Snooker icon Ronnie O'Sullivan has returned to British soil as he sets his sights on a historic ninth UK Championship victory at York's Barbican Centre. 'The Rocket' will launch his campaign in the last 32 against China's Zhou Yuelong on Tuesday afternoon.
O'Sullivan's Historic Quest in York
The UK Championship, one of snooker's prestigious triple crown events, got underway on Saturday 29 November, with the final scheduled for Sunday 7 December. Ronnie O'Sullivan, who recently moved to Dubai, is back in the UK aiming to extend his own record of eight UK Championship wins. His most recent triumph came in 2023, when he became the oldest winner of the event at 47 years and 363 days. Remarkably, he also holds the record as the tournament's youngest champion, a feat he achieved as a 17-year-old in 1993.
O'Sullivan will celebrate his 50th birthday on the quarter-final day of this year's competition. Despite not winning a ranking event since the World Grand Prix in January 2024, he remains a top-five world player and a formidable force on the baize. His first-round opponent, Zhou Yuelong, will be a significant underdog, with a potential last-16 clash against old rival Mark Selby looming for the winner.
How and When to Watch the Action
Ronnie O'Sullivan's first match is scheduled for Tuesday 2 December at 1pm GMT. The best-of-11 frames encounter will be broadcast live across the BBC, including on BBC Two, BBC Four, the red button service, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website. Coverage is also available on TNT Sports in the UK, with streaming via the Discovery+ app for subscribers.
The full tournament schedule is as follows (all times GMT):
- Tuesday 2 December (Last 32): 13:00 – Mark Selby v Lei Peifan; Ronnie O'Sullivan v Zhou Yuelong. 19:00 – Kyren Wilson v Elliot Slessor; Barry Hawkins v David Lilley.
- Wednesday 3 December: Last 16 matches.
- Thursday 4 December: Last 16 matches.
- Friday 5 December: Quarter-finals.
- Saturday 6 December: Semi-finals.
- Sunday 7 December: Final.
Prize Fund and Tournament Context
The champion at the Barbican Centre will pocket a hefty £250,000 from a total prize pot exceeding £1.2 million. The runner-up will receive £100,000, with significant sums awarded at each stage of the tournament.
O'Sullivan enters a wide-open field this season, where 11 different players have won the 11 professional tournaments played so far. However, his aura and unparalleled history in this event make him the headline act as he seeks to once again etch his name into the snooker record books. Fans in York and watching around the world will be eager to see if 'The Rocket' can launch another spectacular run towards title number nine.
