After long months of uncertainty, we finally have news abot the 2018 European Open, and, unfortunately it’s not great.

Here is the press release:

PRESS RELEASE 3RD SEPTEMBER 2019

Last Season the ROKiT Phones.com World Seniors Snooker Tour held qualifiers for a European Open which was scheduled to be played in October 2018. Sadly for economic reasons the event was cancelled but players had won qualifiers in Letterkenny, Brugge and Northampton to play, we had also awarded a place to the EBSA European Seniors Champion.

With no contracted European event this season, we feel it is only right and proper that the players who won those events do get rewarded with a place at a full ranking event. Therefore we have taken the decision to place these players in events this season, guaranteeing their rightful opportunity, rather than having to wait for a proposed European Seniors Championship.

Former Professional Sean Lanigan will line up in the Uk Seniors Championship which will be staged at the Bonus Arena in Hull on the 24th and 25th October. Crucible quarter finalist Patrick Wallace has been awarded a spot of the Senior Masters in May, current World Number 1 Michael Judge will line up in Goffs on the 27th and 28th March and EBSA Seniors Champion, and recent Worlds Runner Up Darren Morgan will appear in the 6 reds Championship in Coleraine in June.

We would also like to announce some opportunities for amateur players who are supporting multiple events. The player who sits at World Number 1 on the ranking list following our qualifier in Essen Germany on 26th April will also get awarded a place at the Senior Masters in May. The player who sits highest on the 1 year money list, who is not already invited, after the Senior Masters will be awarded a place in the 6 reds, as will the player ranked number 1 on the Super Seniors Ranking List.

Jason Francis, Chairman of the ROKit Phones.com World Seniors Snooker Tour, said “We felt it was important to reward the players who had won their right to a place in a full televised ranking event, we also wanted to reward players who are consistently doing well in our global qualifying events but not necessarily winning them. We will continue to review strategy and build on our recent World Championships.”

I kept asking for news to Jason Francis all last season and I know with 100% certainty that he tried his absolute hardest to get the event staged. I’m sure that this decision must have been very hard to take, and only after exhausting every other possibility.