Tough launch for Rocket

Ronnie O’Sullivan enters the fray when the televised stages of the Travis Perkins UK Championship begin in York tomorrow – against the player he claims is currently the world’s best.

That is not Paul Hunter, Stephen Hendry or any of the other household names. The world number one refers to Scottish youngster Stephen Maguire, his conqueror at last week’s British Open in Brighton where O’Sullivan’s hopes of winning every ranking title this season were ended.