All you need to know about the UK Championship as Ronnie O’Sullivan returns from Dubai

The key talking points ahead of the UK Championship snooker, which begins in York this weekend, with Ronnie O’Sullivan looking for a record-extending ninth title

Ronnie O’Sullivan last won the UK Championship in 2023(Image: Getty Images)

Everything you need to know about the UK Championship:

• Triple Crown Status and Prize Money: The UK Championship is the first of the snooker season’s coveted Triple Crown events, alongside The Masters and the World Championship. It offers a significant prize fund, with the winner taking home £250,000, confirming its status as one of the most lucrative titles on the tour.
• Format and Venue: The tournament features a last 32 format, where the top 16 seeds play the 16 successful qualifiers in the first round. Matches up to the semi-final are the relatively short best-of-11 frames, while the final is a longer best-of-19 frames, all held at the historic York Barbican.
• The O’Sullivan Factor: Eight-time UK champion Ronnie O’Sullivan is chasing a record-extending ninth title, having first won the event as a 17-year-old. His long and dominant history in this event makes him a perennial storyline as he makes his first appearance of the season in the UK having recently relocated to Dubai.
• Judd Trump’s Title Defence: World No. 1 and defending champion Judd Trump faces a tough opener against former winner Stephen Maguire on Saturday afternoon. Trump will be aiming to break a personal silverware drought this season and secure his third UK Championship title.
• Chinese Contingent’s Growing Influence: The field features a large number of top Chinese players, including 2021 UK champion and current world champion Zhao Xintong and International Championship winner Wu Yize. Their presence highlights the significant global shift in snooker power, with several all-Chinese first-round ties scheduled.
• High-Profile Early Clashes: The draw has produced challenging matches for several top seeds, setting a tone for upsets. Eye-catching first-round ties include Mark Williams vs David Gilbert and O’Sullivan vs Zhou Yuelong.