Champion of Champions 2023 snooker: Ronnie O’Sullivan waits to discover opening opponent in record title defence

Ronnie O’Sullivan will begin his Champion of Champions title defence on Wednesday afternoon in Bolton, but has yet to discover who he will face in his quest for a record fifth triumph at the elite invitational event.

O’Sullivan is provisionally scheduled to meet Six Red world champion Ding Junhui in his opening match in Group 1, but that could alter if Stephen Maguire, Jordan Brown, Tom Ford or Zhang Anda progress to lift the International Championship title for the first time on Sunday night.

Ding needs to claim the £175,000 first prize in Tianjin to be certain of an appearance at the Champion of Champions, an event where he has twice reached the semi-finals in 2014, losing 6-4 to O’Sullivan, and 2016 when he was edged out 6-5 by John Higgins.

Ding will also book his spot at the £440,000 event if O’Sullivan, Barry Hawkins or Ali Carter – who have already qualified for the 13th staging of the competition – become International champion.

A place at the Champion of Champions is worth £12,500 to a first-round loser with the champion picking up £150,000 at the University of Bolton Stadium on Sunday 19 November.

Two-time winner Neil Robertson and 2018 finalist Kyren Wilson both failed to qualify for this year’s event.

He has also lost twice lost finals to (10-7) Higgins in 2016 and (10-8) to Shaun Murphy a year later.

Higgins and Chris Wakelin meet in the other Group 1 semi-final on Wednesday, while UK champion Mark Allen faces World Seniors champion Jimmy White in the tournament opener in Group 4 on Monday afternoon.

Monday 13th November – Group 4 – 1pm – Group Semi-Finals (Best of 7 frames)

• Mark Allen v Jimmy White
• Mark Selby v Ali Carter

7pm – Group Final (Best of 11)

• Allen/White v Selby/Carter

Tuesday 14th November – Group 2 – 1pm – Group Semi-Finals (Best of 7 frames)

• Luca Brecel v Barry Hawkins
• Mark Williams v Robert Milkins

7pm – Group Final (Best of 11)

• Brecel/Hawkins v Williams/Milkins

Wednesday 15th November – Group 1 – 1pm – Group Semi-Finals (Best of 7 frames)

• Ronnie O’Sullivan v Ding Junhui/International Championship winner
• John Higgins v Chris Wakelin

7pm – Group Final (Best of 11)

• O’Sullivan/Ding or International champion v Higgins/Wakelin

Thursday 16th November – Group 3 – 1pm – Group Semi-Finals (Best of 7 frames)

• Judd Trump v Baipat Siripaporn
• Shaun Murphy v Gary Wilson

7pm – Group Final (Best of 11 frames)

• Trump/Baipat v Murphy/Wilson

Friday 17th November – Semi-Final (Best of 11 frames) – 7pm

• Group 2 winner v Group 3 winner

Saturday 18th November – Semi-Final (Best of 11 frames) – 7pm

• Group 1 winner v Group 4 winner

Champion of Champions final (Best of 19) Sunday 19th November

• 1 pm (afternoon session – 9 frames)
• 7pm (evening session – possible 10 frames)