Snooker LIVE: Judd Trump and Ding Junhui through to UK Championship quarter-finals

The UK Snooker Championship continues with both Judd Trump and Ding Junhui in action at the Barbican Centre in York as round of 16 action begins.

Trump, the 2011 champion, overcame illness to comprehensively defeat Pang Junxu in his first match at the Barbican. He now takes on Welshman Jamie Jones, impressive in a 6-4 win over Jack Lisowski.

On the other table, meanwhile, three-time champion Ding takes on the talented Tom Ford after ending the title defence of Mark Allen in a first round rematch of last year’s final. A victory secured in a deciding frame should fill the veteran Chinese player with confidence, but Ford will pose a tough challenge — the 40-year-old been in strong form, though, climbing to a career high of 16th in the world rankings with a run to the final of the International Championship earlier in November.

The last-16 takes place across two days at the year’s first Triple Crown event, with Ronnie O’Sullivan safely through after winning six consecutive frames to beat Anthony McGill. The subject of the recent “The Edge of Everything” documentary will face Robert Milkins on Thursday. Second round matches remain best-of-11 frame affairs.

Follow the action from the York Barbican with our live blog below:

UK Snooker Championship LIVE

• Judd Trump and Ding Junhui are through after wins in the afternoon session at the Barbican in York

• Trump defeats Jamie Jones 6-0 in impressive display on table one

• Ding also progresses to quarter-finals with 6-3 victory over Tom Ford

• Round of 16 action began at the UK Championship from 1pm GMT, live on the BBC and Eurosport

• Ronnie O’Sullivan is safely through to the second round after beating Anthony McGill 6-2

Ding Junhui reacts to his win over Tom Ford

16:24 , Harry Latham-Coyle

“I feel happy. The first three frames, I didn’t feel like I could miss, and he did the same. We both played one visit [snooker].

“This is the best [venue in the world]. I feel better now. I’m feeling confident playing in the UK Championship, I always like to play here. I’m just concentrating on the next match.

“I didn’t think about the Masters! We both needed to win, but for me, Masters or not, I was just trying to win the game. It was that simple, I think. For me, it is win or nothing.

“Me and Mark Williams have played a few times, and I don’t tend to get good results. I’m looking forward to his match later.”

Ding Junhui secures 6-3 win over Tom Ford

16:20 , Harry Latham-Coyle

That is a real shame for Tom Ford, though, who didn’t play that badly but misses out on a first Masters appearance after climbing into the world’s top 16 for the first time ahead of this tournament.

Ding Junhui secures 6-3 win over Tom Ford

16:16 , Harry Latham-Coyle

That was impressive from Ding Junhui, whose dizziness problems appear to be behind him. His fluency slightly sagged in the middle of the contest but he’s still such a complete snooker player.

It’ll be a Welshman up next - Mark Williams and Jamie Clarke play tonight for a last eight place and a date with Ding.

Ding Junhui secures 6-3 win over Tom Ford

16:13 , Harry Latham-Coyle

He just loves the Barbican - another quarter-final at the UK Championship for Ding Junhui.

A hot start with those two back-to-back centuries and Ding finishes in style, a magnificent 106 sealing the match, and, in all likelihood, a place in January’s Masters.

Ding Junhui 5-3 Tom Ford

16:11 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The sixth from last red is match ball...and it’s there. Ding Junhui will be a quarter-finalist.

Ding Junhui 5-3 Tom Ford

16:09 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Up into the 40s Ding goes, navigating around the bottom of the table as he picks off reds and high value colours.

Ding Junhui 5-3 Tom Ford

16:08 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Ding goes hurtling into the pink off the blue, catching it just off centre and spreading a few reds. That scatters them more certainly - a canny screw back into the bunch from a black that hurries into the corner. This is looking good.

Ding Junhui 5-3 Tom Ford

16:07 , Harry Latham-Coyle

That’s not an auspicious start - a simple red starter for Ding, who is up and into his stride as he picks off a couple of reds below the pack.

Ding Junhui 5-3 Tom Ford

16:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle

So last year’s runner-up is a frame away from the quarter-finals - that was an impressive finish from the three-time UK Champion to put Ford away in a tight frame.

Ford’s already produced one remarkable comeback already this week. He’ll need three frames on the bounce here to stay alive.

Ding Junhui 5-3 Tom Ford

16:04 , Mike Jones

Ding leads 46-20 with three reds left on the table. Both players make mistakes trying to play safe but it’s Ford whose error is more costly.

Ding starts another positive break when the first red drops and the yellow quickly follows. His positional play is superb and he tidies up the last two reds with the black going in both times.

The lead is 45 as he misses the yellow but Ford nods to give up the frame. Ding leads 5-3 in the match!

Ding Junhui 4-3 Tom Ford

15:58 , Mike Jones

Close! Ding’s break comes to a close after he works his way up to 43 points. A red to the middle right bounces off the cushion and opens the door for Ford.

He’s got a lot of catching up to do but manages to drop a thin red into the bottom left pocket. The black follows but he misses an attempted cannon into a couple of reds on the back cushion leaving himself to deal with those awkward ones later on.

A break of 14 keeps him in the frame but he misses out on a stroke down the cushion using the rest. Ding has the opportunity to win the frame but it’s a difficult one...

Ding Junhui 4-3 Tom Ford

15:52 , Mike Jones

This steadfast and tactical battle is slowly, slowly turning in Ding’s favour. He’s the one chipping away at the reds and picking up points from trips to the table.

Leaving the cueball tucked behind the yellow and green over by the top right corner brings Ding more points as Ford fouls twice. There’s still lots to think about as the colours are spread all over the table.

For now, with a lead of 17, he’s in control of the frame.

Ding Junhui 4-3 Tom Ford

15:43 , Mike Jones

Over on table two, Ding Junhui still has a slender lead over Tom Ford. Both players are playing tactically and trying to get a foothold in the eighth frame with Ding currently on a break of nine to lead 10-6.

Judd Trump 6-0 Jamie Jones

15:35 , Mike Jones

Chance? Jamie Jones comes to the table and misses a pot to the top corner. Trump returns for a break of 18 but misses the red which would have sealed the match.

Jones helpfully scatters the rest when he comes up next and doesn’t make a pot meaning Trump has free run of the table to tidy things up.

With 84 points on the board, Trump takes the frame and the match! He moves on to the quarter-finals.

Judd Trump 5-0 Jamie Jones

15:30 , Mike Jones

Jamie Jones breaks off for the sixth frame and somehow leaves a red on for Judd Trump into the middle left pocket. He knocks it in, pots the blue and leaves the cueball down by the rest of the reds.

There’s not much else to play at so Trump takes the easy points on offer. The pink and black get dislodged from their spots though and Trump has to play off the blue which limits his scoring potential.

There are eight reds tightly bunched and Trump will have to deal with them at some point. A break of 32, and counting, sees him unlock the black and things are looking bleak for Jones.

Judd Trump 5-0 Jamie Jones

15:24 , Mike Jones

Trump’s next trip to the table sees him knock in the yellow and the green but an attempt to fire home the brown off the left cushion goes wrong.

He’s 18 ahead so the frame is still undecided and Jones doesn’t have a line of sight to the pocket. A little period of safety play follows before Trump rattles the brwon into the bottom right pocket and screws the cueball back up the table to leave himself on the blue.

When that goes in, the frame is his! He takes is 71-44 and leads 5-0.

Judd Trump 4-0 Jamie Jones

15:20 , Mike Jones

Having brought out the rest, Jones misses the red to the top corner.

Trump knocks it in and follows up with the yellow, screwing the cueball back to the right hand cushion in order to knock the green into play.

There isn’t a shot on to pot the yellow again and leave the green so Trump plays safe with a lead of 13.

Judd Trump 4-0 Jamie Jones

15:18 , Mike Jones

Things could be about to get worse for Jamie Jones. Twice he misses a red having to play out from behind the yellow and Trump is awarded eight points for the fouls.

With the cueball in a favourable position he comes up to the table and starts to clear up. A break of 34 comes to a close as Trump misses a pot to the top left on the final red.

Can Jones respond? He’s trailing by 10 now.

Judd Trump 4-0 Jamie Jones

15:15 , Mike Jones

Incredible from Trump. After Jones gets a double kiss on the cueball he leaves a red on for his opponent. Trump has to thinly cut it into bottom left pocket and in doing so he scatters the remaining reds.

Trump isn’t on for a follow up colour and nudges the ball in behind the yellow instead. Trump 12-44 Jones.

Judd Trump 4-0 Jamie Jones

15:11 , Mike Jones

Jones really needs to take this frame but misses out on a cannon into a cluster of five reds. Separating them would have given him options to win the frame, instead he has to play safe after a break of 44.

It’s a lead of 33 and Jones’ safety play will be tested by Trump now.

Judd Trump 4-0 Jamie Jones

15:08 , Mike Jones

Jones’ attempted safety leaves Trump on a red to the bottom left which is routinely slotted home but a mistake off the blue leaves the Englishman with a fine cut to knock in the next red... he misses.

Jones has the opportunity to notch up a big score now. With 15 on the board, he leaves himself a tricky black having left the cueball right on the cushion. A composed stroke nestles it home though and he manages to move up the table to take out a red next to the blue which quickly follows.

28 on the board and counting...

Judd Trump 4-0 Jamie Jones

15:03 , Mike Jones

The players head back out to table one with Judd Trump on the break for the fifth frame. It’s a decent enough start but there’s a potential long pot on the cards for Jamie Jones.

He goes for it and cushions the red off the bottom left pocket missing the opportunity. Trump’s follow up is bang on the money, he slots a red home and starts to manoeuvre his way around the table.

The brown quickly follows but with some awkward reds to look at he decides to play safe after a break of five.

How to watch Ronnie O’Sullivan documentary The Edge of Everything

14:58 , Harry Latham-Coyle

How to watch Ronnie O’Sullivan documentary The Edge of Everything

Ronnie O’Sullivan on his new Amazon documentary: ‘It was harrowing watching it back’

14:53 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Ronnie O’Sullivan on his new documentary: ‘It was harrowing watching it back’

UK Snooker Championship LIVE

14:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Speaking of the speed of play, here is an interesting idea back in the headlines again with some high-profile backing behind it. Certainly, there are times where the search for snookers can feel tedious, but it certainly adds intrigue when a trailing player is able to manufacture a fruitful position and force their way back into the frame.

Ding Junhui 3-2 Tom Ford

14:48 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The other match in this session is brewing nicely - and running slightly quicker. Ding Junhui has secured the first frame after the interval against Tom Ford and leads 3-2.

Judd Trump 4-0 Jamie Jones

14:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle

That’s nine frames in a row at this year’s UK Championship for Judd Trump, who sealed victory in his first round match against Pang Junxu with five successive frames earlier in the week. Ominous.

Judd Trump 4-0 Jamie Jones

14:42 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Frame over. Jamie Jones knocks in the yellow and sets about snookering Judd Trump on the green, but gets his angles wrong and leaves it on. Trump duly converts the opportunity to seal a mini-session sweep and a 4-0 advantage at the interval.

Judd Trump 3-0 Jamie Jones

14:40 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The faintest of flicks on the yellow denies Jamie Jones the four points he needs to make the frame salvageable after what looks a tough snooker. There’s no colour near a cushion to aid Jones’s snooker chase.

Judd Trump 3-0 Jamie Jones

14:37 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Jones disposes of the remaining reds after a Trump escape. 29 behind, 27 remaining as he takes black then pink.

Judd Trump 3-0 Jamie Jones

14:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Another mistake from Jamie Jones, opening up one of the three reds. In it goes, followed by a colour of sufficient value to leave Jones needing snookers. Judd Trump can’t make totally certain of the frame - the lead is 44 with 43 remaining on the table.

Judd Trump 3-0 Jamie Jones

14:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle

But a break of 11 is all he can muster, over-cutting the easiest of the remaining trio to the middle.

Judd Trump 3-0 Jamie Jones

14:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Jones gives Trump a glimpse, and the left-hander sends a red tip-toeing towards the middle pocket. It’s half-an-inch from the diving board, though, and doesn’t drop, allowing Jones to re-start with a thin cut.

He builds his break to seven with three reds left.

Judd Trump 3-0 Jamie Jones

14:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle

It won’t be won in this visit, though. Trump connects a red unintentionally and thus leaves himself nothing on. Or so it appears - can he force a two-ball plant to the middle?

He cannot. 51 and no more, with Jamie Jones back in and scoring with his second red of the frame.

But Jones is wasteful, forcing a pink wide wwith the rest. 49 points is his deficit as the pair enter into a safety exchange.

Judd Trump 3-0 Jamie Jones

14:26 , Harry Latham-Coyle

More excellent stuff from Trump. He gazes intently at the pink, trying to ascertain whether he can squeeze the cue ball between a red doorway just behind it. He can, and gets his positioning spot on - in it goes, and the next red clears yet more space around it. Looking good for a mini-session clean sweep.

Judd Trump 3-0 Jamie Jones

14:24 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A little bit lax from Jamie Jones, flicking a red and sending it spinning into space centrally. It’s on for Trump, who is underway with a red and a blue.

Another of the one-pointers drops but Trump is forced to play a deep screw, losing control of his cue ball and running up against the cushion. He makes the following blue, but can he cut the red to the corner?

He can. Good snooker. Up to 18 with another blue.

Judd Trump 3-0 Jamie Jones

14:20 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Jones finds a long red to get the scoring started in frame four, one he simply must win. He can’t get on a colour, though, a kiss on the blue sending it down between pink and black and hidden amongst the scarlet array. Into a safety battle.

Judd Trump 3-0 Jamie Jones

14:13 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Three-nil. Judd Trump is flying.

Judd Trump 2-0 Jamie Jones

14:12 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Jones strikes second time, but a red creeps up over the right centre. That’ll be that for the third frame, and already this looks a long way back for the Welshman against a player in such sublime form this year.

Judd Trump 2-0 Jamie Jones

14:11 , Harry Latham-Coyle

It’ll be two apiece at the mid-session interval in the match between Ding Junhui and Tom Ford - an excellent response from Ford after that scintillating start from the three-time UK Champion. Remember, that match could well be a Masters play-off, with only the winner likely to make the 16-player field in January.

Judd Trump’s pursuit of a 3-0 advantage has been thrown off course. He runs out of position and doesn’t chance a tricky pink. 59-6 is his in-frame lead - and it’s soon 63-6 as Jones misses his escape by a distance.

Judd Trump 2-0 Jamie Jones

14:05 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Another start frittered away by Jamie Jones. He misjudges where the cue ball will run after potting a colour, clipping a red and very nearly going in-off. He’s alive, just, in his nascent break of six but a red along the bottom cushion is mighty tough, and made harder still by the hampering of the corner pocket.

And it isn’t there. Trump gets going with a red and a brilliant blue into the green pocket.

Judd Trump 2-0 Jamie Jones

14:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Indeed it is. 2-0 to Judd Trump.

Judd Trump 1-0 Jamie Jones

13:59 , Harry Latham-Coyle

But Trump draws an error. A lovely safety shot leaves Jones forced to play a risky escape from behnd the yellow, and the Welshman is unable to extricate himself from bother without leaving one of the reds available. This should be the frame.

Judd Trump 1-0 Jamie Jones

13:57 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Success, at last, with Jones 19 ahead and a possible 43 remaining. Both reds remain safe, crucially.

Judd Trump 1-0 Jamie Jones

13:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Two more misses follow. It’s getting ugly for Judd Trump.

Judd Trump 1-0 Jamie Jones

13:54 , Harry Latham-Coyle

And now Trump is in strife. He can just about see one of the reds past the blue, but he’s hoping for the thinnest of connections in order to keep it safe and still navigate back up the table. Twice he tries, twice he misses. Jones’ lead extends to eleven points.

Judd Trump 1-0 Jamie Jones

13:51 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Superb from Judd Trump. The left-hander manoeuvres in behind the green with one red tied up behind the black and an angle through to the other blocked. Jamie Jones comes in off a couple of cushions but can’t strike either, affording Trump four points and a free ball.

Trump takes on the brown as a shot to nothing...no good. Jones produces a nice escape off the bottom cushion with a load of side to knock the red beneath the black free. On we go.

Judd Trump 1-0 Jamie Jones

13:47 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Better from Jamie Jones. He’ll recognise the need to take this opportunity but runs into trouble in the 20s, having to retrieve both the extended rest and an extension to prod at a tough pink to the corner. In it goes, and the balls run kindly for him - four reds left on the table, with only one toughie near the cushion.

Ah! Jones runs out of position on the third from last red, and in the process of potting it knocks a crimson colleague over to the opposite cushion. Break over at 45, seven points to the good.

Judd Trump 1-0 Jamie Jones

13:41 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A controlled shot with the rest leaves Trump just about able to pot the black, opening up a couple more reds. But that’s a bad miss - a simple enough red to the middle isn’t, really, close to going in. Break over at 38.

Ding Junhui has sealed a 2-0 lead on the other table. An excellent start from last year’s runner-up.

Judd Trump 1-0 Jamie Jones

13:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Loose from Jones, giving Trump a reasonably simple mid-range red to open his account. Trump runs into the bunch intentionally off his first colour, and gets a friendly landing, able to screw up towards baulk and get back down the table from the blue.

A two-ball plant provides the next point. Where’s the next red coming from? Into the bundled reds Trump is forced to go, with the pink placed on to the black spot, where most of the reds are massed around. It will take some good snooker to see home the frame from here.

Judd Trump 1-0 Jamie Jones

13:34 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Jamie Jones took a bit of sandpaper to his cue after that opening frame, making a subtle adjustment after falling a frame behind. Safety play to start the second.

Judd Trump 1-0 Jamie Jones

13:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle

And also into the lead with a ton is Judd Trump, cleaning up for a round 100 and a 1-0 advantage.

Two missed chances for Jamie Jones - and the in-form Trump has found his flow.

Judd Trump 0-0 Jamie Jones

13:26 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Over on the other table, Ding Junhui is off to a storming start, a century in the opening frame taking him 1-0 in front against Tom Ford.

Judd Trump 0-0 Jamie Jones

13:25 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Trump is still getting to grips with this table, the southpaw switching hands to knock in a red. Back to the left hand for a blue to the middle, playing with plenty of side to get back to the other side of the table. A tough cut to the corner...in it goes. Up to 28 with a lead of eleven points and four reds left.

Judd Trump 0-0 Jamie Jones

13:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Now, Jamie, if you are going to win this match, you can’t afford to waste two chances like that. A low red is eminently pottable, but Jones clips the front jaw of the pocket and watches it bound away with his second contribution worth only 16. Will Trump give him a third opportunity?

Judd Trump 0-0 Jamie Jones

13:20 , Harry Latham-Coyle

This table looks to be running fast, Trump sliding further than intended as he knocks in his opening red. In goes the blue as this season’s standout performer sets to work, and the next red is in with a rattle of the jaws, too.

Back up to the blue, playing away from the cushion - they are never easy, and Trump undercuts it. Off the mandibles and away. A chance apiece squandered.

Judd Trump 0-0 Jamie Jones

13:17 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The table was re-covered last night, and Judd Trump gives it a slightly quizzical look as his opening break-off slides over the new baize. There’s nothing on for Jamie Jones, though.

How about now? That looks rather like a plant to the corner to me...yep, Jones is on the board, a friendly kiss from black into red ensuring he is on the colour.

In the black goes, but that is an error - Jones plays for a red to the opposite corner but can’t see the potting angle. To the middle, then, and a toughie, which doesn’t drop. 8-0, but no more for the Welshman.

Judd Trump 0-0 Jamie Jones

13:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Right, we’ll have updates on the action on the other table and Ding Junhui vs Tom Ford throughout, but our primary focus this afternoon will be on Judd Trump, perhaps the favourite for this tournament, and his encounter with Wales’ Jamie Jones.

Before we get underway, there’s a delay in the arena with a spectator taken ill. The individual is taken outside for some medical attention, and thankfully this doesn’t seem to be serious - Trump breaks off and we are underway at the Barbican.

UK Snooker Championship LIVE

13:11 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Here we go then. MC Rob Walker does the introductory honours, giving our four competitors this afternoon the big build-up.

UK Snooker Championship LIVE

13:09 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Not far away at all from action in York. Remember, these remain best-of-11 contests - so six frames required for victory.

UK Snooker Championship LIVE

12:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle

It’s more than a decade now since Tom Ford recorded the second of his two competitive wins over Ding Junhui, but this feels like a really good chance for the Englishman. Ford’s incredible first-round comeback from 5-1 down evidenced the belief that the veteran is now playing with - the winner of this match is highly likely to earn a Masters spot, too, so there’s a fair bit to play for beyond just a quarter-final place.

UK Snooker Championship - Full Round of 16 Schedule

12:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Wednesday 29 November

Ding Junhui vs Tom Ford [1pm GMT]

Mark Williams vs Jamie Clarke [7pm GMT]

Mark Selby vs Barry Hawkins [7pm GMT]

Jamie Jones vs Judd Trump [1pm GMT]

Thursday 30 November

Ronnie O’ Sullivan vs Robert Milkins [1pm GMT]

John Higgins vs Zhou Yuelong [1pm GMT]

Hossein Vafaei vs Matthew Selt [7pm GMT]

Zhang Anda vs Luca Brecel [7pm GMT]

Ding Junhui looking to book quarter-final place

12:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Also struggling with illness earlier in the week was Ding Junhui, who battled through bouts of dizziness and a fever to dethrone Mark Allen. It said everything about the three-time winner of this event that he was able to keep fighting and take the match in a decider, producing a couple of moments of sorcery along the way:

Judd Trump: ‘If I play anywhere near my best, it is going to be tough to compete against me'

12:40 , Harry Latham-Coyle

We’ll see how Judd Trump feels this afternoon, the Englishman having been hampered by a touch of lurgy in his round one win against Pang Junxu. He’s confident that if he can find full flow in York this week, a second UK Championship crown could be on the cards.

“I didn’t feel great, but I will always turn up and give it my best,” Trump reflected after his 6-1 win over Pang. “t is a big tournament and you want to do well in it. I just had lower expectations and maybe that helped a little bit. It was a decent first round performance, a couple of day is a long time and hopefully I can go away and feel a bit better.

“I’m somewhere near my best, the performances are more and more consistent. Reaching a lot of finals fills you with confidence. I just feel very match sharp. I’ve played a lot of tournaments and a lot of games against top players.

“If I play anywhere near my best it is always going to be tough for anyone to compete against me. I just have to keep going away and playing decent every time. It is not always easy on the big stage. This is a tournament where I have either gone out early or done really well. The next one is a big game for me.”

The 2023/24 snooker season so far

12:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The UK Championship is the first Triple Crown event of the snooker season, which began in June and runs until the World Championship in the spring.

Here’s a look at the season so far (* denotes non-ranking event):

Championship League, 26 June-21 July (Winner: Shaun Murphy)

European Masters, 22-27 August (Barry Hawkins)

Shanghai Masters, 11-17 September (Ronnie O’Sullivan) *

British Open, 25 September-1 October (Mark Williams)

English Open, 2-8 October (Judd Trump)

Wuhan Open, 9-15 October (Judd Trump)

Northern Ireland Open, 22-29 October (Judd Trump)

International Championship, 5-12 November (Zhang Anda)

Champion of Champions, 13-19 November (Mark Allen) *

How to watch Ronnie O’Sullivan documentary The Edge of Everything

12:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle

How to watch Ronnie O’Sullivan documentary The Edge of Everything

Ronnie O’Sullivan is Britain’s greatest sportsman - and the most honest

12:25 , Harry Latham-Coyle

So Ronnie O’Sullivan is up and running at the UK Championship, 30 years on from his first crown at the event that kicked off three decades of dominance. In an article available to subscribers to The Independent, Jim White argues that “The Rocket” is Britain’s best active sportsman.

In a world of PR sports documentaries, Ronnie O’Sullivan proves he is the real thing

Ronnie O’Sullivan reels off six successive frames to advance at UK Championship

12:18 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Ronnie O’Sullivan reeled off six frames in a row to seal a 6-2 win over Anthony McGill in the first round of the UK Championship in York.

The seven-time champion was back in action at the Barbican after withdrawing from the Champion of Champions event in Bolton a fortnight ago, due to being “mentally drained and stressed”.

McGill took a 2-0 lead, thanks to a 116 break in the opening frame and a shock looked on the cards.

However, O’Sullivan took control, firing five half-centuries on his way to winning six frames in a row.

Ronnie O’Sullivan reels off six successive frames to advance at UK Championship

Ronnie O’Sullivan reveals biggest regret and opens up on addiction

12:10 , Jamie Braidwood

Ronnie O’Sullivan has revealed he could not go without alcohol and drugs during his battle with addiction and said he went out “every day and every night” for six years.

In an interview with the Stick to Football podcast, the seven-time World Snooker Champion said he “hated” himself during his last three years of his addiction and had to lock himself in his room to get clean.

The 47-year-old, whose struggles with substance abuse are explored in his new documentary The Edge of Everything, also said his “biggest regret” was drinking to get through “bad times”.

Ronnie O’Sullivan ‘couldn’t go without drink and drugs’ and reveals biggest regret

UK Snooker Championship schedule today

12:02 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The UK Snooker Championship continues with another intriguing day of action in store at the Barbican in York, including Judd Trump and Mark Selby’s second-round clashes.

Trump reached the second round on Monday with a convincing 6-1 win over Pang Junxu, despite suffering the apparent effects of flu and entering the tournament as the fifth player in history to win three back-to-back ranking tournaments last month.

Trump is aiming to win the one title that has eluded him since a solitary success in 2011. “I didn’t feel great, but I’m always going to turn up and give it my best,” said Trump, who fears he caught the bug after attending rival O’Sullivan’s documentary premiere in London last week. “It’s a big tournament and you obviously want to do well in it. Maybe I had slightly lower expectations, and maybe that helped a bit. It was a decent first-round performance and hopefully I can go away and get a bit better.”

UK Snooker Championship schedule and times today

UK Snooker Championship LIVE

10:44 , Harry Latham-Coyle

On to the Round of 16, then, with our field in York cut in half and the action intensifying. It’s an intriguing day of action in store at the Barbican, with a couple of intriguing afternoon session matches to kick start the day.

Judd Trump has three tournament wins already this season and looked in fine touch in his first round win despite battling illness. He takes on Welshman Jamie Jones in a first Triple Crown meeting between the pair.

The other table could provide an even more compelling contest — Tom Ford is in career-best form and likes the Barbican, his run to the semi-finals last year ended by Ding Junhui, his opponent today. The three-time UK Championship winner got a measure of revenge on Mark Allen in a first round final rematch, and will no doubt be seeking another deep run.

The action gets underway at 1pm GMT.