Seven-time winner Ronnie O’Sullivan will start his bid for a record-breaking eighth World Snooker Championship title with a match towards China’s debutant He Guoqiang on the Crucible.
O’Sullivan, 50, will begin his first-round tie on the Sheffield theatre on Tuesday and conclude the match on Wednesday.
Sixteen gamers got here by way of qualifying this week on the English Institute of Sport and can be a part of the world’s high 16 ranked gamers on the match.
He, ranked forty seventh on this planet, certified for the Crucible for the primary time with a win over England’s Jack Lisowski on Wednesday.
Zhao Xintong grew to become the primary Chinese language participant to clinch the world title when he received the 2025 occasion and might be concerned within the first session of the match on Saturday (10:00 BST).
He’ll face England’s Liam Highfield, who superior by way of 4 qualifying rounds.
The draw was made on BBC Radio 5 Reside Breakfast on Thursday.
Elsewhere, world primary Judd Trump will tackle Gary Wilson and Masters champion Kyren Wilson might be up towards 19-year-old debutant Stan Moody.
4-time champion John Higgins will tackle two-time runner-up Ali Carter, whereas Mark Selby, additionally with 4 Crucible titles, faces 2024 runner-up Jak Jones.
O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry each have probably the most world titles within the trendy period with seven apiece, with O’Sullivan successful his first one 25 years in the past, in 2001.
The 17-day competitors begins on Saturday, with the ultimate beginning on Sunday, 3 Could and concluding the subsequent day – with full protection of the match reside on the BBC.
The Crucible has staged the World Championship yearly since 1977 and final month it was introduced it would stay there till 2045, with the venue set to be redeveloped so as to add as much as 500 further seats.
