Tough start as debutants break off
Five-time winner O’Sullivan will face Manchester cueman Craig Steadman, who at the age of 32 is set for his bow at snooker’s most prestigious tournament.
Selby will tackle Norway’s Kurt Maflin, who came through 10-9 in the final qualifying round against Irish veteran Fergal O’Brien on Wednesday night. Their match will take place over Saturday morning and evening sessions, as the tournament gets under way.
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Hide AdJudd Trump faces another tournament newcomer, as he goes head to head with Grimsby’s Stuart Carrington, a player he faced frequently in the junior ranks.
The fourth Crucible novice this year is Scotland’s Anthony McGill, who goes head to head with fellow Glaswegian Stephen Maguire in round one.
Draw for the first round:
Mark Selby v Kurt Maflin
Stephen Maguire v Anthony McGill
Joe Perry v Zhang Anda
Shaun Murphy v Robin Hull
Barry Hawkins v Matthew Selt
Mark Allen v Ryan Day
Ali Carter v Alan McManus
Neil Robertson v Jamie Jones
Ding Junhui v Mark Davis
John Higgins v Robert Milkins
Marco Fu v Jimmy Robertson
Judd Trump v Stuart Carrington
Ricky Walden v Graeme Dott
Stuart Bingham v Robbie Williams
Mark Williams v Matthew Stevens
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Craig Steadman
The tournament runs from April 18 to May 4.