In our exclusive interview, the former world champion discusses the 2026 tournament and whether last year’s winner can defend his title at the Crucible.
Dennis Taylor believes Zhao Xintong has a strong chance of defying the infamous “Crucible Curse” ahead of the 2026 World Snooker Championship.
The Chinese 28-year-old won the event in 2025, beating Mark Williams 18-12 in the final, and is the joint-favourite in the snooker odds this time around, but no first time world champion has defended the title since the tournament moved to the Crucible in 1977.
In our exclusive interview, Taylor also suggests that Ronnie O’Sullivan could be in contention for a historic eighth world crown, while expressing hope that fellow Northern Irishman Mark Allen can follow in the footsteps of himself and Alex Higgins by lifting the trophy.
The snooker legend adds that he dearly hopes the World Championship remains in Sheffield for years to come, emphasising the Crucible’s unique atmosphere and its importance to the identity of the sport.
Ronnie O’Sullivan missed out on his first tournament win in two years but made the final and hit snooker’s highest break of all time in the process. Do you see him as a main contender at the Crucible this year?
Yes, for me, I have three players who I believe can win this year’s World Championship. Ronnie, Zhao Xintong and Judd Trump. They all have stories. I still think Ronnie can beat Stephen Hendry’s record of seven world titles.
A lot of people have changed their views and don’t think he can because he’s not playing enough matches, but what he’s done out there again, to make that 153 and then to be in the final —he has got a great chance of equalling Stephen’s record.
But with Ronnie, the 153 break was incredible. He just never looked in trouble, didn’t get done. It’s a pity he never got 155, but I thought that was a great effort from him. I found it funny that he called himself ‘Rusty Rocket’ after winning, as people have questioned whether he can win tournaments when he doesn’t play as often. It’s an issue not playing so much ahead of the Crucible in terms of match sharpness, so how does he stay fit? But with the World Championship, the format is longer, giving him a strong chance of winning in Sheffield.
But what I would go for this year, I’m going to go for Zhao Xintong beating the Crucible Curse. That would be a big story. He’d be the first player ever to do that, and I think he can because he’s capable of doing that. I just love the way he plays the game. He reminds me a lot of Ronnie with the way he flows into the shot – he’s just such a complete player and is great to watch.
But then the other one is Judd Trump. I mean, Judd, when you think of the talent, that he’s world number one and he’s only won one world title… It’s only right for him to win again. So, I would go for Zhao Xintong as my favourite, with Ronnie second, and then Judd Trump. I wouldn’t really pick anybody outside those three.
What about Kyren Wilson?
I mean, Kyren’s a great player, but the fact that there’s been so many different winners this season is incredible for the game. I think the first 12 tournaments had different winners, so there are a lot of people in with a shout, but those three would stand out for me.
Ronnie has signed up to the seniors as well, so he’ll be playing that after. What do you make of that?
Well, I used to joke with Mark Williams that he won the World Seniors title when he was 39 years of age, and then after he won the World Championship again, I introduced him at an event somewhere and didn’t even mention it; I just said he was the World Seniors champion, and he wasn’t very happy about that.
The fact that Ronnie is playing is great, but you never know what could happen, but it would be brilliant if he played there. If he is at the Crucible to the end and then stays on to play at the Seniors, then that would be a story. I know Ronnie says he isn’t bothered about records, but he wants to beat Stephen Hendry’s record of seven world titles, and he has beaten every other record except for the eight world titles. He doesn’t bother about titles and what he does, but the fact that he has just made history again with the highest break, he just keeps doing it.
I mean, there’s never been anybody like him in the game. It’s been incredible, really, what he’s done.There’s never been anyone like him in the game; it has been incredible for what he has done in the game. Stephen to dominate for 10 years, and then Steve Davis for 10 years, is incredible, but what Ronnie’s done in the game… It’s just the way he plays.
I’m going to tell him next time, and Ronnie won’t have any idea, but I have played him three times and 31 frames of snooker, and he is leading me 16-15.
He beat me in my last World Championship – beat me 10–6 in 1994. I was just checking up, because I’ve done every year at the Crucible since playing, and next year it’ll be 50 years I’ve either played or commentated at the Crucible, except for the COVID year, where we had to go to London.
Ronnie beat me in my last appearance at the Crucible 10–6, and he beat me at the British Open 5–4 – I led 4–2 or 4–1, and he beat me. Then I beat him in the Masters 5–1.
Is there an argument to say Ronnie is the greatest sportsman the UK has ever produced?
Well, I would agree with that. What he’s done – he’s a total genius on the snooker table, that has to be said. He’s never won Sports Personality of the Year – it’s amazing. Stephen’s still the only player ever to have won that.
But what Ronnie’s done is incredible. The one achievement that would have outshone everybody was Tom Watson when he was nearly 60 and nearly won The Open.
He missed it – just went through the back of the green by about a foot or two and didn’t get up and down. Otherwise, that would have been the greatest sporting moment ever. But Ronnie – I can’t think of anyone better or more talented than he is.
Can John Higgins win another world title?
He’s still prepared to put the practice and hours in on the table so John can definitely win another world title or big tournament. John is the type of character who spends hours practising on his own. Stephen [Hendry] used to do that, but he would play a couple of hours and then be ready for a long match.
John’s still prepared to put the hard work in, and it’s remarkable that he’s still playing at that level. But there’s just the odd little shot that’s crept in over the last few years where he’ll be playing brilliantly, then have a lapse in concentration and miss an easy one. It’s difficult to overcome that when you get a bit older. But what he’s done, and Mark Williams has done, is incredible when you think about it.
Mark Allen has said previous coaches ‘hurt’ his confidence and now he is focusing on himself and believes he can coach himself to get back to his best. What do you make of those comments?
He can definitely do it. I think he doesn’t like it when I say he’s going to win it. I’ve mentioned it before, but he won the Masters in 2018 and was the first one since me, and there have been three players to win it from Northern Ireland, including Alex Higgins. Now it’s time for Northern Ireland to have another world champion. He has got the game to do it, but the fact that he hasn’t won it is a surprise. He certainly has the game to do it with his style of play.
But of course, it gets tougher and tougher, because the Chinese players are coming through. To have four of them in the semi-finals in Hong Kong was incredible. Somebody said, will we see the day there will be four Chinese players in the semi-finals of the Worlds? We are not far away from it. John Higgins can still do it, but whether he has the stamina to go and win at the Crucible [is another thing], but it would be an incredible achievement. I have a sneaky feeling Zhao Xintong will break the Crucible Curse this year, though and win it.
What do you make of the news that the World Championships will be staying at the Crucible?
I think most players would like it to stay. Maybe not so much the younger ones, because they’re used to playing in bigger venues, and that is where the money is. I think it is ridiculous that the Darts World Championship is double the prize compared to the Crucible. Barry Hearn said snooker would have its first £1m prize, but it is still not there yet.
For the history of the game, I wouldn’t like to see it move because would they be able to fill three sessions a day? It’d be interesting to see where it stays there. If you get to the semi-finals, that is where the Crucible comes into its own. It has a different type of atmosphere where there is one table, and everyone is surrounding you. It’s the most wonderful venue when you get to that stage.
A lot of players, including John Higgins, didn’t like it when they got there first because it is very tight when there are two tables, but it adds to it all. Next year, it’ll be 50 years since I have been there playing or commentating at the venue, which is incredible, and I would have hated to see it move.
Since you’ve been around, what’s been your favourite moment at the Crucible?
Ronnie’s 147. To sit there and watch him make a maximum in five minutes and 20 seconds and commentate on it – well, they think five minutes and 8 seconds from the time of his first shot now – that was one of the most outstanding things. That would be the highlight for me.
