Champion of Champions: Ronnie O'Sullivan in line for rare quarter-final showdown with Mark Selby in Bolton snooker event

Ronnie O'Sullivan could face fierce rival Mark Selby in the quarter-finals of the Champion of Champions in Bolton next week (November 11-17) with the winner of the International Championship in Nanjing set to take the final spot at the prestigious 16-player event. O'Sullivan is chasing a record-extending fifth victory at the Champion of Champions since 2013.

Ronnie O'Sullivan has been handed a possible quarter-final meeting with old foe Mark Selby at the Champion of Champions event in Bolton next week.

O'Sullivan is 17-12 clear on the career head-to-heads against the Leicester player, but matches between the duo have been scarce in recent years.

Indeed, they have met only twice since 2020, with O'Sullivan winning 10-7 in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals last year and an inspired Selby racing to a 6-0 whitewash success in the quarter-finals of the Players Championship in February.

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O'Sullivan is set to begin his campaign against Wuhan Open champion Xiao Guodong next Thursday afternoon, with the winner of that contest meeting Selby or Shaun Murphy for a semi-final spot at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Selby is one of the top four seeds at the event with defending champion Mark Allen, world champion Kyren Wilson and world No. 1 Judd Trump all in different groups.

The winner of this week's International Championship will take their place in the final line-up unless they have already qualified for the elite competition.

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The final spot would then go to the highest player in the world rankings, which would be former UK Champion and Masters winner Ding Junhui.

The winner of O'Sullivan's section would face the victor of Allen's group in the semi-finals, with a top prize of £150,000 on the table.

Allen is due to begin his title defence against World Seniors champion Igor Figueiredo on Monday afternoon.

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Champion of Champions draw

• Group 1
  Mark Allen v Igor Figueiredo 
  Gary Wilson v Jak Jones
• Group 2
  Judd Trump v International Championship winner
  Ali Carter v Neil Robertson
• Group 3
  Kyren Wilson v Luca Brecel 
  Mark Williams v Bai Yulu
• Group 4
  Mark Selby v Shaun Murphy
  Ronnie O’Sullivan v Xiao Guodong

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