Ronnie O’Sullivan is making just his third competitive appearance of the season but he should have no trouble beating Gerard Greene in International Championship qualifying on Friday. ‘The Rocket’ has been selective in what events he has participated in so far this season, with his only previous ranking appearance coming at last month’s China Championship, where he was narrowly beaten by tournament winner Luca Brecel in the quarter-finals.
O’Sullivan’s only other competitive appearance this season came in the Hong Kong Masters, a tournament where he lost in the final to Australia’s Neil Robertson, although it was a non-ranking event. The 41-year-old will now turn his attention back to playing on Friday when he faces Northern Irishman Greene in qualifying for next month’s International Championship. The five-time world champion will fancy his chances of beating world number 103 Greene, a player he has never previously lost to, although they have not clashed in over four years after meeting in the final of the 2013 Paul Hunter Classic. O’Sullivan is priced at 1.07 to secure another victory over Greene on Friday, while the Northern Irishman is available at 7.50 to cause an upset at the Guild Hall in Preston.
‘The Rocket’ is not the only big name in qualifying action on Friday, as another former world number one, Judd Trump, is due to face Scottish teenager Chris Totten. Trump has struggled for form so far this season, losing in qualifying for the recent World Open, but he should have no problems seeing off Totten, who has only made it through to the main draw of a rankings event on two previous occasions.
Snooker odds available at Dafabet.