World Snooker Championship runs from April 15 to May 1 in Sheffield; Ronnie O'Sullivan won his seventh world title last year, matching Stephen Hendry's Crucible record, after beating Judd Trump in the final; O'Sullivan plays Pang Junxu in first round of 2023 tournament
Friday 14 April 2023 13:43, UK
Ronnie O'Sullivan will begin his bid for a record eighth World Snooker Championship title at The Crucible with a first-round match against debutant Pang Junxu on Saturday.
O'Sullivan equalled Stephen Hendry's haul of seven world crowns in the modern era when he beat Judd Trump 18-13 in the 2022 final, with that success following victories in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2020.
The 47-year-old has not enjoyed a vintage season, reaching just two ranking quarter-finals - the UK Championship and the Welsh Open - and sits 23rd on the one-year ranking list.
O'Sullivan withdrew from last month's WST Classic in Leicester due to an elbow injury.
Other first-round ties for the World Championship - which runs from April 15 to May 1 - include No 2 seed and four-time winner Mark Selby up against Matthew Selt; 2019 champion Judd Trump versus 2020 semi-finalist Anthony McGill; and Kyren Wilson facing Ryan Day.
Ding Junhui, the 16th seed, plays Hossein Vafaei and will be O'Sullivan's opponent in the second round should both men progress.
Ding swept O'Sullivan 6-0 in the last eight of the UK Championship in York in November.
Ding's fellow Chinese players Pang, Fan Zhengyi, Si Jiahui and Wu Yize will make their Crucible bows having come through qualifying, with Wales' Jak Jones the fifth debutant this year.
Hendry and six-time World Championship runner-up Jimmy White were eliminated in qualifying, along with 2006 winner Graeme Dot, two-time finalist Matthew Stevens and 2013 runner-up Barry Hawkins.
Ten Chinese players, including 2020 Masters champion Yan Bingtao and 2021 UK Champion Zhao Xintong, are currently suspended amid charges related to match-fixing.
First-round matches at the World Championship are the best of 19 frames, with the second round and quarter-finals the best of 25, the semi-finals best of 33 and the final - to be held on April 30 and May 1 - settled over 35 frames.
