/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/03/24/image-545c7354-7580-4209-a6da-64a47e6f8312-85-2560-1440.jpeg "Is Ronnie O’Sullivan likely to face a minefield of former Crucible winners in bid for record eighth World Snooker Championship title?")
‘Very particular second!’ – Watch O’Sullivan create historical past with highest ever skilled break of 153
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Seeded twelfth this yr, the seven-time world champion might face fifth seed Higgins in the final 16, fourth seed Robertson in the final eight and prime seed Zhao in the semi-finals, a repeat of the last-four assembly final yr when Zhao received 17-7 with a session to spare.
Yet historical past suggests nothing goes to plan in relation to the World Championship seedings, with a mean of 4 main males likely to lose their first match on the Crucible.
Since 32 gamers have been first included in the primary spherical in 1982, the yr when Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins overcame six-time champion Ray Reardon 18-15 in the ultimate, all 16 prime seeds have but to attain the second spherical.
Indeed, defending champion Steve Davis was famously thumped 10-1 by Tony Knowles in the primary spherical in 1982 in one of the largest shocks in the match’s historical past.
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‘Dejected’ White drops cue, misses brown twice to lose closing body decider
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It can be value noting that O’Sullivan was the final first-time champion to make it so far as the semi-finals when he misplaced 17-13 to fellow seven-time champion Stephen Hendry in 2002.
On two events, 15 of the highest 16 seeds have received their opening matches, with Tony Meo upsetting Jimmy White, the twelfth seed, 10-8 in 1983 and 1981 runner-up Doug Mountjoy defeating fifteenth seed Alain Robidoux 10-6 a decade later.
But they’re exceptions to the rule in a main minefield with six of the highest 16 eradicated in the primary spherical final yr, together with the 2024 finalists Kyren Wilson and Jak Jones, with a stellar forged of qualifiers often match sharp by the point they attain the Crucible.
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Watch the second O’Sullivan will get big ovation in Crucible return
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It was not a big shock when eight of the highest 16 seeds have been dumped on the opening stage in 2024, a record yr for casualties alongside 1992 and 2012.
Seven have been eradicated in 2016 and 6 have suffered early exits in 1982, 1987, 1989, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013 and 2018.
Meanwhile, O’Sullivan will make a record thirty fourth straight look on the World Championship, having misplaced solely thrice in the primary spherical, in opposition to Alan McManus (10-7) on his debut, Marco Fu (10-6) in 2003 and James Cahill (10-8) in 2019.
”There is a lot that may go mistaken for you. You eat a unhealthy meal in the semi-finals, you’re feeling a bit in poor health and that’s your probabilities gone. So much of issues have gotten to come proper 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.”
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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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