Sun Jan 12 20:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Robertson Replaces O’Sullivan at Masters Snooker Tournament

**London, January 7th, 2025** – The Masters snooker tournament, the second Triple Crown event of the season, is underway at Alexandra Palace with a notable twist. Defending champion Ronnie O’Sullivan withdrew on Friday due to medical reasons, leaving Neil Robertson as a late replacement.

Robertson, a two-time Masters champion, faces John Higgins (also a two-time winner) in the opening round. Other notable matches include three-time champion Mark Selby against Ali Carter, and two-time champion Mark Williams taking on Ding Junhui. World number one Judd Trump begins his campaign against Barry Hawkins, while world champion Kyren Wilson plays Zhang Anda.

The tournament, celebrating its 50th anniversary, features the top 16 ranked players. Ding Junhui and Mark Allen have already made 147 breaks, marking only the fourth and fifth maximums in Masters history. The tournament concludes with the final on January 19th, a best-of-19 frames match.

The BBC is providing extensive live coverage across its platforms, including BBC TV, iPlayer, website, and app.

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