- Ronnie O’Sullivan will begin his quest for a record eighth World Snooker Championship title against Chinese debutant He Guoqiang.
- O'Sullivan, currently tied with Stephen Hendry on seven world titles, has expressed renewed confidence in his game ahead of the tournament.
- He Guoqiang, one of a record 11 Chinese players at the Crucible, has surprisingly beaten O'Sullivan twice in their three previous encounters.
- The championship features four debutants, including He Guoqiang, Stan Moody, Liam Pullen, and Antoni Kowalski.
- Other key first-round matches include defending champion Zhao Xintong against Liam Highfield, and world number one Judd Trump facing Gary Wilson.
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