2008 Premier League Snooker fixtures announced - 01/07/2008

JOHN Higgins will get an opportunity for revenge as he meets Ronnie O'Sullivan in the opening round of the 2008 PartyPoker.com Premier League Snooker competition.

John Higgins (in action) will play Ronnie O'Sullivan in the first week of the 2008 competition

O'Sullivan (seated) defeated Higgins (in action) 7-4 in last year's final and the two will go head-to-head on September 11 at the Grimsby Auditorium after the fixtures were confirmed today.

Mark Selby, who was given a wildcard into the competition by promoters Matchroom Sport, is also in action on the same night and makes his Premier League debut against China's Ding Junhui.

Joe Perry, another newcomer to the unique seven-man event, will play his first match on September 18 against reigning Premier League Champion and current world number one O'Sullivan.

Seven-time World Champion Stephen Hendry, the most successful player in the history of the game, begins on September 25 and meets Selby.

Snooker legend Steve Davis also begins his campaign on the same night with a match against Perry at The Assembly Rooms in Derby.

Each event will be broadcast live on Sky Sports on Thursdays between September and November before the semi-finals and final are shown over the weekend of December 6 and 7.