Ronnie O'Sullivan Set to Face Chinese Newcomer He Guoqiang at World Snooker Championship

Ronnie O'Sullivan is set to take on Chinese debutant He Guoqiang as he vies for a record eighth World Snooker Championship title. He, ranked 47th in China, secured his spot by defeating Jack Lisowski in the qualifying rounds and will face O'Sullivan on Tuesday afternoon. Notably, He has beaten O'Sullivan in two of their previous three encounters. He is one of 11 Chinese players participating in the tournament, which includes defending champion Zhao Xintong. Zhao Xintong will face Liam Highfield in the opening match, marking a year since he became China's first world champion. Other notable matchups include four-time champion John Higgins against two-time runner-up Ali Carter, and four-time winner Mark Selby against 2024 finalist Jak Jones. The tournament commences on Sunday and concludes on May 3 and 4. Since the introduction of 32 players in the first round in 1982, there has never been an instance where all 16 top seeds advanced to the second round. Zhao Xintong aims to overcome the 'Crucible Curse' and become the first maiden winner to successfully defend the title, a feat that has eluded 21 players since 1980. O'Sullivan, making his record 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 full first-round draw will feature 24 different champions, with the most recent being China's Zhao Xintong, who won in 2025, and Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan holding the record for the most crowns with seven each.