Snooker superstar Ronnie O’Sullivan will defend his Champion of Champions title in Bolton next week.
‘The Rocket’ heads an all-star line-up which includes 10 of the world’s top 16 players., all heading to the town for the next domestic tournament in the calendar.
The Champion of Champions takes place at Wanderers’ Toughsheet Community Stadium between Monday and Sunday, November 19 - with a prize pot of £440,000.
O’Sullivan is joined in Bolton by the likes of world champion Luca Brecel, UK champion Mark Allen and in-form Masters and recent Northern Ireland Open champion, Judd Trump.
The tournament begins with a quartet of four-man groups played over four days, with group winners progressing to the semi-finals. The final showdown will be the best of 19 frames.
Trump heads to Bolton as the form-player of the World Snooker Tour, after victory in Belfast over Chris Wakelin sealed a third-successive ranking event title in October, following successes in the English Open and Wuhan Open.
Jimmy White returns to the Champion of Champions after three years following a record-extending fourth World Seniors Championship title victory over Alfie Burden back in May.
Meanwhile, women’s world champion, Baipat Siripaporn, makes her Champion of Champions debut, having defeated China’s Bai Yulu in her home of Bangkok, Thailand to earn a spot at one of snooker’s premier invitational events.
O’Sullivan sealed his fourth Champion of Champions title last year with a 10-6 victory over then reigning champion Trump.
Fans can get tickets to watch the stars of the green baize in Bolton by visiting the tournament website at https://championofchampionssnooker.co.uk/tickets/
Tickets are priced from £15 per session to £25 all day in the early rounds and £30 per session for the semi-finals which take place on Friday, November 17 and Saturday, November 18 from 7pm, each the best of 11 frames.
The final on Sunday is over two sessions and the best of 19 frames.
VIP tickets are also still available for both semi-finals priced £110 which include front two-row seat, premium hot lunch or dinner pre-session depending on ticket, snooker star meet and greet, programme, commentary earpiece, private bar with drinks voucher and the chance to have a photograph with the Champion of Champions trophy.
Full list of players:
Ronnie O’Sullivan (England) – Champion of Champions, Shanghai Masters
Mark Allen (Northern Ireland) – UK Championship, World Grand Prix
Judd Trump (England) – The Masters, Wuhan Open, English Open 2023, Northern Ireland Open
Luca Brecel (Belgium) – World Championship
Ali Carter (England) – German Masters
Shaun Murphy (England) – Players Championship, Tour Championship, Championship League Snooker Ranking
John Higgins (Scotland) – Championship League Snooker Invitational
Mark Selby (England) – WST Classic, English Open 2022, World Championship runner-up
Barry Hawkins (England) – European Masters
Gary Wilson (England) – Scottish Open
Robert Milkins (England) – Welsh Open
Mark Williams (Wales) – British Open
Siripaporn Nuanthakhamjan (Thailand) – Women’s World Championship
Jimmy White (England) – World Seniors Championship
Chris Wakelin (England) – Snooker Shoot Out
Ding Junhui – or winner of this week’s International Championship, if not already qualified.
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