Ronnie O’Sullivan will be competing in the 2026 Seniors Snooker Championship and the World Snooker Championship within just weeks of each other; the 50-year-old won his first world title 25 years ago and looks to add another accolade to his name
Last Updated: 23/02/26 3:44pm
Ronnie O’Sullivan will be going for his eighth world title and first Seniors world title this spring
After a record-equalling seven world titles, Ronnie O’Sullivan will be making his debut on the senior world stage in May at the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship.
However, the 50-year-old is still expected to play in the main World Championship, which finishes just two days before the seniors starts, with both events taking place at the Crucible.
Ronnie O’Sullivan tried to defend his first Masters title against Steven Hendry in 1996 as the youngest winner of the title at 19-years and 69 days
He joins an impressive seniors line-up that includes 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham, 12-time women’s world champion Reanne Evans and former Masters and UK champion Matthew Stevens.
Chairman Jason Francis branded O’Sullivan the “most commercially valuable player the sport has ever seen” and that he expects The Rocket’s participation to drive ticket sales even higher.
The seniors tournament will take place May 6-10, being prefaced by World Championship from April 18-May 4.
O’Sullivan relocated to Dubai last year but will spend April and May in Sheffield as he also attempts to win an eighth world title when he appears in his 34th consecutive World Snooker Championship.
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Changes to the seniors tournaments rules have meant players ranked in the world top 64 are eligible to take part with several having taken the opportunity.
With four title wins, the most successful player in the seniors is Jimmy White, with the 10-time ranking event winner also slated to take part.
This comes 25 years after O’Sullivan won his first World Snooker Championship which he won in his 10th year of being a professional at the age of 25, as he seeks to add yet another record to his CV.
On a snowy afternoon in Ann Arbor, Ryan Day finally did what he’s spent four years chasing: he walked off the field after a rivalry game against Michigan with a convincing win and a different kind of weight on his shoulders.
Following Ohio State’s 27–9 victory over the Wolverines, Day met with reporters for an emotional, reflective, and revealing postgame press conference. Below is a full breakdown of everything he said, organized by topic, with the most notable cleaned-up quotes pulled directly from his remarks.
Day’s first reaction wasn’t celebration as much as relief and appreciation.
“I’m happy for our players, I’m happy for the coaches, and all the fans who were at the game. It was great to see all the fans stay all the way toward the end and cheer on our team. Our players deserve it. They worked hard and played strong and physical.”
He added that the win means something to everyone connected to the program, even those watching from home.
“The fans who weren’t here will be able to wear that logo and stand a little prouder. That means a lot to me, the coaching staff, the players, and my family.”
Day admitted he’d thought many times about what he would say after finally beating Michigan again. But he chose restraint.
“I’ve thought over the years what I’d say in this press conference. I’m going to save all those comments because the best thing to do is win with humility — and that’s what we’re going to do.”
He emphasized that the performance spoke for itself.
“We wanted to take this rivalry game back this year. The way our guys played spoke to that.”
Despite the dominant scoreboard, Day said there were early scoring chances Ohio State didn’t finish.
“I’m disappointed we didn’t finish a couple of those drives early, or else the scoreboard would’ve looked even different than it was.”
Still, he thought his team controlled the line of scrimmage all game long.
“The defense played with great physicality, running sideline to sideline. They had a great look in their eye. I don’t think there was any doubt when we walked into the stadium what was going to happen.”
Day highlighted the behind-the-scenes work that allowed his top receivers to suit up.
“Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate put in tremendous work to play in this game. If you really know how much work they put in to get on the field — and how gutsy they are — fans would appreciate what they did today.”
Jeremiah Smith barely practiced this week.
“Jeremiah was very limited. For him to play the way he did without getting many reps is a tribute to him.”
And the key touchdown throw? That was almost all walkthrough.
“It wasn’t a play we practiced much this week at all. We walked through it. You never know what you’ll need in a game, and our guys put it on the field in a big way.”
While he kept specifics private, Day called the postgame locker room powerful.
“It’ll be a great memory — being in there with those guys, seeing them smile, and knowing what they just did on the field.”
He also emphasized love over hate.
“We played this game for the love of our brother, not for the hatred of our opponent. That’s what this was about today.”
Day did not hide the emotional toll the losing streak took on him.
“The last four years haven’t been easy. I take the responsibility of being the head coach at Ohio State very seriously — so does my family, the players, and the coaches.”
“When things didn’t go right, you feel like you’re letting everybody down — and that’s not a good feeling.”
“My family’s been here nine years. There’s nobody who wants to win this game more than me.”
He said the win was about everyone else, not himself.
“Being a head coach isn’t about trophies or winning games. It’s about pouring into the people around you — the players, the coaches, their families, and the fans.”
Day referenced a line he’s repeated often.
“I always say, ‘How’s it going to look when it’s snowing sideways the Saturday after Thanksgiving?’ And that’s exactly what it looked like today.”
On settling for field goals:
“As much as we want touchdowns, three scores in that game was going to be a lot.”
He praised kicker Jayden:
“Great to see Jayden make those kicks. He had a great look in his eye this week.”
And he noted Ohio State dominated third-down situations.
“We converted 12-of-20 between third and fourth down, and we held them to 1-of-9 on third down. Those were big deals.”
Day said the early touchdown run and interception were not ideal.
“When the first run hit, I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’ Then we throw the pick and I’m thinking, ‘This is not what I expected at all.’”
Still, he never felt panic.
“Even after a slow start, we felt good. There was no panic. The communication and chemistry between players and coaches is very good right now.”
Day brushed off outside narratives.
“I don’t get too caught up in my reputation. What matters to me is my family and these guys right here. I care what they think.”
But he acknowledged the pain of the past two years.
“The fans know what this means. That’s what hurt the last couple of years. You feel like you’re letting everybody down.”
And how this team responded:
“You work like hell to prepare your guys, and that’s all you can do. This was a buildup all year, and our guys captured the moment and played great.”
The Ohio State Buckeyes and head coach Ryan Day took care of business in their second to last game of the regular season against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. When all was said and done, Ohio State won the game by a final score of 42-9 to improve to 11-0 on the season.
Even without star wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, the Buckeyes’ offense looked lethal. Once again, the defense was dominant under first-year defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.
Next up for Ohio State will be the matchup that all fans have been waiting for all season long. The Buckeyes will face off against the arch-rival Michigan Wolverines next weekend.
Following the win over Rutgers, Day spoke out with a very short and sweet message about next week’s game.
As shared by FOX College Football on X, Day is ready to play for hardware against Michigan.
“We’re playing for hardware now,” Day said.
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After playing the Wolverines, Ohio State will turn its attention to the postseason. Most anticipate to see the Buckeyes facing off against the Indiana Hoosiers in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis.
Then, comes the College Football Playoff.
Of course, Ohio State needs to get its losing streak against Michigan out of the way. The Wolverines have won each of the last four contests between the two schools. Last season, the Buckeyes suffered a shocking loss to Michigan as the No. 2 seed in the nation in Columbus, while the Wolverines were unranked.
Despite losing to Michigan last season, Ohio State was able to pull together and go on to win the national championship. Day is looking to replicate the playoff success with a second straight title, but adding a win over the Wolverines is extremely important.
All of that being said, all eyes will be on the Buckeyes and Michigan throughout the upcoming week. The two teams will kick off the latest installment of their bitter rivalry at 12:00 p.m. ET next Saturday.
For Day and Ohio State, this game is what they have been working towards all season long. Having a chance to get revenge for the last four years of disappointment is now waiting right at their doorstep.
For more on the Ohio State Buckeyes and college football news, head to Newsweek Sports.
It’s been over a week since Ohio State’s devastating 32-31 loss to Oregon, and apparently, neither head coach Ryan Day nor quarterback Will Howard can stop crying about it. While the rest of the world has moved on, it seems Howard and Day are still replaying that final play like a broken record.
For those living under a rock, the Buckeyes were down by one and in position for a game-winning field goal when Howard decided to slide with seconds left. The problem? Time expired, the game ended, and Ohio State walked away losers. But according to Howard, he’s been beating himself up over it ever since.
“Believe me, I’ve played it over in my head a million different times – what I could have done,” Howard lamented as quoted by Eleven Warriors. “Could I have thrown it to Brandon Inniss for a long field goal attempt? I wanted to get our goal. We said we wanted 15 yards, so I was trying to get as many yards as I could. I thought I had enough time. It’s been nagging at me.”
Cue the tiny violin. Howard still insists there was time left to call a timeout and give the Buckeyes a shot at a game-winning field goal. “Yeah, I thought I was down with one second,” Howard said, as if the league office is going to reverse the result just because he’s sulking. “But they didn’t feel like clearing the field with all the kids that were already on it. It’s tough. But we always talk about leaving no doubt. I probably should have gotten down even quicker.”
And, of course, head coach Ryan Day has joined in the pity party. According to Day, Ohio State submitted the play to the league office to review, because, you know, maybe that would change the outcome. Spoiler alert: It didn’t.
“We sent it in. They said that there was no time left,” Day said. “Brandon was calling a timeout. I was next to the referee calling a timeout. You can see it on the coach’s copy. They said time had run out.”
Well, Ryan, that’s how clocks work. They run out. No matter how many times you send in reviews or beg for a redo, the scoreboard still shows Oregon 32, Ohio State 31. But hey, keep crying about it.
And don’t worry, Day’s not done yet. He’s vowed to ensure that this never happens again. “It’s my job as the head coach to make sure that if we get into that situation again, we win the game,” Day said, clearly still stewing. “Trust me, nobody is working harder and nobody felt worse coming out of that game than I did.”
Sure, Ryan. But here’s a tip: instead of rehashing the same old sob story, maybe try focusing on, I don’t know, winning next time. Because the only thing worse than losing by one point is whining about it for the next two weeks.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has pulled out of the Northern Ireland Open, having already withdrawn from the British Open and Wuhan Open in recent weeks; Seven-time world champion last featured at the English Open in September
Last Updated: 20/10/24 11:00pm
Ronnie O’Sullivan withdrew from the Northern Ireland Open ahead of his first round match
Seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open due to medical reasons, the World Snooker Tour (WST) has announced.
O’Sullivan was due to face Long Zehuang in the last 64 in Belfast on Monday afternoon, but announcement from WST on their website confirmed he had pulled out of the event.
China’s Long receives a bye to the last 32, with the tournament at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast running until October 27th.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has now withdrawn from three consecutive events due to medical reasons
O’Sullivan hasn’t featured since being knocked out of the first round of the English Open last month after a shock defeat to He Guoqiang, where he describing his performance as “awful” and “embarrassing”.
It is the third consecutive tournament that O’Sullivan has withdrawn from, having also skipped the British Open and Wuhan Open in recent weeks. He is next due to feature at the International Champions event in China from November 3-10.
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Ronnie O’Sullivan says if the World Snooker Championship was relocated to Saudi Arabia then he would find the tournament more convenient as a player
Ronnie O’Sullivan says if the World Snooker Championship was relocated to Saudi Arabia then he would find the tournament more convenient as a player
Trump makes winning start in Belfast
World No 1 Judd Trump began his title defence with a 4-0 win over Ishpreet Singh Chadha needing just 49 minutes to whitewash his opponent with the aid of breaks of 72, 65 and 112.
“It was easy to get up for this event,” said Trump, who has won the event four times in the last six years. “Certain venues seem to be made for snooker. Anyone who has played in the semis or final at the Waterfront [Hall] knows how special it is.
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“It’s similar to Alexandra Palace or the Tempodrom in terms of the size of the crowd and the way people react. I thrive on that atmosphere with people enjoying themselves. It helps me show off and play my best shots.”
Trump will face Matthew Selt in the last 32 after Selt defeated Lyu Haotian 4-1, while World Championship runner-up Jak Jones beat Alexander Ursenbacher 4-0 and Zhou Yuelong recovered from 3-1 down to oust Dominic Dale 4-3.
Northern Ireland’s Jordan Brown suffered a 4-2 defeat to Robert Milkins, while 18-year-old Stan Moody made breaks of 108 and 105 before beating Ryan Day in a decider.
Louis Heathcote also came through in a decider in a scrappy contest against former world champion Mark Selby, whose 81 in the first frame was the only break over 50 by either player.
Stuart Bingham beat Scott Donaldson 4-1 in a similarly low-scoring contest, while China’s Pang Jungxu made a break of 98 in the decider as he beat compatriot Yuan Sijun 4-3.
John Higgins reaches 1,000 career centuries but is knocked out of the English Open; Ronnie O’Sullivan is the only other player to have reached the four-figure century milestone
Last Updated: 19/09/24 11:36pm
John Higgins became only the second snooker player to reach 1,000 career centuries
John Higgins became only the second snooker player to reach 1,000 career centuries despite crashing out of the English Open in Brentwood.
The 49-year-old Scot achieved the milestone with breaks of 108 and 105 in the third and fifth frames of his quarter-final clash against Mark Allen.
But it was not enough to seal a win that would have boosted his hopes of staying in the top 16 as Allen – who hit a century of his own in the opening frame – held firm in a gruelling decider to edge a 4-3 win.
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Ronnie O’Sullivan is the only other player to have reached the four-figure century milestone, having done so in the final frame of his 2019 Players Championship final win over Neil Robertson.
Earlier, Judd Trump set up a quarter-final clash with China’s Wu Yize after hitting back from behind to claim a 4-2 win over Fan Zhengyi.
The world No 1 nudged one closer to joining O’Sullivan and Higgins in the thousand-century club as he reeled off a break of 101 in the course of winning three frames in a row to extend his winning run.
Mark Selby held his nerve to carve out a 4-3 win over Si Jiahui and book a last-eight meeting with India’s Ishpreet Singh Chadha, who also overcame a final frame decider against China’s He Guoqiang.
Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight showdown with Daniel Dubois takes place on Saturday September 21 live on Sky Sports Box Office. Book Joshua v Dubois now!
Three-time world champion Mark Williams beaten 10-9 by 2023 semi-finalist Si Jiahui at the Crucible; Welshman’s exit means six seeds have now fallen in the first round so far; Ronnie O’Sullivan begins bid for eighth title against Jackson Page on Wednesday afternoon
Last Updated: 23/04/24 6:23pm
Mark Williams lost 10-9 to Si Jiahui in the first round of the World Snooker Championship
Mark Williams’ quest for a fourth World Snooker Championship title ended in the first round as he lost a last-frame thriller to 2023 semi-finalist Si Jiahui.
Sixth seed Williams – world champion in 2000, 2003 and 2018 – led 5-4 after Monday’s opening session but then found himself 8-5 down as Si reeled off four frames in a row on Tuesday afternoon.
The 49-year-old then recovered from 9-7 down to force a decider but his Chinese opponent, 21, knocked in a nerveless break of 77 in the 19th frame to secure a second-round meeting with fellow qualifier Jak Jones.
Si lost to Luca Brecel in the 2023 semi-finals in Sheffield
Williams’ exit takes the number of seeds eliminated in the first round to six, with defending champion Luca Brecel, four-time winner Mark Selby, Ali Carter, Gary Wilson and Zhang Anda also dispatched.
O’Sullivan plays first match on Wednesday afternoon
Williams was hoping to become the oldest champion in the tournament’s history, a record held by Ronnie O’Sullivan, who was 46 years and 148 days when he won the most recent of his seven Crucible trophies in 2022.
O’Sullivan begins his bid for an outright record eighth world title against Jackson Page at 2.30pm on Wednesday, with that match then concluding from 1pm the following day.
Jak Jones is Si’s second-round opponent this year after he beat 11th seed Zhang Anda at the weekend
Si led Luca Brecel 14-5 in last year’s semi-final, only to lose the match 17-15 as Brecel won 12 of the next 13 frames in a Crucible-record comeback.
Si’s clash with Williams was viewed as one of the ties of the first round, with Williams winning the previous tournament on the calendar, the Tour Championship in Manchester.
Williams, 49, defeated Judd Trump, Mark Allen and O’Sullivan – the top three players in the world rankings – in successive matches to claim his second ranking title of the season, after the British Open in Cheltenham in October.
Dominic Dale is playing at The Crucible for the first time in 10 years
What else happened on Tuesday?
Elsewhere, 2020 finalist Kyren Wilson surged into an 8-1 lead over Dominic Dale.
Dale, who is the oldest player at this year’s competition at the age of 52 and playing at the Crucible for the first time in 10 years, had one moment to cheer against Wilson – a sublime 120 clearance.
World No 17 Jack Liswoski leads seventh seed and 2016 finalist Ding Junhui 5-4, while Mark Allen romped into a 7-2 advantage over Robbie Williams.
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