Ronnie O'Sullivan Pursues Historic Eighth Title at the World Snooker Championship

The World Snooker Championship is set to kick off, with defending champion Zhao Xintong returning to the Crucible and Ronnie O'Sullivan aiming to make history with a record-breaking eighth title. O'Sullivan will face stiff competition from top players such as Judd Trump, four-time champion Mark Selby, Kyren Wilson, Neil Robertson, and Shaun Murphy, starting from April 18. The tournament, which began in 1927, boasts a rich history, from the early days of Joe Davis to the modern era dominated by O'Sullivan and seven-time champion Stephen Hendry. Since the introduction of 32 players in the first round in 1982, no tournament has seen all 16 top seeds advance to the second round. Zhao will attempt to overcome the notorious 'Crucible Curse' and become the first debut winner to successfully defend the title, a feat that has eluded 21 players since 1980. O'Sullivan, who will be making his 34th consecutive appearance at the iconic venue, was the last first-time champion to reach the semi-finals, where he lost to Hendry in 2002. The first day of the tournament will feature matches between top seeds, including Mark Allen, Xiao Guodong, Mark Williams, and Barry Hawkins. World No 1 Judd Trump will begin his bid for a second world title on April 21, with O'Sullivan starting his campaign on the same day. If O'Sullivan and John Higgins progress, they will face each other in the last 16. The top 16 seeds will be randomly drawn against the 16 players who advance from the qualifying rounds on April 16. The tournament will also feature additional prizes, including a £40,000 bonus for the highest break and £10,000 for maximum breaks made during the qualifying rounds. An extra £147,000 bonus is on offer for any player who achieves two maximum breaks across the Triple Crown events and the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. Since 1977, there have been 24 different champions, with Zhao Xintong being the most recent winner in 2025, becoming the first champion from Asia. Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan currently hold the record with seven titles each.