The draw for the final stages of the 2025 Halo World Championship has been made with defending champion Kyren Wilson being pitted against Scottish Open winner Lei Peifan, who meet on Saturday morning.
The balls were pulled out on BBC Radio 5 Live by presenters Rick Edwards and Rachel Burden. The 16 seeds were drawn out at random against the 16 qualifiers.
A mouth watering repeat of the 2008 and 2012 world finals gets underway on the afternoon of Tuesday April 22nd, with seven-time World Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan taking on Ali Carter, while world number one Judd Trump’s clash with China’s Zhou Yuelong begins that evening.
The full draw is below:
Kyren Wilson (1) v Lei Peifan Jak Jones (16) v Zhao Xintong Neil Robertson (9) v Chris Wakelin Mark Allen (8) v Fan Zhengyi ——- Ronnie O’Sullivan (5) v Ali Carter Zhang Anda (12) v Pang Junxu Si Jiahui (13) v David Gilbert Mark Selby (4) v Ben Woollaston ——- John Higgins (3) v Joe O’Connor Xiao Guodong (14) v Matthew Selt Barry Hawkins (11) v Hossein Vafaei Mark Williams (6) v Wu Yize ——- Luca Brecel (7) v Ryan Day Ding Junhui (10) v Zak Surety Shaun Murphy (15) v Daniel Wells Judd Trump (2) v Zhou Yuelong
I will not lie, I’m not happy. My worst fear was that Ronnie could draw Ali, and of course it happened1 … as I expected actually. Ronnie has an excellent head-to-head against Ali, he’s won 24 of the 27 matches they played so far, but Ali is someone who gets under his skin and facing someone like that, may be he last thing Ronnie wants as he’s not been at his best mentally and emotionally for months. If he withdraws, I would understand. That said some media today suggest that he will play and maybe that draw may play the other way around, it may awake the competitive animal in him as he hates losing to Ali … time will tell. If Ronnie does play, and does win his first match, he has a decent chance to reach the QFs … where he could face Mark Selby. Ouch!
Now let’s have a look at the other matches in prospect.
Kyren Wilson v Lei Peifan . I expect Kyren to win this one, and to win it without too much fuss. Of course, all eyes will be on him, and “the curse” will be brandished by the media, but Kyren will definitely come out there well prepared.
Jak Jones v Zhao Xintong. Jak Jones is a player who thrives in longer formats but I believe that Zhao will “out pot” him. Zhao is extremely hungry and eager to redeem himself. He will be a menace for as long as he’s in the draw. Zhao Xintong to win.
Neil Robertson v Chris Wakelin. Now this is an interesting one. Neil can “outpot” everyone on his day, but if it goes tactical he may well struggle against Chris . Sitting on the fence here.
Mark Allen v Fan Zhengyi. I will go with Mark Allen here. He’s a far more complete and versatile player nowadays. He’s also able to be very patient when necessary. If he can’t dominate Fan, he will wear him out. Mark Allen to win.
Ronnie O’ Sullivan v Ali Carter. Ronnie to win. Just because it’s what I want to see … 😉
Zhang Anda v Pang Junxu. No clue whatsoever… Sitting on the fence here.
Si Jiahui v David Gilbert. Si Jiahui at his best can be devastating. Gilbert has the advantage that he’s already played two matches in the event, even if it’s not at the same venue. On the other hand, Gilbert is prone to surrendering to frustration when thing don’t go his way. Si Jiahui to win.
Mark Selby v Ben Woollaston. Mark Selby has won this event four times. His opponent, Ben Wollaston, is only emerging from a long spell of health issues and chronic fatigue. Ben has done extremely well to qualify but Selby will grind him out if he can’t dominate him. Mark Selby to win.
John Higgins v Joe O’Connor. This is an intriguing one. Joe in many ways is Mark Selby “disciple”. If any of the qualifiers is able to stand up to the shrewd John Higgins, it’s Joe. If Joe can get to a good start it’s game on. Sitting on the fence here.
Xiao Guodong v Matthew Selt. Wishful thinking time. Xiao to win. Seriously, I think and hope that Xiao can win this one. He has a lot of experience and a good temperament. He won’t be phased by Selt’s dubious tactics.
Barry Hawkins v Hossein Vafaei. Barry Hawkins is a bit of a Crucible specialist. Long matches seem to suit him and he rarely allows his emotions to get the better of him. Hossein is more “volatile”. Barry Hawkins to win.
Mark Williams v Wu Yize. I like both of them. Willo is struggling with his eyes, but he has so much experience and is such a shrewd player that I can’t see past him. Willo to win
Luca Brecel v Ryan Day. I suppose that the outcome of this one will largely depend on Luca’s form and interest in the match. Ryan is a scary potter … but not that great under pressure sometimes. Sitting on the fence here.
Ding Junhui v Zak Surety. Zak Surety has really impressed me in the qualifiers. If he gets used to the venue quickly and puts Ding under pressure early, he’s more than capable to win this match, and to win it comfortably. A lot here will depend on “what” Ding will show up on the day. Zak Surety to win.
Shaun Murphy v Daniel Wells. To be honest, I never expected Wells to make it to the venue. Fair play to him, he proved me wrong. All the same, I can’t see him beat Murphy at the Crucible. Shaun Murphy to win.
Judd Trump v Zhou Yuelong. The way this season has gone, it would be a major shock if Zhou were to beat Judd, and I’m not particularly prone to the use of the word “shock”, but this would be one. Judd Trump to win.
And I can’t help wondering if it was really random… . ↩︎
The 10 days long qualifiers for the 2025 World Snooker Championship came to an end yesterday. It proved to be a great event in itself – it always is – and this time the fans came in huge numbers for the latter stages of qualifying which is fantastic. It’s fantastic for the players involved, of course, but it’s also fantastic news for the sport and its future. Why? Because it shows that there is a shift in the “fans mentality”. Since I started following snooker closely, 15 years ago, until very recently, most fans appeared to be “focussed” on a very small group of top players, and barely knew the lower ranked players, nor were they interested in them. The huge attendance at the EIS this year shows that things are changing and it’s for the best.
Wu Yize will be one of a record ten Chinese players at the Crucible after beating Matthew Stevens 10-9 in a dramatic finish in the final qualifying round of the Halo World Championship.
The previous record of six Chinese players in the televised stages has been smashed as top 16 seeds Ding Junhui, Zhang Anda, Xiao Guodong, and Si Jiahui will be joined by six more who have come through the qualifying rounds: Zhao Xintong, Zhou Yuelong, Fan Zhengyi, Pang Junxu, Lei Peifan and Wu.
Two-time runner-up Stevens came from 9-7 down to 9-9 to set up a tense 35-minute decider. Wu missed the final green when he led 45-40, but he got another chance after a loose safety from Stevens and this time potted a tremendous green and added brown, blue and pink for victory.
“I am very happy. I thought I was going to lose, he gave me too much pressure and I made mistakes in the last frame. I didn’t think he would give me one more chance,” said 21-year-old Wu, runner-up in two ranking events this season.
In an even closer finish, Matthew Selt beat Jimmy Robertson 10-9 on the final black to book a fifth trip to the Theatre of Dreams. From 8-3 down, Selt fought back to 9-9 with a top break of 112. The decider lasted 49 minutes and Robertson missed match-ball pink to a top corner before Selt slotted in pink and black. However the Essex cueman admitted his victory was tarnished by the fact that his friend Robertson had pulled him aside earlier in the match as he found Selt’s antics off-putting.
“I have to apologise to Jimmy. After one of the frames I won he said I was distracting him and putting him off. So this win has no good feeling whatsoever,” said former Indian Open champion Selt. “Jimmy is one of my closest friends so for him to feel so strongly, I feel dreadful about it. I am gutted for him that he didn’t win so I want to say sorry to him. Everyone knows I commentate to myself during matches. He felt strongly enough to say something so I would have definitely been in the wrong.”
Two-time Crucible finalist Ali Carter overcame a neck injury to beat He Guoqiang 10-5. The Captain is through to the Crucible for the 21st time and will become one of only 12 players to make more than 20 appearances.
“I don’t now where it has come from but I have had a terrible neck ache with excruciating pain,” said Carter. “In my first match against Ian Burns if I had gone 6-3 down at the end of the first session I was going to withdraw. I managed to clear up to go 5-4 and then played some decent stuff in the second session, but I was in agony. It is still not right now but I’m battling through. I will have to see a physiotherapist over the next couple of days. A lot of players have neck trouble and I have been playing this game for 39 years. I am a competitive animal and I hate losing at anything. I don’t suppose many of the seeds will want to draw me.”
Maximum man Jackson Page, who banked a £147,000 bonus for making two 147s in his previous match, will not be at the Crucible as he lost 10-7 to Joe O’Connor. On his debut last year, O’Connor knocked out Mark Selby before losing to Kyren Wilson. “It’s great to be back there, I really enjoyed it last year,” said O’Connor, who was runner-up to John Higgins at the World Open last month. “I didn’t feel much pressure today because I don’t get too attached to the outcome of matches, I think I was born like that and it’s an advantage.”
Hossein Vafaei scored five centuries in a superb 10-4 win over Wang Yuchen. Breaks of 113 and 123 helped Iran’s top player Vafaei take a 7-4 lead and he finished with three consecutive tons, 104, 135 and 111, to earn a fourth consecutive Crucible appearance.
“The atmosphere today was unbelievable, it felt like the Crucible,” said Vafaei. “I had to perform for the fans and my best game came out. I started the season really badly so at least I can finish it in a better way and hopefully continue playing like that. I love playing in the big events.“
BetVictor Scottish Open champion Lei Peifanedged out Gao Yang 10-9 to earn his first trip to the Crucible, and will be one of three debutants alongside Zak Surety and Daniel Wells. Lei won his first ranking title in December in Edinburgh and will finish the season at the perfect location. Amateur Gao led 7-5 before Lei made breaks of 102 and 123 in taking an 8-7 lead. Gao took the next two frames and had chances for victory, but Lei took frame 18 on the final pink and the decider with a run of 66.
“Gao played really well and put me under a lot of pressure,” said 21-year-old Lei. “In the second session I made some adjustments to my game and that’s what won me the match. I kept telling myself to stay calm. Reaching the Crucible is just as exciting as winning the Scottish Open.“
Fan Zhengyi beat Michael Holt 10-4 with a top break of 135 while Pang Junxu saw off Jamie Jones 10-6 with a top run of 94.
So, here is the complete list of our qualifiers: Chris Wakelin, Zak Surety, Zhao Xintong, Zhou Yuelong, Ryan Day, Ben Woollaston, David Gilbert, Daniel Wells, Fan Zhengyi, Hossein Vafaei, Ali Carter, Pang Junxu, Joe O’Connor, Lei Peifan, Wu Yize and Matthew Selt.
I must admit that I would happily do without Selt. He may apologise all he wants, it isn’t the first time he’s involved in this kind of controversy and he’s no kid. He should know, and I’m certain he does know, that this kind of behaviour puts his opponents off. This is gamesmanship, this is cheating and he should at the very least have been warned for it. That’s how I see it and I would tell it in his face if I had the opportunity. To be honest, I can’t stand the guy. I met him on tour countless times. He’s got an opinion on everything and is prone to criticising fellow players. A good hard look at himself in the mirror is on order …
And now … we wait for the draw, and we can only hope that Ronnie turns up. Several players have expressed opinions about his absence/presence. John Higgins has been bluntly honest, he’d rather do without him in the draw. Mark Selby has said that he can relate to Ronnie’s feelings, as he suffers from depression himself. Mark said that he’d love to have Ronnie at the Crucible but only if he’s feeling well enough and that his health should come first. He added that depression never goes away, that the best you can do is “manage” it.
World number 73 Zak Surety booked a place in the televised stages of the Halo World Championship for the first time with an emphatic 10-3 victory over Ricky Walden in the final qualifying round.
Surety is enjoying by far the best season of his career, notably reaching the semi-finals of the recent World Open, and will finish the campaign in the perfect fashion with a Crucible debut in the event which gets underway on Saturday. Having beaten Jack Lisowski in the previous round, the 33-year-old from Essex took another fine scalp today as a top break of 133 helped him beat three-time ranking event winner Walden.
“I am the biggest World Championship fan,” said Surety. “I listen to the draw every year and this time I’m actually in it. I I will probably be up at 5am getting nervous waiting for it. When I lost in the semis in China (6-5 to John Higgins having led 5-3) it was devastating. I was thinking today, it can’t happen again can it? Surely it’s my turn for a nice drive home with a smile on my face. I must be doing something right. When Ricky shook my hand I have never been so relieved.”
Gary Wilson, the highest ranked player in the qualifiers at world number 17, suffered a 10-9 reverse against world number 49 Daniel Wells who will now play at the Crucible for the first time. Wilson came from 6-2 down to 6-6 then it was neck and neck to the finish until the decider when Wells made a break of 52 which helped him over the line. The 36-year-old has done other jobs in the past including cleaning toilets and running a burger van but can now looks forward to his moment in snooker spotlight.
“I don’t know how I held myself together, I couldn’t even stand up,” said Welshman Wells, holding back tears. “I was wondering if it would ever happen. I feel I am good enough to be there and I have worked really hard. It has to be the biggest win of my career. When I was 19 (in 2009) I lost 10-9 to Barry Hawkins in the final qualifying round and I thought the world was at my feet. Things haven’t worked out that way and I haven’t come close again until now.”
David Gilbert, a semi-finalist in Sheffield last year before losing to Kyren Wilson, came through a thrilling battle with Aaron Hill by a 10-9 scoreline to secure his 11th Crucible trip. Ireland’s Hill, seeking a debut, led 8-5 and 9-7 but Gilbert compiled breaks of 118 and 53 for 9-9. Hill had first chance in the decider but made just 20 before running out of position and Gilbert replied with 63. There was almost another twist as Hill got the snooker he needed on the last red, but Gilbert later dropped the green into a centre pocket for victory.
“I was a bit nervous because of what was on the line but I made a nice break in the decider,” said Gilbert. “I just tried from 8-5. Aaron was much better than me and he’ll be gutted. I hope he gets there one day but it was a bit of experience that got me through. I can try to finish the season on a high.”
Zhao Xintong will become the third amateur to play at the Crucible, after James Cahill in 2019 and Michael White in 2022 (potentially joined by Gar Yang who plays in Judgement Day tomorrow), as he beat Elliot Slessor 10-8 in a high quality match which featured breaks of 134, 127 and 103 from Zhao and 114, 113 and 126 from Slessor.
China’s Zhao won two ranking titles including the 2021 UK Championship before being banned for breaching betting regulations, but has now regained his tour card and will turn pro again at the beginning of next season. He is now set for a third Crucible appearance having played there in 2019 and 2022.
“I am very happy, I’m so proud of myself,” said Zhao. “Slessor is a really good opponent and played really well tonight, there was huge pressure for me. I just try my best to play snooker and enjoy the table time. Hopefully I can come back to be a top player, but I need more wins.“
It was an emotional night for Ben Woollaston as he beat Ross Muir 10-4 to earn his second Crucible trip and first since 2013. Since 2021, Woollaston has suffered from chronic fatigue which often left him unable to get out of bed. His condition has improved gradually over recent months and better results have followed. He enjoyed a comfortable win tonight with a top run of 104.
“It has been too long,” said Woollaston. “For a few years I thought it was a matter of time before I fell off the tour. The last 12 months has been a massive improvement, I have been able to practise and win snooker matches again. There were times when I felt it wasn’t even worth trying, but I had to try for my family. I would like my two sons to come and watch me this time because the oldest was only a few months old the last time I played at the Crucible.”
Chris Wakelin, runner-up in the International Championship, earlier this season, earned his fourth Crucible appearance with a 10-2 win over Martin O’Donnell. “It’s never easy, even at 6-0 I didn’t feel comfortable,” said Wakelin. “Getting over the line means a lot. I’ve had an amazing season but to not finish at the Crucible would have been a massive shame. My thought process for every match is that my opponent will have to play bloody well to beat me. Hopefully I can get my first win at the Crucible.”
Zhou Yuelong is through to the Theatre of Dreams for a third time and first since 2019 as he came from 4-1 down to beat Yuan Sijun 10-5 with top breaks of 117 and 118. Ryan Day, a veteran of 15 previous Crucible appearances including three quarter-finals runs, saw off Sunny Akani 10-5 with a top break of 104.
Zak Surety has always been a very good player and the surprising thing for me is not that he will be at the Crucible but actually that this is only the first time he will be there. I remember watching him play in PTCs, years ago, and wondering how he hadn’t got more success at the table.
The Zhao v Slessor match was indeed top quality. I’m glad that Zhao won it. Since his return from his ban, he’s obviously put the work in and it showed in these qualifiers as it showed in the Q-Tour. Zhao is beautiful to watch. In the past, I sometimes found Slessor hard to like because he so often showed anger at the table when things were not going his way. There was none of it yesterday, which please me.
This had been my “expected winners” for yesterday: Gary Wilson, Zhou Yuelong, Zak Surety, Ben Wollaston, Zhao Xintong, Ryan Day, Chris Wakelin, David Gilbert. That’s 7 out of 8. Not bad and, really, Daniel Wells beating Gary Wilson came as a big surprise to me. All credits to Daniel but I’m not sure many expected him to beat Gary Wilson the way their respective careers have gone so far.
Also, if Ronnie does withdraw last minute, Gary Wilson will be even more aggrieved, because, being the highest seed in the qualifiers, he’s the one who would have been “promoted” to a “seeded” spot if Ronnie withdrew before round three began
Where should I start ??? “Extraordinary” doesn’t even come close to accurately describe what happened yesterday at the EIS as Jackson Page made not one but TWO maximum breaks in his match against Allan Taylor, and earned by far his biggest pay day as a professional snooker player. Those were and the 215th and 216th maximums in professional snooker. Page actually became the first player ever to make two maximums in one match. They came in frames 8 and 12. Jackson had never made a 147 in professional play before and it earned him the “147,000 pounds Triple Crown bonus”.
Jackson Page made history by becoming the first ever player to craft two 147 breaks in a single match, claiming a massive £147,000 bonus in the process.
The Welshman made two maximums during his 10-2 win over Allan Taylor in the third round of Halo World Championship qualifying. His first came yesterday afternoon and astonishingly a second came in the last frame of the match today.
As a result, Page earns the £147,000 bonus on offer for making two maximums across snooker’s four majors this season. The 23-year-old is also in line to scoop a further £10,000 for making a 147 in the qualifiers and the £15,000 high break prize for the event. That could potentially take the total payout to £172,000, by far the biggest payday of his career.
The two perfect breaks were the first and second 147s of Page’s fledgling career. There have now been 14 maximums so far this season, which breaks the record for a single campaign. Today’s break was the 216th maximum in the history of professional snooker.
World number 35 Page said: “It feels great. Breaking records is brilliant. I’ve made a lot of 147s leading up to this event in the club. It felt routine out there in the end. I’m over the moon to have got it done.
“I never ever go for them in matches. I do when I’m practising. When I’m at the club I could be on the first black and think that the maximum is on. Here you try and win the frame. After I made the first one yesterday, I had to have a go for the second. It paid off, maybe I’ll start going for more.“
And this came in the last frame of the match as well!
Here is the first one:
Hitman Halts The Ballrun
Michael Holt moved one match away from a first Crucible appearance in nine years, after a 10-6 win over 2015 World Champion Stuart Bingham at Halo World Championship Qualifying.
The Hitman’s professional career came under threat in 2022, when he fell off the circuit. During two years away from the World Snooker Tour, he set about a career coaching amateur players. However, Holt’s performances on last season’s Q Tour ensured the 46-year-old regained his professional status.
He’s enjoyed a good first season back, highlighted by a run to the quarter-finals of the UK Championship before Christmas.
Defeat for Bingham ends a 14-year run of consecutive Crucible appearances. He last missed out back in 2010.
Victory for Holt sees him earn a Judgement Day meeting with Fan Zhengyi, who beat Robbie Williams 10-6. The Nottingham cueman last appeared at the Theatre of Dreams in 2016, when he beat Neil Robertson before losing to Mark Williams.
Looking ahead to the final qualifying round, Holt is fully aware of the unique tension it comes with.
Holt said: “It’s a funny one. There’s a slightly different atmosphere. I think you can just sense it. The Crucible is such a special place to play snooker. You never forget it, whether it has been good or bad. You just want to get there. It is a twitchy game, you have to put it to the back of your mind and get to ten.
“It was great qualifying for the UK Championship. It was a nice story after being off the tour and now being back on. It would be great to get back to the Crucible again. When you drop off the circuit you don’t know whether you will get there again or even play professional snooker again. I’ve got another mountain to climb and ironically if I do manage that I’m only at base camp.”
Jackson Page made history by becoming the first ever player to craft two 147 breaks in a single match, claiming a massive £147,000 bonus, following a 10-2 win over Allan Taylor.
The £147,000 bonus is for any player who can make two 147s across snooker’s four majors. However, Page is also in line to scoop a further £10,000 for making a 147 in the qualifiers and the £15,000 high break prize for the event. That could potentially take the total payout to £172,000.
Page will now face Joe O’Connor on Judgement Day, but whatever happens he has comfortably secured the biggest payday of his career so far.
World number 35 Page said: “It feels great. Breaking records is brilliant. I’ve made a lot of 147s leading up to this event in the club. It felt routine out there in the end. I’m over the moon to have got it done.
“I never ever go for them in matches. I do when I’m practising. When I’m at the club I could be on the first black and think that the maximum is on. Here you try and win the frame. After I made the first one yesterday, I had to have a go for the second. It paid off, maybe I’ll start going for more.”
Ali Carter put on a battling display to come from 7-6 down and beat Ian Burns 10-8. The Captain will now play He Guoqiang, who scored a 10-9 win over Scott Donaldson. Despite a strong run, Burns suffers tour relegation after today’s result.
Former European Masters champion Jimmy Robertson held his nerve to beat 18-year-old Stan Moody 10-9. He now faces Matthew Selt, who beat Anthony Hamilton 10-3. Defeat for Hamilton means he will require Q School to return next season.
This is what comes for us, and the players of course, today and tomorrow:
Screenshot – snooker.org
Who do I believe will go through?
Gary Wilson, Zhou Yuelong, Zak Surety, Ben Wollaston, Zhao Xintong, Ryan Day, Chris Wakelin, David Gilbert, Hossein Vafaei, Michael Holt, Joe O’Connor, Pang Junxu, Matthew Stevens, Lei Peifan, Jimmy Robertson, Ali Carter
Who do I want to go through?
Gary Wilson, Zhou Yuelong, Rick Walden, Ben Wollaston, Zhao Xintong, Sunny Akani, Chris Wakelin, David Gilbert, Wang Yuchen, Michael Holt, Jackson Page, Pang Junxu, Wu Yize, Lei Peifan, Jimmy Robertson, He Guoqiang
Anyway… all of them are there on merit.
Good luck to all the players involved in the grueling Judgement Days!
The 2025 World Championship qualifying rounds are still underway and for the players involved that’s the most important thing. For the media however, and probably for many fans as well, the big talking point still is “Will Ronnie play?” and it will probably stay this way until his decision is known.
So, hereafter we have two other greats of the game, John Higgins and Steve Davis, sharing their thoughts about the situation.
John Higgins spoke to Nick Metcalfe ahead of the World Championship
‘I’d rather Ronnie O’Sullivan doesn’t turn up’ says John Higgins ahead of World Championship
By Nick Metcalfe
John Higgins believes Ronnie O’Sullivan will play at the World Championship, but admits that he’d rather see the seven-time Crucible winner withdraw.
O’Sullivan, who has been out of competitive action for more than three months, has suggested he’ll decide at the last minute whether he’ll be in Sheffield.
The Essex man has indicated he’ll likely make the call on Thursday or Friday, ahead of the tournament starting on Saturday.
Higgins, four times a world champion, seems in no doubt that O’Sullivan will compete in the sport’s biggest event.
And he also thinks O’Sullivan is very capable of repeating his trick of 2013, when he won the World Championship having taken nearly the whole of the season off.
Ronnie O’Sullivan at the 2013 World Championship
“I think he will be there, I’ve got a feeling,” Higgins told Sporting Life.
“I think he’ll be holding on to try and (have) the same thoughts he had when he took the year out and he came back and won it.
“I think he’ll be trying to take the positives. Although he’s not had a year out, he’s obviously had a good chunk of the season out. I’m sure he’ll be there, yeah.
“He can win it because he’s Ronnie. I would never ever rule that man out from winning anything, not at all.
“If he plays, he’s going to be a massive danger to everyone, without a doubt.“
Higgins has himself enjoyed a golden period just weeks before his 50th birthday. He won his first ranking tournament in four years with success at the World Open in Yushan last month.
And he followed that up with a glorious Tour Championship triumph in Manchester, coming from 8-5 behind to beat Mark Selby 10-8 in the final.
John Higgins with a clearance for the ages at the Crucible 12 months ago
Now comes the most demanding test of all, the Crucible marathon, which Higgins last won in 2011.
The Scot is candid enough just days ahead of the tournament to say he’d rather O’Sullivan was absent, as that would mean one major rival – and perhaps the most threatening of all – that he won’t have to worry about.
“I’ve got to be brutally honest, I’d rather Ronnie doesn’t turn up from a selfish point of view, because you know how strong a player he can be,” Higgins said.
“That’s me being brutally honest. I think you’d be lying if you said you want him there, I think you’d be a bit of a liar.
“I’m not trying to be disrespectful. I’ve got enough players to be worried about without adding Ronnie to the list.”
O’Sullivan, 49, was last in action in the Championship League in January. He pulled out of the Masters just a few days before the tournament on medical grounds and has also withdrawn from a number of events since then.
Although O’Sullivan clearly remains the sport’s most famous figure and its main box office attraction, Higgins says he hasn’t really noticed his absence during recent tournaments.
Ronnie O’Sullivan when winning his seventh world title in 2022
“I’ll be honest, I’ve not actually noticed he’s (not been there) at these last events,” Higgins added. “The Grand Prix, the Players and the Tour Championship, obviously he wasn’t in them. I’ve not really missed him.
“I’m maybe different from the paying public. I don’t know, it’s a funny one. The best people to be asking about it is the paying public and the viewing public back at home.
“It’s as if we’ll have to get used to him not being there maybe sooner rather than later, with the noises he’s making, where he might not be playing much in the next couple of years and might just be doing his exhibitions and things.
“I think, if you’re asking a fellow player, all we’re interested in basically is ourselves and to get yourself ready, you’re not caring about the opposition.”
If O’Sullivan does withdraw, it will be the first time he’s missed the tournament in his professional career. He last won the event in 2022, when he equalled Stephen Hendry’s record in the modern era of seven Crucible triumphs.
The World Championship begins on Saturday morning, with Kyren Wilson trying to defend the title he won for the first time 12 months ago.
Steve Davis rates ‘superhuman’ Ronnie O’Sullivan’s World Snooker Championship chances
by Phil Haigh
Published April 14, 2025 12:02pm Updated April 14, 2025 12:24pm
Ronnie O’Sullivan is yet to confirm his Crucible attendance (Picture: Getty Images)
Steve Davis would love to see Ronnie O’Sullivan win the World Snooker Championship this year but cannot see it happening and would not blame the Rocket if he retired.
The snooker world awaits O’Sullivan’s decision on whether he will play at the Crucible this month or not, with an announcement yet to be made.
The seven-time champion has barely played in 2025 and has said he will not confirm whether he will be in Sheffield until shortly before the event begins on Saturday.
The 49-year-old has played this season, competing pretty regularly in the first half of the campaign, but has not been in action since January at all.
O’Sullivan took the whole of the 2012/13 season off before playing and winning the 2013 World Championship, so few would rule out his chances if he does turn up at the Crucible, but Davis would be surprised if he got his hands on the trophy.
‘I don’t think he can at 49,’ Davis told Metro. ‘It was a jaw-dropping thing when he did that last time, having a whole season off and winning it. That was astonishing, This would be even more astonishing.
‘I don’t think he’s going to win the World Championship this year, but I’d love it if he did.
O’Sullivan last played at the Championship League in January (Picture: Getty Images)
‘He is still the person that we think can fly, he’s the genius and we’re all believers to some degree. We know he’s superhuman when he’s on a snooker table.
‘But we still don’t know if he’s going to play. Even though it’s the World Championship, the most exciting event of the season, if he’s not feeling it, he’s not feeling it. He could pull out the day before the match if he’s not feeling right.
‘We’re all hoping he plays in it because it’s his office to some degree and it would be sad to see him not there. And it will be a sad day when he retires as well because of how much enjoyment he’s given to so many people and how much astonishing snooker he’s played.’
The Rocket remains one of the favourites to win the world title this year despite his lack of competition and advancing years, but six-time champ Davis feels his game is not where it needs to be to earn more Crucible glory.
‘The problem for him is, when he gave up the ground last time round he was still cutting edge,’ he said. ‘It’s not so clear cut that he’s cutting edge by any stretch, he’s not ahead of the game anymore, unless he’s on absolute top form.
Steve Davis feels the competition has caught up with O’Sullivan (Picture: Getty Images)
‘He can’t just switch the switch on and blow his opponents away anymore. He needs a bit of help, so if he were to win it he’d players to not play brilliantly against him and he needs to be on top form. It’s a marathon event and the older you are it takes its toll more and more.’
If O’Sullivan could pull off an incredible victory then it would take him clear on a record eight world titles, ahead of Stephen Hendry, which Davis wouldn’t mind seeing.
‘I’d love it if he won, not just that we’d want to see the look on Stephen Hendry’s face,’ Davis joked. ‘It is going to be harder because he is going to have to dig deeper than he did that time before.’
The 67-year-old was the sport’s greatest star in the 1980s and was considered the GOAT before Hendry took the mantle and then O’Sullivan replaced the Scot, in the opinions of most snooker fans.
Davis feels the Rocket handles the pressure of being the sport’s shining light impressively, but it will eventually wear him out and would understand it if O’Sullivan wants to hang up his cue for good.
‘I think he copes with it very well but I think it still takes its toll, taking the responsibility, and you feel like the weight is on your shoulders a little bit more,’ said the Nugget.
‘I think he does it very well but it is understandable if he decides to jack it all in. Anybody that was disappointed in him should have a reality check because of how much he’s given to the game. The enjoyment he’s given has been astonishing.
‘It’s down to him. If he can still build up the enthusiasm to enjoy the game of snooker and compete and when his mind’s right for it then that’s fantastic. But if he decides he’s had enough and can’t do it anymore. We’d all go, “woah, what a fantastic career, every credit for how long he’s been at the top of the game.”
‘Somewhere down the line you can learn to not like the game you first loved. It’s human nature.’
John’s honesty may not be everybody’s cup of tea but I do appreciate it. Of course the other players don’t want him there, why would they? Steve Davis, of course, isn’t playing anymore, he looks at it from the perspective of a media person who is a fan of the sport as well.
World number 20 Chris Wakelin says that becoming a father has released the on-table pressure after beating Xing Zihao 10-5 to earn his place in the final round of Halo World Championship Qualifying.
Wakelin’s baby daughter was born prematurely in January, but thankfully she is now doing well and her health has stabilised.
The experience over the last few months for Wakelin has placed snooker in perspective. He admits that the pressure he once felt at events such as Crucible qualifying has now dissipated.
Tonight’s encounter was finely poised at 5-5, until Wakelin blitzed for the line. Breaks of 62, 66 and 68 helped him to five on the bounce and victory. He now faces Martin O’Donnell, who beat Jordan Brown 10-8 with the clock just past 1am.
An appearance at the Crucible would cap off what has been an amazing campaign for Wakelin. He was runner-up to Ding Junhui at the International Championship and then went on to qualify for the Masters for the first time in January.
However, the Englishman says that irrespective of what happens on Judgement Day, he will be delighted with his season.
“It will be an amazing season regardless of what happens this week. I have missed out narrowly in the last couple of years and it would be a shame to not cap off the season. I am delighted with that win because he is a good player,” said 33-year-old Wakelin.
“The bottom line is that if I don’t get through, then I don’t really care. I’ve not had the best few months. I’ve had a nervous start to becoming a dad. The results over the last couple of months haven’t gone my way, but I’m aware the reason for that is I have a family now.
“It is absolutely magic being a dad. I never wanted children until I found out Lucy was pregnant. As much as it was scary when she was born prematurely, I am really grateful to all the people who have reached out to me. We are through the worst of it now, she is coming up to four months old and I’m looking forward to the future.
“I want to win, but if I lose I can say to myself that I can win the next tournament and I go home to a loving and beautiful partner and a little baby girl who is doing amazingly. The results aren’t as important anymore. I’ll try my absolute best, but the reality is I’m very lucky in my life with the people around me.”
Zhao Xintong is just one win away from a Crucible return after defeating Chinese compatriot Lyu Haotian 10-4.
Former UK Champion Zhao will regain his professional status next season after returning from suspension and playing on the amateur Q Tour this term. Victory in four of the seven events saw Zhao comfortably top the standings and earn a tour card.
The hugely talented 28-year-old crafted runs of 90, 137, 59 and 116 in the last five frames to seal victory. He now plays Elliot Slessor, who defeated Marco Fu 10-6.
Ben Woollaston and Mark Davis battled it down to the final black, but after a 58-minute decider, it was Woollaston who prevailed 10-9. He moves on to face Ross Muir in the final round. Muir is gunning for a Crucible debut and defeated Tom Ford 10-7.
.As usual this report by WST is far from exhaustive. One results that has been overlooked but pleased me is the Sunny Akani’s win over Noppon Saengkham, although I would have preferred that it came at the expense of some other player because I really like Noppon as well. Sunny is currently ranked 93, and, as it stands is the lowest ranked player already “booked” in round 4, other than Zhao Xintong who competes here as an amateur…
Sunny and his father should be proud of what they achieved. I remember them when Sunny started as a pro: they lived in their car, literally, because they couldn’t afford renting a place to live in, nevermind paying for hotel rooms. Despite this Sunny always came to play neat and properly dressed and he always gave it everything at the table.
Jackson Page fired in his first ever 147 break during his third round Halo World Championship Qualifying match at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
The Welsh 23-year-old crafted a perfect break in the eighth frame against Allan Taylor to blitz to a 7-1 lead. His previous best break was a run of 142 in last year’s World Championship.
It puts Page in line for a £10,000 bonus on offer for maximum breaks made at Crucible qualifying and places him in pole position for the £15,000 high break prize for the entire event. If Page can conjure another perfect run during the tournament, he will receive an eye watering £147,000.
There have now been 13 maximum breaks this season, which equals the record first set in 16/17 and equalled in 22/23 and 23/24. It is the 215th official 147 in snooker history.
For the true snooker fans who, like me, are not so young and have been following the sport for a long time, yesterday was a bittersweet day. It’s great to see young talents developing but it’s sad to see players that you have appreciated for years saying their goodbye. It’s life. No one and nothing lasts forever.
Yesterday, Dominic Dale, Joe Perry were relegated , as was Jimmy White the day before, and whilst Jimmy might get yet another invitational tour card1, for Dom and Joe it’s probably the end of the road as professionals. Both have dedicated their life to the sport – thank you Dom and Joe – and I hope that we will at least see them on the Seniors tour, and, of course, in the commentary box.
Zak Surety made nine breaks over 50, including three centuries, to edge out Jack Lisowski in a high quality clash and move one win from a Crucible debut at Halo World Championship Qualifying.
The Essex cueman enjoyed a breakthrough run at this year’s World Open, where he made the semi-finals of a ranking event for the first time. He had looked on course to reach a dream maiden final, but lost 6-5 to John Higgins from 5-3 up.
It was Surety who trailed after today’s first session, when he emerged with a 6-3 deficit. Tonight he fired in breaks of 139, 80, 100, 80, 64 and 103 to cap off a stunning display and book a Judgement Day clash with Ricky Walden, who defeated Mitchell Mann 10-9 on the final black.
“I’m buzzing. I’m a bit speechless. I’ve got a few scars from the semi-final in China. When I got to nine, all I could think about was John Higgins clearing up against me. I had to tell myself to shut up. I’m delighted that I managed to hold my nerve. Especially in the World Championship and against Jack,” said 33-year-old Surety.
“It will be a new experience playing on Judgement Day. It is something I’ve watched every year and I’ve never quite got there. I’m excited. If I play like that I have every chance of doing well. I need to try and go in and play it like every other match. It obviously isn’t, but I’ll enjoy this win, go in full of confidence and try my best.“
The careers of two snooker stalwarts, Dominic Dale and Joe Perry, came to an end after they suffered respective defeats this evening. Both players turned professional in 1992 and arrived at this week’s event having made up their minds that it would be their last.
Dale lost out 10-5 to Welsh compatriot Daniel Wells, who will now face Gary Wilson on Judgement Day. Afterwards 53-year-old Dale, who won the British Open in 1997 and the Shanghai Masters in 2007, proclaimed that he couldn’t have given his career any more.
Dale said: “I think I’ve got the best out of myself. I’m very fortunate to have been in two major ranking finals and won them both, as well as the Shoot Out. I shall look back on my career and think I did the best I could. I’ve left my mark on the sport. As a commentator, I will still be watching it assiduously.
“I want to thank everybody for all the support I’ve had over the years. We’ve played in some wonderful venues and travelled to some wonderful places, especially in China. Seeing the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an will live long in the memory. I’ve been fortunate to have met some great people and fans. I hope they can continue to enjoy snooker the way I shall.”
Perry’s 33-year career came to an end with a 10-5 loss at the hands of China’s Yuan Sijun, who now plays compatriot Zhou Yuelong. The Gentleman’s finest moment came in the 2022 Welsh Open, when he defeated Judd Trump in the final. He also won the Players Championship Grand Final in 2015.
Perry said: “There’s people I’d like to swap careers with and I’m sure there are plenty out there that would like to have had mine. I’ve got no regrets. I’ve given snooker everything and the time has come. I’m absolutely fine with it.“
World number 17 Wilson thrashed Hammad Miah 10-1. Aaron Hill scored an impressive 10-5 win over Anthony McGill. He now plays last year’s losing semi-finalist David Gilbert, who defeated Gong Chenzhi 10-5.
I haven’t much to add. I don’t want to detract from Zak Surety’s win – he was excellent – but … Jack was his infuriating self again 😡.
Ronnie O’Sullivan opens up on past regrets, hopes for the future and winning an elusive eighth world title at the Crucible – as he insists ‘I’m not ready to quit yet!’
Ronnie O’Sullivan recently returned to the practice table after being ‘burnt out’
Veteran’s participation in this year’s World Championship hangs in the balance
He has set himself a deadline to try to rediscover his form and love for the sport
By DAVID COVERDALE
As he takes a drag from his cigarette, Ronnie O’Sullivan issues a health warning to young snooker fans. Only it is not smoking that he is advising them against.
‘You get one life and you should choose something that doesn’t tug at your heartstrings quite as much,’ says the greatest snooker player of all time, speaking to Mail Sport, fag in hand, from his home in Essex.
‘That’s what snooker has done to me. I wouldn’t want anyone that I care about to go through what I went through.
‘From the age of 12 to 16, I loved the game. If that had continued through my career, I’d say to my kids, “Yeah, go and play snooker, it’s been amazing”. But I’ve had a lot of problems from 17 up until now and it takes its toll on you. It starts to sap away at your happiness.
‘Most people who live in the real world probably have four or five different jobs in their career. But as a sportsman, you only get one, so you have to stick with it whether it’s good or bad. You have got to stay in it until you decide that it’s not working for you.’
In January, O’Sullivan decided that snooker was not working for him. He pulled out of the Masters as defending champion, and has gone on to skip four further tournaments on medical grounds.
Ronnie O’Sullivan recently returned to the practice table following a short break.
The Rocket has recently returned to the practice table and even hit two maximum breaks — including one in only 6min 23sec — while playing locals at his academy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia earlier this week. Yet just six days out from the start of this year’s World Championship, the record seven-time champion has still not decided if he will enter the draw.
O’Sullivan has not missed the Crucible event since making his debut there in 1993, but he will wait until after his final practice session on Wednesday to make the call. ‘If it’s like it is today, it’s just not going to be pretty for me,’ says one of sport’s most tortured souls on the day we chat.
As for his long-term future, O’Sullivan — who turns 50 in December — has set himself another deadline to try to rediscover his form and love for the sport. ‘I’m not quitting just yet, but I will give myself two years to try and figure it out,’ reveals the world No5, who is now being coached by long-time associate Gary Filtness.
‘I don’t want to finish my career feeling like I wasn’t really performing to the level that I know I can. I don’t have to win tournaments, but I just want to feel like I’m enjoying the game. I’d like to go out with a smile on my face.
‘I have to try and repair myself and just try and find how I used to play snooker. It’s a massive rebuilding process and probably the last one I’ll ever have to do as a snooker player.
‘Do I think I can do it? Probably not if I’m being honest. I think it’s probably a bit too late in my career and I’m probably damaged goods in the form of a snooker player. You take a lot of battle scars over the years. But I’m not prepared to quit at this point because I feel like I would be quitting on a bit of a low.’
So how has O’Sullivan — who picked up his last world title as recently as 2022 and won the UK Championship and Masters just last season — plumbed such depths?
Breaking point, quite literally, came in January at the Championship League in Leicester, when he snapped his cue and binned it after a 3-2 defeat to Robert Milkins. He insists, however, that his red-mist moment had been on the cards for some time.
‘I regret it, but that wasn’t a spur of the moment thing, I’d had four years of just really struggling and I just couldn’t take it anymore,’ explains O’Sullivan, who says he is still searching for a new cue he is comfortable with.
‘It wasn’t the losing, it was the playing really, really badly. Four years of bad spells is a long time, so it burnt me out. It ground me down. It’s been torturous. I got to the point, especially at the start of the season, when I was getting scared to go near the practice table or getting scared to get my cue out of my case.
‘I tried playing left-handed for a whole month in August. Then I tried to change my bridge and I was wearing plasters on my fingers. So I have tried a lot of things but I’ve hit a dead end, which is why I needed to take time out.
‘It’s not a mental thing. It’s more of a physical thing. It’s really hard to explain. Watching my game on TV, I could see what was wrong, but I just didn’t know how to fix it. In the end, I couldn’t even watch myself play because I just hated it.
‘I believe that goes back six years to when I started changing my technique to try to find that extra five per cent of consistency. But I’ve totally made my game worse.’
Regrets over technique tinkering date back much further than six years. ‘My biggest mistake was when I was like 13, 14, trying to copy players like James Wattana and Ken Doherty,’ says O’Sullivan. ‘They were the best players I’d ever seen live and I thought I needed to cue like them.
‘That’s where the problems started. I should never have gone away from what I had because what I had was better than anybody else has ever had, in my opinion. I was self-taught. It was just very solid, very natural. I played for fun then.’
Fun is not something O’Sullivan has had at a snooker table for some time. ‘I think the last time I actually enjoyed playing was probably about 2018,’ he admits.
In the past, O’Sullivan has turned to running — the title of his 2013 autobiography — to help him through tough times, whether that be recovering from alcohol and drug addictions or battling depression. However, he has only just laced up his trainers again.
‘I thought if I am going to play at Sheffield, I need to at least try and get myself into some sort of training,’ he says. ‘So I started running again a couple of days ago, but I only ran for 12 minutes. That’s all I could do because I haven’t done anything since mid-December.’
Not since 2012-13 has O’Sullivan taken such a long break from snooker. During that season-long sabbatical, he did voluntary work at a farm in Epping Forest three days a week, feeding animals and cleaning out stables and pigsties.
‘It was nice to meet different people and different characters, who wanted something to do to give back,’ recalls the TNT Sports pundit. ‘Not someone who wants a selfie and who says, “You’re great”.
‘They didn’t give a s*** down there, it was just like, “Are you going to do some work or sit on you’re a*** and do nothing?”. It was good fun.’
Incredibly, having played just one competitive match that campaign, O’Sullivan made his comeback at the Crucible in April 2013 and successfully defended his title. So, could he make another victorious return this year and win an eighth world crown, giving him the outright record ahead of Stephen Hendry?
‘No,’ comes the instant reply. ‘In 2013, I didn’t pick my cue up for nine months, but when I did pick my cue up, I was hitting the ball like a dream.
‘I’m now coming from a point where, if I was to go to Sheffield, I’d be happy with just winning a match. I think that’d be a good result for me. If I got one win, I’d be over the moon.’
So, that’s not very encouraging and it’s not really new either, we have been there before… so all we can do is wait and accept whatever comes. At least he’s not ready to hang his cue just yet.
Ronnie O'Sullivan 