Who does Ronnie O’Sullivan face in his return home as world champion at English Open snooker? Judd Trump begins bid

Ronnie O’Sullivan will make a triumphant return home to Essex as world champion when he faces Belgian teenager Ben Mertens in the first round of the English Open in Brentwood.

O’Sullivan has yet to face the 18-year-old Mertens in a competitive match, but is certain to be supported by a passionate following when he opens his campaign at 7pm on Monday 12 December.

He will meet Dechawat Poomjaeng of Thailand in the second round if he can overcome world No. 102 Mertens.

O’Sullivan’s fellow Essex favourites Stuart Bingham from Basildon and Colchester’s Ali Carter are also in action in the Home Nations series event at the Brentwood Centre live on Eurosport (12-18 December).

2015 world champion Bingham faces Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in the evening session on the opening day with two-time world finalist Carter meeting Chen Zifan in the last 64 having last week won his opening qualifier 4-1 against Adam Duffy in Leicester.

Top seed Neil Robertson lifted the Steve Davis trophy with a 9-8 win over John Higgins in last year’s final and begins his title defence against Andrew Pagett at 1pm on the opening day.

2020 champion Judd Trump takes on Jackson Page in a tricky opener while there is an intriguing all-Welsh battle between Mark Williams and Matthew Stevens.

Williams won the first of his three world titles with an 18-16 victory against Stevens in the 2000 Crucible final in Sheffield.

Northern Ireland Open winner Mark Allen meets Mitchell Mann with Mark Selby getting his campaign underway against world No. 33 Noppon Saengkham at 10am.

They last met in the last 16 of the 2020 World Championship with Selby completing a 13-12 win from a memorable encounter.

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