O'Sullivan starts well as Murphy squeezes through

Ronnie O'Sullivan began his campaign for a record eighth World Snooker Championship title with a commanding performance against Chinese debutant He Guoqiang. The seven-time world champion took the first five frames and led 7-2 after the opening session, needing just three more frames to secure victory when the match resumes. O'Sullivan’s strong start was highlighted by breaks of 72, 97, and 113 as he dominated the 25-year-old world number 47 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. Elsewhere, world number one Judd Trump staged a comeback from 4-1 down to defeat Gary Wilson 10-5, while former champion Shaun Murphy edged past China’s Fan Zhengyi 10-9 in a dramatic first-round match. Murphy, who won the title in 2005, survived a tense deciding frame after Fan missed a crucial red ball. The match featured a rare incident when a light from a neighboring table was switched on during play, briefly disrupting Murphy’s rhythm. Murphy will face another Chinese player, Xiao Guodong, in the last 16. O'Sullivan, who withdrew from the Masters earlier this year and has played in only half of the ranking events in 2026, recently made headlines with a record-breaking 153 break at the World Open in China. Despite this, he has admitted to not being in peak form. His dominant start at the Crucible, however, suggests he is finding his rhythm at snooker’s most prestigious tournament. A win over He would set up a highly anticipated last-16 clash against four-time world champion John Higgins. The ongoing World Championship continues to showcase intense competition and emerging talents, with established stars like O'Sullivan, Trump, and Murphy demonstrating their resilience and skill. The tournament remains a focal point in the snooker calendar, with players vying not only for the title but also for historical milestones and ranking supremacy.