Ronnie O'Sullivan retains world No. 1 spot as Mark Allen claims final place in elite Champion of Champions snooker event

Updated 24/10/2022 at 10:11 GMT

The line-up for the elite 16-player Champion of Champions event has been confirmed with Mark Allen claiming the last spot in the £440,000 tournament courtesy of his 9-4 victory over Zhou Yuelong in the Northern Ireland Open final on Sunday. World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan enters the tournament as world No. 1 in his quest for a record fourth title triumph in Bolton.

'He should win a world title' - O'Sullivan praises Northern Ireland Open champion Allen

Ronnie O'Sullivan will arrive at the Champion of Champions event in Bolton next week as world No. 1 with Northern Ireland Open winner Mark Allen claiming the final place at the elite 16-player £440,000 tournament (31 October-6 November).

A dominant 9-4 victory against Zhou Yuelong saw Antrim professional Allen successfully defend the Alex Higgins Trophy on Sunday and also confirmed his place in the field for the invitational Champion of Champions, a trophy he won two years ago with victory over Neil Robertson.

Allen withdrew from the tournament a year ago due to personal reasons, but will take his place in the prestigious non-ranking event that involves all the winners on the professional World Snooker Tour circuit over the past year competing for the £150,000 first prize.

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Judd Trump defends the title after a 10-4 victory against John Higgins in last year's final with the group-stage draw for the event being confirmed later on Monday.

Allen also moves up a spot in the latest world rankings to number nine with new world No. 2 Robertson swapping places with Trump despite losing 6-2 to Allen in the semi-finals in Belfast.

O'Sullivan – Champions of Champions winner in 2013, 2014 and 2018 – has strengthened his hold at the top of the world rankings despite losing 4-3 to David Grace in the last 64 at the Waterfront Hall.

Mark Williams did not qualify for the Champion of Champions, but has moved up from eighth to sixth in the world after losing 5-4 to Allen in the Northern Ireland Open quarter-finals.

Watch as jubilant Allen clinches Northern Ireland Open title with stunning century

Champions of Champions line-up

Judd Trump (Eng) – Champions of Champions, Turkish Masters
Zhao Xintong (Chn) – UK Championship, German Masters
Neil Robertson (Aus) – Masters, Players Championship, Tour Championship,
Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) – World Championship, World Grand Prix
Fan Zhengyi (Chn) – European Masters (2021/22)
John Higgins (Sco) – Championship League
Luca Brecel (Bel) – Scottish Open
Kyren Wilson (Eng) – European Masters (2022/23)
Hossein Vafaei (Irn) – Shoot Out
Joe Perry (Eng) – Welsh Open
Robert Milkins (Eng) – Gibraltar Open
Ryan Day (Wal) – British Open
Lee Walker (Wal) – World Seniors Championship
Mark Allen (NI) – Northern Ireland Open
Nutcharut Wongharuthai (Tha) – Women's World Championship
Mark Selby (Eng) – Highest ranked player (world No. 4)

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World Snooker rankings after Northern Ireland Open

1. Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) 1,007,000
2. Neil Robertson (Aus) 873,500
3. Judd Trump (Eng) 853,000
3. Neil Robertson (Aus) 861,000
4. Mark Selby (Eng) 828,500
5. John Higgins (Sco) 506,000
6. Mark Williams (Wal) 454,000
7. Kyren Wilson (Eng) 450,500
8. Zhao Xintong (Chn) 401,500
9. Mark Allen (NI) 401,500
10. Barry Hawkins (Eng) 335,000
11. Luca Brecel (Bel) 327,500
12. Jack Lisowski (Eng) 322,000
13. Shaun Murphy (Eng) 307,500
14. Stuart Bingham (Eng) 299,500
15. Yan Bingtao (Chn) 244,000
16. Ryan Day (Wal) 237,000

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The Home Nations series is back and it is live and exclusive on discovery+. You can also watch Seventh Heaven, a two-part show about Ronnie O’Sullivan’s historic World Championship win last season, on demand now.

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