The last six UK Championship’s have been won by someone different
Ding Junhui has made the final in three of the last six seasons in York
Barry Hawkins finished runner-up to Judd Trump last year and was a semi-finalist in 2021
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The first of this season’s Triple Crown events takes snooker’s elite to the York Barbican for the UK Championship, with world number one Judd Trump hoping to make it a successful title defence with his first victory of the year.
However, this is a lucrative prize that has everyone focused in their bid to secure silverware and the field is packed with talent also featuring the likes of world champion Zhao Xintong and eight-time UK Championship winner Ronnie O’Sullivan.
The last six renewals of the UK Championship have been won by someone different, highlighting the difficulty in plotting your way to the title, and surprises can occur with there having been an unseeded finalist in each of the last four seasons.
Plenty of players will fancy their chances, including three-time winner Neil Robertson, while Barry Hawkins and Ding Junhui have fine recent records in York and should not be flying under the radar.
The latest UK Championship odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
Robertson ready to rule again
This is a tournament that Robertson has already won on three occasions, the latest of which came with victory over Trump in 2020, and everything looks in place for him to challenge again.
The Australian ace finished runner-up to Zhao Xintong at the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship last time out to show he is in good form and that deep run featured a 4-0 win over Kyren Wilson and a 4-1 victory against Mark Allen to illustrate that point.
An opening-round clash with either He Guoqiang or Julien Leclercq should pose few concerns for the fourth seed and he may have landed in a generous second quarter of the draw, where Mark Williams and Wu Yize look to be his biggest obstacles before the semi-finals.
Robertson is already a winner this season, having won the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters with victory over O’Sullivan, and it is these showpiece tournaments that tend to ensure that he is at his focused best.
Back Neil Robertson to win at 9/1 with LiveScore Bet.
The latest UK Championship odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
Hawk has his eyes set on another deep run
It would be dangerous to underestimate Hawkins on the back of his runner-up effort to Trump in last season’s UK Championship as that productive tournament featured victories over O’Sullivan, Dave Gilbert, Shaun Murphy and Allen.
Having also made the semi-finals in 2021, the Hawk is no stranger to success at the York Barbican and he is very much a big-stage player, highlighted by a World Championship final appearance and four more semi-final efforts.
A first-round showdown with either Artemijs Zizins or David Lilley should prove routine work and, with Wilson and O’Sullivan having plenty to prove on recent form in the third quarter, he could be one seed that has been overlooked in the market.
Back Barry Hawkins each-way at 28/1 with LiveScore Bet.
The latest UK Championship odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
Ding’s love affair with York could continue
Ding may not be the force he once was but he regularly saves his best for trips to York, with the early best-of-11 format clearly something that suits his attacking approach.
The Chinese cueman remains one of the strongest break-builders in the world when on song and recent evidence suggests that he tends to deliver when he needs it most in this tournament.
Not only did Ding claim his third UK Championship title in 2019, but he was also runner-up to Allen in 2022 and O’Sullivan in 2023, making him difficult to ignore.
The first quarter of the draw does look tricky with Trump and Allen also in attendance but Ding is capable of overcoming anyone on his day and he should be sharper following a first-round encounter with Tom Ford or Xu Si.
Back Ding Junhui each-way at 18/1 with LiveScore Bet.
The latest UK Championship odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
