O'Sullivan Set to Face China's He Guoqiang in World Snooker Championship

Ronnie O'Sullivan is poised to take on Chinese newcomer He Guoqiang as he vies for a record eighth World Snooker Championship title at The Crucible. He Guoqiang, ranked 47th in China, defeated Jack Lisowski in the qualifying rounds and will commence his inaugural campaign against the seven-time champion O'Sullivan on Tuesday afternoon. The 25-year-old has bested O'Sullivan in two of their previous three encounters and is one of 11 Chinese players participating in the tournament. This includes reigning champion Zhao Xintong, who will face Liam Highfield in the opening match on Saturday, a year after becoming China's first world champion. Four-time champion John Higgins is set to face two-time runner-up Ali Carter in the opening round and could potentially meet O'Sullivan in the second round if both advance. Meanwhile, four-time winner Mark Selby will take on 2024 finalist Jak Jones, Judd Trump will face Gary Wilson, and three-time champion Mark Williams will compete against Antoni Kowalski, who makes history as the first Polish player to qualify for the Crucible. A high-profile debut awaits 19-year-old qualifier Stan Moody as he makes his Crucible bow against 2024 champion Kyren Wilson. The tournament commences this Sunday, with the final taking place on Sunday, May 3, and concluding the following day. Notably, since the introduction of 32 players in the first round in 1982, there has never been an instance where all 16 top seeds have reached the second round. Zhao will attempt to overcome the 'Crucible Curse' and become the first maiden winner to successfully defend the trophy, a feat that 21 players have failed to achieve since 1980. O'Sullivan, who will be making a record 34th consecutive appearance at the iconic venue, was the last first-time champion to reach the semi-finals, losing 17-13 to Hendry in 2002. Since 1977, there have been 24 different champions, with China's Zhao Xintong being the most recent, winning the trophy in 2025 and becoming the first champion from Asia. Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan currently share the record for the most crowns, with seven each.