Seven-time World Snooker Champion Ronnie O'Sullivan pulls out of European Masters, along with Graeme Dott and Liu Hongyu
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Updated 22/08/2023 at 13:43 GMT
The Rocket Ronnie O'Sullivan is the latest big name to withdraw from the European Masters, with the news confirmed in a statement by World Snooker. The action in Nuremberg must go on though, and there were wins for Mark Selby, John Higgins and Kyren Wilson. New world champion Luca Brecel begins his campaign in Tuesday's afternoon session against Jackson Page.
Exclusive: O’Sullivan must have ‘better year’ next season or 'you won't be seeing me'
Ronnie O’Sullivan will not compete at the European Masters after deciding to withdraw from his first-round match against Andy Hicks.
World Snooker Tour released the news in a statement, which read: “Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from the BetVictor European Masters in Germany for medical reasons.”
O’Sullivan’s decision to pull out means Hicks will receive a bye into the last 64, while fans of the rocket may not see him in action until the Shanghai Masters next month.
It is the latest in a series of high-profile omissions from the tournament, which includes Graeme Dott and Liu Hongyu – the former pulled out due to personal reasons, while the latter failed to get a work permit.
Liu's withdrawal benefits the 2020 European Masters champion Neil Robertson, who will go straight into the last 32 if he beats Wu Yize in his first match.
Dott's replacement in the draw is Steven Hallworth, who begins the tournament against Shaun Murphy in Tuesday's evening session.
World snooker champion Luca Brecel begins his tournament in Tuesday's afternoon session with an intriguing match against Welshman Jackson Page.
Brecel's maverick style has captured the imagination of snooker fans, with his title all the more remarkable considering he had never won a match in five previous Crucible appearances.
His victory over Mark Selby in the final will be remembered for many years to come, after the Belgian's 16-10 lead was eroded to 16-15, before managing to hold onto his lead and win the decisive frame with a century.
There was no such drama for Selby in his first-round clash against Manasawin Phetmalaikul, after he prevailed with a comprehensive 5-0 win.
It was as straightforward as many would have expected for the world No.5, after claiming three centuries in the process to secure a safe passage into the round of 64.
John Higgins made relatively light work of Dylan Emery to progress into the round of 32 with a 5-1 victory.
He moved into a 4-0 lead with some solid rather than spectacular potting, before Emery reduced the arrears.
Higgins won the sixth and decisive frame 77-15 with a break of 73 to book his place in the next round.
Kyren Wilson progressed into the round of 64 with a 5-1 victory over Dean Young.
Young surprised the world No. 8 by clinching the first frame, but Wilson powered back to claim the next five.
Wilson's best snooker is surely yet to come after not registering a break over 50 until the fifth frame (61), and would go onto win a closely-contested sixth frame to progress.
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