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

Ronnie O'Sullivan is poised to take on Chinese debutant He Guoqiang as he bids to secure a record eighth World Snooker Championship title at The Crucible. He Guoqiang, ranked 47th in China, has made it to the tournament by defeating Jack Lisowski in the qualifying rounds and will begin his campaign against the seven-time champion O'Sullivan on Tuesday afternoon. Notably, the 25-year-old has beaten O'Sullivan in two of their previous three encounters. He is one of 11 Chinese players participating in the tournament, which includes the defending champion Zhao Xintong. 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 opening round, and if both advance, he would meet O'Sullivan in the second round. Mark Selby, another four-time winner, will take on 2024 finalist Jak Jones, while Judd Trump will meet Gary Wilson. Meanwhile, three-time champion Mark Williams will face Antoni Kowalski, who has made history as the first Polish player to qualify for the Crucible. A highly anticipated debut awaits 19-year-old qualifier Stan Moody as he prepares to face 2024 champion Kyren Wilson. The tournament will commence on Sunday and conclude with the final on Sunday, May 3. 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 Xintong will attempt to overcome the 'Crucible Curse' and become the first maiden winner to successfully defend the title, a feat that 21 players have tried and failed to achieve 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 when he lost to Hendry in 2002. The full first-round draw will feature the best of 19 frames. Since 1977, there have been 24 different champions, with China's Zhao Xintong being the most recent winner in 2025, becoming the first champion from Asia. Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan currently hold the record for the most titles, with seven crowns each.