World Snooker Championship 2025 LIVE RESULTS: Ronnie O’Sullivan ONE frame away, Trump AHEAD after winning £100k bonus
THE World Snooker Championship is rolling on at pace at the Crucible - with the sport's biggest names back in action TODAY.
Ronnie O'Sullivan is one frame away from the quarter-finals as he holds a 12-4 lead over Pang Junxu after the second session of their clash.
On Sunday, Judd Trump made his 100th century of the season as he took a 10-6 lead over Shaun Murphy.
Two quarter-finals have already been confirmed as Class of 92 members John Higgins and Mark Williams face off, and Chris Wakelin takes on Zhao Xintong.
- Start time: From 1pm BST
- Live stream: BBC iPlayer
- TV channel: BBC One / Two / Four
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Follow ALL the action from the Crucible Theatre with our live blog below...
Latest scores - Morning session
The nerves clearly playing a part for Lei Peifan.
A disaster of an opening break, smashing into the blue which flies into the pocket.
Wilson can't cash in though, missing the long red into the right corner.
- Kyren Wilson 0-0 Lei Peifan
- Xiao Guodong 0-0 Matthew Selt
Here come the players
It's go time at the Crucible.
Defending champion Kyren Wilson gets a rapturous reception from the crowd.
Time to see if the Crucible Curse strikes again.
- Kyren Wilson vs Lei Peifan
- Xiao Guodong vs Matthew Selt
Credit: Alamy Davis on Crucible future
"This is the best snooker venue we are ever going to have."
A bold statement from Steve Davis - and made amid speculation the Sheffield arena could soon lose the World Championship.
The players are about to make their entrance infront of a capacity crowd in South Yorkshire.
Draw in full
We're focusing on Kyren Wilson's first-round clash against Lei Peifan this morning, with Xiao Guodong and Matthew Selt on Table 2.
As we await the players in Sheffield, here's a full rundown of matches coming at you over the next few days.
- Judd Trump vs Zhou Yuelong
- Zhang Anda vs Pang Junxu
- Shaun Murphy vs Dan Wells
- Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Ali Carter
- Ding Junhui vs Zak Surety
- Mark Allen vs Fan Zhengyi
- Jak Jones vs Zhao Xingtong
- John Higgins vs Joe O'Connor
- Neil Robertson vs Chris Wakelin
- Xiao Guodong vs Matthew Selt
- Mark Williams vs Wu Yize
- Barry Hawkins vs Hossein Vafaei
- Mark Selby vs Ben Woollaston
- Kyren Wilson vs Lei Peifan
- Luca Brecel vs Ryan Day
- Si Jiahui vs David Gilbert
Credit: Getty Baulk at the idea
TNT Sports have left fans shocked after announcing their commentary team for the World Snooker Championship.
The BBC will continue to air the bulk of the sessions in Sheffield, with every match available on iPlayer.
But the switch to TNT Sports means fans will access an all-new commentary team.
That includes chief commentator Darren Fletcher, who is often heard on Champions League matches and at big boxing events.
He is often accompanied by Ally McCoist for those big European nights, and the Scot is set to join him for the snooker.
The news was confirmed during Arsenal's 2-1 win over Real Madrid on Wednesday - much to the surprise of viewers.
History in the making?
Surely Ronnie isn’t going to withdraw because he is chasing a history-making 8th World Championship?!
But who dare tell him what to do especially after he has won this competition the most amount of times along with Stephen Hendry.
Here are the years of O’Sullivan’s previous wins:
- 2001
- 2004
- 2008
- 2012
- 2013
- 2020
- 2022
Credit: Getty Ronnie's reality check
Ronnie O’Sullivan fears he has lost his bottle — and warned he may quit the World Snooker Championship if he has “a meltdown”.
The Rocket said: “I’m not playing until Tuesday. So if I have a meltdown, who knows? I might still bloody withdraw. I hope I don’t.
"I’m surprised I’m here but I’m here. I don’t have any expectations.
"I’d just like to not feel all at sea out there. If I can just play and at least feel semi-competitive, I’d be happy with that.
"Could I win the whole thing? I doubt it. I’d be very happy to just give Ali a game.
"I’m nearly 50 now and there’s a lot of young guys who are hungry and competing all the time. It’s a bit different to say 2012, 2013."
The Crucible curse
The Crucible curse is the quip given to the fact that no first-time world champion has ever retained their crown the following year.
Since the tournament moved to the Crucible in 1977 it has cursed 19 players in a row with every debut champion crumbling under the pressure of snooker's grandest stage.
Some have come close though - Joe Johnson and Ken Doherty both made it to the final the year after their maiden victories - but most don't get anywhere near that far.
As recently as 2023, Luca Brecel was doomed by the curse, losing in the first round of the 2024 tournament after winning the title the year before.
Brecel is not on his own though - seven champions have gone on to lose their first match the following year.
Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Selby have all managed to win consecutive titles at the Crucible, but they had won the championship previously.
Wilson returns to South Yorkshire as the reigning champion and is determined to lift the curse and posted a hilarious video to social media in an effort to exorcise the demons.
In the video, Wilson jokingly completed some of the superstitions people believe to bring us bad luck, including smashing a mirror and holding his World Championship trophy next to a black cat.
Wil he win it again?
Kyren Wilson claimed his first world title after some thrilling action at the Crucible, beating Jak Jones in the 2024 final.
The Kettering superstar beat Jak Jones 18-14 despite a spirited comeback from the qualifier.
And he’ll be hoping to break the Crucible curse this year.
Credit: PA
Welcome to SunSport's World Snooker Championship 2025 coverage
The day we have all been waiting for is FINALLY here… The World Snooker Championship and us here at SunSport will be ALL over it for the first ball to the last.
Last year's winner, Kyren Wilson, heads to Sheffield as top seed after he claimed the crown with an 18-14 win over Jak Jones in the 2024 final.
World No1 Judd Trump will be heavily tipped to take the title this year as the Ace aims to add to his 2019 world championship triumph.
Seven-time Crucible winner Ronnie O'Sullivan hasn't featured since January but is set to make his return to snooker in Sheffield.
John Higgins heads into the World Championship as the man in form after the Scotsman won the Tour Championship earlier this month.
This year's competition promises to be a thriller, and SunSport brings you all the information so you don't miss a second from the Crucible.
John Higgins 1-1 Xiao Guodong (36-0)
A horrible miscue from Xiao when trying to swerve the blue and he hits it straight off the colour.
So an extra five points to Higgins and he regains the table time too!