The Snooker World Championship has always been known as the "Olympics of snooker". This annual top-level event is undoubtedly the focus of fans' attention. However, in the first round of the just-concluded 2024 World Championships, there were many unexpected results. Eight seeded players are out, and only one Chinese player is left to advance, while world No. 1 O'Sullivan is showing his might and making his way forward. What does this mean exactly?
As we all know, the snooker world has a metaphor for the "uncrowned king". This means that even if some players have been at the top of the world rankings for a long time, they are often unable to win the title on the most prestigious stage of the World Championships. At this World Championships, this tradition has been proven once again.
First of all, Higgins, who came in second. The three-time world champion narrowly beat Jamie Jones 10-6 in the first round to barely advance to the round of 16. He was followed by third-ranked Mark Williams, who was reversed in the first round by post-90s rookie Si Jiahui and had no choice but to go out.
Another powerhouse, sixth-ranked Ralph Fürth was also eliminated in the first round, and was also "swept" by rising star Si Jiahui. It can be said that the big victory of this post-90s teenager is undoubtedly the biggest dark horse of this World Championships.
And when as many as half of the top eight players in the world are eliminated, it is really staggering. This result undoubtedly proves once again the uncertainty and cruelty of the World Championships. Even the most powerful top-level experts will inevitably encounter Waterloo here. It can be said that it is this uncertainty that makes the World Championships so much that fans pay attention to it.
For the Chinese snooker army, the record of this World Championship can be described as "mixed".
First, the disappointing part. Ding Junhui, who ranked seventh, Zhang Anda who ranked eighth, Lu Haotian who ranked fourteenth, and Pang Junxu who ranked eighteenth, these top Chinese generals were eliminated in the first round without exception. As the leader of Chinese snooker, their early exit is undoubtedly a big regret for Chinese fans.
But the good news is that in this darkness, there is still a ray of sunshine shining. That is Si Jiahui, who is ranked 39th. The post-90s youngster defeated Mark Williams in the first round and successfully reached the round of 16. For such a young player, it is undoubtedly a remarkable achievement to beat multiple seeded players in a top-level event like the World Championships.
Historically, Chinese players have achieved good results at the World Championships, such as Ding Junhui, who has reached the final twice. But in recent years, the performance of the Chinese army has become more and more mediocre. In this World Championships, only one person from China has been left to advance, which can be said to be worse. However, we must also see young stars like Si Jiahui emerge, which undoubtedly injects new vitality and hope into Chinese snooker.
I believe that through this setback, the Chinese players will definitely learn from the experience and show even better performances in future events. As long as they continue to work hard, I believe that one day, Chinese players will be able to show their skills again at the World Championships and win glory for the country.
While many seeded players have fallen, another superstar has been eye-catching. That is O'Sullivan, who is ranked No. 1 in the world.
The veteran, known as the "greatest player in snooker history", defeated Jackson Page 10-1 in the first round, scoring 122 points in a single stroke, once again proving his indelible dominance. Since the beginning of his career in 1993, O'Sullivan has broken 100 in a single stroke in Crucible for 30 consecutive years, which undoubtedly highlights his legendary status.
The reason why O'Sullivan is called the "uncrowned king" is mainly because although he has the achievement of 7 world championships, he has not been able to reach the top of the World Championships that he is best at. But in this tournament, he seems to be slowly changing the landscape.
After beating Page in the first round, O'Sullivan will face a challenge from Ryan Day in the next 1/8 finals. As another strong veteran, Ryan Day is definitely a tricky opponent. However, in the current state, we believe that O'Sullivan can once again show his domineering and strength and continue to move forward.
Regardless of the final result, O'Sullivan's performance in this World Championships once again proved his status as the "uncrowned king". His dominance, skill, and spirit of never admitting defeat are worthy of learning and admiration by those who come after him. I believe that as long as he is still on the field, O'Sullivan will continue to be a dazzling star in the snooker world.