Ronnie O’Sullivan Withdraws from Championship League Snooker, Focuses on World Masters in Riyadh

Ronnie O’Sullivan has decided to withdraw from the ongoing Championship League at the Morningside Arena in Leicester in preparation for his participation in the World Masters of Snooker event set to take place at Boulevard City in Riyadh next week. The announcement came through an official statement indicating his departure from Group 7 of the Championship League, consequently reducing the group to six players, with the proceedings scheduled to conclude the following day.

His departure from the Leicester event marks his focus on the upcoming prestigious invitational tournament in Saudi Arabia. As the current world No. 1, O’Sullivan is slated to depart over the weekend for the lucrative World Masters of Snooker event, where the world’s top eight players will vie for victory over three intense days of competition.

Although O’Sullivan secured victories in his initial matches within Group 7 against opponents Sam Craigie and Elliot Slessor, subsequent losses to Jak Jones and Joe O’Connor saw him finish the day in fourth place in the hunt for a semi-final berth. Notably, O’Sullivan’s decision to withdraw from the invitational event paves the way for Jak Jones to lead the section with an impeccable record heading into the next phase of competition.

Expressing his enthusiasm for the upcoming event, O’Sullivan shared his excitement on social media, underscoring his anticipation for his debut in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Jak Jones emerged as the top performer on Wednesday, securing victories that included a notable triumph over O’Sullivan himself. The standings at the end of the day saw O’Sullivan tied on points with O’Connor and Jordan Brown, with the top four players advancing to the semi-finals on the following evening.

As the remaining players, including Slessor, Pang Junxu, and others, gear up for the concluding group matches, the competition intensifies. Notably, Stuart Bingham, Chris Wakelin, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, John Higgins, and Kyren Wilson have already secured their spots in the winners’ group, with the added incentive of the Championship League winner earning a coveted place in the prestigious Champion of Champions event later in the year.