SNOOKER ShowDown: Ronnie O’Sullivan In Line for Rare Matchup with Mark

O’Sullivan and Selby on Collision Course for Explosive Quarter-Final Clash at Champion of Champions

Next week, snooker fans are in for a potential clash between two of the sport’s biggest rivals, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Selby, at the Champion of Champions event in Bolton, running from November 11 to 17.

O’Sullivan, who already holds a record four Champion of Champions titles since the tournament’s inception in 2013, could face off with Selby in a high-stakes quarter-final that promises plenty of drama. O’Sullivan currently leads their head-to-head record 17-12, though the pair have only encountered each other twice since 2020, with each winning once.

O’Sullivan claimed a 10-7 victory in the semi-finals of the 2022 Shanghai Masters, while Selby retaliated with a dominant 6-0 win in this year’s Players Championship quarter-finals.

O’Sullivan will kick off his campaign against Wuhan Open champion Xiao Guodong next Thursday afternoon. The winner of that match will meet either Selby or former world champion Shaun Murphy for a spot in the semi-finals, all taking place at Bolton’s Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Selby, a top-four seed in the tournament, joins defending Champion of Champions winner Mark Allen, reigning world champion Kyren Wilson, and world No. 1 Judd Trump, each placed in separate groups.

One final spot in the prestigious 16-player line-up remains open, reserved for the winner of this week’s International Championship in Nanjing unless they are already qualified. Should that be the case, the slot will instead go to world-ranked Ding Junhui, a former UK Champion and Masters winner.

Whoever wins O’Sullivan’s section will eventually face the victor from Allen’s group in the semi-finals, where a top prize of £150,000 awaits the tournament champion. Allen begins his title defence against World Seniors champion Igor Figueiredo on Monday afternoon.