Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Selby on course to renew fierce rivalry with World Grand Prix clash in New Year

ByEurosport

Updated 19/12/2022 at 12:16 GMT

Fierce rivals Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Selby could be set for their first clash in over two years at the World Grand Prix next month. Selby ended a 19-month wait for a ranking title with a 9-6 victory over Luca Brecel in the English Open final on Sunday night. His first win since lifting the 2021 world title has put him on a collision course with O'Sullivan at the year's first ranking event.

'I've been suffering for a few years silently' - Emotional Selby on journey to English Open title

Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Selby are in line to lock horns at the World Grand Prix next month after Selby ended a 19-month wait for a ranking title victory at the English Open in Brentwood on Sunday.

Selby is on a last-16 collision course with defending champion O'Sullivan – who lifted the trophy with a 10-8 win over Neil Robertson last season – in the year's first ranking event (16-22 January) at the Centaur in Cheltenham after his 9-6 win over Luca Brecel in the last major event of 2022.

The top 32 on the one-year list qualify for the World Grand Prix following the English Open with Selby seeded fifth for the event and O'Sullivan a lowly 21st, despite his status as world champion and world No. 1.

Shanghai Masters

Who does O'Sullivan face in quest for record fifth straight Shanghai Masters title?

17/06/2024 at 14:39

Selby will meet Noppon Saengkham in the first round with O'Sullivan beginning his title defence against Barry Hawkins with the fierce rivals – boasting 11 world titles between them – scheduled to meet in the second round if they can win their respective opening matches.

O'Sullivan is 16-11 clear on the career head-to-heads.

The contrast in styles makes for one of the sport's most fascinating rivalries with the pair regularly swapping barbs.

Emotional scenes as Selby claims English Open title after very tough year

They last met in the final of the Scottish Open in 2020 with Selby running out a 9-3 winner amid accusations of gamesmanship from both men, who failed to shake hands at the end of a bad-natured contest.

Top seed Mark Allen faces David Gilbert in his tournament opener in Cheltenham with three-time Grand Prix winner Judd Trump meeting Iran's Shoot Out champion Hossein Vafaei.

The first two rounds are the best-of-seven frames with the quarter-finals increasing to the best-of-nine, the semi-finals the best-of-11 and a best-of-19 frame final for the £100,000 first prize.

Selby's fellow four-time world champion, John Higgins, and former UK champion, Zhao Xintong, both failed to qualify on the seasonal one-year list.