SHEFFIELD // Barry Hearn has promised there are no plans to take the World Championship away from the Crucible after revealing the Masters and UK Championship will be relocated next season.
The World Snooker chairman yesterday announced the Masters will leave Wembley and move across London to Alexandra Palace, and the UK Championship will switch from Telford to York's Barbican Centre, which staged the event from 2001 to 2006.
They are the two most iconic events on the snooker calendar behind the World Championship, for which there would be worldwide interest if tenders were ever invited for staging rights.
Hearn, speaking at the Crucible, said: "This is my cathedral of dreams. I love this place."
The Masters has been played at the Wembley complex since 1979, initially at the now-demolished Conference Centre and since 2007 at the Arena.
Hearn said the relocation will breathe new life into the tournament, which will run from January 15-22 in 2012. The same applies for the UK Championship, scheduled for December 3-11 2011.
In quarter-final play at the World Championship, Ronnie O'Sullivan was tied 4-4 in his match against John Higgins, and Mark Selby found himself down to China's Ding Junhui 5-3. They resume today, and O'Sullivan said: "John's given everyone half-a-season start and still won more than everyone. I've got great respect for John's game."
Judd Trump was leading Graeme Dott 7-1 and Mark Williams was leading Mark Allen 5-3 last night.
