Crucible contender reveals his World Snooker Championship man to beat, and it's not title holder Zhao

World number 11 Barry Hawkins travels to this year's World Snooker Championship in fine form having recently won the Welsh Open - the fifth ranking title of his career.

The 46-year-old has been drawn against Matthew Stevens in round one at the Crucible in a clash of former world finalists.

It has been a bizarre season on the World Snooker Tour with 15 different ranking event winners.

Only one player has lifted more than one ranked trophy this campaign, and that's reigning world champion Zhao Xintong.

The Chinese ace - who created history last year in becoming the first Asian winner of snooker's blue riband prize - has been installed as the outright tournament favourite in 2026, and it's clear to see why.

Zhao has struck a golden spell of results over recent weeks, winning the World Grand Prix, Players Championship, and Tour Championship accolades - a clean sweep of Players Series titles within the same season, something that has never been done before.

However, the record books are against the 29-year-old in his bid for back-to-back world titles at the first time of asking with the Crucible Curse lurking in the background. He also has another hex following him about, as no reigning Tour Championship winner has ever followed up with the world crown.

At last year's World Snooker Championship, then defending champion Kyren Wilson travelled to Sheffield in hot form having collected four ranking titles earlier in the term, but he was sent packing by debutant Lei Peifan on the opening day.

Hawkins hails his Crucible favourite who is 'up there with Ronnie'

Speaking exclusively to 247Bet ahead of the 2026 World Snooker Championship, Englishman Hawkins - who is set to make his 20th Crucible appearance - has named who he thinks is the man to beat at this year's event - and it's not Zhao.

The 2013 finalist said: “It’s hard to just pick one person, but you can see why Zhao Xintong has been made the favourite, because he’s been playing so well again lately. But I think that the old Crucible curse could get to him"

Asked to pick one player as the standout contender for the title, Hawkins named four-time world champion Mark Selby.

“If I had to pick just one person as the man to beat, I’d pick Mark Selby. He’s been playing very well this season and looks back to his best.

“He’s someone who’s been there and done it all before. He knows how to win it, and he’s been playing great stuff all season.

“He missed the World Open in China recently, and that might have done him good. He might have rested himself and will come into Sheffield feeling fresher.

“If he doesn’t win it, then he’s bound to be there or thereabouts, at least. So yeah, I’d pick Mark Selby as the man to beat.

Selby - an annual Crucible fixture ever since his debut in 2005 - goes to Sheffield this year as the reigning UK Champion.

That title triumph in York at the start of December represented the tenth Triple Crown accolade of his illustrious career, putting him in an exclusive band of players who have notched up double figures.

It also came only a few weeks after his success at the Champion of Champions on home soil in Leicester. In February, Selby secured his third title of the season by completing an unprecedented Championship League Invitational three-peat.

One of only four players to have won consecutive World Snooker Championship titles under the Crucible Theatre roof, and the only person to have defeated Ronnie O'Sullivan in a world final, Hawkins feels that former world number one Selby doesn't receive the plaudits he should

“Mark Selby is someone who doesn’t get nearly enough credit for what he’s done in the game. Mark Selby’s one of the best players ever. He’s right up there with Ronnie” said ‘The Hawk’.

To view the full draw, results, schedule, and other information from the 2026 World Snooker Championship, visit our tournament information centre here.

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