World Snooker Championship full draw as O’Sullivan & Trump learn fate | Other | Sport
Ronnie O’Sullivan will begin his bid to win a record eighth World Snooker Championship against Crucible debutant He Guoqiang. His opponent made it into Thursday’s draw after beating Jack Lisowski 10-5 during the final day of qualifying 24 hours earlier.
Judd Trump returns to Sheffield for a first-round match with Gary Wilson, one of several all-English matches. Reigning champion Zhao Xintong begins his title defence against Liam Highfield, who only returned to playing last year after breaking his wrist in 2023.
Former champion Neil Robertson faces Pang Junxu and picked out two standout matches after the draw. He said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “Ali Carter v John Higgins and Mark Selby v Jak Jones are two matches that really stand out.”
The winner of Ali Carter versus John Higgins will play either He Guoqiang or Ronnie O’Sullivan in the second round. He is one of four debutants, with teenager Stan Moody also drawn against another former champion, Kyren Wilson.
The first Polish player in tournament history, Antoni Kowalski, faces a tough opener, too, with three-time champion Mark Williams awaiting. Liam Pullen, meanwhile, faces Chris Wakelin in another all-English affair.
World Snooker Championship draw in full
Si Jiahui (China) v Hossein Vafaei (Iran)
Ronnie O’Sullivan (England) v He Guoqiang (China)
Wu Yize (China) v Lei Peifan (China)
Mark Selby (England) v Jak Jones (Wales)
Mark Allen (Northern Ireland) v Zhang Anda (China)
Ding Junhui (China) v David Gilbert (England)
Mark Williams (Wales) v Antoni Kowalski (Poland)
Zhao Xintong (China) v Liam Highfield (England)
Judd Trump (England) v Gary Wilson (England)
Chris Wakelin (England) v Liam Pullen (England)
Kyren Wilson (England) v Stan Moody (England)
Barry Hawkins (England) v Matthew Stevens (Wales)
Shaun Murphy (England) v Fan Zhengyi (China)
Xiao Guodong (China) v Zhou Yuelong (China)
John Higgins (Scotland) v Ali Carter (England)
Neil Robertson (Australia) v Pang Junxu (China)
