Favorite Ronnie O’Sullivan got off to a trouble-free start at the Snooker World Championships in Sheffield. “The Rocket”, as the 48-year-old Englishman is known, defeated Welshman Jackson Page 10-1 in the first round at the Crucible Theater and easily reached the round of 16. In this one, the world number one will face Ryan Day and thus another Welshman from Sunday.
Reuters/Andrew Boyers
In O’Sullivan’s half of the table, several title contenders such as Welshman Mark Williams and Chinese Ding Junhui have already been eliminated from the tournament. Defending champion Luca Brecel from Belgium and four-time champion Mark Selby from England also lost their opening match. There is much to suggest a semi-final between O’Sullivan and his compatriot Judd Trump.
O’Sullivan is in search of his eighth world title in Sheffield and would thus overtake Scotland’s Stephen Hendry. He won his previous titles in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 and 2022. O’Sullivan caused a stir before the tournament when he openly called for the World Cup to no longer be held in Sheffield, but in Saudi Arabia or China to play out.
