Ronnie O'Sullivan is the 11/2 favourite as The Masters begins at its new home the Alexandra Palace on Sunday, with snooker’s top 16 competing for the top prize at the invitation only event - The Masters 2012.
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For the first time since 1989 Stephen Hendry will miss out after sliding down the rankings in recent years, while reigning champion Ding Junhui faces a particularly tricky opening contest against Ronnie O’Sullivan.
O’Sullivan has also seen his ranking tumble of late but ‘The Rocket’ has just about managed to cling onto his top 16 spot and is the 11/2 favourite with Betfred to take the top prize, while Junhui can be backed at 10/1 to defend his crown.
Many have questioned O’Sullivan’s desire in recent months, indeed he has even questioned his own desire publicly on more than one occasion over the course of the last year.
However, the 36-year-old seems to excel at The Masters and has reached an astonishing six of the last eight finals of the competition, winning three and losing three.
O’Sullivan’s record at The Masters is hard to ignore and he will take some beating, but Junhui will be desperate to avoid defeat in the opening round as defending champion.
O’Sullivan is 8/15 to secure a first round victory, while Junhui is priced at 11/8 to get past the triple world champion.
Matthew Stevens, champion in 2000, returns after a five-year absence following his return to the top 16 but his Masters tournament could well be short lived.
The Welshman has been handed the unenviable task of a showdown against world champion John Higgins in the first-round and could well fall at the first hurdle, Higgins is 2/5 to beat Stevens, who is 7/4 to seal the win.
Higgins is 6/1 to win the tournament outright and the Scot is certainly worth some consideration after his success at the World Championship in May last year.
Higgins is currently the world number three but has not managed to reach the final of The Masters since 2006 and will be desperate to add to his two titles at the invitation only event.
Judd Trump will be making his first ever appearance at The Masters after an impressive 2011 campaign, landing the China Open and UK Championship titles, as well as tasting defeat in the World Championship final at the hands of Higgins.
The 22-year-old Bristolian can be backed at 7/1 to take the title and Trump should head into the tournament in confident mood after his success at the UK Championship in York.
Trump faces Stuart Bingham in the first-round and it is hard to see anything other than a victory for the rising star of snooker, with Trump 8/15 to seal the win.
World number one Mark Selby has so far been unable to land either the World Championship or the UK Championship but he has a formidable record at The Masters, with two wins in the last four years as well as a defeat in the 2009 final.
The ‘Jester from Leicester’ is 6/1 and considering his recent record Selby could well be one to watch at the Alexandra Palace.
If you’re looking for an ‘outsider’ then Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen looks good value at 18/1. Allen managed to reach the UK Championship final, regardless of the headlines he courted throughout the tournament, and impressed against Trump despite defeat.
Allen fought back from 8-3 down before eventually losing the final in York 10-8 and he certainly has the quality to challenge the favourites in London next week.
The world number 10 faces Neil Robertson, the 2010 world champion, in the first round in what promises to be a close contest. Allen is 5/4 to beat Robertson, who is 4/7 to seal the win, and if the 25-year-old can overcome the Australian there is no reason why he cannot go all the way in The Masters.