Seven-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan will face China’s top player Ding Junhui in the first round at the 2021 BetfredMasters.

The draw for snooker’s biggest invitation event pitched the top eight seeds at random against those seeded nine to 16.

The Betfred Masters will run from January 10-17 in Milton Keynes. It will be played behind closed doors.

Crowd favourite O’Sullivan, who lifted the trophy in 1995, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2016 and 2017, has won all four previous meetings with Ding at the Masters, including the 2007 final and 2019 semi-final. Their match this time will take place on Wednesday January 13th at 1pm.

Stuart Bingham, who beat Ali Carter in the final last year, will begin the defence of his title against debutant Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. Thailand’s Un-Nooh will become the first player from his country to compete in the Masters since James Wattana in 1999.

The draw is:

Stuart Bingham v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Monday January 11th at 1pm)
Shaun Murphy v Mark Williams (Monday January 11th at 7pm)
Mark Selby v Stephen Maguire (Tuesday January 12th at 7pm)
Neil Robertson v Yan Bingtao (Tuesday January 12th at 1pm)
Judd Trump v David Gilbert (Sunday January 10th at 1pm)
Kyren Wilson v Jack Lisowski (Sunday January 10th at 7pm)
John Higgins v Mark Allen (Wednesday January 13th at 7pm)
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Ding Junhui (Wednesday January 13th at 1pm)

Quarter-final schedule:

QF1 Stuart Bingham v Shaun Murphy: Thursday January 14th at 7pm
QF2 Stephen Maguire v Yan Bingtao Friday January 15th at 1pm
QF3 David Gilbert v Kyren Wilson: Thursday January 14th at 1pm 
QF4 (Higgins or Allen v O’Sullivan): Friday January 15th at 7pm

Semi-final schedule

SF1: Saturday January 16th at 1pm
SF2: Saturday January 16th at 7pm

Final
Sunday January 17th at 1pm and 7pm