Ronnie O'Sullivan withdraws from Championship League after smacking cue against table in defeat, Kyren Wilson wins group
Updated 10/01/2025 at 09:32 GMT
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Ronnie O’Sullivan has pulled out of the Championship League after losing four of his five games in Group Three in Leicester. ‘The Rocket’ was defeated three times on Wednesday before returning on Thursday and losing 3-2 to Robert Milkins. He only had one match left to play against Ali Carter but opted to withdraw. O’Sullivan will be in action next at the Masters, live on Eurosport and discovery+.
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Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from Championship League ahead of his final Group Three match in Leicester.
‘The Rocket’ was in action on Wednesday but seemed to struggle with his tip in losing three of his four games before returning on Thursday to take on Robert Milkins.
The 49-year-old cut a frustrated figure against Milkins, smacking his cue off the table in the fourth frame after missing a routine pink while leading 2-1.
He quickly apologised to the referee and his opponent but lost the frame and was then beaten in the best-of-five decider.
O’Sullivan, a seven-time world champion, was due to play Ali Carter in his final group match on Thursday afternoon but decided to withdraw.
The winner of the group will advance into the Winners’ Group, with the tournament set to resume again in February.
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Mark Selby is currently in pole position to progress with five wins from five, but world champion Kyren Wilson is still in the hunt.
Also in the group with O’Sullivan, Selby, Wilson, Carter and Milkins were Jak Jones and Chris Wakelin.
All of O’Sullivan’s completed and uncompleted matches have been voided.
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Next up for O’Sullivan is a mouth-watering first-round clash against John Higgins at the Masters, which runs from January 12 to 19 and is live on Eurosport and discovery+.
The tournament returns for its 51st edition as the top 16 players in the world battle it out for the iconic trophy at the second Triple Crown event of the 2024/25 season.
O’Sullivan beat Carter in an intense final last year but is yet to pick up a title this season after struggling for form.
World champion Kyren Wilson later progressed to win Group 3 with a 3-2 victory over Jak Jones in a repeat of their Crucible final.
Jones also reached the final of Group 2 on Tuesday evening, but was edged out 3-2 by Si Jiahui.
Group 4 begins on Friday with UK finalist Barry Hawkins, Stuart Bingham and Jackson Page joining Jones, Mark Selby, Matthew Selt and Joe O'Connor.
Championship League group winners
- Group 1: Hossein Vafaei (Irn)
- Group 2: Si Jiahui (Chn)
- Group 3: Kyren Wilson (Eng)
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Watch and stream top snooker action, including The Masters, live on Eurosport and discovery+
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