There is a new snooker tournament swinging into action this week. The 2019 Coral Tour Championship enters into its inaugural season, being hosted in Llandudno, Wales. The tournament will go through from March 19th to the 24th. This is the final event of the new Coral Cup.
The Coral Cup
Whichever player picks up the most prize money across the three Coral Cup events (World Grand Prix, Players Championship and Tour Championship) during the season, will receive the Coral Cup. Only the top eight players from the one-year ranking list get to compete in the Coral Cup.
Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump are the joint prize money leaders so far with £150,000 each. Trump won the World Grand Prix and O’Sullivan the Players Championship.
Tour Championship 2019 Winner Odds*
Ronnie O’Sullivan 7/5
Judd Trump 4/1
Neil Robertson 13/2
Mark Selby 6/1
Mark Allen 8/1
Kyren Wilson 12/1
Mark Williams 18/1
Stuart Bingham 28/1
* (betting odds taken from bet365 on March 18th, 2019 at 8:10 pm)
Visit Bet365
Ronnie O’Sullivan is at the head of the market at 7/5 odds* (betting odds taken from bet365 on March 18th, 2019 at 8:10 pm) with his big win at the Players Championship. After a few disappointing tournament results, O’Sullivan was back to his sublime best at the Players. He crushed Australia’s Neil Robertson 10-4 in the final and in the match he reached 1000 career centuries. He did it in his winning frame as well. Style.
Since then O’Sullivan decided to skip the Gibraltar Open and get a rest. Stuart Bingham and Kyren Wilson both decided to take on the extra work before heading into the Tour Championship. But the interesting thing is how O’Sullivan will deal with having hit such a high at the Players. That was some second session that he produced in the final, full of emotion.
O’Sullivan goes against Bingham in the first round of action, and it was he who won in Gibraltar, taking the final over Ryan Day. This is in the top half of the draw and the winner of that O’Sullivan v Bingham match could have to face Judd Trump in the semi-finals.
Trump takes on Mark Williams in his first match. It has been some season from Trump with his win at the Masters, backing up his other successes at the Northern Ireland Open and the World Grand Prix. Trump is 4/1 second favourite* (betting odds taken from bet365 on March 18th, 2019 at 8:10 pm).
Tour Championship 2019 Draw
Mark Allen v Kyren Wilson
Neil Robertson v Mark Selby
Judd Trump v Mark Williams
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Stuart Bingham
Mark Allen and Kyren Wilson square off in the first round. That is probably the most difficult match of the four to call really. Wilson has been good again this season, capped with a great win at the German Masters. But he also has not consistently enough been in the picture for more titles where he should be. Mark Allen won the International Championship and the Scottish Open this year but has fallen back with his form since.
The winner of that will face the winner of another good-looking match, which is Neil Robertson v Mark Selby. Australia’s Robertson has actually looked better and better the longer the season has worn on and can hold his own against Selby here. Selby in contrast really has been searching for an injection of form, with things just not happening for him at the moment. That has to take a toll on his confidence.
Predictions
Ronnie O’Sullivan could be worth opposing here because this is going to be a big comedown after his epic triumph at the Players. So he could be a bit more vulnerable than usual this week. For us, it is Robertson who is trending towards something. Although he lost the final to O’Sullivan Robertson did take out Mark Williams and Judd Trump along the way. Robertson to win outright at 13/2 odds* (betting odds taken from bet365 on March 18th, 2019 at 8:10 pm)
