UK Championship: Judd Trump and Ronnie O’Sullivan face a tough opening

Judd Trump will face world number one Stephen Maguire when he begins the defense of his UK Championship title on Saturday.

Trump is yet to secure any silverware in 2025 and faces tough competition in the last 32 against Maguire, who was UK champion in 2004 and also reached the final in 2007 and 2019.

Record eight-time winner Ronnie O’Sullivan begins his campaign on Tuesday against China’s Zhou Yuelong.

The Rocket, who turns 50 on the day of the quarter-finals, has won all seven of his previous meetings with the world number 29, who reached the final of the British Open earlier this season.

The first Triple Crown event of the season, which will be shown live on the BBC, will take place at York Barbican from November 29 to December 7 and offers a top prize of £250,000.

Current world champion Zhao Xintong will take on either Long Zihuang or Louis Heathcote on Monday, while Kyren Wilson, who triumphed at the Crucible in 2024, takes on Elliot Slessor – the highest-ranked qualifier in the field.

Mark Allen plays Scott Donaldson, who put up an impressive 5-0 fight to defeat Stuart Bingham in the qualifier, while John Higgins is drawn against Ben Wollaston.

Meanwhile, Mark Selby will face either Lei Peifan or Jimmy Robertson and Shaun Murphy will take on Lyu Haotian.

Draw for the round of 32 for the UK Championship:

Judd Trump vs. Stephen Maguire

Si Jiahui vs. Hussein Fafai or Ryan Day

Ding Junhui vs. Tom Ford or Xu Si

Mark Allen vs. Scott Donaldson

Mark Williams vs. David Gilbert

Xiao Guodong vs. Pang Junxue or Nopon Saengkham

Wu Yiz vs. Michael Holt

Neil Robertson vs He Guoqiang or Julien Leclerc

Kyren Wilson vs. Elliot Slessor

Barry Hawkins vs. David Lilley or Artemigus Zezens

Mark Selby vs. Lee Bevan or Jimmy Robertson

Ronnie O’Sullivan vs. Zhou Yuelong

John Higgins v Ben Woollaston

Sean Murphy vs. Liu Haotian

Gary Wilson vs. Chang Anda O Thepchaya Un Noh

Zhao Xintong vs. Long Zihuang or Louis Heathcote