World Snooker Championship: O’Sullivan still contender for eighth Crucible crown

Seven-time winner Ronnie O’Sullivan goes into Thursday’s World Championship draw as one of the favourites despite having not competed since January or even having confirmed he will play in the tournament.

Four-time world champion Mark Selby and Crucible master of ceremonies and commentator Rob Walker will be in Salford to conduct the first-round draw at 08:45 BST on BBC Radio 5 Live, with it also being streamed on the BBC Sport website and BBC iplayer.

O’Sullivan, who remains one of the sport’s biggest pulls, is seeded fifth and has been installed as one of the leading contenders with the bookmakers.

The 49-year-old has been an ever-present at the Crucible since turning professional in 1992 and would be going for a record eighth world title in the modern era.

However, he has previously said he will give himself “as much time as possible” to decide whether he plays in Sheffield.

O’Sullivan has not featured on the World Snooker Tour (WST) since he withdrew from his Championship League group – and was so frustrated with his game that he snapped his cue after losing four of his five matches.

‘The Rocket’ subsequently pulled out of the Masters at Alexandra Palace in London on medical grounds, missed the German Masters in Berlin and apologised to fans after electing not to play at the Welsh Open.

He also withdrew from the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong in March and has not played in anything over a best-of-seven match since his first-round defeat to Barry Hawkins at the UK Championship in November.

Widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, O’Sullivan famously defended his world crown in 2013, after playing just one competitive match that term prior to the showpiece event.