Ronnie O'Sullivan to face Sean O'Sullivan at European Masters snooker as Judd Trump and Mark Selby discover opponents

ByEurosport

Updated 08/07/2022 at 11:51 GMT

World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan will begin his quest for a first European Masters title against namesake Sean O'Sullivan in Germany next month. O'Sullivan's opening match has been held over to the venue alongside ties involving Judd Trump, Mark Selby and defending champion Fan Zhengyi in the city of Fuerth. Stream top snooker action live and on-demand on discovery+

World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan will begin his European Masters title bid against namesake Sean O'Sullivan on Tuesday 16 August in Germany.

O'Sullivan lost 9-8 to 750-1 outsider Fan Zhengyi in last season's final in Milton Keynes but will travel to the Bavarian city of Fuerth as world No. 1 having equalled Stephen Hendry's 1990s record of seven Crucible titles in early May.

London professional Sean O'Sullivan regained his tour card after a three-year absence via the WPBSA Q Tour Rankings.

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21-year-old Fan's opening match in the defence of his European Masters trophy has been held over to the Stadthalle venue. He will face evergreen Irish professional Michael Judge in the round of 128.

Matches involving world no. 2 Judd Trump – who lost 18-13 to O'Sullivan in the world final – and No. 3 Mark Selby will also be staged in Fuerth.

Trump will meet Crucible qualifier Noppon Saengkham while Selby takes on Chinese talent Yuan Sijun.

Qualifying for season's second ranking event will be staged by Leicester's Morningside Arena between 15-24 July.

Four-time world champion John Higgins faces fellow Scotsman Scott Donaldson on Sunday 24 July while Hendry begins his 2022/23 campaign against Mark Joyce a day earlier.

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Hendry could face old foe O'Sullivan in the second round if both seven-time world champions win their respective opening matches.

The tournament runs between Tuesday 16 August with the final on Sunday 21 August.

All matches are the best of nine frames with the semi-finals contested over the best of 11 frames before a best-of-17 of frame final.

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