World Snooker Championship 2022 LIVE - John Higgins gets campaign underway after Neil Robertson wins

Higgins 3-4 Un-Nooh

Nothing wrong with John's big moment moxie here, as he rattles in his second century of the day. A 106 punishes Thepchaiya's shocking missed blue in full.

Higgins 2-4 Un-Nooh (55-1)

This is more like it from John. He composes himself to pick off a half-ton and counting, and needs red-colour to bank the frame. John needed this, and it's turning into a gripping, tit-for-tat encounter already.

On our other table, Stuart Bingham is through to the second round with a 10-5 victory over Lyu Haotian.

Higgins 2-4 Un-Nooh (16-1)

A shot to nothing sees John pot the first red of frame seven, and then gets a good chance when Thepchaiya makes a hash of an attempted swerve pot and leaves a red to the bottom right. John misses it - a shocker - but after Thepchaiya cleans it up he then misses a virtually straight blue to left middle! It's getting a bit twitchy out there. John's in, and needs to make this chance stick.

Higgins 2-4 Un-Nooh

John pots red-green-red, extending his requirement to two snookers, but when he fails to convert a black long to the yellow pocket he concedes the frame.

On our other table Stuart Bingham now leads Lyu Haotian 9-5.

Higgins 2-3 Un-Nooh (5-65)

Drama! Thepchaiya misses frame ball pink into the right middle and with 59 left on, John is still in this. All four remaining reds are tied up and Thepchaiya finds an absolute jazzer of a snooker, tight in behind the yellow near the top cushion. John can't escape, and now requires a snooker.

Higgins 2-3 Un-Nooh (5-53)

A made plant keeps Thepchaiya's break ticking over, and he grafts a half-century that is mightily impressive given the state of the table. Another made plant to the bottom left keeps things trucking, and if he takes this out at this visit it's one of the best breaks you will see at this tournament.

Higgins 2-3 Un-Nooh (5-21)

Thepchaiya gives four away at the start of frame six, ahead of a prolonged safety exchange that progressively bunches all 15 reds in the left corner of the table. The deadlock is broken when John flukes a red into the bottom left, and he's on green to left middle. It's not far off straight but John misses it, and it's a glimmer of a chance for Thepchaiya. The black and blue are out of commission for now but the pink is available; it'll be difficult to make a substantial visit here but he's started well enough.

Higgins 2-3 Un-Nooh

One excellent positional shot from Thepchaiya, moving three reds below the pink after potting the black, leaves the frame at his mercy. He quickly clears the winning post with a 39 to take the frame.

Higgins 2-2 Un-Nooh (21-47)

It's another gift for John as Thepchaiya catches the knuckle of the left middle when playing safe and leaves an easy red. There's work to do to get the seven reds thereafter in position for a clearance, and it breaks down immediately as John misses one along the rail to the bottom right. He's left one to the left middle for Thepchaiya; in it goes, and he's got a chance to get over the line now.

Higgins 2-2 Un-Nooh (6-46)

It's another error from John, who gets a double kiss on a containing safety and leaves the red to the bottom left. Thepchaiya can only reply with six, before John flukes a red into the bottom left and then tucks in behind the yellow. A rare safety exchange between these two follows in which John picks up four from a miss and then an easy starter to the bottom left. That goes, but position doesn't follow; for the first time in this match, we're a bit bogged down.

Higgins 2-2 Un-Nooh (0-40)

We're back, and John makes an immediate error when he catches the blue on his way back up the table from a safety. Thepchaiya cashes in for only 22 though, as a canon off one red to land on another goes awry and he's on nowt. A good safety from him though snookers John on all reds, and he hits the pink three times before mastering his one-cushion escape at the third attempt.

On the other table, Lyu Haotian has won the final frame before the interval against Stuart Bingham on a respotted black, and now trails 8-5.

Higgins 2-2 Un-Nooh

What a lovely little afternoon feast that has been. A superb clearance of 128 from John sends us into an interval, though I think everyone at The Crucible would happily watch both these guys play through it.

On the other table, Stuart Bingham now leads Lyu Haotian 8-4. We'll be back in 15 minutes.

Higgins 1-2 Un-Nooh (68-1)

He loves a double. John loses position on 59, but bullets a double into the right middle to keep going. Frame ball red soon follows into the opposite pocket and we're rattling along in this match, it's great to watch.

Higgins 1-2 Un-Nooh (51-1)

John fills his boots to reach 44, before making a tough plant to the bottom left to keep going. A delicate pink to left middle follows - just - for the half-ton, and he's split a cluster of adjacent reds in the process. That should sort the frame.

Higgins 1-2 Un-Nooh (14-1)

Oof, this could be expensive for Thepchaiya. He floats in a delightful long red to the bottom right, which leaves a cut back on the black to the other corner. The natural angle cracks the pack open but he's missed the pot, and left a load on for John.

Higgins 1-2 Un-Nooh

This is the Thepchaiya that was briefly in the top 16 two years ago, as a break of 80 restores his lead.

Higgins 1-1 Un-Nooh (0-54)

In co-comms Fouldsy calls Thepchaiya a one-off, who plays to his own rules. You can see the point; from speed of play to shot selection, Thepchaiya is unorthodox but when it works it works, and you can be swept in a mini-session in well under an hour if he's on it. He's raced to a half-century here, and there's enough free to win the frame without risking any canons.

Higgins 1-1 Un-Nooh (0-22)

It's a hill of missed reds to start frame three, before an attempt to rest on the pack from John goes awry and he gifts Thepchaiya an easy starter. There's a nice spread of reds here and the pink for the time being will go on the black spot, so it's a decent chance.

Higgins 1-1 Un-Nooh

Thepchaiya goes in-off when trying to play for the snooker he needs. From the D John dishes up to the pink, and we're all square.

Higgins 0-1 Un-Nooh (60-30)

John negotiates the final three awkward reds superbly, pausing briefly to ask an audience member to stop fidgeting in his eyeline. They're all dispatched with colours, and Thepchaiya needs a snooker already as John misses the yellow.

Higgins 0-1 Un-Nooh (32-30)

How much John has been affected by that Tour final only he knows, but he's not started too well here. Thepchaiya responds with 30 but the reds are awkward, and he eventually misses a tough one long to the yellow pocket. John's back in and soon back in front, but has three problem reds to negotiate in the bottom left corner to win the frame.

Higgins 0-1 Un-Nooh (22-0)

At the start of frame two John snicks in a thin red, but ends up marooned in the pack and not on a colour. He then picks up five as Thepchaiya sends the blue in-off, and then tags in a long red to go back up for the green. It's a chance for John, but on 16 he decelerates horribly through a simple pink to the bottom left and misses it. That's a shocker, and Thepchaiya can counter here.

Higgins 0-1 Un-Nooh

Thepchaiya duly does win the frame, clearing up to the pink which he flukes into the yellow pocket.

Higgins 0-0 Un-Nooh (32-56)

John loses position on 32, and is forced to take a red long to the green pocket which rattles out. He then drops Thepchaiya in all sorts of bother with the white tight on the bottom rail, but Thepchaiya picks out a glorious red to right middle and it's a chance to win the frame.

Higgins 0-0 Un-Nooh (24-55)

Thepchaiya glides to the brink of a half-century, but misses a relatively straightforward red to bottom left from close range just as the winning line hoved into view. That's left John in, and it's a chance to counter. Even at this stage, this could sting if Thepchaiya loses the frame from that miss.

Higgins 0-0 Un-Nooh (0-25)

John gives away six after clipping the pink on a one-cushion deadweight escape to rest on the pack. He makes it at the second attempt, but he's left a red on to the left middle. Thepchaiya is off and running, with his break at 19 and counting.

Let's get about it

Our MC Rob Walker gets things popping, and announces the players into a lively Crucible Theatre.

On the other table today Stuart Bingham and Lyu Haotian play to a finish, with Bingham leading 6-3. We'll keep you informed on what's happening.

Un-Nooh

If you think fate has hoofed you in the gnashers a few times, get on this. Thepchaiya has qualified for the World Championship three times in his career, only to be drawn against Higgins in 2018, Judd Trump in 2019 and Ronnie O’Sullivan in 2020. That led to a first round exit each time, but he did take Judd all the way to a decider when they met.

Conversely, he was hosed 10-1 by Ronnie a year later in the quickest first round match in Crucible history. Speed is what it’s all about with Thepchaiya; he has one of the quickest shot times in the game at near 17 seconds and is a former winner of the Snooker Shoot Out.

The Wizard

It’s been a curate’s egg of a year for John. On balance his form has been superb, picking up the European Series first prize of £150,000 and reaching the finals of the English Open, Northern Ireland Open, Champion of Champions, Scottish Open, and the Tour Championship. The bad news is he’s lost all of those finals, and three of them from in front needing just one frame for victory.

After his collapse from 9-4 in front to Robertson at the Tour Championship a few weeks ago, he admitted that he didn’t know how long it would take to get over it. We haven’t seen John on the baize since, so it’ll be fascinating to see if he can shake it out of his system and get on a roll here. He knows the course all too well, having won in Sheffield in 1998, 2007, 2009 and 2011.

Good afternoon

Welcome back to live coverage of day four of the 2022 World Snooker Championship. Neil Robertson is through to the second round, and this afternoon we get to watch Crucible royalty. John Higgins will be on the baize shortly to take on Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.

--- That's us done for the morning

Join us again at 2.15pm BST for:

Stuart Bingham (Eng) 6-3 Lyu Haotian (Chn)

John Higgins (Sco) v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Tha)

Not bad, eh?

On table 2

Wakelin now leads Bintao 4-3.

Neil Robertson beats Ashley Hugill 10-5!

That's a good start from the favourite, whose talent should be worth more than one world title. He finishes with 110, his 58t ton of the season - more than anyone else - and meets Lisowski or Stevens next, having served notice that he remains in decent nick. Ashley, meanwhile, gave a decent account of himself and has plenty to build on for next season.

Robertson 9-5 Hugill (48-3)

Yup, Neil is taking these nicely, and looks in decent shape for a fourth ton of the match.

Robertson 9-5 Hugill (9-3)

Of course, as I type that, he misses a red after clattering home the yellow, leaving Neil all sorts. Surely this time, this match is over?

Robertson 9-5 Hugill (1-3)

Neil wobbles in a long red but an infelicitous kiss off the yellow means he can only roll up to the brown. Then, when Ashley cuts in a fine starter, he looks in decent shape to rack up a lead...

Elsewhere

It's now Bingtao 3-3 Wakelin.

Robertson 9-5 Hugill

All the players on the tour can play well enough to take frames off all the others and we're seeing that now.

Robertson 9-4 Hugill (43-64)

This is good from Ashley, who's taking these well. The penultimate red is cloesish to the yellow and he's bridging over the green to get at it ..but it's there. One more good pot and this'll look a lot like 9-5. Shonuff, the final red goes to right corner, but the black is a little straight ... no matter, a fine shot from Ashley gets him onto the yellow and this'll be another frame to him!

Robertson 9-4 Hugill (43-8)

All the more so now! He misses a red, then Ashley rockets one to right corner, developing everything, and though he daren't miss, he's very quickly fashioned a very presentable opportunity.

Robertson 9-4 Hugill (43-0)

But no! He catches the near jaw trying to force a red along the top cushion, and though he doesn't leave anything, Ashley is still involved!

Robertson 9-4 Hugill (34-0)

Neil's had enough. He gets away in frame 14, and already this looks like curtains.

Off we go again!

Bingtao now leads Wakelin 3-2

Elsewhere

It's still Bingtao 2-2 Wakelin.

Robertson 9-4 Hugill

Ashley sends the pink close to the pocket, Neil has one go at banging out then concedes. Join me again in 15 for the resumption.

Robertson 9-3 Hugill (47-69)

Ashley almost goes in-off, a rueful smile illustrating how close that was to curtains, then Neil has to pit the blue, trying a snooker to the side of the black thereafter - the pink is on its other side. Here he goes ... and he hits.

Robertson 9-3 Hugill (47-69)

And there's one! Ashley gave that up very easily.

Robertson 9-3 Hugill (42-69)

Twenty-seven behind with18 on, Neil returns to the table when Ashley misses the blue, needing two snookers.

Robertson 9-3 Hugill (42-62)

Come on Ashley! He makes his first fifty since frame four, then plays off the final red, marooned on black cush, to send it down the table. Neil then leaves it, and Ashley is now a big favourite for the frame, seeing away the black and with just the colours to go, a delicate yellow cut into the green pocket. This is going beyond the interval.

Robertson 9-3 Hugill (42-10)

When Man United were good at football in April 2000, West Ham took the lead at Old Trafford and were battered 7-1 when, had they just not bothered, they might've got away with 2-0. That's a bit like Ashley going 3-1 here, but he rolls a nice starter to middle, and though he can't capitalise, when Neil misses one, he's got another chance to prolong the match past the mid-sesh.

Robertson 9-3 Hugill (42-0)

Yup, as I type that Neil splits the back, developing everything ... finishing on nothing! This game!

Robertson 9-3 Hugill (36-0)

A slow start to frame 12, but it's Neil in first and he carefully accumulates, resolving a difficult table. Increasingly, this looks like curtains.

Elsewhere

It's Bingtao 2-2 Wakelin.

Robertson 9-3 Hugill

Ashley sinks green and brown but Neil smashes blue to yellow pocket, and needs one more for a sweep of the morning frames that'd also see him into round two.

Robertson 8-3 Hugill (66-31)

Neil drains the yellow but Ashley plays on despite needing three snookers - good luck old boy.

Robertson 8-3 Hugill (64-31)

Ashley takes on a long red and misses, but in the process he develops the green and hides the white behind it, the red towards right corner. A three-cushion escape rescues Neil ... and next shot, he absolutely clatters in a long red to the green pocket. That barely looked on! It wasn't really, unless you're a potter like the Thunder, and when he sinks thee black, Ashley needs a snooker.

Robertson 8-3 Hugill (56-31)

With one red remaining, Neil runs out of position, playing safe. The chase is on!

Robertson 8-3 Hugill (41-31)

Eesh, Ashley catches a pink half-ball - full-ball and he's cruising - so takes on a long red to left corner, cues right across it, and Neil sinks a starter. However, there are three reds near the top cushion and one stuck to the black, so clearing up from here will be tough. Neil, though, jams in behind a member of the former group - "that is ridiculous" says Dominic - and suddenly, the frame opens up.

Robertson 8-3 Hugill (28-25)

Neil wobbles in a black that looked to my untrained eye like it was going to stay out. But it means he's not on much, trying a red that's very close to the white into right corner - this is a tight match, he plays safe - and it bounces out of the jaws, landing safe. So Ashley takes on a difficult one - he needs to - drains it - and can he makes something happen? He wins this and the next, at 8-5 he's still involved. But that if is doing Jon-Pall Sigmasson-style heavy lifting.

Robertson 8-3 Hugill (20-14)

Ashley gets in ... and gets out. A short safety bout then finds Neil at the table, and though his cue-ball control hasn't been perfect today, there are points out there for him.

Not anymore

Wakelin makes a ton to level at 1-1.

Elsewhere

Bingtao leads Wakelin 1-0.

Robertson 8-3 Hugill

A player of Neil's brilliance should have more than one world title. Is this his year?

Robertson 7-3 Hugill (70-0)

Neil hasn't played that well this morning, but it's not going to matter.

Robertson 7-3 Hugill (36-0)

Reprieve for Ashley! Neil misses a cut-back red to left corner - truth be told, he doesn't actually get near it - but Ashley then leaves him one, and that will, you fear, be the frame.

Robertson 7-3 Hugill (7-0)

Oh Ashley love. He leaves a simple starter, Neil drains it, adds a blue, splatters the pack, and already Ashley will be fearing the worst.

Robertson 7-3 Hugill

Neil makes it six frames on the spin, and looks every inch a potential champ.

Robertson 6-3 Hugill (55-15)

Actually, I went too early there - there are two difficult reds and Neil will need one - a good safety forces Ashley to leave it him, and that will be 7-3.

Robertson 6-3 Hugill (40-15)

Ashely dangles a nice starter for Neil, the white in the middle of the tale and the red towards left corner. It disappears, so does the black, and this is going to be 7-3.

Robertson 6-3 Hugill (33-15)

We - in the broadest-possible sense - are chasing the final five reds, two of which are on the top cushion and three of which ate in the middle sector of the table.

Robertson 6-3 Hugill (33-15)

Neil is so nicely grooved at the moment, and as he accumulates we cut to Ashley looking glum - as well he might. He badly needs to win this frame - he badly needs to win this session - and he still can, because the reds are scattered and, on 32, Neil has no choice but to play safe. Thing is, Ashley then leaves him one, which he drains, before playing to the baulk cushion and knocking the green safe

Robertson 6-3 Hugill (1-15)

Neil played superbly at the end of yesterday's first session, and Ashley will have been relieved when it ended. That isn't to say he didn't play well, just that when the world's best player gets going - and at the moment, that's Neil - there's not much anyone can do. Anyhow, Ashley sinks a long red of the sort he must to make this close ... only to miss what Dominic terms a "rudimentary black" off its spot. "That'll dismay him," he says, with extreme understatement. Neil dukl sinks a starter to middle, and off he goes.

Off we go! They boyz baize

Oooh yeah!

Today's early sesh

For you we have:

Yan Bingtao (Chn) v Chris Wakelin (Eng)

Neil Robertson (Aus) 6-3 Ashley Hugill (Eng)

We'll be focusing on the latter, but the former is interesting too. Wakelin was excellent in qualifying, while Bingtao is a potential champion who can struggle early in tournaments.

Morning all!

And welcome to day four of the World Snooker Championship 2022!

'He’s a genius, but beatable' – Allen on how he can upset O'Sullivan

Mark Allen admits he will use memories of his 13-11 World Championship win over Ronnie O'Sullivan in 2009 to inspire him when they meet in the Crucible second round this year.

Allen set up a last-16 meeting with the world No. 1 courtesy of a battling 10-6 win over Scott Donaldson on Monday night. The Scotsman closed to 7-6 behind before Allen claimed the final three frames to advance.

Allen defeated O'Sullivan at the same stage of the tournament 13 years ago – their only previous meeting in Sheffield – during his run to the last four and aims to "get under his skin" again with the best-of-25 frame encounter starting on Friday morning before concluding on Saturday afternoon.

O'Sullivan leads 6-4 on the career head-to-heads, but Allen edged their previous meeting – a bad-natured 6-3 triumph in the 2020 Champion of Champions quarter-final – a tournament the Antrim man progressed to lift with a 10-6 victory over Neil Robertson in the final.

Live comments

You can follow LIVE comments on every session from the World Snooker Championship 2022 on the Eurosport.co.uk website.

How to watch the event Schedule and dates First round (best of 19 frames)

Saturday, 16 April

10:00

• Mark Selby (1) 6-3 Jamie Jones
• Zhao Xintong (7) 7-2 Jamie Clarke

14:30

• Barry Hawkins (9) 3-6 Jackson Page
• Ronnie O’Sullivan (2) 6-3 David Gilbert

19:00

• Shaun Murphy (10) 3-6 Stephen Maguire
• Mark Selby (1) 10-7 Jamie Jones

Sunday, 17 April

10:00

• Anthony McGill (13) 6-3 Liam Highfield
• Zhao Xintong (7) 10-2 Jamie Clarke

14:30

• Mark Williams (8) 7-2 Michael White
• Ronnie O’Sullivan (2) 10-5 David Gilbert

19:00

• Barry Hawkins (9) 7-10 Jackson Page
• Shaun Murphy (10) 8-10 Stephen Maguire

Monday, 18 April

10:00

• Mark Allen (15) 10-6 Scott Donaldson
• Anthony McGill (13) 6-3 Liam Highfield

14:30

• Neil Robertson (3) 6-3 Ashley Hugill
• Mark Williams (8) 10-3 Michael White

19:00

• Stuart Bingham (12) 6-3 Lyu Haotian
• Mark Allen (15) 10-6 Scott Donaldson

Tuesday, 19 April

10:00

• Yan Bingtao (16) v Chris Wakelin
• Neil Robertson (3) v Ashley Hugill

14:30

• John Higgins (6) v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
• Stuart Bingham (12) v Lyu Haotian

19:00

• Jack Lisowski (14) v Matthew Stevens
• Yan Bingtao (16) v Chris Wakelin

Wednesday, 20 April

10:00

• Kyren Wilson (5) v Ding Junhui
• John Higgins (6) v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh

14:30

• Judd Trump (4) v Hossein Vafaei
• Jack Lisowski (14) v Matthew Stevens

19:00

• Luca Brecel (11) v Noppon Saengkham
• Kyren Wilson (5) v Ding Junhui

Thursday, 21 April

13:00

• Luca Brecel (11) v Noppon Saengkham

19:00

• Judd Trump (4) v Hossein Vafaei

Second round (best of 25 frames)

Thursday, 21 April

13:00

• Barry Hawkins / Jackson Page v Mark Williams / Michael White

19:00

• Zhao Xintong / Jamie Clarke v Shaun Murphy / Stephen Maguire

Friday, 22 April

10:00

• Mark Allen / Scott Donaldson v Ronnie O’Sullivan / David Gilbert
• Barry Hawkins / Jackson Page v Mark Williams / Michael White

14:30

• Mark Selby / Jamie Jones v Yan Bingtao / Chris Wakelin
• Zhao Xintong / Jamie Clarke v Shaun Murphy / Stephen Maguire

19:00

• Barry Hawkins / Jackson Page v Mark Williams / Michael White
• Mark Allen / Scott Donaldson v Ronnie O’Sullivan / David Gilbert

Saturday, 23 April

10:00

• Zhao Xintong / Jamie Clarke v Shaun Murphy / Stephen Maguire
• Mark Selby / Jamie Jones v Yan Bingtao / Chris Wakelin

14:30

• Anthony McGill / Liam Highfield v Judd Trump / Hossein Vafaei
• Mark Allen / Scott Donaldson v Ronnie O’Sullivan / David Gilbert

19:00

• Neil Robertson / Ashley Hugill v Jack Lisowski / Matthew Stevens
• Mark Selby / Jamie Jones v Yan Bingtao / Chris Wakelin

Sunday, 24 April

10:00

• Kyren Wilson / Ding Junhui v Stuart Bingham / Lyu Haotian
• Luca Brecel / Noppon Saengkham v John Higgins / Thepchaiya Un-Nooh

14:30

• Neil Robertson / Ashley Hugill v Jack Lisowski / Matthew Stevens
• Anthony McGill / Liam Highfield v Judd Trump / Hossein Vafaei

19:00

• Kyren Wilson / Ding Junhui v Stuart Bingham / Lyu Haotian
• Luca Brecel / Noppon Saengkham v John Higgins / Thepchaiya Un-Nooh

Monday, 25 April

13:00

• Luca Brecel / Noppon Saengkham v John Higgins / Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
• Kyren Wilson / Ding Junhui v Stuart Bingham / Lyu Haotian

19:00

• Neil Robertson / Ashley Hugill v Jack Lisowski / Matthew Stevens
• Anthony McGill / Liam Highfield v Judd Trump / Hossein Vafaei

Quarter-finals (best of 25 frames)

Tuesday, 26 April

10:00

• TBC v TBC
• TBC v TBC

14:30

• TBC v TBC
• TBC v TBC

19:00

• TBC v TBC
• TBC v TBC

Wednesday, 27 April

10:00

• TBC v TBC
• TBC v TBC

14:30

• TBC v TBC
• TBC v TBC

19:00

• TBC v TBC
• TBC v TBC

Semi-finals (best of 33 frames)

Thursday, 28 April

13:00

19:00

Friday, 29 April

10:00

14:30

19:00

Saturday, 30 April

10:00

14:30

19:00

Final (best of 35 frames)

Sunday, 1 May

13:00

19:00

Monday, 2 May

13:00

19:00

Previous Winners

The World Championship has been running since 1927 and, prior to its move to the Crucible in 1977, it was dominated by Joe Davis, Walter Donaldson, Fred Davis, John Pulman, John Spencer and Ray Reardon, with Alex Higgins and Horace Lundrum winning it once apiece. Since the move to Sheffield, the winners are:

• 1977: John Spencer
• 1978: Ray Reardon
• 1979: Terry Griffiths
• 1980: Cliff Thorburn
• 1981: Steve Davis
• 1982: Alex Higgins
• 1983: Steve Davis
• 1984: Steve Davis
• 1985: Dennis Taylor
• 1986: Joe Johnson
• 1987: Steve Davis
• 1988: Steve Davis
• 1989: Steve Davis
• 1990: Stephen Hendry
• 1991: John Parrott
• 1992: Stephen Hendry
• 1993: Stephen Hendry
• 1994: Stephen Hendry
• 1995: Stephen Hendry
• 1996: Stephen Hendry
• 1997: Ken Doherty
• 1998: John Higgins
• 1999: Stephen Hendry
• 2000: Mark Williams
• 2001: Ronnie O'Sullivan
• 2002: Peter Ebdon
• 2003: Mark Williams
• 2004: Ronnie O'Sullivan
• 2005: Shaun Murphy
• 2006: Graeme Dott
• 2007: John Higgins
• 2008: Ronnie O'Sullivan
• 2009: John Higgins
• 2010: Neil Robertson
• 2011: John Higgins
• 2012: Ronnie O'Sullivan
• 2013: Ronnie O'Sullivan
• 2014: Mark Selby
• 2015: Stuart Bingham
• 2016: Mark Selby
• 2017: Mark Selby
• 2018: Mark Williams
• 2019: Judd Trump
• 2020: Ronnie O'Sullivan
• 2021: Mark Selby

What is the format?

The epic 128-person qualifiers produced 16 players, who have emerged from that group to join the 16 top-ranked players in the world in the first-round draw.

The first round is best of 19 frames, the second and quarter-final rounds best of 25. The semi-finals are best of 33 and the final best of 35.

What is the draw for the World Championship first round?

• Mark Selby (1) v Jamie Jones
• Yan Bingtao (16) v Chris Wakelin
• Barry Hawkins (9) v Jackson Page
• Mark Williams (8) v Michael White
• Kyren Wilson (5) v Ding Junhui
• Stuart Bingham (12) v Lyu Haotian
• Anthony McGill (13) v Liam Highfield
• Judd Trump (4) v Hossein Vafaei
• Neil Robertson (3) v Ashley Hugill
• Jack Lisowski (14) v Matthew Stevens
• Luca Brecel (11) v Noppon Saengkham
• John Higgins (6) v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
• Zhao Xintong (7) v Jamie Clarke
• Shaun Murphy (10) v Stephen Maguire
• Mark Allen (15) v Scott Donaldson
• Ronnie O’Sullivan (2) v David Gilbert

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