Ronnie O’Sullivan, Neil Robertson, Mark Williams and John Higgins face do-or-die bid to qualify for Players Championship

Neil Robertson could be denied the chance to defend the Players Championship with his hopes resting on a strong performance at the Welsh Open in Llandudno next week.

Only the top 16 on the sport’s one-year list qualify for the Players Championship with Robertson in 18th spot before the Welsh Open – LIVE on Eurosport (13-19 February) – 3,500 points behind Mark Williams, who occupies the 16th and final place in the standings.

He faces Fraser Patrick in his opening match at the Welsh Open knowing he is likely to require a run to the quarter-finals to keep alive his bid to make the Players starting line-up a week later in Wolverhampton (20-26 February).

Depending on other results, Williams will also realistically need a few wins in Llandudno, otherwise he will not be appearing at the Players. He meets Michael White in his tournament opener in Wales.

In 26th place on 49,500 points, world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan needs to at least reach the final of the Welsh Open, with £35,000 available to the runner-up, otherwise he will not appear at the Players Championship, an event he won in 2018 and 2019.

The world No. 1 has lifted the Hong Kong Masters and Champion of Champions this season, but has so far toiled in the ranking events with his run to the quarter-finals of the UK Championship his best performance of the season.

O’Sullivan, who meets Oliver Lines in the first round in Llandudno, already has contingency plans to play pool and exhibition matches before the Crucible’s 47th World Championship begins in Sheffield (April 15-May 1).

Several other leading names need strong performances at the Welsh Open or they will also watch the action from the sidelines with 2021 Players champion John Higgins in 63rd spot on 22,500 points, chasing the £80,000 first prize in Wales to secure a top-16 spot.

The knock-on effect of missing the Players Championship is likely to see several leading names struggle to qualify for the Tour Championship, involving the top eight on the one-year list at the end of March in Hull.

He is also up to 15th in the world rankings, boosting his hopes of an automatic place at the World Championship in April.

One-year ranking list (after German Masters)

• 1 Mark Allen 505,000
• 2 Ryan Day 144,000
• 3 Kyren Wilson 138,500
• 4 Ali Carter 134,500
• 5 Ding Junhui 130,500
• 6 Mark Selby 121,000
• 7 Luca Brecel 108,500
• 8 Jack Lisowski 107,500
• 9 Gary Wilson 107,500
• 10 Tom Ford 103,500
• 11 Judd Trump 101,000
• 12 Zhou Yuelong 79,500
• 13 Shaun Murphy 77,000
• 14 Chris Wakelin 73,500
• 15 Xiao Guodong 69,500
• 16 Mark Williams 68,500
• ———————————-
• 17 Barry Hawkins 66,500
• 18 Neil Robertson 65,000
• 19 Joe O’Connor 64,000
• 20 Robert Milkins 62,500
• 21 Noppon Saengkham 57,500
• 22 Anthony McGill 55,500
• 23 Sam Craigie 55,000
• 24 Lyu Haotian 52,000
• 25 Jamie Jones 49,500
• 26 Ronnie O’Sullivan 49,500