Ronnie O’Sullivan Exits UK Championship: Hawkins Upsets Defending Champion
Ronnie O’Sullivan Exits UK Championship Early
Table of Contents
Ronnie O’Sullivan’s difficult season continued as he lost to Barry Hawkins in the first round of the UK Championship in York. O’Sullivan, 48, the biggest name in snooker, has not reached any tournament finals this season, including semi-final losses at the Xi’an Grand Prix and Shanghai Masters. He aimed to improve his performance leading up to the World Championship in spring, but Hawkins defeated him 6-4 in this prestigious Triple Crown event.
UK Championship Schedule
- Main Tournament: November 23 to December 1, 2024
- First Round: November 23-26 (Best of 11 frames)
- Second Round: November 27 (Best of 11 frames)
- Quarter-Finals: November 28 (Best of 11 frames)
- Semi-Finals: November 29 (Best of 11 frames)
- Final: December 1 (Best of 19 frames)
Competitors in the UK Championship
The top 16 seeds automatically qualify for the UK Championship. The seeded players are:
- Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG)
- Kyren Wilson (ENG)
- Judd Trump (ENG)
- Mark Allen (NIR)
- Mark Selby (ENG)
- Mark Williams (WAL)
- Luca Brecel (BEL)
- Ding Junhui (CHN)
- Shaun Murphy (ENG)
- Gary Wilson (ENG)
- Zhang Anda (CHN)
- Ali Carter (ENG)
- Si Jiahui (CHN)
- John Higgins (SCO)
- Chris Wakelin (ENG)
- Xiao Guodong (CHN)
Qualifying Players
Qualifying matches took place from November 16-21, 2024. The following players secured their spots in the main event:
- Jak Jones (WAL, 17)
- Stephen Maguire (SCO, 33)
- Stuart Bingham (ENG, 25)
- Jackson Page (WAL, 41)
- Jack Lisowski (ENG, 21)
- Ryan Day (WAL, 28)
- Wu Yize (CHN, 29)
- Barry Hawkins (ENG, 20)
- Lei Peifan (CHN, 83)
- Matthew Selt (ENG, 35)
- Zhao Xintong (CHN, amateur)
- David Gilbert (ENG, 22)
- Robert Milkins (ENG, 23)
- He Guoqiang (CHN, 58)
- Michael Holt (ENG, 95)
- Neil Robertson (AUS, 18)
Amateurs in the Championship
Zhao Xintong, who won the tournament in 2021, is an amateur this year. He aims to improve despite his lower ranking.
Women’s World Champion Participation
Bai Yulu, the current women’s world champion, advanced to the final qualifying round but lost 6-1 to Jack Lisowski. She noted that the experience boosted her confidence, and she plans to address weaknesses in her game.
Results Summary
Initial first-round results include:
- Barry Hawkins 6 – 4 Ronnie O’Sullivan
- David Gilbert 6 – 4 Xiao Guodong
- Shaun Murphy 6 – 5 Zhao Xintong
For the latest results and information, stay updated as the tournament progresses.