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

Ronnie O'Sullivan is scheduled to compete against Chinese newcomer He Guoqiang in his pursuit of 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 initiate his debut campaign against the seven-time champion O'Sullivan on Tuesday afternoon. The 25-year-old has previously beaten O'Sullivan in two of their three encounters and is one of 11 Chinese players participating in the tournament. Other notable matches include defending champion Zhao Xintong facing Liam Highfield, four-time champion John Higgins competing against Ali Carter, and Mark Selby taking on 2024 finalist Jak Jones. The tournament commences this Sunday, with the final taking place on Sunday, May 3, and concluding 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 advanced to 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 21 players have failed to achieve since 1980. O'Sullivan, who will be making his record 34th consecutive appearance at the iconic venue, was the last first-time champion to reach the semi-finals when he lost to Hendry in 2002. The full first-round draw is available, with 24 different champions emerging since 1977, including China's Zhao Xintong, who won the title in 2025, and Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan, who share the record for the most crowns with seven each.