The Players Championship Curse: A Snooker Mystery Unfolds
The Players Championship begins this Tuesday in Telford, featuring the top 16 players of the season, but a curious historical trend casts a shadow over the event. Since its revamp in 2017, this tournament has traveled across the UK, from Llandudno to Wolverhampton, now settling at the Telford International Centre. It has produced iconic moments, such as Ronnie O’Sullivan achieving 1,000 career centuries in the 2019 final against Neil Robertson. In 2021, John Higgins delivered a masterclass, dropping only four frames en route to the title, including a dominant 10-3 victory over O’Sullivan in the final.
Why Success in Telford Doesn't Translate to Sheffield
Logically, winning the Players Championship in February or March should position a player perfectly for a World Championship challenge at the Crucible in April. However, history tells a different story. In nine editions of the Players Championship, no winner has gone on to claim the World Championship title in the same season. Moreover, no Players Championship winner has even reached the World Championship final, and this extends to finalists as well, with none making a Crucible final in the same year.
This pattern is not isolated to the Players Championship. The Tour Championship, scheduled for next month in Manchester, exhibits a similar trend. Since its inception in 2019, no finalist has carried that form to a World Championship final weeks later. This suggests the issue is less about the Players Championship itself and more about the unpredictable nature of the World Championship, especially in recent seasons.
Recent Examples Highlight the Trend
Last season, Kyren Wilson won the Players Championship, his fourth ranking event of the campaign, yet this did not guarantee success in Sheffield. In 2025, John Higgins triumphed at the Tour Championship shortly after winning the World Open, but this momentum did not translate to a World Championship victory. Zhao Xintong’s 2024 World Championship win came after a season-long ban, requiring him to qualify from the first round, while Luca Brecel’s 2023 title followed a modest Players Championship quarter-final and no Tour Championship qualification.
Conversely, Shaun Murphy’s 2023 season saw him win both the Players and Tour Championships, only to suffer a first-round defeat at the Crucible to Si Jiahui. This indicates that entering the World Championship with a packed, successful season might drain players’ energy, making freshness a key advantage. Success in events like the Players Championship often involves extensive travel, match wins, and mental exertion over months, potentially leading to burnout by April.
Implications for the 2026 Season
Notable absences from this year’s Players Championship include Ronnie O’Sullivan, who withdrew, and Kyren Wilson, who did not qualify. Their lack of participation might not hinder their World Championship prospects, aligning with the trend that less activity could be beneficial. The winner in Telford will secure a prestigious title, defeat four top opponents, and earn £150,000, but they should not be prematurely crowned the 2026 world champion.
The draw for the Players Championship features exciting matchups, with Neil Robertson facing John Higgins and Judd Trump taking on Zhou Yuelong in the early rounds. As the tournament progresses through quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final on Sunday, all eyes will be on whether this year’s champion can break the curse or if history will repeat itself.
