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

Ronnie O'Sullivan is slated to compete against 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 maiden 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. He will face O'Sullivan in the first round, while defending champion Zhao Xintong will face Liam Highfield in the opening match on Saturday, a year after becoming China's first world champion. Four-time champion John Higgins will face two-time runner-up Ali Carter in the first round, and could potentially meet O'Sullivan in the second round if both advance. Other notable matches include Mark Selby versus 2024 finalist Jak Jones, Judd Trump against Gary Wilson, and three-time champion Mark Williams against Antoni Kowalski, who makes history as the first Polish player to qualify for the Crucible. The tournament commences on Sunday and concludes on May 3, with the final taking place on the following day. 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 title, a feat that has eluded 21 players 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 to Hendry in 2002. The full first-round draw will feature 24 different champions, with the most recent being China's Zhao Xintong, who lifted the trophy in 2025, becoming the first champion from Asia. Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan currently share the record for the most crowns, with seven apiece.