Ronnie O'Sullivan heads cast as World Doubles returns to snooker circuit as mixed event after 31-year absence

World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan will head the line-up when the World Doubles competition returns to the snooker circuit in September for the first time since 1991. O'Sullivan, Judd Trump, Neil Robertson and Mark Selby – the four leading players in the world rankings – and the women's top quartet of Reanne Evans, Ng On Yee, world champion Nutcharut Wongharuthai and Rebecca Kenna will compete for the title over the weekend of 24/25 September in Milton Keynes. Ad/> Teams will be formed by a random draw at the Marshall Arena with the four pairs competing in a round-robin format to reach the World Mixed Doubles final.

World ChampionshipTop 10 shots of 2021/22: No. 1 – Trump's brilliant positional play seals key victoryYESTERDAY AT 11:58 The pairings will pay alternate visits to the table rather than alternate shots. All matches in the group will be four frames with one point awarded for every frame won.

The two best teams will contest the final over the best-of-seven frames. Steve Davis and Tony Meo won the World Doubles four times between 1982 and 1986 with the last men's tournament claimed by Stephen Hendry and Mike Hallett in 1987. Davis and Allison Fisher lifted the last mixed event held in Hamburg in 1991 with a 5-4 success against Hendry and Stacey Hillyard.

“Snooker is a game for everyone, regardless of age, gender and nationality, and we have proved this with the expansion of our tour and of the sport at grassroots level," said WST chairman Steve Dawson. «There is no reason why men and women can’t compete together and we are thrilled to have – for the first time – four women on our professional tour in the coming season. “We look forward to delivering a high quality event and we hope to make this a regular fixture on