[Discussion Thread] 2025 Tour Championship - 31st March to 6th April

The World Championship is just around the corner, but before that, its time for an elite band of players from this season to do battle in Manchester! The Tour Championship is the prize for the Top 12 on the One-Year Ranking List, notably containing many of the seasons' best performers, and also concludes the Players' Series for the season. The tournament returns to its home in Manchester and provides a much more prestiguous atmosphere and experience to rival that of the Masters.

The defending champion is Mark Williams, who defeated fellow Class-of-92 member Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-5, and became the second oldest winner of a ranking event title in snooker history. The final also made a new record of having two finalists of the oldest combined age of 97. Williams ensured his ability to defend the title this year by reaching the final of the inaugural Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters in the early half the season, and will play Ding Junhui in a repeat of the first round match from the Players' Championship just two weeks ago.

As with last year, the tournament involves the Top 12 players of the One Year Ranking List. The top 4 seeds have been automatically seeded to the quarter-finals stage, but the other players will need to do battle in Round One via a two-table set up. One thing hasn't changed though: every round is still a best-of-19 frames affair, and it will still give all entrants the perfect chance to prepare for Round One at the Crucible Theatre.

The host broadcaster is ITV Sport with comprehensive coverage on ITV4 and ITVX: for a full list of broadcasters wherever you are in the world, head to https://www.wst.tv/news/2025/march/26/how-to-watch-the-sportsbet-io-tour-championship/

Table Two will be available via ITVX: commentary for that table will be provided by Michael McMullan and Steven Hallworth.