Ronnie O’Sullivan begins his UK Snooker Championship campaign this afternoon as he takes on Anthony McGill in the last 32 at the Barbican Centre in York.
The seven-time world champion remains snooker’s biggest star at the age of 47 and is hunting an eighth UK Championship crown this week, although a first since 2018. Gritty Scotsman McGill will be far from a pushover however, as a two-time ranking event winner and former World Championship semi-finalist, while he also famously beat O’Sullivan 13-12 at the Crucible in the 2021 Worlds.
O’Sullivan returns to the baize after a week of promoting his new documentary ‘The Edge of Everything’, a no-holds-barred, crushingly honest look at his life and career – from his battle with addiction to his father being jailed for murder and his enduring genius on the snooker table. ‘The Rocket’ described watching the documentary as a “harrowing” experience but must now turn his focus back to the baize.
McGill won’t settle for just being a bit-part player in the latest chapter of the Ronnie story though, as he looks to claim a maiden ‘triple crown’ trophy in York this week and return to the world’s top 16. The 32-year-old has recently taken to using a jet-black, carbon-fibre cue in a bid to improve performances and early results have been promising.
Follow the action from the York Barbican with our live blog below:
