Granted, this was a brand-new tournament, unfamiliar to all, but even in a room full of first-timers there was one figure who looked entirely at home...

When prize money from 2024 starts falling away, players are split into two camps: those desperately trying to replace what they once won, and those free to stack without subtraction. ...

Big names were wrapped in bubble wrap, seeded regardless of how they arrived at the venue, while others – often in far sharper form – were sent straight into the fire. That era is over...