Ronnie O'Sullivan secures world No. 1 spot ahead of record Crucible bid after Judd Trump suffers defeat

Published 05/04/2024 at 08:44 GMT

The 12-man Tour Championship in Manchester is down to the final four with Ronnie O'Sullivan facing Gary Wilson in the first semi-final on Friday before Mark Allen and Mark Williams meet on Saturday. O'Sullivan will remain as world No. 1 before the World Championship following Judd Trump's quarter-final defeat to Williams, who is also chasing a higher Crucible seeding alongside Allen and Wilson.

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Ronnie O'Sullivan will go into the World Championship (20 April-May 6, live on Eurosport and discovery+) as world No. 1 after fellow 'Class of '92' icon Mark Williams completed his first win over Judd Trump in six years at the Tour Championship in Manchester.

Leading 5-3 after the first session of their quarter-final on Thursday, three-time world champion Williams claimed five of the next six frames in a surprise 10-4 victory that sees the Welshman secure a meeting with Mark Allen in the semi-finals of the season's penultimate ranking event on Saturday.

World No. 2 Trump would have taken over top spot in the rankings for the first time since 2021 if he had claimed the £150,000 first prize, or if he reached the final and O'Sullivan lost in the semi-finals to Gary Wilson later today.

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But his first defeat to Williams since the semi-finals of the German Masters in 2018 means O'Sullivan will extend his stay at the top as second seed at the Crucible behind Belgian world No. 4 Luca Brecel, who earns the honour of top seed as defending world champion.

Players Championship winner Mark Allen could yet alter the order of the final Crucible seedings if he claims the Tour Championship on Sunday after a slender 10-8 win over Ding Junhui in the quarter-finals.

Such a scenario could see the Antrim man claim the Crucible third seeding, leaving Trump as fourth seed, which would see Allen go into the tournament in the bottom half of the draw alongside O'Sullivan, who is chasing a record eighth world crown after title victories in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 and 2022.

"It doesn't matter to me whether it's 4-4 at 1pm or 9-9 at midnight. I feel like I am ready for anything," said Allen on WST. "Last year I lost to Mark Selby in the semis at the Crucible, 17-15 in a late finish, and I genuinely felt as if I could have played all night. I had so much left in the tank."

There was the prospect that Allen – who is provisionally ranked world No. 1 for next season – could take over at the top for the first time in his career before Sheffield, but the announcement of a £150,000 first prize for the Tour Championship winner means he would fall just short of the summit even if results go his way over the weekend.

Elsewhere, Williams or Wilson would be seeded sixth for the World Championship if they win the Tour title.

Wilson's 10-8 win over Zhang Anda in the quarter-finals in Manchester means Zhang will be seeded 11th at the Crucible. We also know Kyren Wilson will be 12th seed, John Higgins 13th, Tom Ford 14th and Barry Hawkins in as 15th seed.

Mark Selby (fifth seed) and Robert Milkins (16th) were confirmed before the Tour Championship.

O'Sullivan is set to chase a record eighth world title in Sheffield later this month after equalling Hendry's modern-day record in 2022 with an 18-13 win over Judd Trump.

The sport's biggest competition will be staged for a 48th time by the Crucible Theatre between April 20-May 6, live on Eurosport and discovery+.