The draw for the 2023 World Championship at the Crucible has been made this morning live on BBC radio 5.
Here is how the first round pans out, with schedule (UK time)
Match 1. Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Pang Junxu
Saturday, April 15th – 10am and 7pm
Match 2. Ding Junhui vs Hossein Vafaei
Sunday, April 16th – 10am
Monday, April 17th – 10am
Match 3. Luca Brecel vs Ricky Walden
Saturday, April 15th – 2:30pm
Sunday, April 16th – 7pm
Match 4. Mark Williams vs Jimmy Robertson
Sunday, April 16th – 2:30pm
Monday, April 17th – 2:30pm
Match 5. Judd Trump vs Anthony McGill
Tuesday, April 18th – 2:30pm
Wednesday, April 19th – 2:30pm
Match 6. Jack Lisowski vs Noppon Saengkham
Tuesday, April 18th – 10am
Wednesday, April 19th – 10am
Match 7. Robert Milkins vs Joe Perry
Monday, April 17th – 7pm
Tuesday, April 18th – 7pm
Match 8. Shaun Murphy vs Si Jiahui
Wednesday, April 19th – 7pm
Thursday, April 20th – 7pm
Match 9. Mark Allen vs Fan Zhengyi
Monday, April 17th – 10am and 7pm
Match 10. Stuart Bingham vs David Gilbert
Saturday, April 15th – 10am
Sunday, April 16th – 10am
Match 11. Ali Carter vs Jak Jones
Saturday, April 15th – 7pm
Sunday, April 16th – 7pm
Match 12. Neil Robertson vs Wu Yize
Saturday, April 15th – 2:30pm
Sunday, April 16th – 2:30pm
Match 13. Kyren Wilson vs Ryan Day
Wednesday, April 19th – 10am and 7pm
Match 14. John Higgins vs David Grace
Monday, April 17th – 2:30pm
Tuesday, April 18th – 2:30pm
Match 15. Gary Wilson vs Elliot Slessor
Tuesday, April 18th – 10am and 7pm
Match 16. Mark Selby vs Matthew Selt
Wednesday, April 19th – 2:30pm
Thursday, April 20th – 1pm
Pang Junxu is a very, very good player but he’s a reasonably good draw for Ronnie in the first round. Pang attacks the game, he isn’t slow and, of course, he is a debutant. He’s not to be taken lightly at all but, if Ronnie isn’t suffering from his arm injury, this should be a winnable match. The second round however, should Ronnie get to that stage, will be mightily difficult, no matter who from Ding Junhui or Hossein Vafaei emerges the winner of their round 1 clash. That match, between Ding and Vafaei is the clash of the round.
And meanwhile … the venue is getting ready!
Images shared on social media by various sources
Ronnie O'Sullivan 
Pang Junxu’s last 3 ranking event finishes have been a QF, an SF, and an F, whereas Ronnie has yet to make it past the QF of a ranking even this season.
On that note, the last season in which Ronnie failed to play in at least 1 ranking SF was 1992-93, his first season on tour.
Oh, this season was so disappointing that there is no reason to be optimistic, just take it as it comes as long as it lasts.
I agree that Pang Junxu is a decent draw for Ronnie. Pang actually didn’t play his best in the qualifiers, but gradually improved during the matches and finished strongly. However, I disagree that he ‘is not slow’ – he’s very methodical and quite technical. But no seed can complain when they get drawn against a debutant. Pang will try hard but he won’t be a dangerous threat.
Ding Junhui aganist Hossein Vafaei is a very difficult draw for Ding, and whoever wins that match will probably be so relieved, that they might not have much left in the second round. That’s also a good sign for Ronnie.
There are some great matches: Murphy-Si, Robertson-Wu, Allen-Fan and Lisowski-Saengkham, which will be very open and attacking. Other matches are predictably duller. I don’t expect any of the debutants to win, so the tournament really starts in the second round.