Ronnie O’Sullivan began his 2026 World Snooker Championship campaign on day four of the tournament at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, facing debutant He Guoqiang in the afternoon session.
The seven-time champion, aged 50, entered the match with a losing record of 2-1 against the world number 47, who had previously defeated him in the Champions League and English Open, making the fixture a potential banana-skin draw despite appearances.
O’Sullivan arrived in Sheffield following an indifferent season by his own high standards, with only a narrow 10-9 loss to Neil Robertson in the Saudi Arabia Masters final and a runner-up finish at the World Open standing out as notable results.
Despite appearing to go through the motions during the previous season, O’Sullivan reached the semi-finals of the 2025 World Championship, where he lost to eventual champion Zhao Xintong, reinforcing the notion that the Crucible remains the stage that truly motivates him.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xintong arrived as the defending champion in strong form, having defeated John Higgins 10-1 and Judd Trump 10-3 to win the Tour Championship in Manchester, adding to his victories in the World Grand Prix and Players Championship earlier in the season.
The Chinese star is positioned to develop into the first player to break the so-called ‘Crucible curse’, under which no first-time world champion has successfully defended their title at the tournament.
Among other contenders, Mark Selby, a four-time winner, has shown signs of resurgence after winning a UK Championship title, signaling recovery from well-documented mental health challenges, and is regarded as one of the few players capable of enduring the tournament’s grueling demands.
Neil Robertson, winner of the world title in 2010, has struggled to build on that success, with poor recent form at the Crucible including a qualifying exit in 2024 and a first-round loss to Chris Wakelin the previous year, though his return to third in the world rankings has renewed optimism about his prospects.
For more on this story, see Ronnie O’Sullivan faces He Guoqiang in 2026 World Snooker Championship.
Kyren Wilson, the 2024 champion, suffered a first-round exit last year when defeated by Chinese qualifier Lei Peifan, a result described as a shock given the standards of the defending champion’s expected performance, and his inconsistent season has raised questions about his ability to evolve into a multiple-time world winner.
In the early rounds, Liam Pullen, a 20-year-old from York, made his Crucible debut after qualifying through four matches, having previously dropped off the tour at the end of the 2024-25 season before regaining his card via Q School.
Pullen recalled being star-struck at age 12 when he saw John Higgins in a Pizza Express during the 2018 World Championship final between Mark Williams and Higgins, a moment he described with disbelief, saying he thought ‘Oh my god’.
Now competing alongside his former idol, Pullen expressed awe at being among the sport’s elite, stating it felt ‘fantastic’ to be at the Crucible, while emphasizing his desire to cherish the experience without becoming overconfident given his ongoing match.
During his qualifying campaign, Pullen came close to achieving a maximum 147 break against Noppon Saengkham, missing the 14th black on a score of 105, which would have earned him a £147,000 prize had he completed it.
His first-round match against Chris Wakelin ended in a 3-1 loss, with Wakelin taking the early advantage in their encounter at the venue.
What is the significance of Ronnie O’Sullivan’s record against He Guoqiang?
Ronnie O’Sullivan has a losing record of 2-1 against He Guoqiang, who has defeated him in both the Champions League and English Open, making their first-round match a potential trap despite O’Sullivan’s status as a seven-time champion.
Why is Zhao Xintong considered a strong contender to break the Crucible curse?
Zhao Xintong arrives as the defending champion in strong form, having won the Tour Championship, World Grand Prix, and Players Championship, and is seen as best positioned to become the first player to successfully defend a first-time world title at the Crucible.
How did Liam Pullen qualify for the 2026 World Snooker Championship?
Liam Pullen qualified for his first Crucible appearance by winning four matches in the qualifying rounds after regaining his tour card through Q School, having previously dropped off the tour at the end of the 2024-25 season.
