2025 World Snooker Championship Quarter-Finals: Preview, what and when are the matches at the Crucible?

It has already been a very memorable Championship with several records and landmarks achieved. During the qualifying rounds, an ultra-rare ‘16-red’ total clearance was made by Marco Fu, while Jackson Page created snooker history by compiling two maximum 147 breaks within the same match, pocketing a £147,000 bonus in the process.

At the Crucible for the main draw televised stages, we’ve had a record number of Chinese players featuring, and the all-time first round century break record was smashed. Mark Allen produced a 147 on snooker’s grandest stage, and Judd Trump notched up his 100th ton of the season, seeing him unlock a £100,000 bonus in the process.

We take a look at the quarter-finals fixtures (in draw order) coming up on Tuesday and Wednesday in Sheffield:

Zhao Xintong v Chris Wakelin

First session: Tuesday 29th April from 10:00BST, Second session: Tuesday 29th April from 19:00BST, Third session: Wednesday 30th April from 14:30BST

We are guaranteed a qualifier in the semi-finals as Zhao and Wakelin face each other at the top of the draw. Both players are appearing their maiden World Championship quarter-final.

Former UK champion Zhao - who is technically competing as an amateur - has already won six matches to get this far, having navigated all four qualifying rounds earlier this month.

At the Crucible, Zhao eliminated last year's runner-up Jak Jones 10-4 in round one proper before resisting a late comeback from Chinese compatriot Lei Peifan in a 13-10 last 16 victory.

World number 20 Wakelin won two qualifying matches to tee up his fourth Crucible appearance. Having never previously won a match at the venue, the former Shoot Out champion is making up for lost time having seen off number nine seed Neil Robertson 10-8, and then number eight seed Mark Allen 13-6.

In both those contests, Wakelin started strongly as he established 7-2 leads; against Robertson he got the job done despite the Australian applying huge pressure by levelling the match at 7-7 and 8-8.

These two have only played each other once before on the professional circuit - Wakelin defeated Zhao 4-1 in the last 64 of the 2022 Gibraltar Open.

Ronnie O’Sullivan v Si Jiahui

First session: Tuesday 29th April from 14:30BST, Second session: Wednesday 30th April from 10:00BST, Third session: Wednesday 30th April from 19:00BST

Having seen off one Chinese youngster in round two, Ronnie O’Sullivan will aim to dispatch another in the last eight when he faces number 13 seed Si Jiahui.

On his record-extending 33rd Crucible appearance, O’Sullivan is through to a staggering 23rd quarter-final there, and has dropped only eight frames en route - defeating Ali Carter 10-4, then Pang Junxu 13-4.

It hasn’t been vintage ‘Rocket’ - there have been inconsistencies, which are perhaps to be expected with a lack of recent matchplay and using a new cue - but in the balls he still looks largely great, and has already made six centuries in the competition.

On his third Crucible outing, Si is into the last eight for the second time after his memorable run to the semi-finals here two years ago. During that edition, Si pipped Anthony McGil 13-12 in the quarters.

Si hasn’t really done much to raise eyebrows, so far, although he did produce the goods at the end of his 13-10 round two win over Ben Woollaston where he secured the final three frames to break free, crafting a 126 break in the process.

This will be O'Sullivan and Si's third meeting in professional events. O'Sullivan won their first in 2023, and Si claimed their most recent in the quarter-finals of this season's Saudi Arabia Masters.

There is a difference of 27 years between the contestants.

John Higgins v Mark Williams

First session: Tuesday 29th April from 10:00BST, Second session: Tuesday 29th April from 19:00BST, Third session: Wednesday 30th April from 10:00BST

Two members of the fabled 'Class of 92' clash in a mouth-watering quarter-final at the Crucible.

With a combined age of 99 years, there isn't much that either four-time world champion Higgins or three-time world champion Williams haven't seen on the baize.

This is Higgins' 31st Crucible appearance and it will be his 19th quarter-final there; he has at least made this stage in each of his last four trips. Williams now has 27 Crucible caps, and this is his 12th outing at the last eight stage.

Both legends have been really tested in getting here. World number three Higgins trailed after the opening session in his round one tie with Joe O'Connor before coming back to win 10-7.

In the last 16, the Scot ousted Xiao Guodong 13-12 in an unscheduled fourth session.

Welshman Williams stood tall at the end of his opener with youngster Wu Yize, winning the final three frames for a 10-8 verdict.

Against Hossein Vafaei in round two, world number six Williams managed to get ahead of his opponent in the second session and then always held an advantage as he climbed to a 13-10 victory.

These two haven’t played each other in the UK for over three years when Williams ousted Higgins 6-5 in the quarter-finals of the Masters.

This will be their sixth meeting in the Crucible arena - Williams leads that particular head-to-head, 4-1.

Luca Brecel v Judd Trump

First session: Tuesday 29th April from 14:30BST, Second session: Wednesday 30th April from 14:30BST, Third session: Wednesday 30th April from 19:00BST

All four remaining players in the bottom half of the draw are former World Champions, and the four highest possible seeds left - seed numbers two (Trump), three (Higgins), six (Williams) and seven (Brecel).

Having not competed on the professional circuit for over two months, Brecel has exploded back into form on the stage he made his own two years ago.

Belgium’s number one produced one of his trademark Crucible comebacks in round one as he recovered from 5-1 down to defeat the experienced Ryan Day, 10-7.

In round two, Brecel produced one of the most rip-roaring sessions of snooker you're ever likely to see as he established a 7-1 lead over Ding Junhui. Brecel enjoyed an 11-frame winning streak in that match, before wrapping up a 13-4 victory.

Despite being the world number one and the pre-tournament favourite, Trump arrived in Sheffield under the radar somewhat, with attention on other players.

The 2019 champion hit a record-equalling five century breaks in his 10-4 round one win over Zhou Yuelong, before eliminating Shaun Murphy 13-10 in the following round during which Trump made his 100th ton of the season and unlocked a £100,000 bonus prize.

Bizarrely, there is a distinct lack of big match-up history between Trump and Brecel - they have never played each other in a final, nor a semi-final, so this is surely their most significant encounter to date. They have never met at the Crucible before.

In terms of the overall head-to-head record, Trump holds a strong lead, although Brecel won their only previous multi-session tie - 10-6 in the quarter-finals of the 2022 Tour Championship.

Please visit our 2025 World Snooker Championship tournament information centre here for details on the draw, results, format and order of play.