Snooker's greatest natural talent Ronnie O'Sullivan could be in line for his first world title - and is likely to have fans flocking to the Evening Echo's big date next month.

On Sunday O'Sullivan won the final ranking event before the Embassy World Championship finals open at Sheffield next Saturday when he thrashed the game's new number one, Mark Williams, 9-1 in the Scottish Open final.

Both men are at the Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre on May 6 and 7 when the final stages of the Echo sponsored altodigital.com Premier League, with £50,000 going to the winner, are staged.

Also there, along with John Higgins, is current world champ Stephen Hendry, who opens his fight for an eighth Embassy crown on Saturday by meeting Basildon's Stuart Bingham at the world famous Crucible Theatre.

Tickets for the Premier League finals, which will also see Echo junior and senior champions challenge TV's Big Break star John Virgo in special one frame matches, are selling fast but can still be booked by ringing 01268 270027.

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