Ronnie O'Sullivan may have qualified for the Masters in January having won his sixth Masters title last season, but the Rocket is provisionally outside the top 16 in 17th position. However, a run past Mark Williams in York, whom he plays in the quarter-finals this evening will provide a springboard for O'Sullivan, who turns 41 next week, to leap back into the top 16.
Williams, who came through a battle on Thursday in a 6 - 5 decider with Liam Highfield sees the Swindon player, 26, provisionally leap up to 81 in the rankings, after a great run in York.
(See Williams after match commenting).
Highfield, who turned pro in 2010, has his own springboard to work on after taking on the two-time World Champion Williams and almost overturning him in the Betway UK Championship.
Other notable achievements in the rankings include the Welshman Jamie Jones, who plays Marco Fu in the last eight, has provisionally leapt six places from 39 in the World to 33 after his consistent run in York.
Class of 92
John Higgins, who plays the World number one Mark Selby in York on Friday, jumps up to provisionally three and overtakes Judd Trump, who was knocked out by Oliver Lines in the early rounds. Higgins, of course, has won two non-ranking tournaments this season worth over £300,000 and is playing for £35,000 worth of ranking points if he can see off the Jester from Leicester in York - who is safe as the World number one.
Mark Williams's run sees him now jump from 16, hanging on a thread originally to now 13th, with the potential to climb back up the rankings and into the top 10 - potentially.
Building on first season
Chinese teenagers Yan Bingtao and Zhou Yuelong have had great runs in tournaments this season, Bingtao's first season on the tour and Yuelong's run in York sees him provisionally in 40th spot on the rankings list.
The 16-year-old Bingtao is currently lying in the top 70 - and his future is looking bright. Plenty to build on for the next half of this season and for his second season.
If you produce consistent results in tournaments under this money system, your tour card is safe. If you can manage to stay within the 64 season after season, then your position as a pro is safe,
O'Sullivan and Higgins and Williams, all who turned pro in 92, one of them will at least be guaranteed into the semi-finals over this weekend.
The rankings update provisional list was courtesy of Snooker.org and the WPBSA is available on their respective websites.
