The 2023 World Snooker Championships gets underway in Sheffield on April 15th as the world’s best cuemen make their annual pilgrimage to the Crucible Theatre. Over long format frames in a tournament that lasts for more than two weeks, shocks are relatively rare.
That’s not an encouraging trend for Cheshire’s great hope. Ricky Walden is the man most likely to bring the trophy back to the county, but there is some serious talent standing in this way.
The Opposition
It’s the competition that every snooker player wants to win, so we can expect reigning champion Ronnie O’Sullivan to be focused and ready to defend his crown. Rocket Ronnie is the favourite for 2023, according to current snooker odds, and he’s available at 4/1.
Judd Trump at 11/2 and Mark Selby at 6/1 follow, while Ricky Walden is listed firmly among the outsiders. Those same snooker World Championship odds list The Walnut way down at 125/1.
Walden will firstly have to make it through qualifying. If he passes that test, is there any hope that the man from Chester can go deep into this year’s tournament?
Ricky’s Ranking
“Snooker table at the start of a frame” (CC BY 2.0) by 155club
Ricky Walden began April as the number 24 ranked snooker player in the world. His highest ranking of number six was achieved in 2015, after he won the International Championship at the end of the previous year.
Walden has won three ranking events, but that 2014 success was his most recent. A little earlier, in 2013, he achieved his best finish at the World Championships. The Walnut progressed to the semi finals after coming through what was, admittedly, a favourable draw.
Walden overcame Michael Holt, Robert Milkins and Michael White in the earlier rounds before losing 17-14 in the semis to Barry Hawkins.
As the current season comes to a close, Ricky Walden will look back on another difficult few months. Amid a number of first round and second round exits, his best showing in a ranking event came via a quarter final place in the Scottish Open.
It may be a stretch for his supporters to expect another strong performance at the Crucible. Walden’s form is mixed, while many of his opponents remain at the top of their game.
O’Sullivan Aiming for Crucible Record
The big question in Sheffield relates to Ronnie O’Sullivan and whether he can win his eighth world championship title. The Rocket equalled Stephen Hendry’s modern day record of seven wins last year, and he’ll be aiming to go one better in 2023.
O’Sullivan’s form across the season is predictably mixed, but he has the ability to raise his game for the biggest competitions.
Among the challengers, Mark Allen is having a great season with three ranking wins. Mark Selby and Shaun Murphy have also won multiple tournaments and both men look in good shape heading to Sheffield.
Ricky Walden may not be able to sustain a challenge if he gets to the tournament proper. The Chester Potter is having a mixed campaign, but the World Championship offers one last chance to end the season on a high.
