The 2026 World Snooker Championship has arrived, with the 17-day marathon at the Crucible Theatre set to provide the usual array of sporting drama as the best players on the planet vie to lift the famous trophy. Zhao Xintong heads to Sheffield as defending champion after making history as the first Chinese winner of the tournament 12 months ago and he is the bookies’ favourite to retain his crown, although he will have to break the legendary ‘Crucible Curse’ to do so – with no first-time winner having successfully defended the title. He got off to a decent start by beating Liam Highfield 10-7 in the first round. Plenty of other contenders will fancy their chances of stopping Zhao, including Ronnie O’Sullivan , who has found some form in recent weeks and began his quest for a record eighth world title with a 10-2 demolition Crucible debutant He Guoqiang.…