World Championship 2025 First Round Draw: Ronnie O'Sullivan to play Ali Carter in grudge match, defending champion Kyren Wilson faces Lei Peifan

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Ronnie O'Sullivan has exclusively revealed to TNT Sports that he will play in the 2025 edition of the World Championship as he eyes a record eighth crown, and he will kickstart his bid against Ali Carter in the first round in a grudge match of old foes. Elsewhere, defending champion Kyren Wilson will play Lei Peifan, whilst Judd Trump will go up against Zhou Yuelong.

‘Trying to rediscover my own method’ - O’Sullivan opens up about snooker break

Video credit: TNT Sports

Seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan will face Ali Carter in a grudge match in the opening round of the World Championship, after he revealed to TNT Sports his decision to play in the 2025 edition.

O'Sullivan, who is level with Stephen Hendry for the most wins at the Crucible, can win a record eighth crown should he prevail in Sheffield.

'The Rocket' has not played on the World Snooker Tour since January, when he withdrew from his Championship League group after losing four of his five games, and breaking his cue in frustration.

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He then withdrew from the Masters, the German Masters, and the Welsh Open, citing a need to look after his mental and physical health.

Elsewhere, defending champion Kyren Wilson plays Lei Peifan, whilst Judd Trump faces off against Zhou Yuelong.

Four-time champions Mark Selby and John Higgins take on Ben Woollaston and Joe O'Connor respectively, while Masters champion Shaun Murphy faces Daniel Wells.

2024 finalist Jak Jones has a tricky first-round tie against the former UK Championship winner Zhao Xintong.

In the 49th edition of the season finale to be held at the Crucible, the tournament begins on April 19, and will run for 17 days till May 5.

It is the 18th and final ranking event of the season, with the winner set to receive £500,000 from a prize pot of £2,395,000.

The top 16 players in the WST rankings converge on Sheffield to battle it out to earn the prestigious title of world champion, some for the first time, and some for the umpteenth.

There are three debutants this year, including Wilson's first-round opponent Peifan, as well as Zak Surety and Wells, both of whom came through qualifying to reach the main bracket.

Wilson, the top seed and defending champion, is looking to put an end to the infamous 'Crucible curse', where no first-time winner has successfully defended their title since the tournament moved to the venue in 1977.

Jackson Page became the first player to make two maximum 147 breaks in a professional match when he defeated Allan Taylor 10-2 in the third qualifying round, although the Welshman did not make it into the main draw as he was defeated by O'Connor.