Ronnie O’Sullivan is scheduled to play on the Crucible, which just lately held the World Snooker Championship.
Ronnie O’Sullivan is ready to return to the Crucible (Picture: Tai Chengzhe, VCG by way of Getty Photographs)
Ronnie O’Sullivan is poised to return to the Crucible as he gears up for his World Seniors Championship debut. The event is because of run from Might 6-10, simply days after Wu Yize claimed the World Snooker Championship title on the similar venue.
O’Sullivan’s current bid to safe a report eighth world title got here to an finish in a slim second spherical defeat to John Higgins. The 50-year-old will now look so as to add recent silverware to his assortment as he enters the seniors competitors for the primary time. A rule change final 12 months means any skilled participant aged 40 or over is eligible to compete in veteran occasions, together with the game’s main stars. O’Sullivan is joined by Ali Carter, Stuart Bingham and Matthew Stevens on the event, alongside legends equivalent to Jimmy White and Ken Doherty.
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‘The Rocket’ is ready to make his World Seniors Championship debut on Friday towards the winner of a primary spherical conflict between Gerard Greene and Doherty. Nevertheless, the prize cash on provide is a far cry from the £500,000 windfall that new world champion Yu pocketed earlier this week.
The seniors event prize fund has elevated from £50,000 to £80,000, with the winner taking residence £30,000. World Seniors Snooker chairman Jason Francis has spoken about how O’Sullivan’s participation might considerably increase the profile of the occasion.
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“Enjoying within the Seniors won’t ever be a industrial choice for Ronnie,” Francis advised the Mirror. “We’re not at that stage but, though I hope we might be sooner or later.
“Ronnie being within the occasion elevates every thing about it. All of the gamers I’ve spoken to, they don’t seem to be considering, ‘Ronnie’s within the subject now, that is yet one more participant I’ve received to beat.’ It is, ‘Oh my god, think about if I get to play Ronnie reside on Channel 5 within the World Seniors.’ They need to play him.
O’Sullivan received his seventh World Snooker Championship title in 2022 (Picture: VCG/VCG by way of Getty Photographs)
“We bought a thousand tickets within the first three days after it was introduced he can be taking part in, and folks did not even know when he was taking part in! We hadn’t carried out the draw. That is the impact he nonetheless has.”
He added: “If the likes of Ronnie and Ali Carter can carry additional profile to the Seniors – the cash on provide is not going to vary their lives – however the notion of the tour and what it means to lower-ranked gamers and amateurs is immeasurable.”
Reigning champion Alfie Burden enters the competitors as prime seed. The 49-year-old overcame Aaron Canavan in final 12 months’s remaining with an 8-4 triumph.
O’Sullivan is seeded fourth, behind Burden, Joe Perry and Nigel Bond. The occasion might be proven reside on Channel 5.
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