event’s tradition of rewarding players who can combine scoring ability with strong tactical judgement.

2023: Judd Trump wins for a second time

Judd Trump claimed his second English Open title in 2023, defeating John Higgins 9–8 in the final. The result added another close finish to the tournament’s history and placed Trump alongside other multiple champions. His attacking instincts and ability to produce large breaks have long made him one of the most entertaining players to watch, but the narrow final score also highlighted the importance of composure in deciding frames.

The victory strengthened Trump’s connection with the Home Nations Series, a group of events that rewards consistency as well as individual tournament success. Winning the English Open requires a player to negotiate several rounds, adapt to different opponents and keep performing across the week. A high break can win a frame quickly, but a title is usually built through a sequence of good decisions, including the less glamorous safety shots that do not always make highlight reels.

2024: Neil Robertson returns to the winners’ circle

Neil Robertson won the 2024 English Open, defeating Wu Yize 9–7 in the final. The Australian became a two-time champion, following his 2021 success, and added another notable result to his record in the competition. Wu’s run to the final was an important achievement in its own right, showing that younger players from the international circuit could challenge established champions on one of the sport’s major stages.

Robertson’s win continued the tournament’s pattern of featuring a mix of familiar champions and emerging contenders. The final also underlined the international depth of modern snooker. Players no longer need to come from the traditional British heartlands to compete for major trophies, and the English Open has become one of the events where that global competition is particularly visible.

2025: Mark Allen wins a final-frame thriller

Mark Allen won the 2025 English Open by beating Zhou Yuelong 9–8 in the final. The Northern Irish player’s victory added his name to the tournament’s list of champions and produced another final that was decided in the last possible frame. Zhou’s run to the final was also evidence of the strength of the international field, with Chinese professionals continuing to play a prominent role in the sport’s biggest events.

The 2025 tournament was held at the Brentwood Centre, continuing the venue’s association with the competition. Allen’s title was particularly memorable because of the narrow scoreline: after a long week of matches, the championship came down to one final frame. For viewers, it was a reminder that even experienced professionals cannot eliminate uncertainty from snooker. The ability to manage pressure is part of what separates a tournament winner from a player who comes close.

2026: Ali Carter becomes the latest champion

The 2026 BetVictor English Open took place from 7 to 13 September at the Brentwood Centre in Brentwood, Essex. Ali Carter won the title for the first time, defeating Mark Williams 9–6 in the final. Carter’s victory was his seventh ranking title and his first of the 2026–27 season. The result also gave the English Open another champion with extensive experience at the highest level of the sport.

Williams, a former world champion known for his relaxed manner and exceptional potting ability, reached the final after a strong run through the draw. At 51, he was the older finalist, while Carter’s win showed that persistence and competitive experience can remain valuable assets in a demanding professional field. The 2026 edition also continued the tournament’s established format, with shorter matches in the early rounds and longer contests as the field narrowed towards the final.

The English Open’s place in modern snooker

Since its launch in 2016, the English Open has grown into a recognised fixture on the professional ranking calendar. Its champions include Liang Wenbo, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stuart Bingham, Mark Selby, Judd Trump, Neil Robertson, Mark Allen and Ali Carter. That variety reflects the strength of the professional game and the difficulty of winning a tournament in which elite players, experienced campaigners and ambitious challengers compete across several rounds.

The event remains part of the BetVictor Home Nations Series, alongside the Northern Ireland Open, Scottish Open and Welsh Open. It awards ranking points and prize money, while the Steve Davis Trophy links the modern competition to one of snooker’s most influential champions. With its history of deciding-frame finals, international winners and dramatic scoring spells, the English Open has established an identity of its own. And if history is any guide, fans should never leave the room before the final black has disappeared into a pocket.