Snooker’s second biggest ranking event and a firm fixture on the sporting calendar since 1977, the £625,000 williamhill.com UK Championship starts this Saturday at the Barbican in York and runs until the following Sunday, 11th of December.  This year’s event will feature 32 of the best players in the world – including the reigning world champion and defending UK champion John Higgins, the current world number one Mark Selby, and the recent Premier League winner Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Other former world champions who’ll be playing in York include Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis, Neil Robertson, Mark Williams, Graeme Dott, and Shaun Murphy.

World Snooker have announced that williamhill.com has signed a deal to become the title sponsor of snooker’s UK Championship. Kristof Fahy, Chief Marketing Officer at William Hill said: “The UK Championship is one of the crown jewels in the world of snooker and we’re delighted to put our name to such a prestigious event.

“William Hill is a worldwide brand and our sponsorship of the UK Championship gives us the opportunity to promote our online and mobile betting products to a global audience.”

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said “We’re delighted to welcome William Hill as the new title sponsor of the UK Championship. Having worked with their team at the Grand Slam of Darts I know they are a fantastic company, so it’s fitting that they’re sponsoring one of snooker’s biggest tournaments.

“The UK Championship is one of the highlights of the snooker calendar and receives outstanding exposure through coverage on BBC and across the world, providing exceptional brand exposure for the sponsor to hundreds of millions of fans globally. It promises to be a superb tournament with 32 of the best players in the world gunning for the title.”

The BBC will broadcast comprehensive coverage of the williamhill.com UK Championship starting at 1pm on Saturday 3 December on BBC One. Full coverage across the week on BBC Two, BBC Red Button and online; Highlights on BBC Two.

Draw & Coverage Details :

Saturday 3 Dec

1100 GMT:

John Higgins (Sco) v Rory McLeod (Eng)

Ding Junhui (Chn) v Mark Davis (Eng)

1400 GMT:

Neil Robertson (Aus) v Tom Ford (Eng)

Graeme Dott (Sco) v Matthew Selt (Eng)

1900 GMT:

Stephen Maguire (Sco) v Stephen Hendry (Sco)

Matthew Stevens (Wal) v Marcus Campbell (Sco)

Sunday 4 Dec

1100 GMT:

Mark Selby (Eng) v Ryan Day (Wal)

Stuart Bingham (Eng) v Marco Fu (HK)

1400 GMT:

Ronnie O’Sullivan (Eng) v Steve Davis (Eng)

Ali Carter (Eng) v Robert Milkins (Eng)

1900 GMT:

Shaun Murphy (Eng) v Li Yan (Chn)

Martin Gould (Eng) v Peter Lines (Eng)

Monday 5 Dec

1230 GMT:

Judd Trump (Eng) v Dominic Dale (Wal)

Mark Allen (NI) v Adrian Gunnell (Eng)

1900 GMT:

Mark Williams (Wal) v Joe Jogia (Eng)

Stephen Lee (Eng) v Ricky Walden (Eng)

Tuesday 6 Dec

1230 GMT:

Ronnie O’Sullivan/Steve Davis v Judd Trump/Dominic Dale

Ding Junhui/Mark Davis v Matthew Stevens/Marcus Campbell

1900 GMT:

John Higgins/Rory McLeod v Stephen Maguire/Stephen Hendry

Graeme Dott/Matthew Selt v Neil Robertson/Tom Ford

Wednesday 7 Dec

1230 GMT:

Mark Williams/Joe Jogia v Stephen Lee/Ricky Walden

Martin Gould/Peter Lines v Shaun Murphy/Li Yan

1900 GMT:

Stuart Bingham/Marco Fu v Mark Selby/Ryan Day

Ali Carter/Robert Milkins v Mark Allen/Adrian Gunnell

1. David dodd

   14:40 on December 10, 2011

   Dear john and steve im very dissapointed with barry herne. he said he would not change the main tournments, but hes changed the uk. ie the opening rounds were best of 19 and now its the best of 11. what do u think about it.

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