China superstar Ding faces compatriot in worlds opener

LONDON, April 19, (AFP): Chinese snooker superstar Ding Junhui will face compatriot Xiao Guodong in an eyecatching first round clash at the snooker world championships which gets underway on Saturday.

Ding, whose 2016 world final loss to Mark Selby attracted an audience of 42 million back home, is once again the favoured challenger from Asia and faces a 29-year-old opponent appearing in just his third world championships.

There is certain to be two players from China or Hong Kong in the second round as veteran Marco Fu — a two-time semifinalist at the championships — has been drawn against China’s Lyu Haotian, who is the lowest ranked player in the draw at 68th in the world.

Thai challenger Thepchaiya Un-Nooh has a mammoth task in progressing as he faces Scotland’s four-time world champion John Higgins whilst Australia’s 2010 champion Neil Robertson plays journeyman English cuesman Robert Milkins.

Crowd favourite and five-time champion ‘Rocket’ Ronnie O’Sullivan has a tough first round encounter with Scotland’s Stephen Maguire.

O’Sullivan, 42 and who is aiming to pull to within one of Scotsman Stephen Hendry all-time record of seven world crowns, beat Maguire in the semi-finals of both the UK Championship and World Grand Prix this term.

Their match gets underway on Saturday.

Two-time defending champion Selby begins the defence of his title on Saturday against fellow Englishman Joe Perry.

The championships at The Crucible Theatre run from Saturday to May 7.