Ronnie O'Sullivan retains world No. 1 spot ahead of bid for record eighth Crucible snooker title after Mark Selby defeat

World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan has been handed a major boost ahead of his bid for a record eighth Crucible crown in Sheffield later this month. Despite failing to lift a ranking event this season, O'Sullivan has clung onto top spot in the world boosted by the £500,000 he earned for his 18-13 win over Judd Trump in last year's World Championship final that saw him equal Stephen Hendry's haul of seven titles between 1990-1999.

Ad He faced losing that status to old rival Mark Selby, who needed to reach the Tour Championship final in Hull this weekend to move above O'Sullivan before the 47th World Championship begins later this month (April 15-1 May LIVE on Eurosport). Tour Championship'It’s difficult' – Murphy echoes Hendry criticism of ghostly Tour Championship atmosphere30/03/2023 AT 07:32 Selby would have moved 3,500 points clear of O'Sullivan if he defeated Shaun Murphy in the semi-finals, but an agonising 10-9 defeat to the 2005 world champion – who he defeated 18-15 for his fourth world title in 2021 – denied the Leicester man the chance to end the Rocket's 11-month stay at the top.

O'Sullivan – world champion in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 and 2022 – was always going to be seeded number one because of his victory in the Crucible final a year ago, but will now begin the 47th World Championship on the morning of Saturday 15 April as the sport's top-ranked player. Kyren Wilson will start the tournament as fifth seed, leapfrogging Murphy and Neil Robertson, if he overcomes Murphy for the £150,000 first prize in today's Tour final, the penultimate event of the 2022/23 campaign.

While Murphy knows he can secure the fourth seeding, moving above Judd Trump and Robertson, ahead of his latest Crucible bid. «I feel