FOUR former World Champions are guaranteed a place at the popular Champion of Champions event at the Ricoh Arena later this year.
Ronnie O’Sullivan, who has won the event twice, has already qualified having won both the Masters and the Welsh Open this year, while defending champion Neil Robertson booked his place in Coventry again after claiming last year’s crown.
Shaun Murphy, who became only the third player in snooker history to win the world title as a qualifier, will be hoping for better luck inside the Jaguar Exhibition Hall having won the World Grand Prix.
Murphy has lost in the first round at his three previous appearances and he will be joined by Leicester’s Mark Selby whose best finish at the tournament came back in 2013 when he reached the semi-final stage.
Martin Gould, Judd Trump, Mark Allen, Marco Fu, Robin Hull and Mark Davies have also qualified having won a ranking event this season.
There are still six places up for grabs with eight ranking events remaining with the likes of 2015 World Champion Stuart Bingham, four-time Crucible winner Joh Higgins and 2016 finalist Ding Junhui still fighting it out for a place at the Champions of Champions.
The next place will be decided in India, with the winner of the Indian Open in Hyderabad guaranteed a place in Coventry.