George Weyham previews the German Masters 2026 and provides his best betting tips.
German Masters
Kyren Wilson
Who remembers in the film Happy Gilmore when he keeps thinking about his “Happy Place” to give him inspiration?
Masters champion, Kyren Wilson doesn’t need much inspiration currently however he heads back to his own Happy Place this week in Germany.
Four of Wilson’s 10 ranking wins have come in this territory including specifically twice at Berlin’s Tempodrom for the German Masters; last year and in 2019.
Therefore a buoyant Wilson will be chomping at the bit to return to these shores.
The Masters victory, his second triple crown was his second invitational/non ranking title of the season following success in Shanghai and he’ll be determined be make this his first ranking title of the season as he’s without one for nearly 10 months.
The title win last year was an emotional one for the Warrior, lifting the trophy named after his old manager Brandon Parker who passed away in 2020. Parker brought this event to the 2500 seater Tempodrom in 2011.
Wilson is yet to defend a title in his career and if he’s ever going to, it’s surely in his beloved Germany especially following the form he showed at the Masters.
In fact, his record in this event is incredibly eye-catching, making at least the quarters in all six previous visits.
The battling qualities Wilson showed at Ally Pally as well as a touch of class (with a brand new cue I might add!), makes me believe prime Warrior is on the horizon and he’s one to firmly have on side for the rest of the season.
I have no qualms to have him on my staking plan this week at 7/1 (Ladbrokes/Coral) in the weaker half of the draw.
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Judd Trump is the rightful bookies favourite however I can dismiss him fairly easily as he’s finding winning events an issue though there’s no doubting he’s in decent nick and deserves a change of fortune.
His conqueror at the Masters was John Higgins who definitely had some “Happy Gilmore inspiration” in their semi-final. He ran out of steam in showdown with Wilson but Higgins’ consistency this season makes him an obvious threat in Berlin.
My concern with Higgins is actually getting over the line. Fair enough he won twice at the back end of the last season though they were his first ranking titles for four years. I still have my doubts about him plus he’s got a poor record in the event - though a winner in 1995 and 1997, he’s made just one quarter-final in 12 previous appearances.
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The Value Angle: Ali Carter
My eyes are drawn to another player with a stellar record in Germany and that’s Ali Carter at 40/1 (BetMGM/Grosvenor).
He’s scheduled to potentially play arch nemesis Ronnie O’Sullivan in his opener but I wonder if that will even come to tuition.
O’Sullivan hasn’t got a gimme against China’s Long Zehuang and at the time of writing is still down to play in Berlin however I can’t see him making it. He pulled out of the Masters late and hasn’t played here since 2017 therefore it makes perfect sense to look to Carter.
As of late, Carter’s results are patchy though digging a little deeper a lot of his defeats have been by the odd frame and I can accept those given the standard of players on tour nowadays.
Carter did start the season with real vigour making the quarters in Saudi and the final of the Shanghai Masters where he beat Mark Williams, Xiao Guodong and Mark Selby on route before losing 11-9 to Wilson.
Carter has six ranking titles to his name and two have come in this event in 2013 and 2023 plus he lost in the final in 2017. All three came here at the Tempodrom where the unique set-up is very much to his liking. He also went well in his defence in 2024 losing in the last eight so he’s a proper horses for courses type.
I bemoan Carter’s form this season yet he’s qualified for next months’s World Grand Prix as he’s 24th on the one year list rankings and will be desperate for a strong second half of the season to ultimately make the top 16 seeds for the Worlds in April where he currently sits in 22nd place. He will need a victory to break in in my opinion and this is possibly his best chance.
Carter lives and dies by the sword so you know categorically he will give everything to the cause in Berlin - he rates as the best outsider to make it three German Masters titles.
German Masters Outright Tips
Kyren Wilson 7/1 Ladbrokes/Coral 1pt
Ali Carter 40/1 BetMGM 0.25pt ew
