Crucible dreams realised as first batch of 2025 World Snooker Championship qualifiers discovered

These successful cueists will have their names in the pot for Thursday morning’s draw, where the 16 qualifiers will be randomly drawn against the world’s top 16 players for round one on snooker’s grandest stage which begins on Saturday morning.

The first player through was world number 20 Chris Wakelin following a 10-2 defeat of Martin O’Donnell.

Former Shoot Out champion Wakelin took control early on as he established a 6-0 lead before winning the first three frames of the evening session to qualify.

The 33-year-old is set to make his fourth Crucible appearance - his first since 2022 - and will be seeking his maiden match victory there.

Next to advance was world number 73 Zak Surety, who has achieved a dream by qualifying for the Crucible for the first time.

It has been the best spell of 33-year-old Surety’s career to date. At the end of February, he narrowly missed out on reaching his maiden ranking event final when he was ousted 6-5 by John Higgins in the semi-finals of the World Open in Yushan, China.

Just a few weeks later on, Surety can now look forward to making his bow on snooker’s hallowed carpet after eliminating former semi-finalist Ricky Walden, 10-3.

Surety - who saw off Jack Lisowski 10-8 in the penultimate qualifying round having been 8-5 down - won eight of the last nine frames against Walden, a sequence that began with a break of 133.

China’s Zhou Yuelong will be back at the Crucible following a six-year hiatus after denying fellow countryman and friend Yuan Sijun, 10-5.

In a contest where there was only one place between them in the world rankings, Yuan got off to an ideal start in opening a 4-1 advantage. However, three-time ranking event finalist Zhou won nine of the next ten frames - highlighted by runs of 117 and 118 - to book a place in round one proper.

It has been a disappointing season for Zhou who has made just one last 16 appearance in ranking events - his last outing at the World Open - but it could yet end on a real high.

The highest quality match of the day came on table number one, as former UK Champion Zhao Xintong became only the third amateur player to make it through to the main draw of the World Championship.

Of course, former top 16 star Zhao was a professional and a two-time ranking event winner before his ban from the sport that expired in September, but he currently doesn't have a tour card, although next season he will be back on the World Snooker Tour full-time having won this season's Q Tour rankings race.

Zhao has come from the opening qualifying round at the EIOS, winning four matches to qualify for a third Crucible appearance.

Elliot Slessor was Zhao's final obstacle, and the Chinese cueist was looking comfortable at 6-2 up.

However, Slessor - who is one of the most improved players on tour over the past couple of years - strung together four frames to level at 6-6.

Zhao went 9-6 up, Slessor pulled it back to 9-8, but 28-year-old Zhao produced a decisive 72 break in frame 18 for a 10-8 victory.

The contest was full of class, with both players making three centuries each (Zhao: 134, 127, 103 and Slessor: 114, 113, 126) and several other sizeable contributions.

Across his four qualifying matches, Zhao made 12 tons.

Experienced Welshman Ryan Day is set to receive his 16th Crucible cap after he denied Thailand’s Sunny Akani his first, with a 10-5 victory.

45-year-old Day - who is a three-time World Championship quarter-finalist - top scored with a 104 break.

Ben Woollaston’s 12-year wait for a trip back to the Crucible as a player is over as the world number 44 got past Ross Muir, 10-4.

The former Welsh Open finalist’s only previous appearance in the main draw there came in 2013 but he can make travel plans again after taking six of the final seven frames during which he fashioned an effort of 104.

A semi-finalist last year, David Gilbert still has the opportunity to make the one-table set-up for a third time in his career after he squeezed past Aaron Hill, 10-9.

In the previous round Gilbert recovered from 6-3 down to defeat rookie Gong Chenzhi 10-6, and the 43-year-old had to dig himself out of trouble once more against Ireland’s number one, Hill.

Aiming to reach the Crucible for the first time, 23-year-old Hill crafted a string of breaks as he created a 7-3 lead.

But former Championship League winner Gilbert was in fine scoring form himself as he claimed seven of the next nine frames - aided by breaks of 78, 70, 69, 118, 53 and 63 - to turn the tables and make an appointment in S1 1DA for an 11th time.

The final match to finish on Tuesday evening was also decided by a nineteenth and final frame, and it resulted in Daniel Wells joining Surety in the Crucible debutant club.

Wells pipped world number 17 Gary Wilson - the highest ranked player at these qualifiers - 10-9 in what was his fourth visit to the final qualifying round.

36-year-old Wells led 6-2, but Wilson went on a charge, as he won four frames in-a-row to level at 6-6.

The players then traded frames, with the tie eventually going all the way, although Wells did have a chance to wrap up the match in frame 18.

However, 16 years on from losing in a deciding frame to Barry Hawkins in the final qualifying round, Wells got the job done with the aid of a 52 break.

The world number 49 is set to be the 21st Welshman to play in snooker's most famous venue.

For all the results and the full draw for the 2025 World Snooker Championship qualifying rounds, please visit our information centre here.