How World Snooker Championship could emulate Masters with record sequence of bizarre results as Ronnie O'Sullivan closes in on John Higgins clash
By Desmond Kane
Published 22/04/2026 at 09:26 GMT+1
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There were gasps of disbelief when the first round of the Masters in January produced eight identical results with every first-round match finishing 6-2 at odds of 220,000-1, but the World Championship is on course to produce its own set of odd results.
Watch the amusing moment O'Sullivan walks to wrong table in rare Crucible mistep
Video credit: TNT Sports
Neil Robertson completed the remarkable clean sweep of 6-2 outcomes when he defeated Chris Wakelin at the Alexandra Palace in London and Australia's 2010 Crucible winner could again feature in completing another unlikely sequence of happenings in Sheffield.
Since the Crucible first staged 32 players in the first round in 1982, when Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins defeated Ray Reardon 18-15 in the final, there has never been a World Championship when all the top 16 seeds have reached the second round.
Defending champion and top seed Steve Davis was famously walloped 10-1 by Tony Knowles in the first round in 1982 in one of the biggest shocks in the tournament's history, with six seeds falling at the first hurdle.
On two occasions, 15 of the top 16 seeds have won their opening matches, with Tony Meo upsetting Jimmy White, the 12th seed, 10-8 in 1983 and 1981 runner-up Doug Mountjoy defeating 15th seed Alain Robidoux 10-6 a decade later.
Six seeds were defeated in the first round last year, including the defending champion Kyren Wilson, who went out 10-9 to former Scottish Open champion Lei Peifan.
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O'Sullivan 'thunders' in long red with masterful cueing
Video credit: TNT Sports
It was not a huge surprise when eight of the top 16 seeds were dumped at the opening stage in 2024, a record year for casualties alongside 1992 and 2012.
Seven were eliminated in 2016 and six have suffered early exits in 1982, 1987, 1989, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013 and 2018.
Such is the quality of the qualifiers, which this year included Ali Carter, Zhang Anda, David Gilbert and Matthew Stevens, it is hardly a major shock to see seeds scattered early on.
Indeed, on average, four seeds are traditionally dumped by a qualifier in the first round of the World Championship.
But if the five remaining seeds can win their first-round matches at the 50th edition of the sport's biggest event, we will witness a rare record clean sweep.
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‘I was under the pump’ – Robertson on completing clean sweep of 6-2 first-round wins
Video credit: TNT Sports
2005 winner Shaun Murphy, seeded eighth, just managed to stave off a surprise exit when he produced a closing 50 break to edge Fan Zhengyi 10-9 on the final pink on Tuesday night.
"I have no idea how I did it, I was preparing my losing speech," said Murphy. "Fan played a great match and he had more than a foot in the last 16. I didn't want to be the first seed to lose."
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Wakelin, the No. 13 seed, will aim to become the 12th favourite through to the last 16 on Wednesday morning, holding a 5-4 overnight lead over Liam Pullen.
And Ronnie O'Sullivan will aim to secure a second-round clash with fellow Class of '92 icon John Higgins if he can see off He Guoqiang in the afternoon, leading 7-2 from the first session.
Four-time champion Mark Selby takes on 2024 runner-up Jak Jones in two sessions on Wednesday, while fourth seed Robertson faces Pang Junxu on Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon.
2023 semi-finalist Si Jiahui is the 15th seed when he confronts Hossein Vafaei at 14:30 UK time on Wednesday and Thursday in the final first-round matches.
How to watch the World Snooker Championship
You can watch every day of the World Championship live on TNT Sports.
It is available both live and on-demand on HBO Max.
The tournament will run from Saturday, April 18 to Monday, May 4 at the Crucible in Sheffield.
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