2023 Cazoo Masters Snooker: Overview

The 2023 Master Snooker, officially known as the 2023 Cazoo Masters, is the 49^th professional non-ranking snooker championship. This tournament is held annually and the first Master Snooker tournament was played in 1975. In the first championship, ten professional snooker players from worldwide were invited to the West Center Hotel, London. Raymond Reardon, a Welsh professional snooker player won the title of the snooker champion in the inaugural event defeating John Spencer, an English professional snooker player. Following the World Snooker Championship, the Masters’ snooker is running as the second longest-running snooker championship. The following is the list of the most-winning players in the Masters’ snooker tournament of all time:

The 2023 Cazoo Masters Snooker is going to be held between January 8^th and January 15^th 2023. London is the host of this championship and the tournament will take place in Alexandra Palace. The world’s top 16 snooker players are invited to this tournament. The following is the list of the invited snooker players:

Schedule and timetable of the 2023 Cazoo Masters

The following is the confirmed schedule and timetable of the 2023 Cazoo Masters announced by the officials:

How and where to watch the 2023 Cazoo Masters?

Live coverage of the tournament will be available on different TV channels, including;

• Eurosport
• Eurosport Player
• BBC
• BBC iPlayer

Snooker enthusiasts who want to watch their favourite players playing before their eyes can check the available tickets at, World Snooker Tour.

2023 Cazoo Masters: Prize Money

The total prize fund for the 2023 Cazoo Masters is £725,000. However, the following is the breakdown of prize money for the 2023 Cazoo Masters revealed by officials:

• Winner: £250,000
• Runner-up: £100,000
• Semi-finals: £60,000
• Quarter-finals: £30,000
• Last 16: £15,000
• Highest break: £15,000
• Total: £725,000

Common injuries found in snooker

No doubt, snooker is one of the most exciting indoor games or activities that is played around the globe. The Anglia Ruskin University research on the benefits of playing snooker reveals that playing snooker improves your physical as well as mental health. It has also been proved that playing snooker helps improve concentration and the ability to access and manage risks and patience. Playing snooker is all about techniques and posture. Snooker players due to repetitive movements and bad postures may experience different problems, including neck pain, shoulder pain, lower back pain, and wrist and hand pain.

The following are the most common injuries found in snooker players. The possible treatment plans, suggested by experts, have also been discussed here to get rid of post-playing pain and discomforts.

1.         Neck pain

Neck pain is one of the most common problems faced by snooker players. Neck pain is caused by repetitive strain on the neck, which is usually common among snooker players who practice or play 6 – 7 hours or more a day. As well as this, abnormal posture adds more strain to the neck of snooker players.  

How to treat neck pain?

Whenever you feel neck pain, you must stop your practice or sports activities and consult your healthcare professionals instead to treat the pain. To manage mild or moderate-level pain you can use medications and physical therapy. Your healthcare professionals may also suggest some effective exercises to get rid of the pain. However, wearing neck braces may also help you relieve neck pain and other discomforts.

2.         Shoulder pain

The shoulder injury is most common in high-contact sports. Although snooker is a low-contact sport, it may also bring shoulder pain. Snooker players require repetitive shoulder movements while using a pool cue to strike the cue ball. These repetitive actions during snooker practice or match may result in rotator cuff tears or other problems, causing shoulder pain.

How to treat shoulder pain?

Healthcare professionals suggest several treatment plans, including conservative measures or surgical treatments to manage shoulder injuries. Wearing shoulder support braces helps minimise shoulder pain and other symptoms.

3.         Back pain

Back pain is one of the common complaints in snooker players. Many snooker players suffer from back injuries, including herniated discs, pinched nerves, strains, and sprains because they continuously involve in bending. People with existing osteoarthritis are more prone to back injuries. As well as this, poor posture during shots may also put you at a high risk of back pain. 

How to treat back pain?

Strengthening exercises and physical therapy are considered the best treatment plans to reduce pain and other discomforts. Wearing back support braces helps provide support and compression to the lower back, reducing pain and other symptoms.

4.         Wrist and hand pain

While playing snooker or pool games, hands, wrists, and fingers are in constant use. So, injuries to ligaments, tendons, nerves, or even bones are possible. Pain in wrists, hands, and fingers may increase with everyday routines or activities.

How to treat wrist and hand pain?

Whenever you feel pain during practice or after finishing your match, you must consult your healthcare advisors to help manage pain. Many healthcare professionals suggest wearing wrist braces to help manage wrist pain. Wrist braces are best at providing enough support and compression, helping speed up recovery.

FAQs

1.         What are the health benefits of playing snooker?

Research done by Anglia Ruskin University research has revealed that playing snooker is best for physical as well as mental health. However, you must learn proper techniques to avoid injuries.

2.         What are possible injuries in snooker or pool games?

Snooker players require repetitive shoulder and wrist movements, causing shoulder and wrist pain. As well as this, continuous bending may also cause back pain.

3.         Do braces help with snooker or pool games?

Wearing braces during or after your practice or match may help reduce pain and other discomforts. However, you must consult your healthcare professionals and wear braces under their recommendations. 

4.         How to maintain proper posture during snooker?

Playing snooker requires repetitive bending and other actions, causing pain. You must learn proper posture for bending and striking techniques to avoid overuse injuries. Take help from your professional trainers in learning good posture.

5.         How to avoid injury chances in snooker?

Follow the given preventive measures to avoid injury chances in snooker:

• Warm up your body with some stretching exercises before playing
• Learn proper bending and striking techniques
• Take frequent breaks and avoid overtraining