Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump and Neil Robertson are in grave danger of missing the elite eight-man Tour Championship later this month – the final ranking event before the season-ending World Championship in Sheffield.
Mark Allen, Shaun Murphy, Ali Carter, Kyren Wilson and Ryan Day have already secured their respective places via the one-year list at the Tour Championship (March 27-2 April) with three more spots available ahead of the start of the inaugural WST Classic on Thursday in Leicester (16-22 March).
Welsh Open holder Robert Milkins, new Six Red world champion Ding Junhui and four-time world champion Mark Selby hold the remaining three places in the standings, but could yet be toppled by a chasing pack consisting of 15 players.
Selby holds the eighth and final spot on £135,000 – £4,500 clear of Luca Brecel in ninth.
World champion O’Sullivan will meet Egypt’s world No. 117 Mohamed Ibrahim in the first round of the Classic on Friday.
The world No. 1 needs to claim the £80,000 first prize at the Morningside Arena to keep alive any hope of overtaking Selby for the eighth and final place in the £380,000 Tour Championship, but even that might not be enough if Selby wins his opening two matches.
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).
Robertson will be denied the chance to chase a third straight Tour title unless he can carry off the first prize. He meets Luke Simmonds in his tournament opener on Thursday afternoon.
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Latest World Snooker one-year ranking list
(players in bold have qualified for Tour Championship)
- 1. Mark Allen (NI) – 526,000
- 2. Shaun Murphy (Eng) – 237,000
- 3. Ali Carter (Eng) – 186,000
- 4. Kyren Wilson (Eng) – 171,500
- 5. Ryan Day (Wal) – 159,000
- 6. Robert Milkins (Eng) – 154,500
- 7. Ding Junhui (Chn) – 140,500
- 8. Mark Selby (Eng) – 135,500
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- 9. Luca Brecel (Bel) – 131,000
- 10. Jack Lisowski (Eng) – 125,000
- 11. Gary Wilson (Eng) – 122,500
- 12. Judd Trump (Eng) – 115,500
- 13. Tom Ford (Eng) – 113,500
- 14. Joe O’Connor (Eng) – 102,000
- 15. Zhou Yuelong (Chn) – 89,500
- 16. Chris Wakelin (Eng) – 83,500
- 17. Mark Williams (Wal) – 71,500
- 18. Barry Hawkins (Eng) – 71,000
- 19. Xiao Guodong (Chn) – 69,500
- 20. Neil Robertson (Aus) – 68,000
- 21. Ronnie O’Sullivan (Eng) – 60,500
Who needs what to qualify for Tour Championship?
- Neil Robertson – needs the title
- Ronnie O’Sullivan – needs the title
- Judd Trump – at least final spot
- Mark Williams – needs the title
- Luca Brecel – at least last-32 spot
- Jack Lisowski – at least quarter-final spot
- Gary Wilson – at least semi-final spot
- Tom Ford – at least final spot
- Joe O’Connor – at least final spot
- Zhou Yuelong – needs the title
- Chris Wakelin – needs the title
- Barry Hawkins – needs the title
- Xiao Guodong – needs the title
- Noppon Saengkham – needs the title
- Anthony McGill – needs the title
WST Classic Prize Money
- Winner: £80,000
- Runner-up: £35,000
- Semi-finals: £17,500
- Quarter-finals: £11,000
- Last 16: £7,500
- Last 32: £4,500
- Last 64: £3,000
Former world champions John Higgins and Stuart Bingham will compete at the Classic knowing this will be their final ranking event before the 47th World Championship at the Crucible.
All matches are 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 on Wednesday 22 March.
Milkins will meet women’s world champion Mink Nutcharut in his tournament opener knowing a couple of victories will safeguard his spot in Hull.
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Masters champion Trump meets former World Seniors champion David Lilley knowing he needs to at least reach the final to qualify for the Tour Championship.
“It’s probably been the widest-open season. I know we say that all the time going into the World Championship, but this one really is.
“There’s been a lot of first-time winners and a lot of people you wouldn’t expect to be in the top-eight events.
“It’s a bit of carnage going on in the rankings at the moment and that makes for a more interesting end to the season.”
Six-time world finalist Jimmy White and 2006 world champion Graeme Dott clash in another intriguing encounter in the round of 128.
WST Classic first-round draw (key matches)
- Jack Lisowski v Louis Heathcote – Thursday 16 March (not before 10am)
- Neil Robertson v Luke Simmonds – Thursday 16 March (nb 2pm)
- Mark Allen v Peter Lines – Thursday 16 March (nb 6pm)
- Stuart Bingham v Ng Onyee – Thursday 16 March (nb 12pm)
- Jack Lisowski v Louis Heathcote – Thursday 16 March (nb 10am)
- Neil Robertson v Luke Simmonds – Thursday 16 March (nb 2pm)
- Mark Allen v Peter Lines – Thursday 16 March (nb 6pm)
- Stuart Bingham v Ng On Yee – Thursday 16 March (nb 12pm)
- Ronnie O’Sullivan v Mohamed Ibrahim – Friday 17 March (nb 6pm)
- Mark Williams v Sean O’Sullivan – Friday 17 March 17th (nb 2pm)
- Judd Trump v David Lilley – Friday 17 March (nb 4pm)
- Graeme Dott v Jimmy White – Friday 17 March (nb 12pm)
- Kyren Wilson v Dean Young – Friday 17 March (nb 2pm)
- Ding Junhui v Xu Si – Saturday 18 March (nb 12pm)
- Ali Carter v Dechawat Poomjaeng – Saturday 18 March (nb 10am)
- Shaun Murphy v Oliver Brown – Saturday 18 March (nb 4pm)
- Chris Wakelin v Reanne Evans – Saturday 18 March (nb 2pm)
- John Higgins v Michael White – Saturday 18 March (nb 4pm)
- Mark Selby v Fraser Patrick – Saturday 18 March (nb 6pm)
- Robert Milkins v Mink Nutcharut – Sunday 19 March (nb 10am)
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