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European Masters (snooker)

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Not to be confused with Malta Grand Prix.
Malta Cup
File:Malta Cup Logo.jpg
Tournament information
VenueHilton Conference Centre
LocationPortomaso
CountryMalta
Established1989
Organisation(s)World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association
FormatNon-ranking event
Total prize fund£76,000
Final year2008
Final championEngland Shaun Murphy

The Malta Cup was a professional snooker tournament that was on the World Snooker calendar between the 1988/1989 and 2007/2008 seasons. It was previously known as the European Open (which had been held several times in Malta) and was the sole ranking tournament in Europe outside the British Isles.

History

Prior to the 1988/89 season, there were no ranking events outside the United Kingdom. There were, however, many successful invitation events, so the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association decided to extend the tour with some overseas events. The first two were held in Canada and Europe. The first European event was the European Open in 1988 in Deauville, France with the sponsorship of ICI. The event then was held at the Palais des Sports in Lyon, France for 1992 and at the Imax Centre in Rotterdam, Netherlands with the sponsorship of Tulip.[1]

The event was then moved to Belgium. It was held in Tongeren in 1992 and Antwerp between 1993–1994 with sponsorship from Humo. The event was moved to the first half of the season in 1993/1994, thus there were two events in 1993, in February and December. The event was moved back to its original place in the calendar in 1995/1996 and took place in Valletta, Malta between 1996–1997. The event wasn't held in the following season.[1] In 1998/1999 it was briefly revived for just one season as the Irish Open. The following season the Malta Grand Prix was the only continental European ranking event and in 2000/2001 there weren't any at all for the first time in 13 seasons.[1]

The European Open was revived in 2001/2002 and was held in Valletta, Malta. In 2003 the event was for the first and only time held in England (Torquay). The following year it returned to Malta, this time held in Portomaso. The following season event was renamed the Malta Cup.[1] The 2006 event was the first ranking tournament, where no English player reached the quarter-finals. It became an invitation event in 2007/2008, but it was discontinued afterwards.[2]

There was only one maximum break in the history of the tournament. At the 1989 event Alain Robidoux compiled it in the first qualifying round against Jim Meadowcroft.[1][3]

Winners

Year Winner Runner-up Final score Venue Season
European Open (ranking)[1][4]
1989 England John Parrott Wales Terry Griffiths 9–8 France Deauville 1988/89
1990 England John Parrott Scotland Stephen Hendry 10–6 France Lyon 1989/90
1991 England Tony Jones England Mark Johnston-Allen 9–7 Netherlands Rotterdam 1990/91
1992 England Jimmy White England Mark Johnston-Allen 9–3 Belgium Tongeren 1991/92
1993 England Steve Davis Scotland Stephen Hendry 10–4 Belgium Antwerp 1992/93
1993 Scotland Stephen Hendry England Ronnie O'Sullivan 9–5 Belgium Antwerp 1993/94
1994 Scotland Stephen Hendry England John Parrott 9–3 Belgium Antwerp 1994/95
1996 England John Parrott England Peter Ebdon 9–7 Malta Valletta 1995/96
1997 Scotland John Higgins England John Parrott 9–5 Malta Valletta 1996/97
Irish Open (ranking)[1]
1998 Wales Mark Williams Scotland Alan McManus 9–4 Republic of Ireland Tallaght 1998/99
European Open (ranking)[1][4]
2001 Scotland Stephen Hendry England Joe Perry 9–2 Malta Valletta 2001/02
2003 England Ronnie O'Sullivan Scotland Stephen Hendry 9–6 England Torquay 2002/03
2004 Scotland Stephen Maguire England Jimmy White 9–3 Malta Portomaso 2003/04
Malta Cup (ranking)[2][5]
2005 Scotland Stephen Hendry Scotland Graeme Dott 9–7 Malta Portomaso 2004/05
2006 Republic of Ireland Ken Doherty Scotland John Higgins 9–8 Malta Portomaso 2005/06
2007 England Shaun Murphy Wales Ryan Day 9–4 Malta Portomaso 2006/07
Malta Cup (non-ranking)[2][5]
2008 England Shaun Murphy Republic of Ireland Ken Doherty 9–3 Malta Portomaso 2007/08

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Turner, Chris. "Major European Tournaments". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  2. ^ a b c Turner, Chris. "Malta Grand Prix, Malta Cup". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  3. ^ Turner, Chris. "Maximum breaks". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  4. ^ a b "Hall of Fame (European Open)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Hall of Fame (Malta Cup)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
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