O'Sullivan chasing eighth Crucible title aged 50

Ronnie O'Sullivan beat John Higgins in the 2001 final for his first world title, then won it in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 and 2022 [Getty Images]

Reigning champion Zhao a man in form

The 17-day World Championship starts on Saturday, with the final beginning on Sunday, 3 May and concluding the next day.

O'Sullivan, who along with world number one Judd Trump were the only two of the 16 seeded players to not be at a media day at the Crucible on Friday, will play Chinese debutant He Guoqiang on Tuesday and Wednesday in round one.

But, according to the bookmakers and some players, China's first world champion and reigning title holder Zhao Xintong starts as favourite having won four events this season, including three of the past five ranking tournaments.

At the Tour Championship in Manchester this month, Zhao sent out a warning with an emphatic 10-3 demolition of Trump in the final.

"On form you would make Xintong favourite to retain his title," added Murphy. "He is just an incredible player to watch and someone the other players enjoy watching.

"It's the first time in a long time when Ronnie is not number one favourite for the tournament.

"Xintong is wonderfully talented and seems a genuinely nice kid who is super talented at snooker, and at the minute he is the best player on the planet."

Fourteen of the 16 players lined up for a photo at the media day at the Crucible before the 2026 World Snooker Championship [Getty Images]

However, that is a sentiment 29-year-old Zhao does not agree with.

"I can still be better. Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, everyone in the top 16 is better [than me]," said Zhao, who beat Mark Williams 18-12 in the 2025 final.

"There's a big pressure and I'm just trying to get better - I'm still learning. Now I'm nervous as I'm back at the Crucible, but I will try to control myself."

There is a bigger pressure on Zhao as he tries to overcome the so-called Crucible Curse, which has not seen any of the 20 first-time winners go on to retain their title the following year.

"I know a little bit about it and everyone is talking about this," added Zhao, fourth in the world rankings. "I'm not thinking about it. I have pressure, but the pressure is not from this, it's just from myself.

"I feel like everyone is looking at me. I have felt pressure all season but have handled it well."

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'12-1?' - Will O'Sullivan prove bookmakers wrong?

O'Sullivan is the third-oldest player in the tournament, behind other 'Class of 92' members John Higgins, 50, and 51-year-old Williams.

"Ronnie looks in good nick and is hitting the ball well and seems confident so he could have a big say in this tournament," said four-time champion Higgins.

Meanwhile, three-time winner Williams told BBC Radio 5 Live: "In years gone by you'd have O'Sullivan as 7-4 favourite, and Zhao Xintong is favourite, but at 4-1 - so that shows how difficult it is.

"A few weeks ago Ronnie was 12-1 to win, which has not been heard of. He has never been 12-1 to win a World Championship since he was 15.

"The older you get, the more unlikely you're going to win this competition because the stamina towards the end is where it really catches you out, but who knows?

"For the likes of me, John and Ronnie it's getting a lot harder. But I wouldn't be surprised if John or Ronnie did win it."

Robertson inspired by McIlroy's Masters wins

Rory McIlroy has won six golf majors, but had a 10-year spell between his fourth and fifth successes [Getty Images]

Australian Neil Robertson, the 2010 world champion, is third in the rankings and looking to golf for inspiration following Rory McIlroy's back-to-back wins at the Masters after the player from Northern Ireland went more than 10 years without winning one of golf's four majors.

"I thought once I won the first one, others would follow," said 44-year-old Robertson. "One of the things I look at is when Rory won the Masters and there was such a long time between majors.

"I'm drawing a bit of inspiration from him, just seeing how he dealt with those moments because I can never avoid those questions - 'how come you've never won another one?'

"A World Championship is pretty hard to win. It's amazing to have won one but I'm doing my best to win another."

England's Kyren Wilson, the world number two, clinched the most recent of snooker's Triple Crown titles with victory at the Masters in January.

He felt this was one of the most open World Championships in recent memory and said: "How exciting that you could name 10 to 16 players that could win.

"It makes it more watchable. There's more appeal and all of a sudden a new champion can arise so it's going to be really exciting and competitive.

"I'm right in the mix. Xintong the way he has been playing, Ronnie is going to be gunning for it and he was practising very, very hard in China, looked good and made that 153 break.

"Judd Trump has been very consistent, but also with 11 Chinese players you would not put it past a Chinese player winning again this year."