Champion of Champions Day Four predictions and betting tips: Out-of-form O'Sullivan has a point to prove

Where to watch the Champion of Champions

ITV4, 1pm & 7pm Thursday

Best bets for the Champion of Champions

Xiao Guodong to beat Ronnie O’Sullivan 
1pm Thursday
1pt 13-8 general

Xiao Guodong to win Group Four
0.5pt 5-1 bet365, Hills

Champion of Champions predictions

Since  the Champion of Champions was revived in 2013, no player has lifted the trophy on more occasions than four-time winner Ronnie O’Sullivan, and the Rocket will be hoping the tournament can help kickstart what has been a season of struggle.

O’Sullivan has made a couple of semi-finals at the Xi'an Grand Prix and the Shanghai Masters but he has also opted to withdraw from three of eight ranking events to date.

Having also suffered defeat in four of his last eight matches, the Rocket must be a vulnerable favourite in Group Four, especially given the wealth of competition.

An opening-round showdown with the in-form Xiao Guodong, especially over a best-of-seven format, is a tough challenge in itself while Mark Selby or Shaun Murphy would be lurking in the group final.

The match between Selby and Murphy looks too tight to call but there are reasons to think that on current form Guodong is overpriced to upset O'Sullivan, and victory in that match would instill plenty of belief before the final.

The Chinese cueman is enjoying the season of his life, having won a belated maiden ranking title at the Wuhan Open in October, and he built on that with a semi-final run at the International Championship last week.

Guodong defeated Ricky Walden, Mark Allen, Jack Lisowski and Jackson Page in that latest event and, having won 11 of his last 13 matches, he has to be feared by all, especially an out-of-sorts O’Sullivan.

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