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Ken Doherty would ‘rather not’ be playing Ronnie O’Sullivan at World Seniors Championship
Ken Doherty would rather not have to play Ronnie O’Sullivan in the World Seniors Snooker Championship, but does still feel it is a ‘treat’ to take on the Rocket at the Crucible.
The two former world champions will meet in the second round of the tournament on Friday afternoon after Doherty edged Gerard Greene in his opener on Thursday.
56-year-old Doherty first played in the World Seniors Championship in 2010, while this is O’Sullivan’s debut in the event at 50.
The seven-time world champion is eligible to play after the termination of the partnership between World Seniors Snooker and World Snooker Tour last year, which meant that any player over 40 can now play in Seniors events, irrelevant of world rankings.
O’Sullivan is, unsurprisingly, now runaway favourite to lift the trophy on debut, although other leading professionals have taken advantage of the rule change, including Ali Carter and Stuart Bingham.
Doherty was runner-up in the World Seniors Championship in 2020 and ’24, but his chances of landing the title for the first time have now taken a huge blow.
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He accepts that there has been a change to ‘the dynamics of the tournament’ and admits he’d rather not be playing the Rocket, but understands the commercial benefit of the sport’s leading star.
‘Listen, to have him in the tournament is obviously going to attract a lot of attention,’ Doherty told Metro. ‘It’s going to attract a lot of ticket sales, and I don’t know how much he wants to win. That’s up to himself.
‘I’d rather not play him, if I’m honest. I’d rather be playing somebody else, but it is what it is, and listen, I’m just going to go and enjoy it. I’m not expecting too much, and we’ll just see what happens.’
Doherty and O’Sullivan first played in 1992 and most recently met on the professional tour at the International Championship in 2023.
Like most, the Irishman has lost more than he’s won against the Rocket, but has picked up some very big victories over him.
‘I played Ronnie in China not so long ago, but I think the last time I competed with Ronnie, that’s a long, long time ago,’ said Doherty.
‘I’ve never played him at the Crucible, all the years I’ve played him, I played him in the Masters and in the UK, and I’ve beaten him in both, but that was a long, long time ago, when I was a lot younger.
‘He’s the greatest player that’s ever played the game, and I’m just going to go and enjoy it. It would be a treat to play him at the Crucible.’
Doherty’s win over Greene came via a black ball shootout to prosper 4-3, with the World Seniors Championship going straight to the re-spot at 3-3.
‘My heart was pumping, I know that,’ said the 1997 world champ. ‘At our age, it’s not good for the ticker! It might be good for the spectators and for the TV. No, but it was nice to get through.’
On innovations being used in the Seniors, he added: ‘I like it. I mean, it’s a harsh way to lose, but I think I can see the value in it.
‘Actually, do you know something? I’d love to see them give the ball-in-hand for a foul as well. That would speed things up and it would make it a little bit better. But no, I really enjoy it.’
World Seniors Snooker Championship schedule
Wednesday May 6
7pm
Craig Stedman 4-0 Neal Jones
Tony Drago 2-4 Roger Farebrother
Followed by
Igor Figueiredo 4-2 Mohamed Elkhayat
Reanne Evans 4-2 Aaron Canavan
Thursday May 7
12pm
Peter Lines 4-2 Anthony Hamilton
Ken Doherty 4-3 Gerard Greene
Followed by
Jimmy White 4-1 Daniel Ward
Dominic Dale 4-0 Wayne Townsend
Round Two
7pm
Robert Milkins 4-3 Jimmy White
Matthew Stevens vs Dominic Dale
Followed by
Alfie Burden vs Igor Figueiredo
Ali Carter vs Roger Farebrother
Friday May 8
12pm
Stuart Bingham vs Peter Lines
Nigel Bond vs Craig Steadman
Followed by
Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Ken Doherty
Joe Perry vs Aaron Canavan
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