Hawkins, Robertson, Allen and O’Sullivan in superb 9/4 special

North Wales has welcomed the world’s top-32 snooker players to the Venue Cymru in Llandudno, as the inaugural World Grand Prix begins!

Among those vying to lift the sought-after trophy and claim the £100k prize up for grabs are reigning UK Champion and tournament-favourite Ronnie O’Sullivan, as well as former World Champion Neil Robertson, Northern Irishman Mark Allen and Barry Hawkins.

This quad of prolific potters are all odds-on favourites to secure victory in their opening matches, but Coral are offering brilliantly boosted odds of 9/4 for Hawkins, Robertson, Allen and O’Sullivan all to win.

Here are even more reasons why you should back this superb snooker special!

Barry Hawkins v Matthew Selt
‘The Hawk’, odds-on 1/2 favourite, holds the upper hand in head-to-head meetings with his opponent Selt, having won three of their five previous encounters.

Hawkins reached the last 16 of the recent Snooker Shootout and will be confident of overcoming an opponent who has yet to make it past the last 32 of any entered event this calendar year.

The Kent-born cueist will be aiming to continue his high-standard form, having climbed to number five in the world rankings.

Neil Robertson v Luca Brecel
Astute Australian potter Robertson, odds-on 3/10 favourite, recently secured victory in the European Tour Event Six, beating Welshman Mark Williams 4-0 in the final.

The world number three reached the Masters final earlier this year and will be hoping to topple his inexperienced Belgian opposition in what will be the pair’s first ever professional matchup.

Rampant break-builder Robertson struck six centuries in his last tour event and ‘the Thunder from Down Under’ is a huge favourite to battle past young Brecel.

Mark Allen v Liang Wenbo
World number nine Allen, odds-on 2/5 to win, meets Wenbo for the first time since 2011, but comes into this clash in superior potting form.

‘The Pistol’ reached this year’s Masters semi-final, and should easily dispatch his Chinese counterpart on the Welsh baize.

Ronnie O’Sullivan v Rod Lawler
Reigning UK and Champion of Champions winner O’Sullivan, odds-on 1/10 favourite, has clashed with Lawler twice before in his incredible career, with ‘the Rocket’ expectedly triumphing on both occasions.

The world number four made it to the German Masters quarter-finals and the Masters semiss earlier this year, and is a heavy favourite to add the World Grand Prix trophy to his ever-growing collection of silverware successes.