Ronnie O'Sullivan retains No. 1 spot as new European Masters champion Kyren Wilson moves up in world snooker rankings

Ronnie O'Sullivan has retained his world No. 1 ranking despite not entering the European Masters due to his injured arm. Judd Trump could have toppled O'Sullivan from the summit with a run to the final in Furth, but a 5-3 defeat to Barry Hawkins in the last eight ended his hopes of usurping the snooker GOAT.

Ad Kyren Wilson's 9-3 victory over a struggling Hawkins in the final saw him earn an £80,000 winner's cheque and move up two places in the standings from eighth spot to sixth, 36,000 points behind John Higgins in fifth. European Masters‘We're going to play every single event in Germany' — Wilson after winning European Masters13 HOURS AGO Wilson's fifth ranking title victory was his first since the 2020 Championship League. “This is the first major ranking event of the season.

To get it under my belt early makes me feel like I can settle and I can kick on," said Wilson, who astonishingly lifted the trophy with a highest break of only 56 in the final. «Once you’ve banked one you hope it could pave the way for a few more, but it is just about enjoying this one.» Hawkins remains without a major title since the 2017 World Grand Prix, but is also on the rise despite his disappointing defeat to Wilson in his ninth career ranking final. The 2013 world finalist earned £35,000 as runner-up and has moved inside the world's top 10 as the Kent cueist moves up three places to nine.

He has been as high as world No. 4 in 2014. «It was a bad day,» he said.