WELSH OPEN SNOOKER Date: Monday, 16 February - Sunday, 22 February Venue: Newport CentreCoverage: Live coverage on BBC TWO Wales and online, score updates on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru
Terry Griffiths says the Welsh Open has grown in popularity
Snooker great Terry Griffiths says that another home winner of the Welsh Open is long overdue as the players gather on Monday for the 2009 championships.
Mark Williams has won the title twice and is one of five Welsh players who will contest the tournament in Newport.
"Ryan Day is the highest ranked Welsh player and has threatened to win the tournament," Griffiths told BBC Sport.
"But Ronnie O'Sullivan is always a form horse... he's the world number one and winning a high percentage of events."
O'Sullivan lost in last year's final to Mark Selby, who begins his Welsh Open defence on Tuesday against Paul Davies.
But 'The Rocket' won back-to-back titles in Newport in 2004 and 2005, O'Sullivan edging Steve Davis and then Stephen Hendry in 9-8 thrillers.
Of the home-grown contenders Day is ranked highest at eight in the world, although he has yet to win a major title, and plays Ireland's Michael Judge in their first-round match on Tuesday.
"I'm sure Ryan will be trying as hard as possible to win his first ranking tournament in Newport, as will Mark Williams, Matthew Stevens and Dominic Dale," said Griffiths, 61.
"But we've also got Ian Preece has qualified this year... so we've got quite a lot of Welsh boys in there.
"Hopefully at least one of them can make a go of it, let's hope so anyway.
"Mark Williams is the only one to make his mark on this tournament."
Stevens, Preece, Williams and Dale are all in action on the first day on Monday, the quartet playing qualifying round matches to win through to the main draw against the 27 already in the main draw.
Williams triumphed in 1996 and 1999, but faces England's David Gilbert on Monday for the right to meet Joe Perry.
Griffiths will be part of the BBC commentary team for the live televised event at the Newport Centre.
"It's always a special event for myself to come up to Newport and not travel too far," said Llanelli native Griffiths.
"All the players look forward to the Welsh Open, it's been going since 1992 I think so it's a well-established event on the calendar.
"The roots of snooker in Wales are stronger probably than anywhere and it was all started off with the vein of clubs throughout Wales, the working men's clubs, the conservative clubs.
"Those are the places where snooker is loved, they produce great players and... because of that the standard has always been high."
Griffiths won the world title on his debut in 1979, was runner-up in 1989, and spent 17 years in the top 16.
After retiring in 1996 he went on to coach some of the best players in the world, including double world champion Williams.
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?