Snooker Legend Dennis Taylor Names His Top Two Crucible Contenders
Former world champion Dennis Taylor has revealed his two standout favourites for this year's World Snooker Championship, predicting either defending champion Zhao Xintong will break the famous Crucible curse or Ronnie O'Sullivan will make history with a record eighth title.
The Defending Champion's Remarkable Form
The biggest event on the snooker calendar begins on Saturday morning at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre, with Zhao Xintong starting his title defence against Liam Highfield. The Chinese star, nicknamed 'The Cyclone,' stormed to his first world championship twelve months ago by defeating Mark Williams in the final.
Zhao has enjoyed a brilliant season since conquering the Crucible, adding three ranking titles to his collection in recent months. After a relatively slow start to his campaign as world champion, he burst into life in February and subsequently claimed victories at the World Grand Prix, Players Championship, and Tour Championship within weeks.
This remarkable run of form has established Zhao as the short-priced favourite with bookmakers to defend his title successfully. Taylor fully agrees with this assessment and believes Zhao possesses the unique temperament required to overcome the so-called 'Crucible curse' that has prevented every first-time champion from retaining their title the following year.
O'Sullivan's Historic Opportunity
Taylor's second selection is the legendary Ronnie O'Sullivan, who could surpass Stephen Hendry's record by claiming an unprecedented eighth world championship. The Rocket, now fifty years old, begins his campaign against Chinese debutant He Guoqiang on Tuesday.
'I'll start with my two picks,' Taylor said in an exclusive interview with BOYLE Sports. 'I think that Zhao Xintong is going to beat the Crucible Curse. I think he's going to be the first player to defend his title. So that's my tip to win it. And the second tip would be Ronnie to beat Stephen Hendry's record.'
The 1985 world champion acknowledged that O'Sullivan faces significant challenges, including potential early-round matches against John Higgins and Zhao himself, who defeated him convincingly last year. However, Taylor remains in awe of O'Sullivan's enduring talent despite the player being without a ranking title since January 2024.
Analyzing the Championship Contenders
Taylor elaborated on his selections, highlighting both players' unique qualities:
- Zhao Xintong's Natural Ability: 'He has got the temperament to blot all that out and he just loves playing snooker,' Taylor explained. 'He's a breath of fresh air. Zhao's style is something else. The way he strikes the ball, the power he creates without any effort whatsoever. He's got a wonderful cue action.'
- O'Sullivan's Historic Legacy: 'He's still the best that's ever been, by a mile, head and shoulders above anybody else,' said the seventy-seven-year-old Taylor. 'What Ronnie has done in the game is incredible. I've played against him and I just love commentating on him. He's been brilliant for the game.'
Taylor reflected on snooker's evolution, noting how Steve Davis dominated the 1980s before Stephen Hendry's superior long-potting defined the next decade. He emphasized the extraordinary difficulty of maintaining dominance over extended periods, making O'Sullivan's career achievements particularly remarkable.
The Crucible Challenge Ahead
Both favourites face distinct challenges at this year's championship. Zhao must overcome historical precedent that has seen every first-time champion fail to defend their title at the Crucible. Meanwhile, O'Sullivan must defy age and recent form to capture that elusive eighth world championship that would separate him from Hendry in the record books.
The stage is set for what promises to be a thrilling World Snooker Championship, with Taylor's expert analysis pointing toward either a historic title defence or a record-breaking eighth triumph for one of snooker's greatest ever players. The tournament draw has already created intriguing matchups, with Zhao beginning his defence on Saturday morning and O'Sullivan starting his campaign on Tuesday.
As the snooker world turns its attention to Sheffield, all eyes will be on whether Zhao Xintong can break the notorious Crucible curse or whether Ronnie O'Sullivan can cement his legacy with an unprecedented eighth world championship victory.
