Who does Ronnie O'Sullivan face at the WST Classic? World champion bids to keep alive Tour Championship title dream

ByEurosport

Updated 02/03/2023 at 20:18 GMT

World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan wil meet Mohamed Ibrahim of Egypt in the first round of the WST Classic on Friday, March 17 in Leicester. The world No. 1 meets the African champion knowing he needs to claim the title to keep alive his bid to qualify for the eight-man Tour Championship at the end of the month. Mark Williams and Neil Robertson also need to win the Classic title to qualify.

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World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan has been drawn against world No. 117 Mohamed Ibrahim of Egypt in the first round of the inaugural WST Classic on Friday, March 17 in Leicester.

The world No. 1 needs to claim the £80,000 first prize at the Morningside Arena to keep alive any hope of overtaking Mark Selby for the eighth and final place in the Tour Championship (March 27-April 2) in Hull.

As it stands, the Classic is likely to be O'Sullivan's final appearance at a ranking event before he defends the world title in Sheffield next month (April 15-May 1).

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Mark Williams and Neil Robertson also need the Classic title otherwise they will have the week off with Robertson set to be denied the chance to chase a third straight Tour title.

Mark Allen, Shaun Murphy, Ali Carter, Kyren Wilson and Ryan Day have already qualified for the Tour Championship with Robert Milkins, Ding Junhui and Selby in pole position for the final three spots.

Selby is 4,500 points ahead of Luca Brecel in ninth spot.

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The final day of the Classic sees the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final played on Wednesday, March 22.

All matches will be the best of seven frames until the semi-finals which are the best of nine, with the final played over the best of 11 frames.

New Welsh Open champion Milkins will meet women's world champion Mink Nutcharut in his tournament opener knowing a couple of victories is likely to seal his spot in Hull.

Judd Trump meets former World Seniors champion David Lilley knowing he needs to at least reach the final to qualify for the Tour Championship.

Six-time world finalist Jimmy White meets 2006 world champion Graeme Dott in another intriguing encounter in the round of 128.