World Championship 2024 - Quarter-Finals

David Gilbert 13-12 Stephen Maguire

Up until this stage, both Gilbert and Maguire have played brilliantly and are fully deserving of making the Quarter-Finals while the runs have been a surprise considering the pair have had quiet years on tour. Maguire has the better of the head to head with Gilbert but it was the angry farmer that came out on top in their most recent match at the 2020 Masters. Both players have had great World Championship campaigns to date coming through qualifying and building up momentum to get to this stage. Gilbert saw off the challenge of Milkins comfortably 13-4 in the last round while Maguire had to come through a tougher test 13-9 with Shaun Murphy. Both players love to attack so it should be a free-flowing, enjoyable game for the viewers. It’s very hard to call a winner and it’s hard to see either player running away with the win but I’m going to side with Gilbert to continue his run and reach the semi final for the first time since 2019.Just.

Judd Trump 13-8 Jak Jones

Trumps 2 matches at the crucible to date have been convincing, impressive victories against Hossein Vafaei and Tom Ford. Truth being told, he would’ve been expected to come through them matches and his Quarter-Final pairing with Jak Jones will be no different. His 5 titles this season mean he comes here full of confidence and will be eyeing up a possible showdown with World Number 1 Ronnie O’Sullivan in the Semi-Final. Jak Jones came through a tense last 32 with Si Jiahui, going in to the match as the underdog, both struggled to hit form during the match but the Welshman showed plenty of grit and determination to come through 13-9. He’s well known for enjoying playing at the Crucible following his run to the Quarter-Final last year and is well suited by the longer format. Trump leads the head-to-head between the pair (4-1) and this may be too much of a test for Jones to come through. Trump has looked comfortable in his wins so far and I expect this match to be no different.

Kyren Wilson 13-11 John Higgins

Coming into this one, both players will be full of confidence. Wilson has swatted aside his two opponents Dominic Dale and Joe O’Connor with the minimum of fuss while Higgins will still be on cloud nine following his outstanding final frame clearance against Mark Allen. Wilson has an awful head to head record against Higgins (19-6) but there is no better time to improve that record than now. Wilson will be keen to make up for the thrashing he got from Higgins in the last 16 of the World Championship in 2022 (13-2 Higgins). Will Higgins tougher route to this stage come back to haunt him at the back end of the match or will the fresher Wilson be able to pull away when it matters most? I’m going to side with Wilson as I’ve been very impressed with how he’s played so far and think it may be his time to make the breakthrough he’s been promising for the last few years.

Stuart Bingham 9-13 Ronnie O’Sullivan

7 time Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan has cruised into the quarter-finals defeating Jackson Page and Ryan Day with ease. He has played mediocre at beat up until this point but will know that he’ll have to up his game to compete with a sharp Stuart Bingham. Bingham came through a high quality match 13-11 with Jack Lisowski, where even though his scoring wasn’t could’ve been better, he was very clinical when presented with opportunities. That’s the difference between the opponents Ronnie has played so far, even when they’ve been given chances, they haven’t been able to take advantage. I expect to see a sharper Ronnie O’Sullivan because of this and the missed shots that we’ve seen in previous rounds won’t be as frequent. The possibility of a mouth-watering clash with Judd Trump if getting through here should push the world number 1 over the line here.

World Championship 2024 - Last 16

David Gilbert 13-10 Robert Milkins

The first match of the last 16 pits two players that came through first-round deciders against each other. Though the way Gilbert closed out his high-quality match with World Champion Luca Brecel was far more eye-catching than how Milkins laboured to victory against Pang Junxu. Winning the final four frames with 4 breaks of 50+ is a sign that Gilbert’s game is in a very good place at the minute and he will be fancying his chances of making this years quarter-finals at the very least. Although breathing a huge sigh of relief after coming through the first round, Milkins’ performance will have to significantly improve to compete with the ‘Angry Farmer’. Now he's got the opener out of the way, hopefully we'll see him relax and produce the free-flowing, exciting snooker that he's well capable of. He has a positive head to head record against Gilbert (7-4 Milkins) and has won both their encounters this season including a 4-0 triumph at the Welsh Open so will have confidence in defeating his opponent again. They've both had very similar seasons in terms of lack of real highlights so it’s very hard to be confident on the outcome but Gilbert’s display against Brecel along with his form shown in the qualifiers may just edge it.

Judd Trump 13-7 Tom Ford

The first session of Judd Trump’s victory over Hossein Vafaei was particularly impressive as he showed signs of the form that has made him 2^nd favourite to claim his 2^nd World title this year. With 5 titles to his name already this season, he comes here in good form and with a positive head-to-head record against his opponent (13-6 Trump) including a 5-0 thrashing in their latest encounter at the 2023 Wuhan Open he will be confident of progressing to another Crucible quarter-final. Thriving on confidence and getting the monkey off his back to claim his first victory in 5 attempts at the Crucible will help Ford. He played solidly making seven 50+ breaks in defeating Ricky Walden in Round 1 and if playing like that against Trump, he will no doubt cause him problems. If both players play their best, Trump should win but if dropping his standard Ford is capable of picking up the pieces and causing a shock.

Jak Jones 13-12 Si Jiahui

This match sees two contrast in styles go head to head. Jones tends to wait patiently for his opponent to offer up an opportunity while Jiahui is very attacking and doesn’t turn down many shots. It sets it up for a very interesting match and we know both players feel comfortable at the Crucible having gone deep in last season's tournament. Jones surprisingly came through comfortably against Anda and showed signs throughout of the grit and determination he is well known for. Jiahui was victorious in a final frame decider with Mark Williams. Even though the Welshman wasn’t at his best, Jiahui held his nerve impressively to get over the line, producing a brilliant break of 77 in the decider. Jiahui did lose to Jones earlier this year and the Welshman currently leads the head-to-head 2-1, all things considered this is a very close tie to call as both players clearly enjoy the longer formats, Jones to nick it.

Stephen Maguire 9-13 Shaun Murphy

A rivalry that goes back 20 years, there’s guaranteed to be needle in this one. This is a repeat of their first-round match two years ago where Maguire came out on top 10-8. Maguires first-round win against Ali Carter was very impressive as he hit 2 centuries on route to 10-7 victory. He has struggled with consistency over the last few years but including his 2 qualifying round wins last week, the Scotsman may be building up some momentum. Murphy came through against Lyu Haotian with the minimum of fuss and the 2005 World Champion will see this as a big opportunity to make the quarter-final. His scoring his one of his main assets and he managed to make eight 50+ breaks in round 1. Two of the most attacking players in the game, their head to head record is tied on 14-14, it's hard to escape the view that this should be a cracker but I’m going to side with Murphy due to a stronger all-round game.

John Higgins 10-13 Mark Allen

An improvement from round 1 will be needed from both, the last few meetings between the pair have been very close and I expect this one to be no different. Allen never looked in trouble in Round 1 against Robbie Williams but dropped off in the 2nd session, he looked very good at the start of the match but will have to keep up that form when playing an opponent of Higgins’ class. The Scotsman held off a spirited fight back from Jamie Jones to come through in round 1, Jones is well known for his battling qualities but Higgins showed his class to come through comfortably 10-6. He knows he can defeat Allen but will have to be on the top of his game, Allen’s become a much more dangerous opponent over the last few seasons. I expect a close match but the Northern Irishman to just edge it.

Joe O’Connor 11-13 Kyren Wilson

Before the Championship, there was very few tipping Kyren Wilson to be a possible title contender but the emphatic fashion of his 10-1 demolition of Dominic Dale in round 1 has made people take notice. Facing a tough opponent in Joe O’Connor who’s confidence will be high coming off the back of defeating practice partner Mark Selby fairly comfortably 10-6. It was a huge confidence boost for O’Connor on his debut at the Crucible and both players will see this as an opportunity to advance to a quarter-final where the winner of Mark Allen and John Higgins will be waiting. The pair are definitely better suited to the longer format and a close tie is expected with neither player pulling away. Former finalist Wilson may just have the extra added experience to get over the line.

Jack Lisowski 10-13 Stuart Bingham

Two players that came through the qualifiers, a hard game to call. In their 12 meetings up to now the score is 6-6 so there’s very little between the pair. Judging by his last few matches, Lisowski’s game seems to have matured and he looks to be harder to play against. He is more than capable of making his 2nd quarter-final in 3 years and if replicating the form that got him through a deciding frame against Ding Junhui last time out, Bingham will have his hands full. Despite all the talk of Bingham switching his focus towards the pool scene, he is very much a live contender to keep progressing this year after he upset the odds to come through 10-5 in the last round against Gary Wilson. When on form, he can be as enjoyable to watch and fluent as anyone on tour. I fancy the former World Champion to outlast Lisowski in this one due to his Crucible experience.

Ryan Day 6-13 Ronnie O’Sullivan

Hard to envisage anything but a Ronnie win but if Day can replicate his performance in the last four frames in his opening round win against Barry Hawkins he can put it up to the world number 1. He hasn’t had a particularly good season to date but 3 World Championship match victories to get to this stage mean he comes into this match with some momentum built up. Day is a class act when on his game, a heavy scorer and a terrific potter, he can be streaky and very dangerous. The pair met at this stage of the 2006 World Championship with Ronnie prevailing 13-10. The 7 time World Champion looked in ominous form in his 10-1 defeat of Jackson Page in round 1. The rocket was bullish about his chances in his post-match interview which could spell bad news for his competitors. I think this will be another step on his journey to win his 8^th World title.

World Championship 2024 - Round 1

World Snooker Championship 2024

Luca Brecel 9-10 David Gilbert

The 2024 World Championship kicks off as always with last year's winner first up. Luca Brecel will take to the baize as first-time Crucible winner. The laid-back nature of the Belgian will embrace the occasion and hopefully the pressure of that tag won't weigh heavy on his shoulders. He faces 2018/19 semi-finalist David Gilbert and he will not be put off by the occasion. Having impressively come through qualifying with a 10-6 defeat of Xiao Guodong on Judgement Day. Gilbert arrives in good form and will aim to cause an upset on Day 1. The pair have not met competitively since 2015 but there's no better way to renew the old rivalry than in Sheffield. A close match is predicted with the momentum gained from coming through the qualifiers just edging it for Gilbert.

Zhang Anda 10-6 Jak Jones

An intriguing match-up. Both players like to play a pragmatic style which could lead to a cagey tie at times. Two of the form players of the last couple of seasons, Jones was outstanding at times last year while the same can be said for Anda this season. Both will relish playing the multi-session, longer format matches but it’s hard to look past Anda on this seasons current form. Although Jones had the Chinese players number when they met in the Welsh Open in February, that result could easily be reversed.

Ali Carter 10-5 Stephen Maguire

This promises to be a fiery encounter with neither player short of passion when it comes to the crunch. Twice a runner-up of this event, Carter would’ve hoped for an easier start to his campaign than he will get against Maguire. Although he has shown signs of renewed form this term after a couple of quiet seasons, his run to the Masters final was an example of how he is more than capable of competing with the best. When on form, Stephen Maguire has the game to reel off frames in a blink of an eye and is great to watch in full flow. That said, his consistency over the last few seasons hasn’t been up to scratch and predicting how he performs on any given day is not the easiest. The consistency and form Carter has shown this season may be too much for the Scotsman to cope with. If the standard of their Crucible semi-final in 2012 is anything to go by, we are in for a cracking match. (Carter won 17-12).

Judd Trump 10-7 Hossein Vafaei

This has the potential to be one of the ties of the round. A repeat of round 1 in 2022, Vafaei will be keen to erase the memory of that day (Trump 10-4). It has since been a tie when the pair have met (1-1) so the Iranian knows he can compete with Trump. Vafaei had a run to the semi-final of both the UK Championship & British Open this season and it feels as if it’s only a matter of time before he makes the deserved big breakthough. 5 titles and counting, the form of Trump this season has rightfully marked him as one of the players to beat and comes in with an expectation of going deep in this tournament as he looks for his 2^nd world crown. I expect Trump to have too much but Vafaei is more than capable of capitalizing if he’s not on the top of his game.

Tom Ford 10-6 Ricky Walden

Having lost out to eventual champion Luca Brecel in a decider last year, Ricky Walden will have high hopes of progressing against an opponent in Tom Ford that has yet to win at the Crucible after 4 attempts. Over the years, Walden has been a consistent performer on tour without reaching the elite level of the sport but will no doubt be a tricky opponent for an out-of-form Ford. If Ford manages to find the form that got him to last year's German Masters final he should realistically win this match. Considering he is the world number 14, but Walden has years of experience and will be no pushover. Ford will be made to work to get his first win at the Crucible but I think he’ll have enough to get over the line.

Mark Selby 10-6 Joe O’Connor

A Leicester derby and O’Connor couldn’t have gotten a much tougher draw for his Crucible debut. He has yet to defeat Selby in a competitive match and over the longer format he faces an uphill task today. An impressive, hard-fought victory against Matt Selt on Judgement Day proveso may he is coming into this one match sharp and battle hardened compared to Selby who hasn’t played since his Tour Championship defeat to Gary Wilson at the start of the month. If pondering how big the challenge facing O’Connor is, it’s important to note Selby has only lost one first-round match in the last decade at the Crucible. If finding the form that has seen him win 4 world titles, he surely won’t be far away from number 5 this year? I feel the margin of victory for Selby will depend on how O’Connor copes with the intensity of the Crucible.

Shaun Murphy 10-4 Lyu Haotian

Former World Champion Shaun Murphy comes into this years event under the radar after having a relatively quiet season results-wise on tour. In a favourable section of the draw, the four-time finalist will see this as an opportunity of making the quarter-final at the very least. He faces a tricky opponent in round 1 though and will be wary following his early exit to Si Jiahui 12 months ago. Haotian has always been considered a player with lots of potential and showed why when defeating Ronnie O'Sullivan in the Wuhan Open in October. Impressive performances during qualifying mean Haotian comes here backed up with both momentum and confidence. His 10-7 victory against in-form Jenson Kendrick on Judgement Day was a real standout victory and if replicating that form, he can cause Murphy problems. I think Shaun Murphy will get off to a winning start and have too much for Haotian though.

Gary Wilson 9-10 Stuart Bingham

An intriguing clash that is very hard to call, judging by the rankings, Wilson should have enough to defeat the 2015 World Champion but it’ll be far from straightforward. Wilson has had a good season, retaining the Scottish Open while also winning the Welsh Open, it feels as if he is finally producing the form that his potential over the years has promised. Despite having a poor record against Bingham (6-1 Bingham) all defeats have come in the Championship League, today’s clash however is on the biggest stage. There has been talk about Bingham switching his focus towards the pool scene, although his form last week in defeating Louis Heathcote and Stuart Carrington confirmed that he is still playing to a very high level. One of the most enjoyable players to watch when on form, Bingham’s high-scoring can overpower Wilson. I can see this being a close match throughout but the momentum gained from coming through the qualifiers can just edge it for Bingham.

Mark Williams 10-5 Si Jiahui

One of the stories of last years Championship, Si Jiahui’s run to the semi-final was unforgettable and he will need to reproduce that form again if he’s going to get through his first-round match with 3-time World Champion Mark Williams. Jiahui has struggled for consistency this season with his run to the final of the German Masters the highlight but produced two solid performances to defeat Ben Mertens and Wu Yize to get to this stage. If Williams is in anything like the form he produced to win the Tour Championship at the beginning of the month, Jiahui faces an uphill task of defeating the Welshman. Defeating Judd Trump, Mark Allen and Ronnie O'Sullivan on the way to adding another big title to his already-impressive CV, he comes here at the top of his game. I reckon Williams record of coming out on top in the first round at the Crucible since 2015 will continue.

Robert Milkins 10-7 Pang Junxu

A tough one to call, the inconsistency in form of both players leaves many questions to be answered going into this one. Following Milkins brilliant 2022/23 campaign, he has failed to deliver this season and his quarter-final run in Shanghai has been a rare high point in a mostly disappointing year. The Milkman has been the first to admit that he hasn't worked as hard as he might on the practice table this season, but that has apparently changed in preparation for Sheffield. Impressively, Junxu managed to take 7 frames off Ronnie on his Crucible debut last year and that experience will stand to him this year. It hasn’t been a great season results-wise on tour but he did show signs of improvement in defeating Cao Yupeng and Oliver Brown in qualifying last week. I don’t expect a landslide victory for either player but Milkins experience may just come through in the end.

Kyren Wilson 10-3 Dominic Dale

All but one Crucible appearance has resulted in a first-round win for Kyren Wilson and I expect this year to be no different. The last 5 meetings between the pair have gone the way of Wilson, although, without a final appearance this season, it hasn’t lived up to Kyrens expectations and this will no doubt give Dale confidence heading into the match. A fans favourite, Dale will be making his first appearance in Sheffield in 10 years. Wins against Guoqiang and Grace last week were an example of how at 52 he is more than capable of competing on tour. The Welshman has played solidly all year without making the latter stages of events but will hope to extend his fairytale run to the Crucible as long as possible. I fully expect Wilson to have too much and overpower Dale through his high-scoring and quality safety play to progress to the next round.

Ding Junhui 10-4 Jack Lisowski

An eye-catching tie as soon as the draw was made. In full flow, two of the most enjoyable players in the world to watch. Up until now, Lisowski has yet to beat Ding in a competitive match which will do nothing to boost the Englishman’s confidence going into this one. It’s been a quiet season for Lisowski as he still waits to get his hands on his first ranking title, having reached a number of finals, that maiden win still eludes him. Ding’s had a very good season, getting to the final of both the UK Championship and World Open is a sign his game is in very good shape at the moment. Despite a few quiet seasons on tour, he seems to have refound form over the last couple of years and comes into this championship as a dark horse with serious prospects of going deep in this years Championship. I’m a big admirer of Lisowski and how he plays but I think Dings form and experience will be too much for him.

Mark Allen 10-3 Robbie Williams

A first Crucible appearance since 2016 for Robbie Williams and he could hardly be faced with a tougher draw. He is yet to win a match at the World Championship and judging by his record against Mark Allen (4-1 Allen), it’s unlikely he will get his first victory this year. Although his deciding frame victory over Chris Wakelin on judgement day was impressive, he faces a tough task against the Northern Irishman who will be aiming to better his semi-final finish last year. Last season’s player of the season Allen has followed up his successful year by claiming three ranking titles this season (Champion of Champions, Players Championship, Shootout). He now sits at number 3 in the world and has transformed his game to be a serial winner on tour. I expect him to come through his first-round match comfortably and a deep run to finish the season is expected.

Barry Hawkins 10-5 Ryan Day

A surprising head-to-head statistic between the pair having played 38 times the score is currently 19-19. Ryan Day comes into this event after having a poor season on tour but with that record against his opponent, he will be confident of putting up a good fight. Day’s record at the Crucible since 2015 is one he will want to correct as soon as possible, he’s played 5 matches with 5 defeats. His quarter-final run at the German Masters in February will instil the belief that he can produce similar form here. Winning the European Masters at the beginning of the season was a highlight in another solid season for Barry Hawkins. Despite early exits in both Triple Crown events this season, Hawkins is always dangerous when it comes to the business end of the season, especially here and will see this match as an opportunity to get his first win in Sheffield in 3 years. His experience over the longer format should be enough to take him over the line here.

Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-4 Jackson Page

The 7 time World Champion begins his title charge against Jackson Page as he aims to make history and claim his 8^th World title. The pair's last meeting was in the 2023 English Open where Ronnie ran out a comfortable winner. The world number 1 has had an outstanding season so far, claiming 5 titles (UK Championship, Masters, World Grand Prix, Shanghai Masters, World Masters) and will have his sights set on making history becoming the most decorated player in snooker history if claiming this years title. He may not have it all his own way in this one though as his Welsh opponent had 2 impressive performances to defeat both Noppon Saenghkam and Graeme Dott in qualifying to get here. He has made the semi-final of the World Open this season so has proven he can compete with the best. The Welshman is a rapid, heavy scorer when in full flow and if getting a foothold in the match early on, he could put it up to Ronnie. His style of play will suit O'Sullivan and it’s hard to look past a win for the rocket.

John Higgins 10-5 Jamie Jones

The final match to get underway in the first round at this year's World Championship. With 6 qualifiers already progressing to the next round, Jamie Jones will fancy his chances of adding his name to that list. The head-to-head is level (2-2) between the pair and their most recent meeting was in the last 32 in the 2022 Scottish Open where Jones came out on top. The Welshman has had a very quiet season on tour, struggling to get results and his impressive judgement day victory over Neil Robertson came as a surprise although the longer format matches definitely suit his style of play. Four-time World Champion John Higgins comes here with a brilliant record at the Crucible. His run to the semi-final and quarter-final in the last 2 years underline the pedigree he comes here with. Despite not getting his hands on any silverware this season, he has been an ever-present in the latter stages of events getting to 5 ranking event semi-finals and that consistency can set him up for a deep run in this years Championship. I expect the Scotsman to progress from this tie but I’ve no doubt Jones will make him work for it.

World Championship Qualifying 2024 - Judgement Day 2

A brilliant first day of matches was wrapped up with Ricky Walden coming through a decider with Mark Davis. One of two deciders on the opening day of Judgement Day part 1 among many other close battles. If today is even half as eventful and entertaining as yesterday, we are in for a treat!

Judgement Day 2

Jamie Jones 4-10 Neil Robertson

Already facing an uphill battle as draws don’t get much harder than Neil Robertson, Jamie Jones has an awful record against the Aussie. 7 defeats and no wins will hardly give him confidence going into this one but their last meeting was in 2017, Jones has improved considerably since then. It’s been a poor season on tour for Jones but his victory against Alfie Burden on Monday did show signs of regaining his form. Since the turn of the year, Robertson seems rejuvenated and is playing close to his best following a tough 2023, he’ll no doubt be one to avoid for all the seeds if getting through Judgement Day. I’ve been impressed with Jones over the past few seasons but can only see one result here with Neil Robertson coming through to make his 20^th consecutive Crucible appearance.

Hossein Vafaei 10-4 Jiang Jun

Vafaei can be a dangerous opponent for anyone in the world on his day and although he may not have the trophies to show for it this season, he has performed consistently making 2 semi-finals (UK Championship & British Open) and a quarter-final (World Open). His high scoring can match up with anyone and if his safety play can improve, I have no doubt he will be a top 16 player in the future. Chinese youngster Jiang Jun has had very little success during his first season on tour but his 3 victories this week have been very impressive (V Craigie, Zhengyi & Sarkhosh). His scoring has been solid throughout, especially against Sam Craigie where he made 7 breaks over 50. I feel this may be a step too far though and I expect his experienced opponent to have too much for him.

Joe O’Connor 8-10 Matt Selt

A tough match to call the winner of. Two players that I’ve been impressed with at different times over the past few seasons. Joe O’Connor promised so much last season but has failed to replicate the results this year and has struggled to make the latter stages of tournaments. His 10-1 victory over Julien Leclercq this week was impressive however and if playing to that level again today, will cause Selt lots of problems. Apart from his run to the quarter-final of the British Open, Selt has also had a quiet year and has shown patchy form up until this stage but will have his sights set on making his 5^th Crucible appearance. There is very little to separate the pair and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see 17,18 or 19 frames played in this one.

Cao Yupeng 10-6 Pang Junxu

Both players are aiming to make their 2^nd Crucible appearance and despite only meeting competitively once prior, will know each other's games very well. Yupeng’s season is a hard one to evaluate, he has exited several ranking events in the first round but has also made the shootout final and the World Grand Prix semi-final. He did show in his previous round victory over Ma Hailong when given the opportunity, he can score heavily making 2 centuries and 3 further 50+ breaks. It’s been a poor season for Junxu and he has struggled to get results throughout. How he played in his previous round win against Oliver Brown is a positive however and his 2^nd consecutive World Championship appearance is not out of the question. The form Yupeng has been in this season may be enough to tip the balance his way.

Jackson Page 7-10 Noppon Saenghkam

Judging by World Rankings, both players have reached the highest of their careers which is a sign they come here in good form. Noppon reached the Scottish Open final where he lost out to Gary Wilson and also made the quarter-finals of the German Masters. Even in those defeats, he played well and has shown he can compete with the best on multiple occasions over the last few seasons. His brilliant maximum break in the previous round win over Andy Hicks will no doubt boost his confidence as he aims to make his 5^th appearance at the Crucible. Page has had a relatively quiet season with his run to the semi-final of the World Open the highlight. His comfortable 10-5 defeat of Graeme Dott in the previous round was impressive given the Scotsman’s experience. The 2 centuries he made in that match are a sign that his scoring is in good order at the moment. I feel this will be a close match but Noppon is very underrated and if he is to qualify could make a deep run in this year's World’s. The Thai to qualify.

Si Jiahui 10-6 Wu Yize

Two of the biggest up-and-coming talents on tour. Jiahui got a major fright in the previous round from Ben Mertens and could’ve easily gone home. That can sometimes give a player a boost and we could see a different Jiahui on the table today. Some say his fairytale run to last year's semi-final was the story of the Championship and I’ve no doubt he would love to replicate it this year. To even get to the Crucible, he will have to come through against fellow Chinese player and world number 42 Wu Yize. His standout performance this season was his run to the final 4 of the Wuhan Open where he was defeated by eventual winner Judd Trump and he has performed very well to defeat Tian Pengfei 10-8 this week. Both players qualified for the Crucible last season so the Judgement Day nerves won’t be new to either player, that doesn’t mean they won't play a part in the outcome of this match though.

Xiao Guodong 5-10 David Gilbert

Gilbert’s form can change like the weather and he can be hard to rely on at the best of times but if keeping control of his temperament and gaining momentum throughout a tournament, he is more than capable of competing with the best in the world. His 4 quarter-final appearances in 2021/22 are an example of the quality he has. Apart from his British Open semi-final, Guodong has had a quiet season on tour. The vast majority of ranking events ended in early exits but his routine 10-2 win against Sanderson Lam in the previous round this week will give him confidence going into such a big match. Despite his inconsistent form at times, I can see the angry farmer coming through this and making his 10^th Crucible appearance.

Scott Donaldson 3-10 Ryan Day

A repeat of last year's judgement Day pairing and one Scott Donaldson will be keen to forget (10-0 Day). The Scotsman is yet to defeat Day in competitive action as of yet (5-0 Day). It’s a concerning stat going into such a big match but Donaldson has two good wins under his belt this week (V Lines & Perry) and may be building up some momentum as he aims to reach the Crucible for the 3^rd time. It hasn’t been the most consistent season on tour for Day making the latter stages of ranking events only once (German Masters Quarter-Final). But if the form he showed on Monday against John Astley is anything to go by, then his game is in good shape (He hit 4 centuries). A Day win is the likely outcome and with the H2H and the memory of last years victory in mind, this could be a landslide victory for the Welshman.

World Championship Qualifying 2024 - Judgement Day 1

It's been a brilliant week so far and the tension is about to go up a notch as a place in the sports showpiece event is on the line, all 16 players in action today will feel they have a realistic opportunity of qualifying with a best of 19 between them and an appearance at the Crucible. Let the twitching begin...

Jack Lisowski 10-5 Matthew Stevens

Impressive 10-6 win for Stevens to get to Judgement day defeating Jimmy Roberston with breaks of 135, 64, 64, 60, I fear this could be a step too far for the Welshman though as he may not be able to compete with the quality of Lisowski.

Ricky Walden 10-8 Mark Davis

With Davis having the upper hand in Head to Head’s against Walden, this will not be a straight forward victory. Davis has recorded 2 impressive victories this week to get this stage (v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh & Andrew Pagett) with his high scoring being a stand out attribute in both wins. On current rankings, Walden should progress but I expect a close encounter.

Dominic Dale 10-8 He Guoqiang

Guoqiang has taken down 2 Scotsmen already this week in two ultra impressive victories (v McGill & Muir) but it’s a Welshman standing in his way of a first appearance at the Crucible. Dale played solid in a 10-6 victory over David Grace with breaks of 105, 82, 76, 75, 64, 63 looking very comfortable making breaks when presented with opportunities. The spaceman will have his sights set firmly on making his 10^th Crucible appearance.

Zhou Yuelong 10-8 Jak Jones

Yuelong holds a 4-0 lead in H2H’s with the Welshman, which’ll no doubt give him confidence going into this match. An emphatic 10-0 victory in the previous round over James Cahill was another confidence boost for Yuelong. Jones had a convincing 10-6 win over fellow Welshman Jamie Clarke to get to this stage, after a quiet year results wise it’s good to see him returning to near the form that got him to last years Crucible Quarter-Final. This is a very tough one to call. I’m going to side with Yuelong tentatively.

Stephen Maguire 10-7 Yuan Sijun

Predicting which Stephen Maguire will show up and in what form is unpredictable to say the least, but if the form he showed at times in his 10-7 defeat of Ashley Hugill is anything to go by, the Scotsman may be hitting form at the right time. After a relatively quiet season on tour, I've been impressed with Sijun at times and his victory against Michael White (Who many including myself tipped to be a darkhorse to qualify) may not have grabbed many headlines but from 4-0 down he played excellent snooker. Not an easy one to call given the unpredictability of Maguire lately, expect high scoring in this one.

Louis Heathcote 6-10 Stuart Bingham

Having played 3 matches to get to this stage, Heathcote seems to be building some momentum that could be important in a match as close as this one. He showed serious character to come through against Slessor having lost 5 frames on the spin, but was able to close out the match 10-8 after being pegged back to 7-7. Usually in this scenario, I would be confident of a Bingham win but his form this season along with rumours that he is focusing more on playing pool mean this may not be as straight forward as I first thought. I still expect Bingham to have enough.

Robbie Williams 9-10 Chris Wakelin

2 players that I have been really impressed with this season. Stand-out results for both and an appearance at the Crucible will top off an excellent season for the winner of this match. Williams was convincing in his victory against Anthony Hamilton while Wakelin never looked in danger as he dispatched Lukas Kleckers making 2 centuries on the way. Both have appeared at the Crucible 3 times. There really is very little to separate the pair.

Lyu Haotian 10-4 Jenson Kendrick

In some ways, Jenson Kendrick’s results over the past week have been the biggest talking point of the World Championship Qualifiers so far. His victories against Bai Yulu, Ben Woolaston and Jordan Brown have not only been surprising but also extremely impressive. Against the odds, he will aim to reach the Crucible for the first time and he will relish the underdog tag going into the biggest match of his life. A semi-final at the Wuhan Open and quarter-final at the German Masters this season mean Haotian is no stranger to big matches and he will fully expect to have too much experience & quality for his opponent. He will hope to qualify for his 4^th Crucible appearance and should have too much on the day for Kendrick.

World Championship Qualifying 2024 (Section 9-16)

World Championship Qualifying 2024

Section 9:

World number 20 Hossein Vafaei is the standout name in this section and if he can reproduce similar form that got him to the semi-final of the UK Championship he should reach the main event for the 3^rd consecutive year.

A mouth-watering clash with up-and-coming Chinese player Fan Zhengyi on judgment day looks likely and if he can gather the momentum that brought him to 3 ranking event quarter-finals this season he can cause the Iranian lots of trouble. Before getting to that stage he will have to face off with Sam Craigie, who on his day has the talent to defeat anyone on the tour but struggles for consistency at times.

It’s been a relatively quiet season for Marco Fu with his run to the last 16 of the German Masters in Berlin the highlight. Despite appearing at the Crucible 18 times, he has yet to come through the qualifying route which will be a worry. He is likely to face Ken Doherty in round 2 and the Irishman is more than capable of producing a big performance when needed most.

To Qualify: Hossein Vafaei

Danger: Fan Zhengyi

Section 10:

Young Belgian Julien Leclercq has shown glimpses of promise throughout his short amount of time to-date on the tour but has yet to find the breakthrough to reach the latter stages of a ranking event. Same can be said for fellow youngster Aaron Hill but wins against Selby & Lisowski this season highlight the quality the Irishman has.

A shootout between Joe O’Connor & Matt Selt looks the likely outcome in this section. Despite an impressive 2022/23 campaign, O‘Connor has struggled to hit form this season. He has failed to qualify for the Crucible in 7 attempts and I fear this may be number 8. Without setting the world alight, Selt has consistently been making the last 32 of events this season and that form can see him through to qualify for his 3^rd appearance in the last 5 years at the Crucible.

To Qualify: Matthew Selt

Danger: Joe O’Connor

Section 11:

Martin O’Donnell has yet to feature at the Crucible despite 11 attempts but the form he has shown this season mean he has a live chance of progressing from this section. He will meet Cao Yupeng, another player who has played impressively at times making the semi-final at the World Grand Prix and also making the final of the snooker shootout.

Following a very impressive 2022/23 season that included a runner-up, semi-final and quarter-final run, Pang Junxu hasn’t lived up to last season’s form and has struggled to progress to the latter stages of tournaments. Welshman Dylan Emery can put together a couple of wins but it is hard to see him progressing from this section.

O’Donnell’s defensive style of play can frustrate his opponents.

To Qualify: Martin O’Donnell

Danger: Cao Yupeng

Section 12:

A difficult section to dissect with a number of players with years of experience involved. Graeme Dott is very hard to get a grasp of. Certain days he shows form to compete with the best but recently, more often than not those days are few and far between. It’s hard to see how he can win 3 tough matches in a row to qualify from this section.

Apart from his semi-final in the World Open in Yushan, Jackson Page’s form this season has been patchy to say the least. Wins against Selby & Higgins are an example of how dangerous he can be on his day but his main complaint would be the rarity of those days. He will be keen to replicate his run to the last 16 of this event in 2022 where he came up against an in-form Mark Williams.

Noppon Saengkham will be aiming to reach his 3^rd consecutive World Championship and will fancy his chances of coming through this section. The world number 23 has yet to progress further than the last 16 but if he can produce the form that got him to this years Scottish Open final will be a match for anyone.

To Qualify: Noppon Saengkham

Danger: Graeme Dott

Section 13:

One of the stories of last years World Championship, Si Jiahui’s run to the semi-final on his first appearance at the Crucible took the majority of the headlines. Since that breakthrough, his form has lacked consistency and he has struggled to impose himself on the tour at times but the 21 year old will hope to take inspiration from 12 months ago.

Wu Yize qualified for the first time last year heavily defeating possible opponent in this section Tian Pengfei on route. Since then, he has made the semi-final of the Wuhan Open defeating Stephen Maguire, Ryan Day & Marco Fu along the way.

Young pair Ben Mertens (19) & Stan Moody (17) have shown at times they can mix it on the big stage but this years World Championship may just come too early and will have plenty more opportunities to qualify for the sports blue ribbon event.

To Qualify: Si Jiahui

Danger: Wu Yize

Section 14:

Despite his sole Crucible appearance being 10 years ago, Ben Woolaston has picked up some big name scalps over the years. This season alone he has defeated Ricky Walden, Tom Ford & Robert Milkins demonstrating he is more than capable of mixing it with the best.

He is likely to play Jordan Brown on his path to the Crucible, the Northern Irishman is the definition of inconsistent as at times he looks as if he is a top 16 player in the making but that form is on rare occasions summed up by his Welsh Open victory in 2020/21.

Daniel Wells is another player that has threatened to make a break into the world’s top 50 but it hasn’t materialised as of yet. Victories this season against Mark Allen, Neil Robertson & Hossein Vafaei show that on his day he is capable of defeating anyone. It is unlikely, but if he can build some momentum, this section may well open up for the 35 year old to qualify for his 1^st World Championship.

Having only regained his pro tour card this year, it is hard to know the form Michael Holt is in coming into the event as we haven’t seen him on the pro circuit this season. Having picked up a number of wins in Q school it is likely that he is playing well and feeling good about his game.

The form of Haotian throughout the season has definitely been a positive, making a semi and quarter-final in what has been his most successful season tour to date. He will fancy his chances of making the Crucible for the 4^th time.

To Qualify: Ben Woolaston

Danger: Lyu Haotian

Section 15:

David Gilbert takes his place in this section aiming to qualify for the Crucible for the 6^th consecutive year. His run to the semi-final in 2019 is the highlight in a very impressive career that saw him reach 10^th in the world in 2020. Since then, his form has become very unpredictable and although he should qualify from this section, it’s no guarantee.

Sanderson Lam has had by far his best season on tour and has rose up the rankings to 63^rd his highest ever. His run to the quarter-final of the Scottish Open was an example of the fine form he can produce.

World number 34 Xiao Guodong comes into qualifying after having a poor couple of months results-wise, his semi-final run in the British Open earlier in the season is by far the standout form in this section but that is 6 months ago and has been a long way off playing like that since.

I expect Guodong and Gilbert to battle out on judgement day with very little between the pair. Gilbert to edge it.

To Qualify: David Gilbert

Danger: Xiao Guodong

Section 16:

All evidence of this seasons results point towards a Ryan Day qualification from this section. The Welshman has shown throughout the years how he is more than capable of beating anyone on his day. His run to the quarter-final of the German Masters before Christmas was an example of the quality he can produce.

Although his results have been below par this season, Joe Perry knows exactly what it takes to qualify for the Crucible and will set his sights on reaching the sports blue-ribbon event for the 18^th time.

It’s a big ask to expect Ashley Carty, John Astley & Scott Donaldson to qualify from this section given their form on tour this season.

To Qualify: Ryan Day

Danger: Ashley Carty

World Championship Qualifying 2024 (Sections 1-8)

World Championship Qualifying 2024

Dates: 08-17 April 2024

Venue: English Institute of Sport, Sheffield

Section 1:

A section where standout player and world number 18 Jack Lisowski should make his 8^th appearance at the crucible. His temperament in high-pressure situations will be tested however on Judgement day where I expect him to come up against Matthew Stevens who was defeated in last years final Qualifying round by Dave Gilbert.

A special mention for youngster Liam Davies who will be aiming to reach the Crucible for the first time & also Jimmy White hoping to make his 26^th appearance at the home of Snooker.

To Qualify: Jack Lisowski

Danger: Matthew Stevens

Section 2:

Coming into the event, none of the players in section 2 are coming in with any notable form which could lead to a possible surprise qualifier but having watched enough of Ricky Walden throughout the years and noting his ability to grind out victories when not playing his best, I expect he will have enough to navigate through this section and qualify for his 10^th crucible.

To Qualify: Ricky Walden

Danger: Mark Davis

Section 3:

With his run to the semi-final in 2020 still fresh in the memory, it’s hard to look past Anthony McGill to come through this section and make his 10^th consecutive Crucible appearance. For a player that’s highest World ranking was 14 back in 2018/19 his record in Sheffield is remarkable and seems to either plan his season around the World Championship or comes to life on the big stage. He will hope to replicate at the very least last season’s quarter-final run. But the Scotsman will not have it all his own way with in-form Dominic Dale more than likely his opponent on judgement day and is a potential banana skin the way Dale has been playing this season.

To Qualify: Anthony McGill

Danger: Dominic Dale

Section 4:

A straight shoot-out between Neil Robertson and Jamie Jones. 2 players that would’ve fancied their chances qualifying before the draw was made. Robertson has dropped out of the top 16 for the first time in 19 years after a chaotic 2023 but since the turn of the year has seemed to regain some form and considering he qualifies from this section, will no doubt be one to avoid going forward. The former World Champion will fancy his chances of at least emulating his quarter-final run in 2021.

Jamie Jones has had a quieter year on tour than expected, his quarter-final runs in both the European Masters & British Open in the 2022/23 season have not been replicated this season and although he carries the tag of being one to avoid, he comes here with very little form. I expect the Australian to end his chances of qualification on judgement day.

To Qualify: Neil Robertson

Danger: Jamie Jones

Section 5:

Jak Jones’ run to the quarter-final of the Crucible last year only to be defeated 13-10 by Mark Allen can only be applauded but he hasn’t pushed on this season and his results have lacked consistency throughout. Making the latter stages of tournaments has been a rarity but if he can produce similar form to this time last year he will be dangerous. He will more than likely play fellow Welshman Jamie Clarke to reach judgment day where he will face Zhou Yuelong.

Yuelong has failed to qualify for the World Championships since 2019 but will see this as a golden opportunity to return to the Crucible. He will more than likely face off against Jak Jones to qualify and will be confident of defeating the Welshman as he holds a 100% record against the 30 year old.

Yuelong’s form this season is by far the strongest in this section.

To Qualify: Zhou Yuelong

Danger: Jak Jones

Section 6:

A tricky section to predict. It’s hard to be confident on any of the players qualifying as the inconsistency of their form is undeniable. Stephen Maguire is the name that jumps out of you immediately after looking at the draw, but in recent years has become unreliable and his defeat in last years judgement day is another example of that.

He will more than likely face Michael White or Yuan Sijun to qualify and either player on their day will cause the Scotsman lots of trouble. Sijun will aim to reach the Crucible for the first time and has shown signs throughout the season that he is capable of turning Maguire over with standout wins over Ding, Milkins & Ford during the year.

To Qualify: Stephen Maguire

Danger: Yuan Sijun

Section 7:

Dropping out of the top 16 for the first time since 2011/12, Stuart Bingham will not be used to qualifying and will be determined to appear at his 14^th consecutive World Championship. He has been drawn in a section with some tricky opponents, Louis Heathcote has threatened to break into the World top 50 but is still yet to impose himself on the tour. Eliott Slessor came through qualifying last year and will fancy his chances of repeating last years achievement.

Oliver Lines has yet to qualify for the Crucible but has steadily been creeping up the rankings and is capable of building momentum and stringing together a few good results. Despite not qualifying since 2017/18, Stuart Carrington knows what it takes to come through this route and will no doubt cause problems for his opponents along the way hoping to make his 4^th World Championship appearance.

Very hard to see past the 2015 World Champion.

To Qualify: Stuart Bingham

Danger: Elliott Slessor

Section 8:

A difficult section to pick a winner but the form of Chris Wakelin over the past 12 months especially his run to the final of the Northern Ireland Open in October stands out as the one to beat in this section. He is likely to face fellow Englishman Robbie Williams on judgement day who has also had an impressive season on tour.

A close match between the pair is expected with Wakelin scrapping through to make his 4^th Crucible appearance.

To Qualify: Chris Wakelin

Danger: Robbie Williams