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Topics: Snooker, World Snooker Championship, Ronnie OSullivan
Ryan Smart
Ronnie O'Sullivan will drop several places down the World Snooker rankings following his surprise 13-10 defeat to Stuart Bingham at the World Championship.
O'Sullivan went into the tournament as the world number one as he looked to lift his record-breaking eighth world crown.
'The Rocket' topped the two-year ranking list by virtue of winning the 2022 World Championship, with O'Sullivan beating Judd Trump 18-13.
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But with the World Championship being snooker's season-ending tournament, the rankings for the beginning of next season will remove any prize money earned from the 2022 season.
As a result, O'Sullivan has 'lost' the £500,000 prize money he won in 2022, with that being in effect replaced by the sum of £50,000 that he earned for reaching this year's quarter-final.
'The Rocket' has therefore dropped down to fourth in the provisional rankings (via Snooker.org), falling behind Mark Allen, Judd Trump and Luca Brecel.
Despite losing his last 16 clash against John Higgins at this year's Crucible, Allen is now the new world number one for the 2024/25 season.
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O'Sullivan will drop further down to fifth position in the rankings if Kyren Wilson, who plays David Gilbert in the semi-final today, wins the tournament outright.
Speaking after his elimination from the World Championship on Wednesday evening, O'Sullivan told BBC Sport's Rob Walker: "It's just the way it goes. I'm actually really happy to be honest - I feel like I'm getting through the ball, which is more important for me at this stage.
"Not the win I'd have like to have had, but that's snooker. That's the way it goes. Stuart played a fantastic match and deserved his victory.
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"I was just coming here knowing it was just going to be another difficult tournament, just like it is when you enter any tournament.
"No-one's got any divine right to win any match, a lot can happen in the game of snooker. That's just sport."