Ronnie O’Sullivan has been handed a troublesome begin on the World Snooker Championship.
Ronnie O’Sullivan will head to the Crucible looking for an eighth world title (Picture: Getty)
Ronnie O’Sullivan will face a troublesome check in opposition to a participant he’s ‘jealous’ of within the opening spherical of the World Snooker Championship. The seven-time champion will head to the Crucible with excessive hopes of profitable an eighth title, one thing that has by no means been achieved earlier than. He presently shares the joint file with Stephen Hendry however will transfer into the outright all-time lead with one other triumph in Sheffield.
The draw for this yr’s match was made on Thursday, with O’Sullivan being pitted in opposition to Chinese language rival He Guoqiang. It actually will not be simple for the Rocket, who has already been overwhelmed by the 25-year-old on two earlier events. They final met on the Worldwide Championship in 2024, with O’Sullivan securing a 6-2 victory.
“It was a giant match for me as a result of he’d overwhelmed me the 2 occasions we’d performed, I needed to block out that I misplaced the earlier two and play my recreation,” stated O’Sullivan
“These Chinese language boys are so gifted. I want I had their video games. They’re so technically good. I’ve acquired that nous. I’m a bit streetwise, that’s acquired me by means of my entire profession, however I want I had the method that about 80 guys on the tour have.
“The best way they pot balls is unbelievable. I can’t pot like them. If I had their method and cue motion I’d go unbeaten the entire of my life.”
There are 11 gamers from China within the first spherical of this yr’s World Snooker Championship, greater than ever earlier than. That quantity contains Zhao Xintong, the reigning champion, who will face Liam Highfield in his opening match on Saturday.
He Guoqiang will go up in opposition to O’Sullivan within the opening spherical (Picture: Getty)
4-time champion John Higgins faces an opening-round conflict with two-time runner-up Ali Carter. The winner of that match will meet O’Sullivan within the second spherical, if the latter advances.
Mark Selby takes on Jak Jones, whereas Judd Trump meets Gary Wilson and three-time champion Mark Williams goes up in opposition to Antoni Kowalski, who’s the primary Polish participant to qualify for the Crucible showpiece.
British teenager Stan Moody, who has been turning loads of heads together with his current type, has been handed a glamour tie in opposition to 2024 champion Kyren Wilson. He’ll develop into the youngest Crucible debutant since Judd Trump all the best way again in 2007.
There’ll nearly actually be some upsets within the opening spherical, on condition that there has by no means been a time when all 16 prime seeds have made it by means of for the reason that 32-player format was launched in 1982.
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O’Sullivan, who will likely be making a file thirty fourth straight look on the iconic venue, will merely be hoping that he emerges unscathed from his showdown with He.
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