Championship League snooker 2021: Ronnie O'Sullivan withdraws from ranking event, Mark Joyce replaces Rocket

Updated 09/08/2021 at 09:42 GMT

Six-times world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan has withdrawn from the Championship League with the last-32 group stage of the season's first ranking event getting underway on Monday at the Morningside Arena in Leicester. O'Sullivan has already announced he will not compete at the British Open which begins at the same venue on Monday 16 August.

Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Image credit: Getty Images

Ronnie O'Sullivan has pulled out of the Championship League with Mark Joyce replacing the six-times world champion as the last-32 stage begins in Leicester on Monday.

O'Sullivan had won Group 32 on Tuesday 20 July with two wins over Ian Burns and Saqib Nasir respectively and a 2-2 draw against Joyce to progress at the season's first ranking event at the city's Morningside Arena.

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The world number 50 Joyce finished two points behind in second place, but has been handed a reprieve and will face Craig Steadman, Chang Bingyu and David Gilbert in Group H which begins at 12pm (BST) on Monday.

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"Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from the second stage of @BetVictor #ChampionshipLeagueSnooker and will be replaced with Group 32 runner-up Mark Joyce," said the tournament organisers.

It is unclear why O'Sullivan, who has been busy playing exhibition matches this month, has opted out of the Championship League.

The world number three has already announced he will not compete at the British Open, the season's second ranking event, which begins at the same venue on Monday 16 August.

It means his next competitive action may not come until the Northern Ireland Open LIVE on Eurosport (10-17 October).

Masters champion Yan Bingtao is also in action on Monday as he faces Barry Hawkins, Matthew Selt and Cao Yupeng in Group G at the Championship League.

The eight winners from the stage two groups will contest two more groups of four before a final is played between the top two for the title on Friday 13 August.