Speaking to BOYLE Sports , snooker legend and broadcaster Dennis Taylor has looked ahead to the World Snooker Championship including his pre-event picks, his perspective on whether it could be the best tournament yet and whether we could see a shock winner like Joe Johnson in 2026.
Ahead of the sport’s biggest event, which starts in Sheffield on Saturday, the former world champion spoke about Ronnie O’Sullivan's love fair affair with the sport, snookers greatest showmen and whether Zhao Xintong can go back-to-back in the competition and defy the Crucible curse .
Elsewhere, the Northern Irishman offered his advice to Zhao Xintong and his perspective on China potentially dominating the sport even further in the years to come.
2026 World Snooker Championship
World Championship Prediction
I’ll start with my two picks. 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 for Ronnie to beat Stephen Hendry’s record. He's held every other record except for the number of world titles. But to do it this year, he's going to have to play at the top of his game because he could run into John Higgins in the second round. And he can run into Zhao, who beat him last year with a session to spare.
I didn’t think Ronnie would be able to claim another title until he got the two maximum breaks in Saudi and then he went and made 153. He is still playing incredible snooker, and I am sure he’ll have put a lot of work in. He didn’t play in the last tournament. So, he will give it a good run, and he'll have that eighth world. He's running out of years, really. The standard is getting higher and higher. But Zhao is my first choice, and Ronnie would be my second choice.”
Can It Be The Best Yet?
The fact that there are 12 different winners at the start of the season just shows you how tough it is to win these events. Everybody will be fully prepared going into Sheffield . That’s the big one, and it's got to be one of the best. We keep saying that every year, but I think it will be this year. The big talking point at the moment is Can Ronnie win his eighth, and can Zhao beat the ‘ Crucible Curse ’
It's going to be great to be working on it again. The only sad thing is we've lost John Virgo. Steve and myself, we had nine years with John doing the shows, the Black Ball shows all over the UK. We did over 40 shows for the 40th anniversary, and John did every one of them with us. So, he's going to be missed.
Could We See Another Joe Johnson?
I can’t see it. There are some good young players coming through, but it's so difficult to qualify for Sheffield . It's tough to get through. All the 16 seeded players always find the first round very tough because you're playing against a player that's just played in the qualifiers, and they're buzzing. I can't see anybody coming through at 150/1. I was 40/1 even though I had won the Grand Prix the month before I won.
I beat Neil Foulds, who was number three in the world, 9-2. I beat Cliff Thorburn , who was number one in the world, 10-2. But I was still 40-1 going into Sheffield .
Ronnie O'Sullivan
Ronnie’s Relationship With Snooker
You tend to take it with a pinch of salt after a while! I know, some of his interviews with Hazel and the boys in the studio are a bit bizarre at times, but that's Ronnie . He doesn't endear himself to some of the fans sometimes with his interviews. I don't know why he does them.
He’s still the best that's ever been, by a mile, head and shoulders above anybody else. I never thought anybody would be better than Steve Davis, who dominated the game in the 80s. He was the first one to practice for multiple hours and to dominate for 10 years. But sure enough, Stephen Hendry came along, and his long potting was better than Steve's, and he dominated the next 10 years. It's so difficult to dominate for that length of time. 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.”
Snooker’s Showmen
Jimmy and Alex were very natural players, but this fella is in another league again. He just falls into the shot; there's no sort of preparation or anything. Zhao is a bit like that. He's graceful around the table, and as he gets there, he just falls into the striking position. It's so natural for them. The way they play the game is great to watch. Judd Trump is very good to watch as well.
I remember playing Ronnie in an exhibition match, and he made a 136 break, with every shot played with his left hand! “ Fred Davis and I were the only two players back in the day that used to switch hands because we didn't like the rest. But Ronnie is definitely the best because sometimes people don't realise he switched hands, he’s that good.
The Crucible
The Crucible Curse
I don't know what it is. The longer it goes on, perhaps you go back there trying too hard, sometimes you overpractice. Instead of going in a bit more relaxed, you're just going in wanting to do well and trying to defend your title, and nobody's ever been able to do it.
Joe Johnson, amazingly, nearly did it, and Ken Doherty almost did it. So, it's such a tough thing and as the years go on, that ‘ Crucible Curse’ seems to have carried on.”
Can Zhao Xintong Break It?
He has got the temperament to blot all that out, and he just loves playing snooker. He's a breath of fresh air. I know he's been around a few years, but he's fantastic to watch, and it's going to make it such a terrific World Championship .
Zhao Going Back-To-Back
It would. I think he's going to win many, many more. After winning the World Championship, he had so many commitments, not least in China, where he is a God, but he seems to take it all in his stride, and he even relishes it.
Some players don't perform as well when they win the World Championship, but he's performing at the top of his game, so it hasn't really affected him, and he'll be going into the tournament in great form.”
My Advice To Zhao
This fella doesn't need coaching or advice, it seems! I don't know if he has a coach. He's such a natural player, you’d spoil him if you tried to coach him. He’s different to Judd Trump , his technique's different. You couldn't coach Judd with his technique. It would spoil his game because he's got a unique style.
I think this fella is just so relaxed, he's not going to let anything bother him. I love to hear him being interviewed. His English is getting better and better, and he's just such a modest lad. Everything will be right for him going into Sheffield . I don't think he will be trying too hard. That's the big thing that everybody has fallen down on, going back there to defend it.
Chinese Snooker
China’s Rise
They just love the game. Steve and I were the first into mainland China in the 1980s. We went from Hong Kong into what Guangzhou is now; it was Canton then. We played the China Masters against two Chinese players, and none of them had made a break above 30! But they loved the game. That was the first televised snooker there. Barry Hearn joked to us that it would be the first time you’d have a TV audience of 300 million! When Ding Junhui came along, he opened the game up. When he started having all the success, that's when the game really blossomed out there.
To see the difference 40 years on is remarkable. The standards are so high. The facilities they have for the youngsters to practice in is unbelievable. It's only going to get better. There'll be more of them coming through. I remember saying 10 years ago, you'd have half a dozen playing at the Crucible . Sure enough, that's what's happening at the moment.
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