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Ronnie O’Sullivan kick-starts his 2025 UK Championship campaign against Zhou Yuelong at the Barbican Centre in York
Luke BakerTuesday 02 December 2025 12:53 GMTComments
Ronnie O’Sullivan kicks off his UK Championship campaign against Zhou Yuelong (PA Wire)Ronnie O’Sullivan’s quest for a record-extending ninth UK Championship title begins this afternoon as he faces Zhou Yuelong in York.
Back in 2023, O’Sullivan lifted the second-biggest title in snooker for a record eighth time by beating Ding Junhui in the final, also becoming the oldest winner in the tournament’s history at the age of 47 and 363 days, having set the mark as the youngest winner 30 years prior when he claimed the 1993 edition as a fresh-faced teenager.
He heads back to the Barbican Centre looking to end something of a trophy drought, with his last ranking event win coming back in January 2024, and even the bookies only have him as fourth favourite to add to his tally. But on his day, The Rocket is still an unstoppable snooker force, as proven by making two maximum 147 breaks in the same match at the Saudi Arabia Masters in August.
He also has an impeccable record against Zhou, winning all seven of their previous encounters, and will fancy his chances of reaching the last 16 this afternoon, where a potential blockbuster clash with old foe Mark Selby could await.
Follow Ronnie O’Sullivan v Zhou Yuelong with our live blog below:
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Ronnie O'Sullivan v Zhou Yuelong - live updates
- Ronnie O'Sullivan begins his 2025 UK Championship campaign against Zhou Yuelong | Live from 1pm GMT on BBC Two
- The best-of-11 clash will decide who reaches the last 16, where Mark Selby potentially lies in wait
- O'Sullivan is trying to claim a record-extending ninth UK Championship title this week, having won an eighth in 2023
Zhao Xintong becomes the most complicated world champion in snooker history
Check out Luke Baker’s report from the World Snooker Championship final in Sheffield back in May, when Zhao Xintong made history.
The long-overdue moment that a first Chinese winner of the World Snooker Championship finally arrived was supposed to be one of unalloyed joy. Yet now it’s here, there is an air of hesitancy around the celebrations – entirely because the man in question is Zhao Xintong.
Snooker is already a huge deal in China, with a market of 1.4 billion people dwarfing the traditional hotbeds of this still quaintly British sport, but having their own world champion has always been touted as the occurrence that would send it stratospheric.
Zhao, the 28-year-old from Xi’an cut a swathe through qualifying and the main stage of the World Championship to set up a final against Mark Williams, the laid-back Welshman gunning for his fourth Crucible title and trying to become the oldest world champion in history at the age of 50. He proved no match for Zhao. With the swagger and flair that has become his trademark, the Chinese star cruised to a 18-12 to give his country their first world champion.
So far, so fairytale. Except Zhao immediately becomes the most complicated world champion in snooker history.
Zhao Xintong becomes the most complicated world champion in snooker history
Zhao Xintong 18-12 Mark Williams: Zhao demolished three-time winner Williams to become China’s first world champion but his complex past means that accomplishment comes with questionsLuke Baker2 December 2025 12:53Jack Lisowski opens up on emotional victory over ‘best friend’ Judd Trump for first ranking title
It’s been a funny old snooker season so far, with 11 different winners in the 11 events that have been played.
The most popular of those was undoubtedly the Northern Irish Open final, where the uber-popular Jack Lisowski finally won the first tournament of his career.
Much like Scott Donaldson last night, Lisowski’s dad passed away earlier this year and, after beating best friend Judd Trump in the final in Belfast, he opened up about the emotions coursing through him
Jack Lisowski opens up on emotional first ranking title over ‘best friend’ Judd Trump
After six losses in ranking finals, Lisowski finally got over the line with a 9-8 win over Trump in the Northern Ireland OpenLuke Baker2 December 2025 12:46Emotional Scott Donaldson causes huge UK Championship shock after father’s death
Scott Donaldson caused the biggest upset at the UK Championship so far as he notched an emotional victory over Mark Allen while coping with the death of his father.
World No 52 Donaldson reached the last 16 of snooker’s second-biggest tournament for the first time in his career as he ground out a 6-1 victory over Allen in a scrappy match that went late into Monday evening.
Donaldson’s father Hector died at the age of 70 in October and he was in tears walking into the arena before the match to the song Babylon by David Gray – one of his dad’s favourites that was played at his funeral.
He channelled that emotion into a truly gutsy display on the baize and acknowledged that the circumstances have helped him put things into perspective.
Emotional Scott Donaldson causes huge UK Championship shock after father’s death
Donaldson was in tears as he entered the arena to one of his dad’s favourite songs and then claimed a gritty 6-1 win over former world No 1 Mark AllenLuke Baker2 December 2025 12:37Results so far
And here are the 12 men who have already booked their spot in that last 16
Results so far
Last 32
Judd Trump 6-4 Stephen Maguire
Si Jiahui 6-0 Ryan Day
Mark Williams 6-4 David Gilbert
Pang Junxu 6-2 Xiao Guodong
Wu Yize 6-4 Michael Holt
Neil Robertson 6-2 Julien Leclercq
John Higgins 6-2 Ben Woollaston
Shaun Murphy 6-2 Lyu Haotian
Zhao Xintong 6-1 Long Zehuang
Ding Junhui 6-4 Xu Si
Scott Donaldson 6-1 Mark Allen
Zhang Anda 6-5 Gary Wilson
Luke Baker2 December 2025 12:31Today's schedule
It’s not just Ronnie O’Sullivan in action today, there are four fascinating matches at the Barbican. By the end of today, we’ll know the full make-up of the last 16.
Last 32
13:00
Mark Selby v Lei Peifan
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Zhou Yuelong
19:00
Kyren Wilson v Elliot Slessor
Barry Hawkins v David Lilley
Luke Baker2 December 2025 12:23UK Championship prize money
Here’s what the players will earn in York this week
Winner: £250,000
Runner-up: £100,000
Semi-finalists: £50,000
Quarter-finalists: £25,000
Last 16: £15,000
Last 32: £10,000
Last 48: £7,500
Last 80: £5,000
Last 112: £2,500
Highest break: £15,000
Total prize pot: £1,205,000
Judd Trump triumphed at the 2024 UK Championship (Mike Egerton/PA Wire)Luke Baker2 December 2025 12:16How to watch O'Sullivan vs Zhou
The UK Championship began on Saturday 29 November at the Barbican Centre in York, and the final will be played on Sunday 7 December.
Ronnie O’Sullivan will start his campaign in the last 32 against Zhou Yuelong in a best-of-11 match this afternoon, from 1pm GMT.
O’Sullivan vs Zhou is live on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website
The tournament is also broadcast on TNT Sports in the UK and subscribers can stream the match online via the Discovery+ app.
Luke Baker2 December 2025 12:11Everything you need to know about Ronnie O'Sullivan v Zhou Yuelong
Ronnie O’Sullivan is back on British soil as he goes to York for the UK Championship, one of snooker’s triple crown events.
O’Sullivan sold his Essex home earlier this year and headed for a new life in Dubai but returns to the Barbican Centre today looking to add to his record tally of eight UK Championship titles
China’s Zhou Yuelong stands in his way in his first matchthis afternoon, with old foe Mark Selby a potential opponent in the last 16.
Here’s everything you need to know:
When does Ronnie O’Sullivan play at the UK Championship today?
‘The Rocket’ will begin his campaign to win a record-extending ninth UK Championship title against Zhou YuelongLuke Baker2 December 2025 12:06Ronnie O'Sullivan v Zhou Yuelong
Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Zhou Yuelong, taking place at the York Barbican Centres this afternoon.
A place in the last 16 of the 2025 UK Championship is up for grabs, so stick with us to stay across all the action
Luke Baker2 December 2025 10:14More about
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