Players Championship snooker 2021: Jordan Brown dream run sets up possible Ronnie O'Sullivan rematch

ByEurosport

Published 21/02/2021 at 14:13 GMT

Northern Irishman Jordan Brown has secured his place at the Players Championship (February 22-28) courtesy of his stunning run to the Welsh Open final. The world number 81 is up to 13th place on the one-year ranking list with the top 16 qualifying for the season's 11th ranking event in Milton Keynes that carries a top prize of £125,000. Brown and O'Sullivan could meet again on Tuesday evening.

Jordan Brown

Image credit: Eurosport

Jordan Brown has secured his place at the elite Players Championship event (February 22-28) following his dream run to the Welsh Open final at Celtic Manor.

World number 81 Brown is guaranteed £30,000 from reaching the final as a 750-1 outsider after his 6-1 win over Tour champion Stephen Maguire in the semi-finals on Saturday set up a meeting with world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan in Newport.

The duo will meet again in the first round of Players Championship on Tuesday at 7pm at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes if O'Sullivan claims his fifth Welsh Open title and a £70,000 first prize on Sunday night, but a shock win for Brown would hand him a more favourable tournament opener.

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The 33-year-old Brown – who regained his World Snooker Tour card at Q School in 2018, nine years after first turning professional – is the lowest ranked player to reach a ranking final since the unranked 500-1 long shot Andrew Higginson lost 9-8 to Neil Robertson in the 2007 Welsh Open final.

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Defending champion and top seed Judd Trump, who defeated Masters winner Yan Bingtao 10-4 in last year's final, faces 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham - who is the last confirmed qualifier in 16th place - in his opening match at the Players Championship on Monday at 7pm.

Robertson meets Lu Ning on Tuesday at 1pm with Mark Selby facing Mark Williams, who lost 6-1 to O'Sullivan in the Welsh Open semi-finals, on Wednesday at 1pm.