2008 Bahrain Championship

Bahrain Championship
Tournament information
Dates8–15 November 2008 (2008-11-08 – 2008-11-15)
VenueBahrain International Exhibition Centre
CityManama
CountryBahrain
OrganisationWPBSA
FormatRanking event
Total prize fund£271,000
Winner's share£48,000
Highest break Marcus Campbell (SCO) (147)
Final
Champion Neil Robertson (AUS)
Runner-up Matthew Stevens (WAL)
Score9–7

The 2008 Bahrain Championship was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 8 and 15 November 2008 at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre in Manama, Bahrain. It was the fourth ranking event of the 2008/2009 season.

Due to a clash with a previously arranged Premier League match-day, three leading players (John Higgins, Mark Selby and Ding Junhui) were forced to miss the event. This meant that they earned no ranking points, with Matthew Stevens, Ken Doherty and Jamie Cope (ranked 17, 18 and 19 respectively) qualifying automatically due to the extra spaces in the draw. Likewise, the players ranked from 33–35 and 49–51 played one qualifier less than usual. Additionally, Ronnie O'Sullivan withdrew three days before the tournament for unspecified medical reasons.[1]

Steve Davis was also involved in Premier League action, playing on 13 November, but did not withdraw from the tournament. He played his qualifying match and received a walkover due to O'Sullivan's withdrawal, meaning that he reached the last sixteen. However, before his last 16 match he withdrew from the event as an ear infection prevented him from flying to Bahrain.[2]

Liang Wenbo made the 65th official maximum break during his qualifying match against Martin Gould. This was Liang's first official 147. Marcus Campbell made the 66th official maximum break during his wildcard round match against Ahmed Basheer Al-Khusaibi. This was Campbell's first official 147.

Neil Robertson won his third ranking title by defeating Matthew Stevens 9–7.[3]

Prize fund

The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below:[4]

Wildcard round

The 6 lowest ranking qualifiers played one wildcard match each. Matches were played at Bahrain International Exhibition Centre on Saturday, 8 November.[5][6]

Match Score
WC1  Robert Milkins (ENG) 5–1  Ahmed Saif (QAT)
WC2  Barry Pinches (ENG) 5–1  Ahmed Ghuloom (BHR)
WC3  Mike Dunn (ENG) 5–0  Ahmed Abdulla Asiry (KSA)
WC4  Marcus Campbell (SCO) 5–0  Ahmed Basheer Al-Khusaibi (OMA)
WC5  Rod Lawler (ENG) 5–1  Isa Ali Al-Hashmi (UAE)
WC6  Mark Davis (ENG) 5–0  Habib Subah (BHR)

Main draw

[5][6]

Round 1
Best of 9 frames
Round 2
Best of 9 frames
Quarter-Finals
Best of 9 frames
Semi-Finals
Best of 11 frames
Final
Best of 17 frames
               
1 England Ronnie O'Sullivan w/d
England Steve Davis w/o
  England Steve Davis w/d
Wales Dominic Dale w/o
11 Hong Kong Marco Fu 3
Wales Dominic Dale 5
Wales Dominic Dale 2
14 Wales Matthew Stevens 5
14 Wales Matthew Stevens 5
England Stuart Bingham 0
14 Wales Matthew Stevens 5
6 Wales Ryan Day 4
6 Wales Ryan Day 5
England Dave Harold 2
14 Wales Matthew Stevens 6
4 Scotland Stephen Hendry 4
7 England Peter Ebdon 3
England Robert Milkins 5
  England Robert Milkins 5
England Michael Holt 4
16 England Jamie Cope 3
England Michael Holt 5
England Robert Milkins 2
4 Scotland Stephen Hendry 5
10 Scotland Graeme Dott 3
England Barry Pinches 5
England Barry Pinches 1
4 Scotland Stephen Hendry 5
4 Scotland Stephen Hendry 5
England Ricky Walden 3
14 Wales Matthew Stevens 7
8 Australia Neil Robertson 9
3 England Shaun Murphy 4
England Mike Dunn 5
  England Mike Dunn 4
England Barry Hawkins 5
15 Republic of Ireland Ken Doherty 3
England Barry Hawkins 5
England Barry Hawkins 2
13 Northern Ireland Mark Allen 5
13 Northern Ireland Mark Allen 5
England Judd Trump 1
13 Northern Ireland Mark Allen 5
Republic of Ireland Michael Judge 2
5 England Ali Carter 3
Republic of Ireland Michael Judge 5
13 Northern Ireland Mark Allen 4
8 Australia Neil Robertson 6
8 Australia Neil Robertson 5
Scotland Marcus Campbell 4
8 Australia Neil Robertson 5
England Stephen Lee 2
12 England Mark King 3
England Stephen Lee 5
8 Australia Neil Robertson 5
2 Scotland Stephen Maguire 2
9 England Joe Perry 5
England Rod Lawler 1
9 England Joe Perry 0
2 Scotland Stephen Maguire 5
2 Scotland Stephen Maguire 5
England Mark Davis 3

Final

Final: Best of 17 frames. Referee: Eirian Williams.
Bahrain International Exhibition Centre, Manama, Bahrain, November 15, 2008.[5][6]
Matthew Stevens (14)
 Wales
7–9 Neil Robertson (8)
 Australia
Afternoon: 0–129 (129), 13–117 (117), 4–108 (96), 69–68 (Robertson 68), 1–75 (75), 82–22 (51), 75–0 (70)
Evening: 56–70 (63), 67–47, 115–0 (71), 32–64, 110–5 (110), 73–48, 61–64, 1–96 (53), 8–77
110 Highest break 129
1 Century breaks 2
4 50+ breaks 7

Qualifying

Qualifying for the tournament took place at Pontins in Prestatyn, Wales between 27 and 30 October 2008.[7]

Round 1
Best of 9 frames

Century breaks

Qualifying stage centuries

[5]

Televised stage centuries

[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ Everton, Clive (4 November 2008). "'Run down' O'Sullivan out of Bahrain tournament". London: guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  2. ^ "Ear infection forces Davis out". Sporting Life. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  3. ^ "Robertson takes title in Bahrain". BBC Sport. 2008-11-15. Archived from the original on 11 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  4. ^ "Prize Money". Global Snooker. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Bahrain Championship 2008". Global Snooker. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  6. ^ a b c "Bahrain Championship 2008". Snooker.org. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  7. ^ "Bahrain Championship 2008 Qualifying Results". Global Snooker Centre. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2013.