Ronnie O'Sullivan is set to face fierce rival Ali Carter in the first round of the 2025 World Snooker Championship in a highly anticipated grudge match.
The seven-time world champion has not yet confirmed if he will compete at the Crucible, having not played competitively since January.
The pair have a contentious history spanning multiple tournaments, including two world finals and a heated exchange following last year's Masters.
Their relationship reached boiling point after the 2024 Masters final, which O'Sullivan won 10-7.
Ronnie O'Sullivan and Ali Carter have a bruising history
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Carter accused O'Sullivan of "snotting all over the floor" and called his fans "morons" who "haven't got enough brains".
O'Sullivan responded with an expletive-laden rant, saying Carter was "not a nice person" and needed to "sort his f***ing life out".
He also described his opponent as a "f***ing nightmare" during the heated exchange.
The rivalry between the two players has deep roots at the Crucible, with O'Sullivan defeating Carter in both the 2008 and 2012 World Championship finals.
Their most infamous clash came during the 2018 World Championship in what became known as "barge-gate".
O'Sullivan physically pushed Carter in the ribs and snapped: "That's for being Mr Angry", leading to a heated exchange.
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Carter had the last laugh on that occasion, claiming an unexpected victory over his rival.
O'Sullivan's participation remains uncertain as he has not played competitively since snapping his cue after withdrawing from the Championship League in January.
The 49-year-old, seeded fifth, has pulled out of five of the last six World Snooker Tour events on medical grounds.
Despite his absence from recent tournaments, O'Sullivan has been an ever-present at the Crucible since turning professional in 1992.
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Ronnie O'Sullivan has made no secret of his dislike of Ali Carter, even swearing at him
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He is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time.
In the other first-round matches, defending champion Kyren Wilson will face debutant Lei Peifan when action begins on Saturday.
World number one Judd Trump has been drawn against Zhou Yuelong.
Four-time champion Mark Selby will play fellow Leicester native Ben Woollaston.
Masters champion Shaun Murphy faces debutant Daniel Wells, while four-time winner John Higgins takes on Joe O'Connor.
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Ali Carter will face Ronnie O'Sullivan on Tuesday
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The match between O'Sullivan and Carter is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, April 22 at 2:30pm.
O'Sullivan is chasing a record eighth world title to move clear of Stephen Hendry's achievements.
The final of the tournament will take place over two days, beginning on Sunday, May 4.
The winner of the championship will receive £500,000 in prize money.
