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 attempts to secure a record eighth World Snooker Championship title at The Crucible. He, ranked 47th in China, defeated Jack Lisowski in the qualifying round and will initiate 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. China's defending champion Zhao Xintong, who made history as the country's first world champion, will face Liam Highfield in the opening match on Saturday. Four-time champion John Higgins is set to clash with two-time runner-up Ali Carter in the first round, while four-time winner Mark Selby will take on 2024 finalist Jak Jones. The tournament commences on Sunday and concludes on May 3-4. 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. O'Sullivan, who will be making his 34th consecutive appearance at the iconic venue, was the last first-time champion to reach the semi-finals, losing to Hendry in 2002. The first-round draw features a best-of-19 frames format, with 24 different champions crowned since 1977, including China's Zhao Xintong, who won the title in 2025.