CRUCIBLE BUILD UP... SLOWLY BUT SURELY
By the time I write this, Wilson and Trump are locked at 4-4 in the Players Championship final, and after that, the Tour Championship is the last tournament before the big one. We don't know how the Tour Championship will go, and previous years have told us that that event is not a perfect preview of what might happen in Sheffield. However, the top two ranked players in the World, Judd and Kyren, have had phenomenal seasons and up to this point they don't seem to be slowing down a bit.
So, let's take a look at the three main talking points less than four weeks from Saturday 10am, April 19, 2025:
Trump v Wilson
We can all agree that too many times what's happened throughout the season didn't matter at all once the action begins at the Crucible. However, we just can't ignore how Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson have dominated this season.
Combined, they've made 12 final appearances this season (three of them against each other). It's a modern rivalry that's really living up to it.
Both are seeking a second world title, and in Kyren's case, he's aiming to become the first player to break the "Crucible Curse" winning his first two World Championships in a row. Over the long format in Sheffield, opposition will have to play really well to deny these two from making the final.
Leaving the Crucible?
In recent years one topic has been recurring: will the World Championship leave the Crucible after the contract is up in 2027?
A lot was rumoured about it going to Saudi Arabia, but recently BBC announced that its contract to broadcast snooker's Triple Crown events has been extended to 2032. It doesn't necessarily mean it will stay in Sheffield as it should, but I think that this basically writes-off any chance of the tournament leaving the UK and, since it's staying, I think Sheffield becomes favourite to keep the event.
This year will be the third-to-last year of the contract, and following the BBC's new deal, I really expect an announcement to be made during the championship.
Will Ronnie Play?
Undoubtedly the biggest talking point leading to this year's World Championship is whether 7-times World Champion Ronnie O'Sullivan will play.
The Rocket has not played a match since January, and right after he withdrew from the Masters I wrote here that off-table problems could lead to him not playing on tour anymore. To many that was conspiracy theory, but the fact is that ever since, he has withdrawn from every other tournament and will not have played for nearly four months by the time the World Championship arrives.
Ronnie's withdrawals include overseas events and exhibitions, and recently he apologised for the late pull-outs. That does indicate that indeed he's going through a hard time, but at the same time his manager keeps making intriguing comments amidst the huge ongoing lawsuit against WST filed by his and Ronnie's company (detailed in our last blog).
WST confirmed last week that O'Sullivan has entered the World Championship. That doesn't mean he won't withdraw this time, but in case he does, it will cause a bye in round one that I like to think he wouldn't want to be responsible for.
Therefore, whatever the reason is behind all his withdrawals I think it's 50/50 right now on whether he'll play.
Fact is that, during his 32-year long career, the World Championship is the only tournament he has always elected to play.
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