Ronnie O'Sullivan will be aiming to knock world No.1 Mark Williams off his perch by winning the British Open in Brighton.

A feud has been smouldering between the two since O'Sullivan claimed in his autobiography last year there was no one in the game who liked the Welshman.

Williams has refused to speak to O'Sullivan as a result, preferring to do his talking with his cue by storming to the top of the rankings last season and winning the Embassy World Championship.

The Welshman continued his remarkable run of success by lifting the LG Cup last month, a tournament which saw O'Sullivan lose 5-0 to Matthew Stevens in the second round.

Now O'Sullivan is keen to bounce back from that disappointment and has sets his sights on a showdown with his arch rival in the final next Sunday.

He said: "I've got faith in my game. I've put the result in the LG Cup behind me and am looking forward to doing well in the British Open now."

The British Open started at the Brighton Centre today and the stage looks set for a final between the two after the draw kept them apart.

While nobody would bet against Williams still being around next Sunday it is difficult to predict how O'Sullivan will fare.

At his brilliant best O'Sullivan is almost unbeatable. He boasts the five fastest maximum breaks in history, but the 27-year-old's form is famously fragile.

O'Sullivan may have put his poor start to the new season behind him but his dislike for Williams still festers and that could be the catalyst he needs to rediscover the magic which saw him top the world rankings four years ago.

"I don't want to make up with him and I don't want to say anything to him. We don't talk and we probably never will and that's fine with me," said O'Sullivan.

Although the spotlight is likely to focus on O'Sullivan and Williams the British Open is anything but a two-man tournament with all the game's top names flocking to the Brighton Centre.

Stephen Hendry and John Higgins, two and four in the rankings, will also fancy their chances while reigning champion Paul Hunter is desperate to hold onto his title.

This weekend players outside the world's top 16 battle for a place in the second round with the pick of today's matches pitching a resurgent John Parrott against Andy Hicks at 7pm.

Former world champion Parrott said: "The last couple of seasons I have practised my head off and got all uptight but all I did over the summer was play golf and I'm much more relaxed. To be coming to a tournament knowing that I have a chance of playing well is great."

The big guns enter the fray on Monday with O'Sullivan starting his challenge at 7pm against either Mark Selby or Stephen Maguire although Williams has to wait until 7pm on Wednesday for his second round clash with either Anthony Hamilton or Michael Holt.