World Snooker Championship full draw as O’Sullivan & Trump learn fate

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 Carter versus Higgins will play either Guoqiang or O’Sullivan in the second round. He is one of four debutants, with teenager Stan Moody also drawn against another former champion, Kyren Wilson.

Moody follows in the footsteps of Trump as the first British teenager to qualify since 2007. The world number one was 17-years-old back then, two years younger than Moody is now.

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.