When does Ronnie O’Sullivan begin new snooker season? Championship League details, dates, fixtures

Ronnie O’Sullivan has confirmed his participation in the first ranking event of the new season at the Championship League in Leicester which runs between Monday 26 June until Friday 21 July at the city’s Morningside Arena.

O’Sullivan will compete at the Shanghai Masters (September), Wuhan Open (October) and International Championship (November) in the first half of the season.

“At least I’m out enjoying my life and not just sitting at home watching TV and becoming stale.

“Snooker gives me a structure and a purpose in my life.”

There are 32 groups of four at the Championship League with the winner of each group progressing to the second stage which will contain a further eight groups of four before two final groups of four compete to reach the semi-finals and final.

Elsewhere, world No. 6 Neil Robertson is in action on the opening day of the new campaign on 26 June in Group 3 that also contains Liam Highfield, Adam Duffy and Ashley Carty.

Three-time world champion Mark Williams faces Dylan Emery, Ken Doherty and Thor Chuan Leong in Group 6 on Friday 30 June while Masters winner Judd Trump meets Jimmy White, Reanne Evans and Xu Si in Group 2 on Tuesday 11 July.

Tour champion Shaun Murphy takes on Tian Pengfei, Lukas Kleckers and Andrew Pagett in Group 4 on Wednesday 12 July.

World champion Luca Brecel won the event a year ago, but has chosen to skip the tournament this year with Mark Selby, Mark Allen and John Higgins also absent from the draw.

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