The 2026 World Snooker Championship got underway on the 18th of April, and almost a week into the tournament we have yet to see an upset. At the time of writing, the first round is still ongoing, but as things stand, it has proved all too easy for the seeds in the opening round of the tournament, which is being played at the Crucible for the 50th straight year.
The top 16 players are seeded in the World Championship, and while Shaun Murphy was pushed to 10-9 by Fan Zhengyi, one of 11 Chinese players in the main draw, the number eight seed did enough to make it through to the second round. Most of the other seeds had it much easier, although defending champion Zhao Xintong was forced to work a little harder than many expected.
Champ Opens with Solid Performance
| Player | Seed | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zhao Xintong | 1 | Liam Highfield | 10-7 Win |
Zhao became the first Asian player to win the title last year and came into the 2026 event in stunning form. The Cyclone turned 29 at the start of the month and is at his peak. He warmed up for the defence of his crown by thrashing Judd Trump in the final of the Tour Championship. That victory meant he became the first player ever to win the three Players Series in the same season.
It meant he came to the Crucible as the warm favourite to double up, and he eased into the tournament with a 10-7 win over England’s Liam Highfield. It was the opening match of the event, and Zhao appeared a little nervous in the first session, which he edged 5-4. Better after that, he will hope to keep improving, and he showed more of his usual self in taking five of the eight frames that followed.
Rusty Rocket Romps to Victory
| Player | Seed | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ronnie O’Sullivan | 12 | He Guoqiang | 10-2 Win |
Zhao may be the bookmakers’ favourite, but Ronnie O’Sullivan is the crowd’s darling. The Rocket is bidding to become the first player in the modern era to win eight world titles and move out on his own ahead of Stephen Hendry. His playing schedule has been limited in recent years, and the number 12 seed has had issues with his mental health, leading to him withdrawing from several tournaments.
He claimed to be rusty heading into his latest quest to outdo Hendry, while he also had issues with his cue, but neither stopped him from brushing aside He Guoqiang, who was making his debut at the World Championship. Ronnie knocked in three centuries and won 10-2, setting up a second-round clash with old rival John Higgins.
Old Guard Stand Strong
| Player | Seed | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Higgins | 5 | Ali Carter | 10-7 Win |
| Mark Williams | 6 | Antoni Kowalski | 10-4 Win |
In terms of numbers, the 2026 championship is dominated by Chinese players. However, in terms of world titles, it is an Englishman, a Scotsman and a Welshman, with a combined age of over 150, who lead the way.
Ronnie, aged 50, has seven titles, Higgins, also 50, boasts four, while Mark Williams, from Wales, has won three times at the Crucible and is the pensioner of the group at 51. Higgins, seeded fifth, beat another veteran, Ali Carter, in the first round, winning 10-7 against the 46-year-old from Colchester. Williams, the sixth seed in Sheffield, also advanced to the second round, beating Polish youngster Antoni Kowalski 10 frames to four.
More Easy Wins for Past Champions
| Player | Seed | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Judd Trump | 2 | Gary Wilson | 10-5 Win |
| Mark Selby | 7 | Jak Jones | 10-2 Win |
| Kyren Wilson | 3 | Stan Moody | 10-7 Win |
There are several former champions in this year’s field, and a number of them made light work of things in the first round. Number two seed Judd Trump, who won here in 2019, but would love to add another crown or two to his name before he retires, beat compatriot Gary Wilson 10-5.
Mark Selby won even more convincingly, dispatching 2024 runner-up Jak Jones, from Wales, 10-2. Selby, seeded seven, boasts four world titles to his name, and he can’t be ruled out. Kyren Wilson, the man who beat Jones in the final two years ago, also breezed through to the second round. The 34-year-old beat Stan Moody 10-7 and will face the number 14 seed, Mark Allen, in the next round.
And yet more Wins for the Seeds
| Player | Seed | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Allen | 14 | Zhang Anda | 10-6 Win |
| Barry Hawkins | 11 | Matthew Stevens | 10-4 Win |
| Ding Junhui | 16 | David Gilbert | 10-5 Win |
| Xiao Guodong | 9 | Zhou Yuelong | 10-6 Win |
| Chris Wakelin | 13 | Liam Pullen | 10-6 Win |
| Wu Yize | 10 | Lei Peifan | 10-2 Win |
Allen, twice a semi-finalist in this event, won 10-6 in his opener, while number 11 seed Barry Hawkins got the better of Matthew Stevens, winning 10-4. Stevens, twice a Crucible runner-up, was outclassed, and Hawkins will face Williams next.
Ding Junhui set up a tasty clash with compatriot Zhao in the second round, the number 16 seed beating David Gilbert 10-5. There was another all-Chinese clash in the first round, but Xiao Guodong (nine) saw off Zhou Yuelong 10-6. Different nationalities, same win for the seed, as Chris Wakelin (seeded 13) beat fellow Englishman Liam Pullen 10-6. In the final clash between players from the same country, we saw China’s Wu Yize record one of the easiest wins of the round against Lei Peifan, the former triumphing 10 frames to two.
The round of 16 has already begun, although there are still some first-round matches yet to conclude. However, as things stand, it has been easy peasy for the seeds, and there is every chance all 16 will progress. We could be in for a really high-class tournament.