World Championship 2025 - Quarter-Finals

Zhao Xintong V Chris Wakelin - 29/04/25 10.00, 29/04/25 19.00 & 30/04/25 14.30

The nature of how Xintong has easily dismantled his opponents up until now has been one of the stories of the Championship so far, he now faces an in-form Chris Wakelin after his impressive defeats of both Neil Robertson & Mark Allen.

The Englishman is full of confidence and rightly so, he was excellent in opening up a 10-2 lead over Allen in the last round. Since his shoot-out victory in 2023 he has completely transformed into a very dangerous opponent capable of pulling off victories against the world's best.

Xintong will know that, but will show no fear in taking on his opponent as he has shown playing all-out attacking snooker up to now. The 28-year-old has won 6 matches to reach the quarter-final so will have momentum behind him but showed nerves at the back end of his round 2 match with Lei Peifan.

His break-building is undoubtedly one of the most impressive parts of his game but he will have to show a tighter, more solid safety game if he is to progress any further in this year's Championship. A side to Wakelin that has recently improved and has become a key part of his game.

I feel all the matches he has won to get to this stage may be catching up with Xintong as he showed signs with the winning line approaching in round 2 that he may be running out of steam. For that reason, I am going to side with Wakelin to narrowly reach the final four for the first time.

Prediction: 13-11 Wakelin

John Higgins V Mark Williams - 29/04/25 10.00, 29/04/25 19.00 & 30/04/25 10.00

A legendary match-up. Who would've thought these two legends of the sport would be meeting in a World Championship quarter-final in 2025?

After Ronnie O'Sullivan's victory last night, it means the 'Class of 92' have all made it through to the final 8.

Higgins holds the overall advantage (38-24) over the Welshman but it was Williams who came out on top (18-16) in the World Championship final between the pair in 2018.

To get to this stage, both players had tough battles against both Xiao Guodong and Hossein Vafaei. Especially the Scotsman who came through a final frame decider against his Chinese opponent.

It's no secret that 4-time world champion Higgins has regained his form that he was missing over the past couple of seasons. Having picked up 2 ranking titles this season (World Open & Tour Championship) he has found himself back in the conversation of possibly claiming these top prizes again.

Although struggling with his eyesight, 3-time World Champion Williams has produced two solid performances to reach this stage. Understandably he comes in as an underdog but will fancy his chances against a player he knows inside out.

I'm going to side with Higgins to come through narrowly due to his recent form being slightly better and the impressive nature of his 2nd round victory.

No matter the result, this will be a match to savour between two greats of the game.

Prediction: 13-12 Higgins

Ronnie O'Sullivan V Si Jiahui - 29/04/25 14.30, 30/04/25 10.00 & 30/04/25 19.00

A huge contrast in experience as 49-year-old Ronnie O'Sullivan takes on 22-year-old Si Jiahui for a place in the final four. This will be Ronnie's 23rd Crucible quarter-final appearance compared to only Si's 2nd.

Ronnie will be aware of how dangerous Jiahui can be when getting some momentum. He currently sits at 13th in the world rankings and was unlucky not to pick up his first piece of silverware this season when he got to the Wuhan Open final, only to be defeated 10-7 by Xiao Guodong.

He found it difficult to shake off qualifier Ben Woolaston in the last round but eventually ran out a 13-10 victor. He will need to significantly improve to compete with the 7-time World Champion.

His return was massively anticipated before the championship begun and his displays in defeating Ali Carter & Pang Junxu have been impressive. Without producing his best form, he has been workmanlike and seems to be a man on a mission. A frightening prospect for the rest of the field.

Between the pair, there have been 7 centuries in their opening 2 matches of the tournament so a high scoring match is expected.

I fully expect O'Sullivan to progress to yet another semi-final where he will face a fellow 'Class of 92' legend.

Prediction: 13-7 O'Sullivan

Luca Brecel V Judd Trump - 29/04/25 14.30, 30/04/25 14.30 & 30/04/25 19.00

Two players that love to entertain the crowd, plenty of long-pots & high breaks are a certainty in this one. 2023 World Champion Luca Brecel survived a scare in his first-round win over Ryan Day with the Welshman taking a 5-1 lead in the opening session, the Belgian bullet responded emphatically to come through 10-7 however.

Arguably the most impressive performance of the championship so far was his 13-4 thrashing of Ding Junhui, after losing the first frame he won 11 frames in a row to take control of the tie leaving his well-fancied opponent stunned.

It's no secret that Brecel enjoyed himself after claiming the sports ultimate prize in 2023. He seems to slowly be returning to that form and when playing his best can be a very dangerous opponent for anyone.

Trump impressively reached his 100th century of the season in his 13-10 victory over Shaun Murphy last time out. Securing the £100,000 bonus may well ease the pressure on his shoulders ahead of a huge match against a fellow World Championship winner.

It's been an encouraging season for the world number one along with cementing his place at the top of the world rankings, he has also picked up 3 ranking event titles (Shanghai Masters, Saudi Arabia Masters, UK Championship). 

After seeing Kyren Wilson, Mark Selby & Mark Allen all sent home already, both players will know there is a huge opportunity if they can navigate their way through this match.

I'm siding with Trump to progress narrowly and take his place in another Crucible semi-final.

Prediction: Trump 13-11

World Championship 2025 - Day 9

Judd Trump V Shaun Murphy - 27/04/25 10.00, 27/04/25 19.00 & 28/04/25 13.00

When it comes to break building and putting on a show, today see’s a clash of two of the world’s best as Trump looks to extend his 7-match unbeaten run against Murphy.

Both players have claimed this title once and would desperately love to do so again this year. Murphy comes in slightly under the radar having claimed this years Masters title in January while Trump surged to the UK Championship title.

Both players eased into round 2 with commanding 10-4 defeats over Zhou Yuelong & Daniel Wells with Trump on the cusp of an historic 100 centuries after making 5 against Yuelong.

The left-hander is closing in on a £100,000 bonus as he now sits on 98 for the season, Neil Robertson holds the record with 103 centuries in a season, set in 2013/14, it's an example of how well the Englishman has been scoring of late.

After seeing Kyren Wilson, Mark Selby & Mark Allen all sent home already, both players will know there is a huge opportunity if they can navigate their way through this match.

With Trump dominating the H2H (31-13), Murphy will have to be on top form from the word go but is undoubtedly capable of overturning the world number one.

I feel like it's hard to look past Trump in this one, he'll be eager to make history with the 100 centuries and in doing so will get across the line.

Prediction: 13-10 Trump

World Championship - Day 8

Ronnie O'Sullivan V Pang Junxu - 26/04/25 14.30, 27/04/25 14.30 & 28/04/25 19.00

There's a huge clash of styles and Crucible experience in this last 16 tie. The massively anticipated return of the 7-time winner Ronnie O'Sullivan dominated talking points before the championship begun and his display in defeating Ali Carter 10-4 did not disappoint. He was brilliant especially in the second session.

Pang Junxu secured his first Crucible victory on his 3rd attempt with an impressive 10-7 victory over fellow Chinese player Zhang Anda. He had to dig deep at times as the match began to get scrappy but he came out on top compiling 2 centuries (111 & 102) and five 50+ breaks.

He likes to play a more pragmatic game compared to Ronnie's heavy-metal style where he likes to get on with frames, the 25-year-old may be able to frustrate if getting on top of the rocket.

This is a repeat of the first-round clash between the pair in 2023 when Ronnie came out on top 10-7, since then Junxu has improved and has progressed up to 27th in the rankings.

The last meeting between the pair was at the International Championship in November, on that occasion Junxu came out on top 6-4. That victory will no-doubt give him confidence ahead of today's match.

Even though the signs are positive for Junxu, I feel Ronnie is a completely different animal at the Crucible and if he gets momentum at any stage throughout the match, it will be an uphill task for Junxu to compete.

Prediction: 13-6 O'Sullivan

Si Jiahui V Ben Woollaston - 26/04/25 19.00, 27/04/25 19.00 & 28/04/25 13.00

Ben Woollaston will still be riding the crest of a wave following his unbelievable victory over fellow Leicester man Mark Selby when he comes into today's opening session.

I expect Si Jiahui to put an abrupt end to that as his defeat of David Gilbert in the first round showed glimpses of how dangerous he can be. 

On his debut here in 2023 he made the semi-final, so has shown he won't be overawed by the magic of playing at the Crucible.

He currently sits at 13th in the world rankings and was seeded for the first time, an impressive achievement for the 22-year-old.

Woollaston is well down at 44th in the World rankings, it's been a pretty uneventful season for the 37-year-old with victories proving hard to come by making his victory over the 4-time world champion even more of a surprise.

He played brilliantly throughout and took full advantage of a below-par Selby but now faces a very exciting up-and-coming talent in Si Jiahui.

I was very impressed with him at times during his first-round win and expect him to progress to the quarter-final with a possible battle with Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Prediction: 13-8 Si Jiahui

Luca Brecel V Ding Junhui - 26/04/25 19.00, 27/04/25 14.30 & 28/04/25 19.00

2023 World Champion Luca Brecel survived a scare in his first-round win over Ryan Day with the Welshman taking a 5-1 lead in the opening session, the Belgian bullet responded emphatically to come through 10-7 however.

He will know he cannot afford to give Ding Junhui that sort of lead, it would be very hard to claw back that deficit if you were to give the Chinese player that sort of advantage.

It's no secret that Luca Brecel enjoyed himself after claiming the sports ultimate prize in 2023. He seems to slowly be returning to that form and when playing his best can be a very dangerous opponent for anyone.

Ding is widely regarded as one of the best to not have lifted the sports top prize, he finds himself in a difficult section of the draw this year with a possible quarter-final against either Trump or Murphy.

That won't be on his mind yet though as he has to navigate through a very tricky match with Brecel first. The 38-year-old was always in control of his first-round win over impressive debutant Zak Surety and holds a significant H2H advantage (8-1) over today's opponent.

The pair last met in December with the Belgian getting his first win with a 4-3 victory. In truth, the majority of Ding's wins over Brecel have come in very close encounters and I expect this match to be no different.

It's hard to call a winner in what seems to be a 50/50 match but I feel Ding's form and experience will be enough to come through.

Prediction: 13-8 Ding

World Championship 2025 - Day 7

Mark Williams V Hossein Vafaei - 25/04/25 10.00 / 25/04/25 19.00 & 26/04/25 14.30

A fascinating match-up between two players that progressed through the first round with very impressive victories. Williams defeated impressive youngster Wu Yize 10-8 while Vafaei had an excellent win over Barry Hawkins 10-9.

Three-time World Champion Mark Williams comes into this years championship slightly under the radar as it's been well-documented that the Welshman is struggling with his eyesight and is hoping to address it in the off-season.

He has had a decent season on tour however, claiming the Champion of Champions title while also making the final of the Saudi Arabia Masters.

He comes in with a live chance but faces a very dangerous opponent in Hossein Vafaei.

His win in the first round will give him huge confidence especially after coming out on top of all-rounder Barry Hawkins.

His record at the Crucible is far from impressive and that will have to improve if he is to compete with the Welshman that knows the Crucible like the back of his hand.

Williams has the advantage in the H2H (6-1) over the Iranian but I have a sneaky suspicion this could be the world number 24’s chance to make the Crucible quarter-final for the first time.

After a nervy affair, I fancy a narrow victory for the 30-year-old.

Prediction: 13-10 Vafaei

Lei Peifan V Zhao Xintong - 25/05/25 14.30 , 26/05/25 10.00 & 27/05/25 10.00

A match between two qualifiers that must be brimming with confidence following their first-round victories over last years final pairing. Peifan came out on top 10-9 over defending Champion Kyren Wilson while Xintong was in scintillating form as he defeated last year's runner-up Jak Jones 10-4.

Peifan was 6-3 down but produced an inspired comeback to knock one of the tournament favourites out at his first attempt at retaining the title. The result came as a surprise but after his run to the Scottish Open title this season, we have become aware of what the 21-year-old is capable of.

He will have to continue on his excellent form from the second session of Saturday's opening round if he is to defeat the supremely talented Zhao Xintong.

Fellow Chinese player Xintong was in top form during his opening round defeat of Jak Jones, to reach the Crucible he has put together 4 very impressive performances and his judgement day victory over Elliot Slessor particularly sticks out as he made 3 centuries (134, 127 & 107) in a high-quality match throughout.

I feel he can carry that momentum on against Peifan and continue his remarkable return to the Crucible.

Prediction: 13-7 Xintong

World Championship 2025 - Day 6

Mark Allen V Chris Wakelin - 24/04/25 13.00, 25/04/25 10.00 & 25/04/25 19.00

It's fair to say despite being at the top of the sport for many years,  Mark Allen's record at the Crucible is below par. Having won both the UK Championship (2022) & The Masters (2018) he is yet to reach a final at the Crucible, it has to be seen as a disappointment for the 39-year-old.

Today he begins his second round having seen off up-and-coming Chinese player Fan Zhengyi 10-6 in round 1. It was an impressive performance that included two centuries (105 & 102) and a run of 6 frames on the bounce that ultimately was the winning of the match.

It no-doubt was a tricky draw against a dangerous opponent but he showed his title credentials putting the 24-year-old to the sword. Today he faces a more established, all-rounder in Chris Wakelin.

In arguable one of the results of the first round he defeated world number 9 and in-form Neil Robertson 10-8. In truth, taking a 7-2 lead after the first session was huge and in the end was the winning of the match as the Australian left himself too much to do.

His shoot-out victory in 2023 has completely transformed the Englishman into a very dangerous opponent capable of pulling off victories against the world's best. He will have no fear facing Allen and even defeated him in the 2024 English Open quarter-final (5-2).

I feel like Allen's experience of the longer format matches along with his significant better H2H record over Wakelin will be enough to see him progress.

Prediction: Allen 13-9

John Higgins V Xiao Guodong - 24/04/25 19.00, 25/04/25 14.30, 26/04/25 10.00

The pair will know each other's games inside out as this will be their 3rd meeting in the last month with the Scotsman coming out on top both times (10-3 & 6-5).

Higgins impressively came through his first round battle with Joe O'Connor 10-7 while Guodong convincingly saw off Matthew Selt 10-4 making two centuries (120 & 104).

He has really improved this season and winning the Wuhan Open seems to have given him the boost that was needed to make the next step in his career. The 36-year-old has also reached his highest ever ranking (14) and is seeded for the Crucible for the first time in his career.

It's no secret that 3-time world champion Higgins has regained his form that he was missing over the past couple of seasons. Having picked up 2 ranking titles this season (World Open & Tour Championship) he has found himself back in the conversation of possibly claiming these top prizes again.

I feel Guodong has the ability to put Higgins under a lot of pressure in this match but something tells me the Scotsman will dig in and narrowly grind out the result.

Prediction: 13-11 Higgins

World Championship 2025 - Day 5

Luca Brecel V Ryan Day - 23/04/25 14.30 & 24/04/25 13.00

It's no secret that Luca Brecel struggled on the table throughout the season after claiming the sports ultimate prize in 2023. That pressure has now been released which may free the Belgian up to possibly have a good crack at going deep in this year's Championship.

He has since began to regain his form and made an impressive run to the Welsh Open semi-final in February only to be defeated by eventual winner Mark Selby. The form he showed during the week in Llandudno will no doubt give him confidence ahead of his first round match with world number 36 Ryan Day.

The Welshman came through qualifying with solid wins over Sunny Akani & Sanderson Lam to claim a place at the Crucible for the 16th time.

Having won the British Open in 2022, he has failed to reach a ranking event semi-final since but will be eyeing up a possible scalp over the former World Champion that can be vulnerable at times.

The pair have had very few competitive meetings recently making the outcome of the tie hard to predict. But I feel the form Brecel has shown recently will be good enough to come through this tricky tie.

Prediction: 10-7 Brecel

Mark Selby V Ben Woollaston - 23/04/25 19.00 & 24/04/25 19.00

World number 4 Mark Selby has had to wait until the 5th day of this year's Championship to make his first appearance and it will be against fellow Leicester man Ben Woollaston.

The 4-time World Champion comes into the event in good form having made the Tour Championship final just over two weeks ago. He also picked up three titles this season (British Open, Welsh Open, Championship League) along with a string of deep runs in tournaments.

He seems to be approaching the form that saw him reach world number 1 on numerous occasions throughout the last 15 years.

It's seems like Ben Woollaston has an uphill task on his hands to overturn Selby but he came through impressively against Ross Muir & Mark Davis in qualifying to reach the World Championship for the 2nd time in his career.

It was a big achievement to qualify considering he is well down at 44th in the World rankings, it's been a pretty uneventful season for the 37-year-old with victories proving hard to come by.

He will know that he faces a tough task to progress but will take confidence from defeating Selby in the past (2018 English Open).

Knowing the level Selby's been playing at recently, I can only see one result here.

Prediction: Selby 10-3

World Championship 2025 - Day 4

Shaun Murphy V Daniel Wells - 22/04/25 10.00 & 23/04/25 10.00

Masters Champion Shaun Murphy comes into today's opening match with high expectations of making a deep run in this year's championship. He also has a very positive record against his first-round opponent Daniel Wells (7-2).

The Welshman impressively defeated world number 17 Gary Wilson on Judgement Day to secure his place at the Crucible for the first time. He will significantly have to improve to compete with world number 15 Murphy however.

He's had a relatively quiet year on tour with a run to the final four of the Xi'an Grand Prix his only highlight. He is currently 49th in the world, his highest ever ranking since turning professional in 2008 so is obviously on an upward trajectory.

He will have his work cut out to defeat the 2005 World Champion. He was in unstoppable form as he steamrolled the field to claim his 2nd Masters title in January.

In recent years, he has struggled to make a deep run in Sheffield, not making it past the last 16 since 2021. This will give Wells confidence ahead of their first-round battle.

Using his years of Crucible experience coupled with his positive H2H record with Wells should be enough for Murphy to progress to the last 16.

Prediction: Murphy 10-3

Zhang Anda V Pang Junxu - 22/04/25 10.00 & 23/04/25 10.00

A Chinese derby between two of the strongest overseas players in the game at the moment. Despite only winning 1 ranking event title so far, Zhang Anda has cemented himself as a well-established top 16 player on the World Snooker Tour.

Worryingly for Anda, he has appeared at the Crucible 4 times but has yet to claim a victory, a stat he will be keen to change as soon as possible and a battle with fellow Chinese player Junxu gives him a big opportunity to do that.

Similarly for Junxu, he hasn't had much success at the 'Home of Snooker' either. This will be his 3rd appearance and he will also aim for his first victory in Sheffield.

The players met at the Welsh Open this season with Junxu coming out on top 4-2. The 25-year-old has yet to claim a ranking event trophy but it seems is edging closer to that maiden title after reaching the WST Classic final in 2023 only to be defeated by Mark Selby.

The players have a similar style around the table, slow, pragmatic play can be expected throughout. It's very hard to call a winner with very little to separate the pair on current form. I expect a close contest with Junxu marginally coming out on top.

Prediction: 10-9 Junxu

Ronnie O'Sullivan V Ali Carter - 22/04/25 14.30 & 23/04/25 14.30

The anticipation of Ronnie O'Sullivan's return could not be higher after being absent on tour for the past 4 months. It means he has fallen down the rankings to World Number 5 having not played competitively since early January.

He has been drawn against long-term rival Ali Carter and a match-up with the Captain is sure to get the 7x world champion's competitive juices flowing. It's no secret that the pair don't see eye to eye.

The H2H is firmly in O'Sullivan's favour and you would have to go back to 2018 to come across Carter's last victory against Ronnie when he came out on top 13-9 in the last 16 at the World Championship.

Carter was typically solid in his 10-5 Judgement Day defeat of He Guoqiang, which sets him up nicely for today's battle. He will be coming in match sharp which cannot be said for his opponent.

By his standards, it's been a quiet season so far after winning the Championship League last summer he has had little to celebrate with 2 runs to the last four of the Welsh Open & World Open the highlight.

It's hard to predict what form Ronnie will produce but I wouldn't be surprised to see him quickly click back into gear and have too much for Carter.

Prediction: 10-5 O'Sullivan

Judd Trump V Zhou Yuelong - 22/04/25 19.00 & 23/04/25 19.00

The world number one begins his bid to claim a 2nd World title this evening in what looks to be a favourable draw for the 35-year-old. He takes on Chinese player & world number 32 Zhou Yuelong.

The H2H record between the pair is largely in favour of Trump but they have not met since the Turkish Masters in 2022.

It's been an encouraging season for Trump along with cementing his place at the top of the world rankings, he has also picked up 3 ranking event titles (Shanghai Masters, Saudi Arabia Masters, UK Championship) with a few near misses thrown in including defeats in the Xi'ian Grand Prix, Northern Ireland Open & Players Championship finals.

In his first Crucible appearance since 2019, Yuelong could hardly of gotten a tougher draw. Not only is his H2H form with his opponent extremely discouraging, he has had a very poor year by his standards.

Although he impressively defeated fellow Chinese player Yuan Sijun 10-5 on Judgement Day making 2 centuries (118, 117) in the process. But he is presented with a totally different task here, he will need his best ever performance to reach the last 16.

With Kyren Wilson, Neil Robertson & Barry Hawkins already exiting this years Championship, Trump will no-doubt fancy his chances of picking up his 2nd world title on May 5th.

I expect Trump to lay down a marker in the early frames of tonight's match before finishing off the job tomorrow evening.

Prediction: 10-4 Trump

World Championship 2025 - Day 3

John Higgins V Joe O'Connor - 21/04/25 10.00 & 21/04/25 19.00

An intriguing tie that sees a repeat of this years World Open final where Higgins secured his 33rd ranking event title with a 10-6 victory over the Englishman.

O'Connor will be determined to make up for that defeat and won't be intimidated by the 'Class of 92' legend having defeated fellow Leicester man Mark Selby on his Crucible debut twelve months ago.

I have been impressed by the 29-year-old this season despite not collecting any silverware. He was in top form to come through a high quality battle with 2-time maximum man Jackson Page on Judgement Day making eight 50+ breaks.

It's been an impressive season so far for Higgins picking up 2 ranking titles (World Open & Tour Championship) and he has looked back to his best at times. The 3-time world champion is up to 3rd in the World, a representation of the excellent season he is having.

Having failed to pick up a title last season, numerous fans where beginning to write off the 49-year-old but he has responded in emphatic fashion this season.

There's a high possibility this will be a high-scoring, intense battle from start to finish between the pair but I have a feeling the Englishman has the talent & bottle to come out on top.

Prediction: 10-7 O'Connor

Ding Junhui V Zak Surety - 21/04/25 14.30 & 22/04/25 14.30

2016 World Championship runner-up Ding Junhui has had little success in Sheffield in recent years having failed to pick up a win in the last 4 years. This year's first round draw presents the perfect opportunity for him get a victory against Crucible debutant Zak Surety.

He picked up the International Championship title in November and has shown glimpses throughout the season that he may be back to somewhere near his best.

Throughout the qualifiers, Surety was a standout performer defeating Ricky Walden, Jack Lisowski & Antoni Kowalski to book his at the 'Home of Snooker' for the first time.

Since he turned professional in 2014, there has been little to celebrate for the Englishman but he did make the Semi-Final of the World Open this season only to be edged out by John Higgins in a decider.

That form shown in Yushan is a sign that he is more than capable of making a deep run when all aspects on his game click.

The players have met once before in the 2024 World Open with Ding coming out on top 5-3 but Surety hit a maximum 147 break in that match.

I feel the experience Ding Junhui has amassed throughout his 18 years appearing at the Crucible will be a key factor in progressing to the next round.

Prediction: Ding 10-4

Si Jiahui V David Gilbert - 21/04/25 19.00 & 22/04/25 19.00

World Championship 2025 - Day 2

Jak Jones V Zhao Xintong - 20/04/25 10.00 & 21/04/25 10.00

A mouthwatering tie between last years runner-up and arguably one of the most exciting players in this years Championship.

Jones is coming in under the radar after an underwhelming season to date with a pair of Quarter-Final appearances his highlight. But defeating Zhang Anda, Si Jiahui, Judd Trump & Stuart Bingham to make last years final will undoubtedly give him confidence.

The Welshman thrives in the longer format matches and seems to produce his best form on the biggest stage of them all.

Snooker fans are unsurprisingly eager for the return of one of the sports most exciting talents as Xintong prepares for his first Crucible battle since returning from his ban.

The Chinese player was in scintillating form during the qualifiers winning 4 matches to confirm his reappearance at the 'Home of Snooker'. His judgement day victory over Elliot Slessor was particularly impressive making 3 centuries (134, 127 & 107) in a high-quality match throughout.

This is a close call but I'm just siding with Jones because the Crucible seems to bring the best out of the 31-year-old coupled with the fact that there's a possibility he can wear down his opponent with his strong safety play.

Prediction: 10-8 Jones

Mark Allen V Fan Zhengyi - 20/04/25 14.30 & 21/04/25 14.30

A repeat of the first round in 2023 where the pair met in Zhengyi's debut at the Crucible with Mark Allen coming out on top 10-5.

It's well-documented that Allen is coming into this year's World Championship out of form having lost out in his last 3 matches to Kyren Wilson (Players Championship), Jimmy Robertson (World Grand Prix) & David Lilley (World Open). That could however be the release of pressure that allows him to make a deep run in this years championship.

He will look to take inspiration from fellow Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy after his historic victory in Augusta last week. However he is yet to make a Crucible final in 18 attempts and was edged out in a final frame decider to John Higgins in round 2 twelve months ago.

Zhengyi has yet to get his first win at the Crucible having only appeared once but has earned invaluable experience on tour since then. He has significantly improved since then and will fancy his chances of causing an upset here.

With Chris Wakelin taking a convincing advantage into tonight's concluding session with Neil Robertson & Kyren Wilson already falling to Lei Peifan, there is a huge possibility this section opens up and the winner of this tie could be the beneficiary.

I feel like even though he comes in out-of-form, the experience of Allen may overpower the young Chinese player.

Prediction: Allen 10-7

World Championship 2025 - Day 1

Kyren Wilson V Lei Peifan - 19/04/25 10.00 & 19/04/25 19.00

Defending World Champion Kyren Wilson kicks off the Championship this morning 12 months on from winning his first Crucible title. He faces Scottish Open champion Lei Peifan and the dreaded 'Crucible Curse'. (No first time winner has ever retained their crown 12 months later).

Although his form has taken a major nosedive since his surprise victory in Edinburgh, Peifan showed what he is capable of that week, defeating Shaun Murphy, Mark Allen & Wu Yize among others on the way to the title.

However, Wilson has applied himself exceptionally over the past 12 months, picking up 4 ranking titles (X'ian Grand Prix, Northern Ireland Open, German Masters, Players Championship) and carrying the World Champion tag with the respect it deserves.

He is the sort of character that will relish the opportunity of making history over the next 17 days and I can't see China's Peifan putting a stop to that.

Prediction: Wilson 10-4

Xiao Guodong V Matthew Selt - 19/04/25 10.00 & 20/04/25 10.00

One of the stories of the season so far is the rise of Xiao Guodong, having won the Wuhan Open and reaching 3 ranking event semi-finals, the 36-year-old has reached his highest ever ranking (14) and is seeded for the Crucible for the first time in his career.

Selt controversially came through a final frame decider with Jimmy Roberston to gain a spot in what will be his 5th appearance at the 'Home of Snooker'. He is yet to record a win though but ran eventual runner-up Mark Selby very close in his last appearance in 2023 but was eventually edged out 10-8.

Outside of the Championship League and the shoot-out, the pair haven't met since 2015 and both have improved significantly since then.

Recently Guodong's form has been questionable and that will give Selt hope but I feel the Chinese player may just have too much on this occasion.

Prediction: Guodong 10-6

Neil Robertson V Chris Wakelin - 19/04/25 14.30 & 20/04/25 19.00

Having picked up 2 ranking titles this season (English Open & World Grand Prix), Neil Robertson is coming into this years World Championship with renewed hope that he can add to his sole World Championship title.

To have so much talent having been at the top of the game for so long and to only pick up 1 World Championship almost doesn't seem fair but it is well-documented how the Aussie finds the two-table set-up at the Crucible far from enjoyable.

For that reason alone, I would give Wakelin a big chance of picking up his first victory at the 4th attempt at the Crucible. The tight nature of the opening rounds has obviously gotten inside Robertson's head and Wakelin can take full advantage.

He was hugely impressive in his qualifying wins over Martin O'Donnell & Xing Zihao scoring heavily at every opportunity.

It hasn't been a bad season for the Englishman despite not picking up any silverware but a victory over the World number 9 would no-doubt be a highlight.

Prediction: 10-9 Wakelin

Mark Williams V Wu Yize - 19/04/25 14.30 & 20/04/25 14.30

Three-time World Champion Mark Williams comes into this years championship slightly under the radar as it's been well-documented that the Welshman is struggling with his eyesight and is hoping to address it in the off-season.

Taking that into consideration, it's hard to envisage a deep run for the 'Class of 92' legend as the length of the matches continue to increase as the tournament progresses.

Today's opponent Wu Yize is undoubtedly a serious up-and-coming prospect in the game and it's only a matter of time before he claims a ranking title. But today's match may come too soon for the 21-year-old.

He will have picked up invaluable experience after defeating another Welshman in Matthew Stevens in a nervy final frame decider on judgement day.

This will be his 2nd appearance at the Crucible having been defeated 10-3 to Neil Robertson on his debut in 2023.

Williams was defeated at this stage by Si Jiahui 10-9 twelve months ago so will be determined to get over his fellow countryman this time around. Yize is a dangerous opponent and it won't be straightforward but I expect Williams to come out on the right side of the result.

Prediction: 10-5 Williams

Barry Hawkins V Hossein Vafaei - 19/04/25 19.00 & 20/04/25 19.00

In my opinion, one of the ties of the first round between a high-flying Hawkins who has been in rock solid form all year and Vafaei who produced a couple of standout performances to come through the qualifiers with ease.

The Englishman made the final of both the UK Championship & German Masters only to be edged out in both. Even though he came up short in both, it shows that he is capable of making deep runs in these events and how dangerous he can be.

Full of charisma, Vafaei won't be intimidated and will relish the opportunity to defeat a well-fancied seed. It's been a quiet year for the Iranian but this is a chance for him to really make his mark and possibly make a deep run in this years Championship.

This will be his 3rd appearance at the Crucible, with only 1 victory to his name he will have to significantly improve his record in Sheffield to come out on top over the world number 11 and former finalist.

It's very difficult to call a winner of this one and a close contest is expected but I feel there is a real possibility of Vafaei causing an upset here.

Prediction: 10-9 Vafaei