Players Gear Up to Challenge Ronnie O’Sullivan at 2024 World Snooker Championship

The 2024 World Snooker Championship is underway in Sheffield, with defending champion Luca Brecel looking to retain his title and Ronnie O’Sullivan aiming for a record eighth championship win. Brecel made history last year by becoming the first player from mainland Europe to claim snooker’s top prize, defeating O’Sullivan in the quarter-finals before triumphing over Mark Selby in the final.

O’Sullivan, who equaled Stephen Hendry’s record of seven Crucible crowns in 2022, comes into the tournament in top form after winning five titles in the previous season. The 48-year-old is looking to become only the fourth player to win snooker’s three Triple Crown events in the same season.

The tournament features a total prize money of £2.2 million, with the winner taking home £500,000 and an additional £40,000 awarded for a maximum 147 break. The competition follows a format of best-of frames, with the final being the best of 35 frames.

The first round draw includes exciting matchups such as Ding Junhui against Jack Lisowski and Judd Trump facing Hossein Vafaei. The tournament is set to run until May 6, with the final scheduled for that day.

The World Snooker Championship is being held at The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, a venue that has hosted the event since 1977. O’Sullivan recently expressed his desire to see the championship moved to locations such as Saudi Arabia or China.

With a star-studded lineup including Mark Williams, Judd Trump, and Mark Allen among others, the 2024 World Snooker Championship promises to be a thrilling competition with plenty of surprises and upsets in store. Stay tuned for more updates and results as the tournament progresses.