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| Venue: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield Dates:16 April-2 May |
| Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV and Red Button with uninterrupted coverage on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and the BBC Sport app |
Ronnie O’Sullivan’s quest for an eighth World Championship title begins on Saturday against Chinese debutant Pang Junxu at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre.
‘The Rocket’ goes into the tournament as the favourite to move clear of Stephen Hendry with the most titles in the modern era, despite failing to reach a ranking final this season.
In many ways it has been a curious season, with the some of the biggest names in the sport misfiring, while others who have traditionally been further down the world rankings have thrived.
Judd Trump set aside indifferent results to win the Masters in January, while Mark Allen started the campaign in stellar form and took the UK Championship.
There have also been ranking titles for Gary Wilson, Robert Milkins, Ali Carter and Ryan Day, while the 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy and four-time winner Mark Selby appear to have rediscovered their best form.
So who is ready to perform in the cauldron of the Crucible? BBC Sport picks out six contenders to become world champion in May.
Ronnie O’Sullivan
World ranking: One
World Championship record: Seven titles (2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020, 2022)
O’Sullivan, 47, returns to Sheffield to defend his crown as the world number one.
Widely considered the sport’s most gifted player, the Englishman turned professional in 1992 and has won a record 21 Triple Crown events (seven victories in each of the World Championship, Masters and UK Championship).
When it comes to milestones there are few that O’Sullivan has not reached, having compiled more century breaks (1,198) and more maximum 147s (15) than any other player.
And while he sits 23rd on the one-year ranking list – with his successes this term limited to the invitational Champion of Champions and Hong Kong Masters before Christmas – his remarkable longevity and pedigree means he simply cannot be discounted.
Mark Allen
World ranking: Three
World Championship record: Best performance 2009 semi-finalist
Allen arrives at the Crucible looking to cap a memorable campaign with a maiden world title.
The 37-year-old from Northern Ireland has enjoyed a career-best season, reaching the final of the British Open before winning the Northern Ireland Open for the second consecutive year and producing a remarkable recovery to beat Ding Junhui 10-7 in the final of the UK Championship.
His victory over Trump at the World Grand Prix in January also lifted him to his highest world ranking position since turning professional in 2005.
However, he will have to overcome a dismal recent record at the Crucible having failed to advance past the second round in 10 of his past 11 trips.
Shaun Murphy
World ranking: Four
World Championship record: One title (2005), beaten finalist three times (2009, 2015, 2021).
After struggling through much of the previous year with back and neck complaints, Murphy has enjoyed a renaissance this term.
Having reached the Welsh Open final in February, he produced arguably the performance of the season by knocking in 11 centuries to win the Players Championship and then overturned a 4-0 deficit against Kyren Wilson in April to claim the Tour Championship.
The 40-year-old told BBC Sport that he is heading to the World Championship “in the best form that I have ever gone there in” and credits a gastric sleeve operation last summer as having a transformative effect.
“It changed my life and effected me in every area mentally and physically. It has made me a better person and that in turn has led to me being a better snooker player this year,” the Englishman said.
“There have been other changes I’ve made as well to tactics and shot selection here and there to be a little more patient and there have been a few things that have contributed to me having probably the best season of my career so far.”
Mark Selby
World ranking: Two
World Championship record: Four titles (2014, 2016, 2017, 2021)
Few players are as well-equipped for the rigours of the Crucible than four-time world champion Selby, who remains formidable over the longer format of the game.
And the 39-year-old Englishman appears to be coming into peak form at just the right time after well-documented mental struggles.
A rejuvenated Selby won the English Open in December and said that he felt ready to make a tilt for a fifth world title after winning the World Snooker Tour Classic in March.
If the 22-time ranking event winner was to reach the tournament’s business end, few would dare back against him.
Judd Trump
World ranking: Five
World Championship record: One title (2019), beaten finalist twice (2011, 2022)
Trump, delivered one of the finest performances in Crucible history in 2019 with seven centuries in a dominant 18-9 win over John Higgins in the final but is frustratingly, given his prodigious talent, yet to go on and add a second world title to his collection.
A natural entertainer, the English player reined in his attacking instincts to beat Mark Williams in the final of the Masters in January.
While he has not been at his absolute best in a season that has otherwise seen him reach a smattering of ranking event quarter-finals and the final of the World Grand Prix, it would be unwise to dismiss Trump’s chances of world glory again.
Ding Junhui
World ranking: 17
World Championship record: Finalist in 2016
Fate can sometimes play a hand in sport and that appears to be the case as former finalist Ding squeezed back into the seedings during a season in which match-fixing allegations have been levelled at 10 other players from China.
Ding, 36, reached the UK final earlier this season, the Tour Championship semi-finals earlier this month and won the Six Red World Championship in March.
After consecutive first-round exits in the previous two years he looks capable of going deeper into the tournament this time.
By Steve Sutcliffe
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