The Champion of Champions gets underway in Milton Keynes on Monday with a high-class field set to battle it out on the baize.
Ronnie O’Sullivan boasts an almost inexhaustible list of career achievements but his record in the Champion of Champions is something to behold.
The Rocket has played in this event six times and won it on three occasions with those victories coming in 2013, 2014 and 2018, but that isn’t where it ends.
The Chigwell cueman was beaten 10-7 by John Higgins in the final of the 2016 staging and he again filled the runner-up spot when losing out to Shaun Murphy in 2017. O’Sullivan’s only other appearance in the competition resulted in a run to the semi-finals, and even by the Rocket’s standards that’s a truly incredible record.
There’s plenty of form in the book for O’Sullivan in this event and there looks to be many reasons to expect another bold showing this time.
Rocket Route Plain Sailing
The Rocket is housed in a section containing Michael Holt, Mark Allen and Scott Donaldson and that’s a draw that’s unlikely to hold too many fears for the six-time world champion.
Holt is O’Sullivan’s first opponent, and although the Nottingham man is a capable performer, the price of 2/13 about a Rocket win tell you all you need to know about his prospects of progressing.
Allen or Donaldson will await O’Sullivan, should he make it though and while you’d usually expect tough resistance from the Pistol, the Antrim Ace hasn’t been in the best nick of late.
Tough Draw for Trump
There’s every chance that the Chigwell cueman can progress to the semi-finals, and although O’Sullivan is housed in the same half as 3/1 joint-favourite Judd Trump, the Ace looks to have a far tougher path.
The Bristol potter opens up against Stuart Bingham and that’s no easy task. Sure, Trump will be fancied to beat Ballrun but when you add a clash against Shaun Murphy or David Gilbert in the second round, it starts to look like a fairly difficult draw.
There’s no doubt that Trump has the ability to progress but at the prices O’Sullivan’s chances look far more obvious.
Brecel Offers Upset Value
There are plenty of mouthwatering match-ups to get stuck into, none more so than Mark Selby’s clash with Luca Brecel.
Brecel has bags of talent, and while he isn’t the most consistent performer, his price may be undertaking his chances here. The Belgain qualified courtesy of his win in the Championship League and that indicates what Brecel is capable of.
Clearly, Selby is no easy task but at 9/5 it is worth taking a chance on the Belgain progressing.
*All odds correct at time of writing
