O'Sullivan to face Ding at Crucible

Snooker: Ronnie O'Sullivan will meet Chinese teenager Ding Junhui in the first round of this year's snooker World Championship…

Snooker: Ronnie O'Sullivan will meet Chinese teenager Ding Junhui in the first round of this year's snooker World Championship.

The pair, two of the game's most talented players, met in January's Masters final at Wembley - O'Sullivan won 10-3.

Today's draw represents a tough challenge for 31-year-old O'Sullivan, twice winner of this competition.

In other matches, defending champion Graeme Dott takes on Ian McCulloch while 2005 champion Shaun Murphy tackles highly-rated Judd Trump - who joins former champions Stephen Hendry and O'Sullivan in making his debut at the event at the age of 17.

READ MORE

Two veterans of the game - Steve Davis and John Parrott - are set to meet on the Crucible baize for the first time in 16 years, while seven-time champion Hendry faces Derby's world number 66 David Gilbert.

Dubliner Ken Doherty will take on Mark Allen while Belfast's Joe Swail meets Mark Williams. Fergal O'Brien will face Barry Hawkins.

The event starts at the familiar Sheffield venue on April 21st and continues until May 7th.

Full draw:
Graeme Dott v Ian McCulloch
Anthony Hamilton v Marco Fu
Stephen Maguire v Joe Perry
Mark Williams v Joe Swail
John Higgins v Michael Holt
Barry Hawkins v Fergal O'Brien
Neil Robertson v Ryan Day
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Ding Junhui
Ken Doherty v Mark Allen
Matthew Stevens v Joe Delaney
Steve Davis v John Parrott
Shaun Murphy v Judd Trump
Peter Ebdon v Nigel Bond
Stephen Lee v Mark Selby
Ali Carter v Andy Hicks
Stephen Hendry v David Gilbert