Who does Luca Brecel face in first match as world champion at European Masters snooker? Is Ronnie O'Sullivan playing?

ByEurosport

Published 17/07/2023 at 13:47 GMT

World champion Luca Brecel and world No. 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan are set to return to action at the European Masters in Nuremberg next month. Brecel has been handed a tournament opener against Jackson Page in Germany, while two-time finalist O'Sullivan will face fellow Englishman Andy Hicks at the KIA Metropol Arena. Kyren Wilson claimed the title last year with a 9-3 win over Barry Hawkins.

Luca Brecel will meet Welsh professional Jackson Page in his first match as world champion at the European Masters in Nuremberg (LIVE on Eurosport) next month.

Matches involving the top eight seeds have been held over to the finals venue at the KIA Metropol Arena between August 22-27 as Kyren Wilson defends the title he claimed with a 9-3 win over Barry Hawkins last year.

World No. 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan is also in the draw in his first competitive action since losing 13-10 to Brecel in the Crucible quarter-finals in April. He has been handed a potentially tricky opening test against Andy Hicks, the 1995 Word Championship semi-finalist.

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Brecel, O'Sullivan, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson and Mark Allen were among a number of leading figures who opted to miss this month's Championship League, the season's first ranking event at the Morningside Arena in Leicester.

Wilson meets Dean Young of Scotland in his tournament opener, while Masters champion Judd Trump faces Egypt's Mohamen Ibrahim, the African champion.

The 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy takes on 2006 Crucible winner Graeme Dott in another intriguing match in the opening round of 128.

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A qualifying round will be staged at the Morningside Arena between July 25-29 with John Higgins taking on Martin Gould with Jimmy White meeting Aaron Hill and German Masters champion Ali Carter confronting Alfie Davies.

World Championship semi-finalist Si Jiahui will face Julien Leclercq with three-time world champion Mark Williams drawn against Zhang Anda in Leicester.

All matches are the best-of-nine frames until the semi-finals which are the best-of-11 frames before a best-of-17-frame final.

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FULL EUROPEAN MASTERS DRAW

• Williams and Wilson set to begin final week of Championship League as last 32 is decided
• Robertson says 'there’s a lot of hunger there' as he bids to bounce back from poor season
• 'Ronnie has been brilliant at it' – Trump plans to go on attack after praising key O'Sullivan tactic

2023 European Masters selected first round matches

• Luca Brecel v Jackson Page
• Ronnie O'Sullivan v Andy Hicks
• Kyren Wilson v Dean Young
• Shaun Murphy v Graeme Dott
• Judd Trump v Mohamed Ibrahim
• Mark Allen v Anton Kazakov
• Mark Selby v Manasawin Phetmalaikul
• Neil Robertson v Wu Yize

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Stream top snooker action live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com

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