Ronnie O’Sullivan to be shock participant in World Seniors Snooker Championship

O’Sullivan has won seven world titles at the iconic Crucible Theatre and will now look to add the seniors crown at the same venue later this year

Ronnie O’Sullivan has won the world title at the Crucible on seven occasions (AFP via Getty Images)

Ronnie O’Sullivan has stunningly decided to compete at the World Seniors Snooker Championship later this year in an attempt to do a double at the Crucible Theatre.

The seniors event runs the week after the main World Snooker Championship, from 6-10 May, at the same iconic Sheffield venue and O’Sullivan – widely considered the greatest snooker player of all time – will try to become the first man to win both events in the same year.

Changes to the eligibility rules at the seniors event means that players currently in the world’s top 64 are now eligible to take part and ‘The Rocket’ will be joined by the likes of fellow all-time great Mark Williams, 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham, former masters and UK champion Matthew Stevens and two-time ranking event winner Robert Milkins, all of whom fall into that category, in the draw.

O’Sullivan has won a record-equalling seven world titles at the Crucible despite regularly expressing his distaste for the venue and, despite falling to No 11 in the world due to opting for a much-reduced tournament schedule on the main tour and enduring a ranking title drought that now stretches for more than two years, is still a live contender to claim a history-making eighth world crown come early May.

The 50-year-old’s presence will only enhance the strongest field ever assembled for the seniors event and the press release announcing his decision to play was at great pains to point out the commercial value that O’Sullivan will bring to the tournament.

World Seniors Snooker Tour chairman Jason Francis said: “The most commercially valuable player the sport has ever seen will make his seniors debut at the Crucible in May in an attempt to add another world title to his CV – wow!

“We’ve already sold more tickets than we did for the entire event last year, and Ronnie’s participation is set to drive even greater demand.”

Ronnie O’Sullivan has won seven world snooker titles at the Crucible (Getty Images)

O’Sullivan will try to take the World Seniors title from last year’s winner Alfie Burden, who subsequently went on to win his first-ever ranking event on the main tour at the Snooker Shoot Out in December, while the most successful seniors player of all time – Jimmy White, who is a four-time champion – will also take part in Sheffield.

Twelve-time women’s world champion Reanne Evans, 1997 world champion Ken Doherty, current Seniors British Open champion Joe Perry and Maltese tornado Tony Drago are among the other big names in the line-up for the tournament, which will be broadcast live on Channel 5.