World Snooker Championship 2022 | Day Five Preview and Order of Play
John Higgins has work to do, while Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson launch their Crucible campaigns on day five in Sheffield.
There are two previous champions and two former finalists in action as the last of the first-round matches get underway on Wednesday.
And four-time winner Higgins is aiming to avoid falling at the opening hurdle for the first time since 2014.
Despite breaks of 128, 106 and 98, the Wizard finds himself 5-4 behind against Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, who is seeking a maiden victory in his fourth appearance at snooker’s spiritual home.
Meanwhile, former finalists Wilson and Ding Junhui collide in arguably the pick of the first-round ties.
Runner-up in 2020, the Warrior has been the form player at the Crucible in recent times; reaching at least the semi-finals in three of the last four years.
Meanwhile Ding, who was beaten by Mark Selby in the 2016 showpiece, is gearing up for his 16th successive appearance in the final stages in Sheffield.
World number four Trump also faces a potential banana skin in Shootout winner Hossein Vafaei.
The 2019 champion was a beaten quarter-finalist in each of the last two years, while the Prince of Persia would love to claim a huge scalp on his Crucible bow.
Trump’s good friend Jack Lisowski resumes at 6-3 to the good against two-time runner-up Matthew Stevens.
Jackpot was in top form during their opening session – hitting back-to-back centuries along the way – and is seeking only a third victory in eight matches here.
As for Luca Brecel, he is targeting a first win at the Crucible in his fifth appearance.
The Bullet’s quest to break that duck commences against popular Thai cueist Noppon Saengkham, who stunned 2005 champion Shaun Murphy here two years ago.
Play gets underway at 10am BST on Wednesday with all matches contested over the best of 19 frames at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
WATCH DAY FIVE THE WORLD SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIP STREAMED LIVE HERE (18+)
World Snooker Championship 2022 Day Five Schedule
Wednesday April 20
Round One
10am
5 Kyren Wilson v Ding Junhui
12* John Higgins 4-5 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
2.30pm
8 Judd Trump v Hossein Vafaei
10* Jack Lisowski 6-3 Matthew Stevens
7pm
5* Kyren Wilson v Ding Junhui
11 Luca Brecel v Noppon Saengkham