Snooker bosses in Hong Kong are hoping to bring back the Hong Kong Masters after a five-year absence, but said the city’s Covid-19 policies held the key to its success. The Hong Kong Billiard Sports Control Council has put up a tender on its website to invite interested parties to organise the tournament, with a tentative date of August 3 to 7. However, it notes that could change because of the government’s social-distancing measures aimed at combating the coronavirus pandemic. Just as in 2017, eight of the world’s top players are expected to be asked to compete, meaning the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, Judd Trump, Neil Robertson and John Higgins could again play at Queen Elizabeth Stadium. Five years ago the event also formed part of the Hong Kong government’s celebrations of its 20th anniversary since the city’s return to China. Then, Robertson defeated O’Sullivan 6-3 in the final. Stellar line-up announced for Hong Kong Masters “It will probably be under the same format as the one in 2017 which attracted a very good crowd at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium,” a source close to the council said. “We want to get an event organisers to work with us as time is running short with four months left. Of course no one can confirm anything at this stage even the date as the pandemic situation is still unstable. “If the government keeps the existing social-distancing measures, it will be very difficult to get spectators in and we definitely have to postpone the event. But we have to start planning and work with the proposed date and at the same time monitor the situation closely.” Also among the eight players wo took part last time were home favourite Marco Fu Ka-chun, Shaun Murphy and Barry Hawkins. The current snooker season ends in May at the conclusion of the World Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield and will not resume until September. “The Hong Kong Masters is not a ranking tournament and that’s why we choose August which will fit the schedule when the players are preparing for the new season,” the source said. The Council spent around HK$10 million (US$1.27 million) on the 2017 tournament, with more than HK$3 million in prize money, but most of the expenses were borne by the government. “We are still working with the government about the event budget, which will be similar to the 2017 tournament which was part of the SAR government 20th anniversary celebrations,” the source said. “As this is the 25th anniversary, we think a snooker tournament of such a classy field will definitely bring some pleasant moment for Hong Kong people who have been hard hit by all the consequences brought by the pandemic.” Robertson praises Hong Kong crowd as he lifts Masters title Almost all sporting activity in Hong Kong came to a grinding halt in January after the government shut down all venues as part of his social-distancing rules. The New World Harbour Race swim was the last large-scale sporting event in December, two months after the Standard Chartered Marathon that took place on the city’s streets. But both had to slash the number of people who could take part. The marathon was cut from 74,000 entries in previous years to just 18,500, while the harbour race allowed 1,200 swimmers from 4,000 in 2018.