Snooker news as John Higgins makes Ronnie O'Sullivan admission and Steve Davis weighs in

The is set to ignite the Crucible in Sheffield, with the sport's biggest names vying for the coveted title. , the seven-time champion, headlines the field as he chases a record-breaking eighth crown, a feat that would cement his legacy as the greatest ever in the modern era.

However, the 'Rocket' has struggled recently, and is if he will take part in the tournament. Elsewhere, the likes of World No. 1 , defending champion , , , and are in contention, as are emerging talents such as Zhao Xintong and (if he qualifies). Here, Express Sport looks at all the latest news heading into the 17-day spectacle, with the stage primed for drama, rivalries, and surprises.

Higgins makes O'Sullivan admission

Four-time world champion Higgins has stirred the pot ahead of the tournament with a candid remark about long-time rival, O'Sullivan. Speaking to , the 49-year-old admitted he'd prefer if O'Sullivan, also 49, skipped the Championship altogether.

"I've got to be brutally honest, I'd rather Ronnie doesn't turn up from a selfish point of view, because you know how strong a player he can be," he said. "That's me being brutally honest. I think you'd be lying if you said you want him there, I think you'd be a bit of a liar. I'm not trying to be disrespectful. I've got enough players to be worried about without adding Ronnie to the list."

The Scot, who has faced O'Sullivan in countless high-stakes battles over the years, acknowledges the threat posed by the Wordsley native when he's firing on all cylinders.

Despite O'Sullivan's recent struggles, including early exits in ranking events and public comments about his waning confidence, Higgins knows his rival's knack for turning it on at the Crucible. "I think he will be there, I've got a feeling," Higgins added.

"I think he'll be holding on to try and [have] the same thoughts he had when he took the year out and he came back and won it," Higgins continued. "I think he'll be trying to take the positives.

"Although he's not had a year out, he's obviously had a good chunk of the season out. I'm sure he'll be there, yeah. He can win it because he's Ronnie. I would never ever rule that man out from winning anything, not at all. If he plays, he's going to be a massive danger to everyone, without a doubt."

Davis defends Trump

legend Steve Davis has leapt to the defence of 2019 world champion Trump, who, despite his undeniable talent, has faced scrutiny for his consistency recently. Speaking to , Davis - himself a six-time world champion - hailed Trump, 35, as "one of the greats," and insisted his critics needed a "reality check".

The 67-year-old praised Trump's aggressive, crowd-pleasing style and his ability to dominate tournaments, noting that his 23 ranking titles place him among the game's elite. "If anyone is criticising Judd they need a reality check. What he's doing is brilliant. He's absolutely brilliant," Davis said.

"He doesn't need to win loads more World Championships for me to regard him as one of the greatest, but he'll want to," he added. "People expect perfection, but Judd's achievements speak for themselves... I think he's one of the greats already... he's got so many years at the top of the game, I think it's inevitable."

Davis continued: "It's like a roll of a dice. If there are six players who will always be in with a shout [of winning the World Championship], which he will be, and he's around for another 15 years, the law of averages, he'll win it every now and again. Once Mark Williams, Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins drop off the tour, it'll be a bit easier for him."

Trump has often said he treats all tournaments the same, and puts no extra effort into winning the World Championship as he would into winning a smaller event on the tour. "That's why my record is so good," he said, speaking back in December.

"You get people when they win the Triple Crowns telling you they target them, but no one can target a tournament. You just go out there and play your best every event otherwise why are you there? People say some of the smaller events are easier to win, but it's the same players there. You go through the same emotions, you're trying your best, it's no easier to win."

Who's in the draw?

Half of the draw for the 2025 World Snooker Championship has been locked in for weeks, with O'Sullivan, Trump, Higgins, Wilson and Roberston joining fellow top seeds such as , and in the first round bracket. Each seeded player will face an opponent who advanced through the qualifying round - eight of whom have secured their place in the draw at the time of writing.

Looking ahead, several tantalising potential second-round matchups are already on the horizon, including Allen vs Robertson, vs Trump, and Brecel vs Ding Junhui. The official draw takes place Thursday morning, with first-round action kicking off on Saturday and continuing through the following Thursday.