Ronnie O’Sullivan facing horror World Championship draw DESPITE being second seed
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN is facing a horror draw as he chases his eighth World Championship.
The Rocket is provisionally seeded second for next month’s tournament at the Crucible.
However, the seedings could all change after the Tour Championship, which gets underway in Manchester on Monday.
Ahead of the season’s penultimate event, just three seedings have been confirmed for the Worlds.
Defending champion Luca Brecel is the top seed, whilst Mark Selby and Robert Milkins will be seeded fifth and 16th, respectively, in the draw.
Based on the current seedings, O’Sullivan would be on course to play Barry Hawkins in the second round.
He could then take on former world champion Shaun Murphy in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, he is on a collision course to face Judd Trump in the last four.
It could get even worse for O’Sullivan, though, with another world champion in Neil Robertson a potential round one opponent as a qualifier.
This week’s Tour Championship could alter the seedings, though, with the second seed spot going to whoever ends the event as world number one.
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O’Sullivan currently holds that honour and will maintain his position by going further than Trump in Manchester.
As for Trump, he will overtake his rival by either winning the event or reaching the final and O’Sullivan exits in the semi-finals or earlier.
Both players are already guaranteed £30,000 in prize money by joining the draw in the quarter-finals.
O’Sullivan will be hoping to set himself up for an eighth World Championship as he looks to move clear of Stephen Hendry.
His first title since 2022 would see the 48-year-old stand clear with the most wins in the modern era.
The World Championships get underway on April 20 and runs until the final on May 26.
