Ronnie O'Sullivan Faces Chinese Newcomer He Guoqiang in World Snooker Championship

Seven-time champion Ronnie O'Sullivan is set to face Chinese debutant He Guoqiang in his pursuit of a record eighth World Snooker Championship title at The Crucible. He Guoqiang, ranked 47th in China, secured his spot by defeating Jack Lisowski in the qualifying round and will make his maiden appearance against O'Sullivan on Tuesday afternoon. The 25-year-old has previously beaten O'Sullivan in two of their three meetings and is one of 11 Chinese players participating in the tournament. The draw also features defending champion Zhao Xintong, who will play Liam Highfield in the opening match on Saturday, a year after becoming China's first world champion. Four-time champion John Higgins will face Ali Carter in the first round, with a potential meeting against O'Sullivan in the second round if both advance. Other notable matches include Mark Selby against 2024 finalist Jak Jones, Judd Trump versus Gary Wilson, and Mark Williams against Antoni Kowalski, the first Polish player to qualify for the Crucible. The tournament begins on Sunday and concludes on May 3-4. Since the introduction of 32 players in the first round in 1982, all 16 top seeds have never made it 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 in 2002. The full first-round draw features 24 different champions, with the most recent being China's Zhao Xintong, who won in 2025 and became the first champion from Asia. Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan currently hold the record with seven crowns each.