Ronnie O’Sullivan v Zhou Yuelong live: Score and updates from UK Championship snooker 2025

It’s been a funny old snooker season so far, with 11 different winners in the 11 events that have been played.

The most popular of those was undoubtedly the Northern Irish Open final, where the uber-popular Jack Lisowski finally won the first tournament of his career.

Much like Scott Donaldson last night, Lisowski’s dad passed away earlier this year and, after beating best friend Judd Trump in the final in Belfast, he opened up about the emotions coursing through him

Scott Donaldson caused the biggest upset at the UK Championship so far as he notched an emotional victory over Mark Allen while coping with the death of his father.

World No 52 Donaldson reached the last 16 of snooker’s second-biggest tournament for the first time in his career as he ground out a 6-1 victory over Allen in a scrappy match that went late into Monday evening.

Donaldson’s father Hector died at the age of 70 in October and he was in tears walking into the arena before the match to the song Babylon by David Gray – one of his dad’s favourites that was played at his funeral.

He channelled that emotion into a truly gutsy display on the baize and acknowledged that the circumstances have helped him put things into perspective.

And here are the 12 men who have already booked their spot in that last 16

Judd Trump 6-4 Stephen Maguire

Mark Williams 6-4 David Gilbert

Pang Junxu 6-2 Xiao Guodong

Neil Robertson 6-2 Julien Leclercq

John Higgins 6-2 Ben Woollaston

Shaun Murphy 6-2 Lyu Haotian

Zhao Xintong 6-1 Long Zehuang

Scott Donaldson 6-1 Mark Allen

Zhang Anda 6-5 Gary Wilson

It’s not just Ronnie O’Sullivan in action today, there are four fascinating matches at the Barbican. By the end of today, we’ll know the full make-up of the last 16.

Ronnie O’Sullivan v Zhou Yuelong

Kyren Wilson v Elliot Slessor

Barry Hawkins v David Lilley

Here’s what the players will earn in York this week

Quarter-finalists: £25,000

Total prize pot: £1,205,000

The UK Championship began on Saturday 29 November at the Barbican Centre in York, and the final will be played on Sunday 7 December.

Ronnie O’Sullivan will start his campaign in the last 32 against Zhou Yuelong in a best-of-11 match this afternoon, from 1pm GMT.

O’Sullivan vs Zhou is live on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website

The tournament is also broadcast on TNT Sports in the UK and subscribers can stream the match online via the Discovery+ app.

Ronnie O’Sullivan is back on British soil as he goes to York for the UK Championship, one of snooker’s triple crown events.

O’Sullivan sold his Essex home earlier this year and headed for a new life in Dubai but returns to the Barbican Centre today looking to add to his record tally of eight UK Championship titles

China’s Zhou Yuelong stands in his way in his first matchthis afternoon, with old foe Mark Selby a potential opponent in the last 16.

Here’s everything you need to know:

Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Zhou Yuelong, taking place at the York Barbican Centres this afternoon.

A place in the last 16 of the 2025 UK Championship is up for grabs, so stick with us to stay across all the action