O'Sullivan makes dominant start in bid for record eighth world title

Ronnie O'Sullivan took immediate control of his 2026 World Championship opener, racing to a 7-2 lead over He Guoqiang and setting the tone for a bid that carries the weight of history. At the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, O'Sullivan looked sharp from the outset as he began his 34th campaign at snooker’s most exacting venue.

The scale of the challenge is unmistakable. O'Sullivan is chasing a record eighth world title, a mark that would move him clear of Stephen Hendry’s long-standing total of seven. His world crowns came in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020 and 2022, and every session in Sheffield now feeds that chase.

Against He, who is making his Crucible debut after coming through qualifying, O'Sullivan’s start was described as near-faultless and the scoreline reflected it. A 7-2 advantage after the first session gave the 50-year-old a commanding position, but it also underlined how every frame at the top end of the draw can shape the rest of the championship. For a player with O'Sullivan’s record, composure is rarely in question; the issue is whether the opening burst is the prelude to another march through the draw or simply the efficient work of a champion managing the early rounds.

The wider championship began on Saturday 18 April and runs until Sunday 3 May, with the first-round draw throwing up several notable pairings. Kyren Wilson faced Stan Moody, while Mark Williams met Antoni Kowalski, giving the opening days a mix of established names and emerging talent. Shaun Murphy’s section proved less straightforward. His match with Fan Zhengyi went deep and ended in a final-frame decider before Murphy squeezed through, a reminder that the Crucible can still punish any lapse, even for seasoned contenders.

For O'Sullivan, though, the first step was emphatic. He entered the tournament as the dominant figure, left the first session with a six-frame cushion, and kept his title pursuit firmly on course. If the opening session is a measure of intent, the record bid has begun with the sort of authority that can unsettle an entire field.