Draw in full
We’re focusing on Kyren Wilson’s first-round clash against Lei Peifan this morning, with Xiao Guodong and Matthew Selt on Table 2.
As we await the players in Sheffield, here’s a full rundown of matches coming at you over the next few days.
- Judd Trump vs Zhou Yuelong
- Zhang Anda vs Pang Junxu
- Shaun Murphy vs Dan Wells
- Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Ali Carter
- Ding Junhui vs Zak Surety
- Mark Allen vs Fan Zhengyi
- Jak Jones vs Zhao Xingtong
- John Higgins vs Joe O’Connor
- Neil Robertson vs Chris Wakelin
- Xiao Guodong vs Matthew Selt
- Mark Williams vs Wu Yize
- Barry Hawkins vs Hossein Vafaei
- Mark Selby vs Ben Woollaston
- Kyren Wilson vs Lei Peifan
- Luca Brecel vs Ryan Day
- Si Jiahui vs David Gilbert
Baulk at the idea
TNT Sports have left fans shocked after announcing their commentary team for the World Snooker Championship.
The BBC will continue to air the bulk of the sessions in Sheffield, with every match available on iPlayer.
But the switch to TNT Sports means fans will access an all-new commentary team.
That includes chief commentator Darren Fletcher, who is often heard on Champions League matches and at big boxing events.
He is often accompanied by Ally McCoist for those big European nights, and the Scot is set to join him for the snooker.
The news was confirmed during Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Real Madrid on Wednesday – much to the surprise of viewers.
History in the making?
Surely Ronnie isn’t going to withdraw because he is chasing a history-making 8th World Championship?!
But who dare tell him what to do especially after he has won this competition the most amount of times along with Stephen Hendry.
Here are the years of O’Sullivan’s previous wins:
- 2001
- 2004
- 2008
- 2012
- 2013
- 2020
- 2022
Ronnie’s reality check
Ronnie O’Sullivan fears he has lost his bottle — and warned he may quit the World Snooker Championship if he has “a meltdown”.
The Rocket said: “I’m not playing until Tuesday. So if I have a meltdown, who knows? I might still bloody withdraw. I hope I don’t.
“I’m surprised I’m here but I’m here. I don’t have any expectations.
“I’d just like to not feel all at sea out there. If I can just play and at least feel semi-competitive, I’d be happy with that.
“Could I win the whole thing? I doubt it. I’d be very happy to just give Ali a game.
“I’m nearly 50 now and there’s a lot of young guys who are hungry and competing all the time. It’s a bit different to say 2012, 2013.”
The Crucible curse
The Crucible curse is the quip given to the fact that no first-time world champion has ever retained their crown the following year.
Since the tournament moved to the Crucible in 1977 it has cursed 19 players in a row with every debut champion crumbling under the pressure of snooker’s grandest stage.
Some have come close though – Joe Johnson and Ken Doherty both made it to the final the year after their maiden victories – but most don’t get anywhere near that far.
As recently as 2023, Luca Brecel was doomed by the curse, losing in the first round of the 2024 tournament after winning the title the year before.
Brecel is not on his own though – seven champions have gone on to lose their first match the following year.
Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Selby have all managed to win consecutive titles at the Crucible, but they had won the championship previously.
Wilson returns to South Yorkshire as the reigning champion and is determined to lift the curse and posted a hilarious video to social media in an effort to exorcise the demons.
In the video, Wilson jokingly completed some of the superstitions people believe to bring us bad luck, including smashing a mirror and holding his World Championship trophy next to a black cat.
Wil he win it again?
Kyren Wilson claimed his first world title after some thrilling action at the Crucible, beating Jak Jones in the 2024 final.
The Kettering superstar beat Jak Jones 18-14 despite a spirited comeback from the qualifier.
And he’ll be hoping to break the Crucible curse this year.
