Steve Davis makes Judd Trump stance clear as John Higgins admits Ronnie O'Sullivan truth

Excitement is building for the , which will once again take centre stage at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. The event gathers the sport's elite, with seven-time champion aiming to capture an eighth title that would solidify his dominance in modern history.

But the 'Rocket' hasn't looked his usual self lately, , and is if he'll take part of this year's Championship. Elsewhere, World No. 1 , defending champion , , , and are also contention.

Promising younger players like Zhao Xintong and potentially – if he qualifies – will be in the spotlight too. As the 17-day showdown approaches, Mirror Sport runs through all the latest news.

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Higgins makes O'Sullivan admission

In a surprising moment of candour, four-time champion Higgins shared some pointed thoughts about long-time rival O'Sullivan. Talking to , Higgins admitted he'd selfishly rather not see Ronnie play this year.

"I've got to be brutally honest, I'd rather Ronnie doesn't turn up from a selfish point of view, because you know how strong a player he can be," he said. "That's me being brutally honest. I think you'd be lying if you said you want him there, I think you'd be a bit of a liar. I'm not trying to be disrespectful. I've got enough players to be worried about without adding Ronnie to the list."

Having clashed with O'Sullivan countless times, Higgins knows first-hand how dangerous he is when he's in rhythm. Despite his current slump and talk of declining motivation, Higgins is betting on Ronnie showing up. "I think he will be there, I've got a feeling," Higgins added.

"I think he'll be holding on to try and [have] the same thoughts he had when he took the year out and he came back and won it," Higgins continued. "I think he'll be trying to take the positives.

"Although he's not had a year out, he's obviously had a good chunk of the season out. I'm sure he'll be there, yeah. He can win it because he's Ronnie. I would never ever rule that man out from winning anything, not at all. If he plays, he's going to be a massive danger to everyone, without a doubt."

Davis defends Trump

Legendary cueist has stepped up to support Trump, who has faced some backlash regarding his performance levels. In an interview with , Davis praised Trump's aggression and achievements, asserting that he's already "one of the greats" and that doubters need a "reality check".

The 67-year-old highlighted Trump's style and winning mentality, pointing to his 23 titles as evidence of his pedigree. "If anyone is criticising Judd they need a reality check. What he's doing is brilliant. He's absolutely brilliant," Davis said.

"He doesn't need to win loads more World Championships for me to regard him as one of the greatest, but he'll want to," he added. "People expect perfection, but Judd's achievements speak for themselves... I think he's one of the greats already... he's got so many years at the top of the game, I think it's inevitable."

He elaborated further, saying: "It's like a roll of a dice. If there are six players who will always be in with a shout [of winning the World Championship], which he will be, and he's around for another 15 years, the law of averages, he'll win it every now and again. Once Mark Williams, Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins drop off the tour, it'll be a bit easier for him."

Trump, 35, has previously noted that he approaches each tournament with the same mindset, and that he doesn't take the World Championship any more seriously that smaller events. "That's why my record is so good," he said, speaking back in December.

"You get people when they win the Triple Crowns telling you they target them, but no one can target a tournament. You just go out there and play your best every event otherwise why are you there? People say some of the smaller events are easier to win, but it's the same players there. You go through the same emotions, you're trying your best, it's no easier to win."

Who's in the draw?

Most of the competitors for the 2025 World Championship have been locked in, including O'Sullivan, Trump, Robertson, Selby, Wilson, and others top seeds like , , and Luca Brecel. Each seeded player will be matched against an opponent who made it through qualifying - with eight confirmed at the time of writing.

Potential round-two clashes include high-stakes ties like vs Trump, Allen vs Robertson, and Brecel vs . The draw will be made official on Thursday morning, with the first matches beginning on Saturday and continuing until the following Thursday.