Welsh Open: Ronnie O'Sullivan handed first-round clash with Liam Graham after 'disrespectful' claim

ByEurosport

Updated 22/12/2023 at 09:04 GMT

Scottish teenager Liam Graham will get another crack at Ronnie O'Sullivan after being paired with the snooker GOAT in the first round of the Welsh Open at Venue Cymru in Llandudno. Graham called the world No. 1 "disrespectful" after O'Sullivan pulled out of their Scottish Open late on, an accusation refuted by the seven-time world champion following his eighth UK Championship title win.

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Ronnie O'Sullivan has been handed a first-round match with Liam Graham at the Welsh Open less than a fortnight after the Scottish teenager criticised the world No. 1 for withdrawing at the last minute from their scheduled Scottish Open meeting.

O'Sullivan pulled out of the tournament at late notice due to "medical reasons" as Graham advanced to the second round of the Home Nations tournament by default.

The Welsh Open draw on Thursday paired the UK champion with Graham on February 12 with the ranking event running until February 18 at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.

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The 19-year-old Graham felt O'Sullivan's forfeit was "not surprising" when he opted out of last week's Scottish Open at Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh.

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“It’s disrespectful what he’s done, it’s not right,” Graham told reporters. “A lot of people took time off work to come and watch today and it’s disappointing.

“At the end of the day I want to play the best players in the world and I was really looking forward to it. I had a lot of people coming to watch and it’s really disappointing for them.

“It’s not surprising given the things he does. I found out when I got to the venue this morning. I didn’t have much prior warning, I think he pulled out very late.

"I would have stayed at home and all the people who have travelled to watch me would have come another day as well.”

O'Sullivan refuted the claims made by Graham that he had purposely opted out of the tournament at the last minute.

“I am feeling alright,” O’Sullivan told Eurosport. “I’ve recovered from the UK Championship, it was a hard tournament and it took a lot out of me.

“I was not quite ready to come and play here at the Scottish Open which is really disappointing as I love this tournament, love this city and love this venue.”

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Meanwhile, Robert Milkins will begin the defence of his Welsh Open title against Jamie Jones, while Mark Allen meets Cao Yupeng in a repeat of the recent Shoot Out final won by Allen.

A qualifying stage will take place between January 25-27 in Barnsley with Stephen Hendry facing Ross Muir, Jimmy White taking on Dominic Dale and Stuart Bingham confronting Marco Fu.

Scottish Open champion Gary Wilson meets Mark Davis, while Stephen Maguire must overcome Si Jiahui to reach the last 64.