O’Sullivan Top Of The World

Ronnie O’Sullivan has regained the No 1 position in the official world rankings to go with his 888.com World Snooker Championship title.

The Rocket became only the third player to lift the world trophy three times at the Crucible as he beat fellow Essex cueman Ali Carter 18-8 in Sheffield on Monday.

O’Sullivan, 32, becomes the first player ever to hold the official No 1 ranking on three separate occasions, having previously topped the list in 2002/03 and from 2004 to 2006.

“It’s a real buzz to win it. There is no bigger tournament, this is our pinnacle, it’s our greatest stage. I’ve got three now and I would like to win more,” said O’Sullivan, whose previous world titles came in 2001 and 2004.

Stephen Maguire, the only player other than O’Sullivan to win two ranking titles this season, is up to a career high position of No 2. Shaun Murphy stays third while Welsh Open winner Mark Selby completes the top four.

Despite defeat, Carter is into the top eight for the first time in his career as he jumps seven places to No 7, with Ryan Day also moving into that bracket, up eight spots to No 8.

Crucible semi-finalist Joe Perry has regained a place in the top 16, as have Mark King and Royal London Watches Grand Prix champion Marco Fu. Talented Northern Ireland cueman Mark Allen is into the elite for the first time, leaping 13 places FROM No 29.

The four to drop out of the top 16 are Ken Doherty (18), Mark Williams (22), Stephen Lee (26) and Steve Davis (29).

Further down the list, the biggest mover is China’s Liang Wenbo, who enjoyed a giant-killing run to the quarter-finals at Sheffield and rises from No 66 to No 40.

888.com World Snooker Championship Draw:

John Higgins v Matthew Stevens
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Liu Chuang
Ryan Day v Michael Judge
Ding Junhui v Marco Fu
Stephen Hendry v Mark Allen
Stephen Lee v Joe Swail
Graeme Dott v Joe Perry
Ken Doherty v Liang Wenbo
Shaun Murphy v Dave Harold
Ali Carter v Barry Hawkins
Mark Selby v Mark King
Mark Williams v Mark Davis
Peter Ebdon v Jamie Cope
Neil Robertson v Nigel Bond
Stephen Maguire v Anthony Hamilton
Steve Davis v Stuart Bingham

The tournament, which takes place at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, will begin on the 19th April and will run through until the 5th May.

World First For 888.Com World Snooker Championship Draw

Fans around the world will have the chance to watch live as the 888.com World Snooker Championship draw is broadcast online for the first time ever at 13.00 GMT on Tuesday, March 11th on www.888snooker.com

The webcast, live from Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre, will begin with pre-Draw build up at 12.30, culminating with the Draw at 13.00. Snooker fans around the globe will also be the first to hear reactions to the Draw from current 888.com World Snooker Champion John Higgins, as well as two-times ranking event winner Neil Robertson. The players will also entertain fans with a special snooker exhibition.

888.com World Champion John Higgins said: “March 11th will be a special day in snooker history as it is the first time that snooker fans all around the world will be able to watch the Draw live. Snooker is a global game and this can only help to broaden the fan base for snooker and the 888.com World Snooker Championship”.

The Draw will pit the 16 top seeds at random against the 16 players who battle through the final qualifying round, which takes place from March 7th to 10th at the English Institute of Sport – Sheffield.

The 888.com World Snooker Championship itself runs from April 19th to May 5th at the Crucible Theatre.