Last updated: 04/18/24 9:05 a.m.
Ronnie O’Sullivan will face Jackson Page in the first round of the World Snooker Championship when he begins his quest for a record eighth title.
The seven-time champion will face the 22-year-old Welsh qualifier in the best-of-19 first round on Wednesday, April 24 at the Crucible.
Defending champion Luca Brecel will face David Gilbert, while Judd Trump will face Hossein Vafaei.
The 2024 World Championship begins on Saturday with the final on May 6.
More soon...
Complete first round draw (seeded number in parentheses)
(1) Luca Brecel vs. David Gilbert
(16) Robert Milkins vs. Pang Junxu
(9) Ali Carter vs. Stephen Maguire
(8) Shaun Murphy vs. Lyu Haotian
(5) Mark Selby vs. Joe O’Connor
(12) Kyren Wilson vs. Dominic Dale
(13) John Higgins vs. Jamie Jones
(4) Mark Allen vs. Robbie Williams
(3) Judd Trump vs. Hossein Vafaei
(14) Tom Ford vs. Ricky Walden
(11) Zhang Anda vs. Jak Jones
(6) Mark Williams vs. Si Jiahui
(7) Ding Junhui vs. Jack Lisowski
(10) Gary Wilson vs. Stuart Bingham
(15) Barry Hawkins vs. Ryan Day
(2) Ronnie O’Sullivan vs. Jackson Page
Who could challenge O’Sullivan at the Crucible?
Marc Williams
Like world number 1 O’Sullivan, Mark Williams could become the oldest world champion in history, with the Welshman turning 49 at the end of March.
Age has not been a barrier for Williams this season as he has won two titles – the British Open in October and the Tour Championship earlier this month – and climbed to No. 6 in the world rankings.
He beat O’Sullivan 10-5 in the final of the Tour Championship in Manchester after winning seven frames in a row in the evening session, having beaten world number 2 Judd Trump in the quarter-finals and world number 3 Mark Allen in the semi-final. -finals.
Williams will now attempt to win her fourth world title in Sheffield, 24 years after her first triumph at the Crucible and six years after her previous one, in 2018.
Judd Trump
Trump’s trophy-laden 2023-34 season saw him equal Steve Davies’ total of 28 career ranking titles and rank fourth on that all-time list, behind only O’Sullivan (41), Stephen Hendry (36) and John Higgins. (31).
The Bristolian has won five ranking events this season, winning three in a row with victories at the English Open, Wuhan Open and Northern Ireland Open last autumn and then at the German Masters and the World Open earlier in 2024.
Trump will now be looking for his second world crown and first since 2019, with the 34-year-old having only made it past the quarter-finals once since winning five years ago, which was say when he lost in the final to O’Sullivan in 2022. as his opponent claimed a record seventh victory at the Crucible.
Ding Junhui
Long tipped to become China’s first world champion, Ding has rediscovered his form and will be the seventh seed at The Crucible after a season in which he reached two ranking finals, losing to O’Sullivan at UK Championship and facing Trump in the UK Championship. Open world.
Ding, a player whose cue ball control was praised by O’Sullivan, reached the world final in 2016 before being beaten by Mark Selby and the semi-finals a year later before losing to the same player , but lost in the first. round over the past three seasons.
Yet his four Triple Crown titles (three UK Championships and one Masters) prove he can win big events.
Marc Selby
Selby suggested he would not continue if his form did not improve following his first round defeat earlier this month at the Tour Championship to Gary Wilson.
Nonetheless, Selby is the only player to have beaten O’Sullivan in the single-table setup at the Crucible, which happened in the semi-final and final, when he defeated The Rocket in the 2014 final.
His cautious and excellent approach to security contrasts with the all-out attacking style of O’Sullivan and Trump, which suits the longer format of the World Championship and is why Selby is a four-time world champion.
It’s worth remembering that Selby narrowly lost to Luca Brecel 12 months ago in the 2023 World Championship final and is the kind of player who can get into shape at a tournament.
Marc Allen
Allen has adopted a similar tactical approach to Selby in recent years and it is working wonders in terms of results.
Alongside O’Sullivan and Trump, Allen has been in great form over the past 18 months and has won the Champion of Champions, Players Championship and Shoot Out this season to move to 20 career titles.
The Northern Irishman has won the UK Championship and Masters, but a Crucible crown is alluding him.
Last year was Allen’s best effort at the World Championship, as he reached the semi-finals for only the second time and lost a tough final match to Selby 17-15.
Perhaps this year is the year Allen joins the illustrious list of snooker world champions.
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