‘Very special moment!’ – Watch O’Sullivan create history with highest ever professional break of 153
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Ronnie O’Sullivan appears to have been handed a brutal draw at the 50th World Championship in Sheffield with former winners John Higgins, Neil Robertson and Zhao Xintong possible opponents if he can defeat a qualifier in the first round.
Seeded 12th this year, the seven-time world champion could face fifth seed Higgins in the last 16, fourth seed Robertson in the last eight and top seed Zhao in the semi-finals, a repeat of the last-four meeting last year when Zhao won 17-7 with a session to spare.
Yet history suggests nothing goes to plan in relation to the World Championship seedings, with an average of four leading men likely to lose their first match at the Crucible.
Since 32 players were first included in the first round in 1982, the year when Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins overcame six-time champion Ray Reardon 18-15 in the final, all 16 top seeds have yet to reach the second round.
Indeed, defending champion Steve Davis was famously thumped 10-1 by Tony Knowles in the first round in 1982 in one of the biggest shocks in the tournament’s history.
Davis is part of the infamous ‘Crucible Curse’ which will see Zhao become the 21st player since 1980 to try to become the first maiden winner to successfully defend the trophy a year later.
‘Dejected’ White drops cue, misses brown twice to lose final frame decider
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It is also worth noting that O’Sullivan was the last first-time champion to make it as far as the semi-finals when he lost 17-13 to fellow seven-time champion Stephen Hendry in 2002.
On two occasions, 15 of the top 16 seeds have won their opening matches, with Tony Meo upsetting Jimmy White, the 12th seed, 10-8 in 1983 and 1981 runner-up Doug Mountjoy defeating 15th seed Alain Robidoux 10-6 a decade later.
But they are exceptions to the rule in a major minefield with six of the top 16 eliminated in the first round last year, including the 2024 finalists Kyren Wilson and Jak Jones, with a stellar cast of qualifiers usually match sharp by the time they reach the Crucible.
Watch the moment O’Sullivan gets huge ovation in Crucible return
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This year the qualifiers could contain 2023 world champion Luca Brecel, 2015 winner Stuart Bingham, two-time world finalist Ali Carter, World Open winner Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and recent Northern Ireland Open champion Jack Lisowski.
It was not a huge surprise when eight of the top 16 seeds were dumped at the opening stage in 2024, a record year for casualties alongside 1992 and 2012.
Seven were eliminated in 2016 and six have suffered early exits in 1982, 1987, 1989, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013 and 2018.
Meanwhile, O’Sullivan will make a record 34th straight appearance at the World Championship, having lost only three times in the first round, against Alan McManus (10-7) on his debut, Marco Fu (10-6) in 2003 and James Cahill (10-8) in 2019.
“It becomes like the Ironman,” said O’Sullivan after winning the seventh of his world titles in 2022 to go with title successes in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2020.
”There is a lot that can go wrong for you. You eat a bad meal in the semi-finals, you feel a bit ill and that’s your chances gone. A lot of things have got to come right over that 17 days.
“Over a week, there is less chance of anything going wrong. It is rapid matches, bang, bang, bang, and its over.
”The Crucible is different. You are pushing on for three weeks so you have to manage yourself well.”
Reigning champion Wilson loses in first round to debutant Lei – ‘Crucible curse strikes again!’
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O’Sullivan will play his opening match this year on Tuesday, April 21 and Wednesday, April 22.
His second-round match, possibly against fellow ‘Class of ’92’ icon John Higgins if both men win, will be staged on Saturday, April 25, Sunday, April 26 and Monday, April 27.
The draw for the first round of the World Championship takes place next Thursday, April 16 after the final round of qualifying is completed a day earlier at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
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Qualifying for the 2026 World Championship takes place between April 6-15, and is live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
