World Snooker Championship: Ken Doherty makes his tips for Crucible success

Neil Robertson is the favourite for this year’s World Snooker Championship but Ronnie O’Sullivan could have a ‘big year’ at the Crucible, reckons former world champ Ken Doherty.

Robertson is undoubtedly the form man heading to Sheffield, having won the Masters, English Open, Players Championship and most recently the Tour Championship just a matter of days ago.

The Thunder from Down Under is the favourite with the bookmakers, but his surprisingly poor record at the Crucible is causing some doubt for many onlookers, Doherty included.

The Australian won the World Championship in 2010, but has been to just one semi-final since then. A record that stands out as bizarre when considering that he has been one of the best players on the planet during that spell, winning a tournament every single year since his world title glory.

With this in mind, the 1997 world champ seems to be leaning towards the man Robertson beat in the semi-finals of the Tour Championship, the man who can equal Stephen Hendry’s record for Crucible crowns this year.

‘I think Neil is favourite with the way he is playing, but he also came with big expectations last year,’ Doherty told PA Media.

‘You have got to question him because he has admitted he doesn’t like it. I think it could be a big year for Ronnie to win his seventh, and there is a case for both the Chinese players (Yan Bingtao and Zhao Xintong) going very deep.’

Yan and Zhao could be described as dark horses for the event, although could have established themselves enough as top players that they are past that label.

After Zhao’s UK Championship and German Masters wins this season, he is a threat, although he has never won a game at the Crucible, so he has a huge improvement to make on his